Phantom Thieves of Hope - A Danganronpa X Persona 5 Story.

Beautiful Days - Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc

They say those that graduate from Hope's Peak Academy are guaranteed success for the rest of their lives. It was recognized as the most powerful, most famous, and most successful High School in the entire world.

The catch was that you could only enter by invitation, not by the typical high school entrance exam; and if you possessed a lucky ticket called "talent."

At least, for the most part. There were some exceptions. Not just with the Reserve Department, full of "untalented" students, but also with the role of Ultimate Lucky Student, where a random high school student was picked out from all schools across Japan, and invited at random to join the academy's main course.

This was the case for Makoto Naegi, who had been invited as the Ultimate Lucky Student almost exactly a year ago now. In fact, he had gone to bed early that night, as the next morning would be his first day back as a second-year at the prestigious school.

Makoto however, found himself very rudely awakened. He stirred in his sleep, and despite his dreariness, he became acutely aware that his pillow felt harder and more solid than usual.

Almost as if it was made of wood.

As Makoto opened his dreary eyes and looked up, he came to realize the reason for this feeling...was that what he thought was his pillow was, in fact, made of wood.

was that what he thought was his pillow was, in fact, made of wood

"Is this...a dream?" he muttered to himself, as he looked around in confusion, "where...am I?"

Makoto appeared to be in a classroom. One that felt very familiar to the one he had spent the last year in alongside his classmates at Hope's Peak. However, it was very noticeably different, given that everything in the room; the floors, the walls, the desks, the chairs, even the blackboard and lockers, were a deep shade of deep blue.

Makoto tried to stand up, but found that the feeling in his legs was gone, and he collapsed as soon as he tried. He stumbled and bumped his head on the desk next to him.

"OW!" he winced, clutching his sore spot, "ok...definitely not a dream then..."

"Hmhmhmhmhmm..."

Makoto's eyes widened, and he lurched his head upwards, as he suddenly heard the sound of a high pitched chuckle from the other side of the room. He quickly scrambled to his feet and looked forward to see two figures in front of him.

One of them was sitting at the teachers desk at the front of the classroom. He was a very abnormal looking man, one that would make one scream upon seeing him, but Makoto could not find the noise in his throat. He had pointed ears, bloodshot eyes that bulged out of his head, and bizarrely long nose. Makoto could not see the lower half of his body, but he wore a black, smart-looking suit, and white gloves on his hands.

The other person was a woman wearing a uniform that was the same shade of blue as everything else in the room, if a little lighter shaded. In terms of appearance, it wasn't too unlike the teachers and instructors that taught him at Hope's Peak Academy; like Miss Chisa Yukizome. The woman had short hair that reached the bottom of her neck from behind, it's color being somewhere between silverly grey or platinum blonde, and her eyes were a deep golden color, that seemed to pierce Makoto's body like she could see straight through him.

"Is this the classroom at Hope's Peak?" he asked, "who are you?" So many questions were going through his mind, yet these were the only one's that came out. The lady standing behind the weird-looking man chuckled.

"Asking so many questions right out of the gate," she smiled, "what a good student this one is. We may have struck lucky this time, Master."

"Patience. We shall see," the strange man replied, looking towards Makoto, "let us begin with your first question. "Is this a dream?" In a manner of speaking, yes...But also, no."

"Wh-What does that mean?" Makoto frowned, getting gradually more nervous by the second.

"What you see before you is indeed a real place, and everything you see happening here is real...However, it is also a place that only you can see in your mind," the man explained, "we call it...the Velvet Room. It is a place that exists between dreams and reality; mind and matter...and I am it's Master. My name is Igor."

He then gestured to the lady in the uniform, who courtesied to him.

"This lady by my side is my assistant for this Velvet Room. Her name is Agatha. Please, do well to remember this."

"I...I can try?" Makoto scratched his head, unsure of what to say, "but...Why did you bring me here? Why are we in a classroom? Did I...do something wrong?"

"The room takes the appearance of the state of it's guest's mind. Yours just so happens to resemble a classroom. Even I cannot tell you why," Igor explained, "perhaps it means that your fate is tied to your education or your career?"

"My fate?" Makoto parroted, panicking even more, "what does that even mean!? Am I in danger!?"

"Perhaps...Perhaps not..." Igor replied cryptically, "but there is no need to panic. There is a way to defy the fate that has been forced upon you...albeit only one..."

Igor suddenly snapped his fingers, and as soon as he did, Makoto began to feel a drowsiness overwhelm him. He collapsed back onto the chair he had woken up from, and he felt his eyelids become heavy.

"Do not be alarmed. I am simply sending you back to where you came from," Igor chuckled as he started to fade from view, "we will meet again soon..."

"Makoto!? MAKOTO! WAKE UP!"

Makoto lurched awake once again at the sound of his name being screamed in his ear. He lurched upwards, frantically looking around at his environment. Igor, the woman Agatha, and the deep blue classroom had vanished. Now he found himself in the familiar setting of his bedroom at home, with his little sister, Komaru Naegi, standing next to his bed with her hands on her hips.

Komaru was wearing her own school uniform. She didn't go to Hope's Peak, but she had just started attending a high school in the local area. Despite how their appearances suggested otherwise, Komaru was younger than Makoto by one year, and this was her first year as a High Schooler. She clearly didn't approve of how her older brother was napping in when she had decided to take things so seriously.

"Jeez. Usually you're the one who has to wake ME up in the morning," she huffed, "had a nice dream or something?"

"I definitely had...a dream..." Makoto replied, not knowing what else to say.

"Well, get back to reality and come down for breakfast, or else you'll miss your first day of school." Komaru told him, "Mom's already made breakfast, it's downstairs for you. Toast and milk work?"

"Yeah, that's fine," Makoto clutched his groggy head, "just give me a minute to get dressed and I'll be downstairs..."

Komaru didn't reply. She just nodded and left the room. For his part, Makoto had to take a moment to process what he had just seen. Sure, he could easily brush seeing the Velvet Room as a dream, but at the same time, where would such a dream have come from? And why did it feel more real than any other dream he had had before.

He thought about asking his family or even classmates about it, but quickly realized that none of them would have the answers he wanted. Instead, he just brushed it aside, got dressed, and headed downstairs for breakfast.

"Sleeping in on your first day back?" Makoto's mother turned around to greet her son as he walked into the room, "tut tut Makoto. We can't be having our Ultimate Son slack off."

"Come on Mom, give me a break, I had a rough night," Makoto sighed, "besides, I'm only the Ultimate Lucky Student. I'm not THAT special."

"Does Makoto even need to be in early?" Makoto's dad suddenly asked, who was, like most dads do for some reason, reading the paper, "I heard that at Hope's Peak, you're allowed to skip as many classes as you want so long as you're honing your talent?"

"Yeah, talents are all the academy really cares about, but how am I supposed to hone my abilities?" Makoto asked, "waltz around the courtyard and hope I narrowly manage to avoid being hit by a flying can?"

"Hm? Sounds like you're talking from experience," Komaru teased, taking a big bite of her pancakes; a significantly sweeter breakfast than what Makoto had, "look at you being a good and honest boy, going to class."

"I'd focus less on me and more on yourself," Makoto jeered back, "my little sister grew up so fast. Are we sure she's ready for high school? She still sleeps with a stuffed animal after all."

"YOU still sleep in your star patterned onesie!" Komaru snapped back, her mouth full of pancake, "don't give me that! My stuffed animal is just another pillow to me!"

"Alright, that's enough now." Makoto's mother put an end to their argument before Makoto could strike again. The air became awkward as Komaru and Makoto stopped talking to each other, so Makoto swiftly tried to change the subject.

"Any interesting things in the paper today Dad?" he asked at random. He didn't honestly care upon asking, just wanting to move on. Makoto's father looked up from his read with a concerned look on his face, which did catch Makoto's attention.

"Just your typical story..." he replied, "but...Well...Let's just say we might have to drive Komaru to school today."

"What!? Ugh, but I told you I didn't want you to do that! What kind of high school girl gets driven to school by her parents!? Especially on her first day!" Komaru whined.

"Trust me, I wouldn't if I thought we had a choice, but it seems to me like there's been an accident on the underground," Makoto's Dad turned the paper around so Komaru and the others could get a better look, "apparently it's a pretty big story too. The driver of the train apparently leapt off the train after pumping up the speed to it's max. It stormed through several stations before it eventually crashed, and a lot of people got hurt."

"Another one!?" Komaru gasped, "there's been loads of these accidents lately, and a lot of them have been caused by people acting kooky..."

"Did anyone get killed?" Makoto asked, pinching himself in the thigh for even bringing it up. Mr Naegi shook his head.

"There were some rough injuries, but apparently the only casualty was the driver himself," he said, "it he planned to commit suicide, I wish he'd picked a better time and not dragged so many people in."

"Honey!" Mrs Naegi snapped at him.

"That's not what I meant," he assured her, "I'm just worried."

"Hey, with that logic, the tubes have got to be cancelled for today, right?" Makoto asked, "doesn't that mean the traffic's gonna be bad?"

"Crud...didn't think of that..." Mr Naegi realized.

"Aaaaaww!" Komaru groaned, "I'm gonna be late on my first day! Everyone's gonna laugh at me!"

"Don't be silly Komaru. No one's going to pick on you if you just so happen to be late for your first day," Mrs Naegi said, while Makoto kept to himself just how wrong he thought this was, "Makoto, could you use that app on your phone that tells you the safest and quickest route to a location? That way, we can avoid the traffic."

"Oh, sure thing," Makoto reached into his pocket and pulled out his cell phone, "haven't used it in a bit but I remember...huh?"

"What? What is it?" Komaru asked.

What made Makoto stop was looking at his phone screen, and noticing something that wasn't there the last time he checked. There was an icon on his home screen that looked like an eye. Specifically, it looked very similar to the Eye of Horus, with a star in the middle...or a pentagram.

Whatever it was, it seemed to be staring at Makoto, and he didn't remember downloading it.

"What's wrong Makoto?" Mr Naegi asked.

"N-Nothing...Just thought I didn't have the app anymore, so I had to look for it," Makoto quickly deleted the app without checking what it was, afraid it was some sort of malware or whatever, "I've got it now. Let me send you the route."

"Be safe on your way to school today Makoto," Mrs Naegi told him, "I know you're walking, but keep an eye out for any traffic accidents on the road."

"I will Mom," he replied apathetically, "and Komaru? Jokes aside, I wish you good luck."

"Heh...Thanks bro." Komaru affectionately gave him a slap on the wrist.

Beautiful Dead - Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc

Sure enough, as Makoto had predicted, the traffic was especially bad. Fortunately, Hope's Peak wasn't too far away from his house, so Makoto just walked there. He had already packed a bag full of his things, ready to stay in the school dorms for the year.

Makoto looked up in dismay as he felt a cold drop of rain hit the back of his neck. That drop was then quickly joined by several others that pattered down on the student's head. He took his bag off his back and reached into it, shuffling through lots of home items looking for his umbrella, to no avail.

"Ugh, just my luck!" he grunted, severely frustrated, hurrying towards a nearby building for shelter, watching a lot of other schoolboys and schoolgirls doing the same. Makoto had already noticed a lot of the students from the Reserve Course passing him by, recognizing their black uniforms. Despite the rain drowning out the noise, he still heard their passing conversations, such as "what do we have first period today?"

Makoto pulled his phone out of his pocket and opened it up.

"I thought the forecast said it was going to be clear skies today!" he grouched, "wait...huh?"

When Makoto tried to look up the weather forecast on his phone, he suddenly noticed that the same red eye logo on his phone had appeared again.

"What the hell?" he said under his breath, "I thought I deleted that..."

Makoto reached out to remove the app again, but right before he could, someone suddenly ran up and grabbed his arm. Originally, he flinched in surprise, but calmed down immediately upon seeing who it was.

Though he didn't recognize her, the girl that grabbed him was wearing the main course uniform. She had smooth, ash-blonde hair that curved out to the sides as it grew down her neck. Her bangs hung low over her warm, plum-colored eyes, before being brushed behind her ears. Much like Makoto, she had some hair on her head that stuck upwards, but unlike Makoto, it was thin and more arched. Her eyes were slightly tilted, and her eyelashes were fairly long.

"C-Can I help you?" he asked. The girl took a second to catch her breath, before she responded.

"S-Sorry..." she gasped, "are you a student at Hope's Peak? Do you know which way it is to the school building?"

"Um...Yeah, I'm a second year," he said, "I take it you're a new first year?"

"Y-Yeah..." she was clearly very out of breath after having ran through the rain, "sorry to bother you, but you looked like you were from the main course and I...I got a little lost on the way...I thought I knew the directions, but I..."

"Hey, it's alright," Makoto comforted her with a pat on the shoulder, "I'm not having the best day either, but that's normal for me. If you need me to take you to the building, I'd be happy to...On the condition that you let me share your umbrella."

"Oh, sure!" the girl raised her umbrella and held it in a way that would make room for the both of them. Makoto, forgetting to delete the app on his phone after the girl's arrival, pocketed his phone and started to walk with her.

"So...you're a second year, huh?" the girl tried to strike up a conversation with him as they walked, "I guess that would make you my senpai...Sorry, I don't think I caught your name?"

"It's ok, I didn't catch yours either," Makoto replied, "I'm Naegi. Makoto Naegi. I'm the second years Ultimate Lucky Student. And trust me, there's no need to call me senpai.

"Oh, you're the one picked out from lottery!" she smiled, "We actually don't have that this year; too many spaces or something. Kinda funny how you're having such a bad day, given that your talent is luck..."

"It's not all it's cracked out to be," Makoto admitted, "what about you?"

"Oh, right, sorry, I really should've introduced myself more formally..." she seemed embarrassed, "I'm a new first year, Kaede Akamatsu. My talent is Ultimate Pianist."

"Oh, a musician! I'm good friends with a music artist myself," Makoto beamed, "one of my classmates is known as the Ultimate Pop Sensation."

"WHAT!?" Kaede exclaimed, louder than she clearly meant to; many people's heads turning towards her as people passed them by, "you mean...You're CLASSMATES with Sayaka Maizono!?"

"Her reputation precedes her as always..." Makoto chuckled, "my sister's a huge fan too. She had pretty much the same reaction when I told her."

"It must be so cool! Sayaka's such an inspiration for girls across the country, especially musically gifted ones like me!" Kaede exclaimed, "well, I guess "musically gifted" sounds too vain...I'm really just a freak who loves piano a little too much."

"Oh come now, "freak" is a bit much. You seem very nice." Makoto replied earnestly, "anyway, if we turn the corner here we should be...woah...!"

Makoto and Kaede turned the corner, and came to the pristine pearly gates of the academy. However, a fairly large crowd was gathered out front, which was not normal, even with the academy's fame.

"What's going on?" Kaede asked, "did I miss a welcome ceremony?"

"Usually they go to the lobby of the school building for that," Makoto told her, "why don't you run ahead and go meet your new classmates? I can get to the bottom of this."

"Ok!" Kaede shook Makoto's hand with a jovial smile on her face, "thank you so much Naegi-san! I hope to see you around the school!"

"You're welcome. See you later!" Makoto waved her goodbye. He watched as Kaede practically forced her way through the large crowd in an attempt to hurry to the entrance ceremony in the school lobby. For his part, he approached the crowd to get to the bottom of this.

However, along the way, Makoto stopped in his tracks, as he suddenly felt a presence nearby. Everyone else around him appeared to be mindless to it, but the moment Makoto approached, he breathed a sigh, and wryly smiled as he turned his head towards a small tree near the front of the academy.

He approached it, and shook it's branch lightly a few times. This prompted some nervous whimpering to sound from the branches, which turned a few confused heads. Makoto, for his part, ignored them and looked up at the tree branches to see a familiar face.

"Fukawa-san," he sighed "any reason why you're up there today?"

"Oh...I-It's you..." the girl who Makoto had spotted in the tree branches poked her head down to get a better look at him, "h-how did you know I was up here?"

This girl was Toko Fukawa, Hope's Peak's Ultimate Writing Prodigy, and a classmate of Makoto's. She was easily recognizable due to her messy purple hair which she tied in twin braids, and her large round glasses that sat uncomfortably on her petite face.

Toko wasn't a bad person, but she had what could be easily seen as a bad attitude. Intellectually, she was very gifted, and she had a way with words, as you would expect with a writer. Her social skills and ability to make friends on the other hand, were not so admirable. She very much preferred to outcast herself from others, the only exception being another boy from Makoto's class, Byakuya Togami, whom Toko had a major crush on (much to his annoyance).

She was highly suspicious of other people, frequently accusing them of thinking bad things about her, even if they had good intentions. She expressed her opinions freely and extremely, which often came across as mean and often rubbed people the wrong way, outcasting her even more.

By now though, after having gotten to know Toko for over a year, Makoto had been able to take her harsh words on the chin, and had come to realize that she was just being brutally honest with herself and everyone around her. He also knew that she wasn't completely unlikeable. When Makoto had introduced his classmates to his younger sister during the summer after the first year, Komaru had gone out of her way to include Toko in all the group activities they had done that day.

Toko had originally only came because Makoto had convinced Byakuya, but by the end of the day, she seemed to appreciate what Komaru had done for her, and the two of them had hit it off. Toko obviously would never have admitted it though.

"I-I bet it was the smell, right?" Toko stammered, "you found me because I reek."

"While I do still think you should shower more often, no, that's not it," Makoto assured her, "I guess I'm just used to feeling your presence after all this time. How come you're up there anyway?"

"I-Isn't it obvious?" she replied, "I'm trying to avoid the crowd. Everyone would jeer me if I tried to get by them, so I'm waiting for them to make a move."

"Ah, I get it. You never did well with large crowds." Makoto acknowledged.

"Yeah...But I also don't want to catch a cold because of the rain. If I do, I'll start sneezing and...you know..."

"Oh...right..." Makoto recalled, "still struggling with that, huh?"

"Don't t-talk about it as if it's the common cold..." Toko bit back.

There was another aspect of Toko that Makoto had nearly forgotten about, but upon these words, had remembered. Toko suffered from a very severe case of Dissociative Identity Disorder, and had a split personality. One half was Toko, as you saw now, but the other was the infamous Ultimate Murderous Fiend, Genocide Jack.

Or Genocide Jill as her classmates had chosen to call her.

Due to the split personality, Genocide Jill was listed as another student of Hope's Peak by proxy. She was a professional serial killer who has never been caught since her first time committing a murder. She only killed handsome men that she and Toko were attracted to, always killing them in the same style - crucifying them with her custom scissors. Her elusive nature even had Zero Class Detective Library members stumped, unable to catch onto her whereabouts, but somehow, Hope's Peak's legendary steering committee had already caught wind of her antics, and despite knowing the truth about Toko, decided to incorporate her into the course anyway.

It wasn't all bad though. Jill's murderous streak had come to an abrupt end after she had met Byakuya, as she also had a huge crush on him (again, much to his dismay). Plus, Hope's Peak knew exactly what to provide Toko to help her condition while she lived life in the dorms.

"Speaking of which, what's actually going on?" Makoto asked, "why are so many people gathered here?"

"Come up here and you'll s-see for yourself," Toko told him, "we've got a real celebrity on the grounds today..."

"Isn't that every day?" Makoto asked, "usually security's a lot tighter."

Though he didn't particularly care for the idea, Makoto complied with Toko's request and climbed the tree. Toko didn't try to help him up, and instead, just watched as Makoto clambered up the easily-snapped branches. Fortunately, luck had chosen to be on Makoto's side this time, and he got up without falling.

He pushed aside some leaves, and was able to look through them to see the center of the busy crowd. In the eye of the storm, he saw two very prominent and very important looking people. Even the rain wasn't able to hide the charm these men exuded.

One of the men, Makoto recognized immediately. It was the headmaster of Hope's Peak Academy, Jin Kirigiri. He'd already made the man's acquaintance many times before during his first year. Obviously, not because he kept on getting into trouble, but because the headmaster was always curious about what was going on with his class in particular. On an unrelated note, he was also the father of one of his classmates, Kyoko Kirigiri, the Ultimate Detective.

The other man looked familiar, but Makoto didn't know him. He recalled seeing him in a newspaper though. He had long, dark hair and lavender eyes, and was also wearing a fancy business suit, clearly here on official business.

"Who is that?" he asked, "he looks familiar."

"His name is Haiji Towa," Toko explained, "a-apparently he's a bigwig in the technology industry. Now he's here on business strutting round like he owns the place."

Makoto suddenly felt a vibration in his pocket, caused by his phone. Assuming he got a text from someone; he ignored it for now to focus on what was in front of him.

"Oh, you mean from Towa Corp!?" Makoto exclaimed, "he's the heir to the company, if I'm not mistaken."

"There you go. Good on you for catching up." Toko remarked sarcastically, "yeah, he got invited to the school today for a few reasons. Towa Corp is apparently implementing a new security system in Hope's Peak. One programmed by AI. Haiji's taken credit of creating it, and he's here to promote it."

"And the other reasons?" Makoto had began to become more curious by the second. Toko sighed and rolled her eyes, clearly not enjoying this long, drawn-out discussion.

"Did you hear what Hope's Peak's latest pet project is?" Toko inquired, "the Elementary School Division?"

"Oh, yeah! There's only a few students as part of it right now, but the division was made by the school to house young and upcoming talent that would have a chance to enter the Main Course of the Academy once they get older!" Makoto exclaimed, his eyes sparkling, "Hope's Peak Academy's Elementary School Division consists of only young and talented children recruited by the school itself, and runs in a similar fashion to the schools Main Course high school, and the kids are referred to as "Lil' Ultimates!""

Makoto felt another vibration. He ignored it again as Toko scowled at him.

"Alright, we get it, supernerd!" she snapped, "I-I already know all of this, you can spare me the lecture. But still, it rubs me the wrong way..."

"The crowd bothering you that much?" Makoto asked, not turning his eyes away from Haiji Towa, who was talking happily to both Jin and the crowd that surrounded him.

"It's not that. You're an online activist about all things talent, and you didn't even know about the shady rumors surrounding the guy?" Toko inquired.

Makoto shook his head. "Well, he's the heir to a big financial conglomerate, like Togami. He's gotta have some skeletons in his closet, but how bad can they be?"

"What are you implying!?" Toko snapped angrily. Makoto flinched.

"Ah, sorry! I wasn't implying anything!" he pleaded, "I'm just saying, what were you referring to?"

"Tch...I don't need to tell you anything," she growled, pulling herself together, "something about he's mistreated his workers, or that he embezzles company funds for his own benefit..."

"Those are pretty standard," Makoto replied, "and they're easily disproven. You can't judge a guy just for his lifestyle and career."

"There's more though," Toko continued, "there's rumors surrounding his involvement with the Elementary School. Like he's planning on using it for some skeevy reasons. On top of that, people also say that he's a huge perv too, the kind that goes after younger girls despite being an older man."

"Oh come on!" Makoto exclaimed, feeling a chill down his spine, "don't get me wrong, I've no reason to defend him, but that's a bit far fetched to say about a guy who you don't know."

"Normally I'd agree, but...I don't know, I don't like him. He's handsome, but doesn't something seem off about him? If the rumors are true, for all we know, he could be acting like the Elementary School is a prison and he's a warden."

"Weird choice of words...I don't know...Hold on though, someone's texting me. I need to...huh?"

Makoto reached into his phone pocket to see why his cell was vibrating, but something turned up that he hadn't seen before. However, from looking at the app background, he immediately figured out that it must have been the strange app that he tried to delete before.

"What is it?" Toko asked. Makoto didn't respond as he stared at the screen.

Left Behind By The Adults - Danganronpa Another Episode: Ultra Despair Girls

The app appeared to be some sort of navigation app, much like the one he had used earlier that morning. On it, three prompts showed up on the screen: Name, Location, Concept and Distortion.

"What the hell...? What kind of prompts are these?" Makoto said under his breath. Underneath each of these prompts, the boxes had all already been filled out...

Name: Haiji Towa

Location: Hope's Peak Elementary

Distortion: Prison.

On top of that, underneath these prompts read the words [BEGINNING NAVIGATION]

"Helloooo? Naegi?" Toko snapped her fingers in front of his face, annoyed that she was being ignored, "I'm talking to you?"

"Oh, sorry!" Makoto exclaimed, ignoring the app for now and pocketing his phone, "sorry, I think I might have a virus or something on my phone. I'll need to ask Fujisaki about it when we get to class."

Chihiro Fujisaki was another classmate of Makoto's. She was the Ultimate Programmer. If anyone knew what was going on with his phone, it would be her.

"But I don't wanna go through the crowd..." Toko covered her head under the book in her hands. Makoto sighed.

"Fine," he rolled his eyes, I'll catch you later then."

He gave a slight wave then carefully landed on the ground after hopping out of the tree...However, upon getting out, Makoto looked at his surroundings...

Something didn't feel right.

The first sign that something was wrong was that the huge crowd that Makoto had just been watching from the tree...had disappeared. Not just the excited students gathering out the front, but also the random passersby, and the busy traffic outside the school. Haiji Towa and Jin Kirigiri had also vanished.

There was no feasible way they could have all dissipated in the matter of seconds that it took Makoto to get out of the tree.

The second sign was that the sky had suddenly gotten a lot darker. Yes, it had been rain, but the sky was now even darker than before, and the rain itself had disappeared entirely.

"H-Hey!" a voice came as someone clambered out of the tree, "what's going on!?"

In the very least, Toko had stayed with Makoto, and had now climbed out of the tree and joined him.

"Your guess is as good as mine," he replied, "where did everybody go?"

"D-Don't know..." Toko grumbled, "and to be honest, I don't care. At least I can get to class now without running into too many people!"

"H-Hey! Fukawa, wait for me!" Makoto exclaimed.

Arriving at their classroom, Class 78-B, unfortunately made the situation all the more confusing. The classroom was dimly lit, and once again, there was no one to be found.

No classmates, and no teacher. Just Makoto and Toko, as it had been.

"Wh-Where is everyone!?" Toko exclaimed, clearly starting to panic, "where is my Master Togami!? I've been waiting all summer to see him again! Is he avoiding me!?"

"No comment on that but...it is weird that no one is here besides us," Makoto said, half to Toko and half to himself, "there was no one in the hallways either, not even a janitor."

"M-Maybe they're all hiding so they can jump out and s-surprise us?" Toko suggested.

"Well, it's neither of our birthday's, so I wouldn't get it...Plus, do you really think people like Togami or Kiri are gonna participate in that kind of thing?" Makoto asked, "and do you really think the whole school would be involved in something like that, just for us?"

It was dark in the classroom, so Makoto walked over to the window and raised the blinds...

But as soon as he did, his heart stopped.

"What the heck is THAT!?" he exclaimed, prompting Toko to turn around and run towards the window.

"WHAT THE FUCK!?" she shrieked, as her eyes lay upon the same thing as Makoto.

Out the back of the building was something that they had never seen before. A large, stone institute with flashing lights, and barred windows. It was a huge complex, even when compared to Hope's Peak's school building, and Makoto couldn't see over the walls from where his classroom window was located.

"Hey uh...Hope nerd?" Toko addressed Makoto rather unprofessionally, "you said you did some reading? What's this place?"

"I don't know!" Makoto exclaimed in response, "this place looks like a penitentiary! There was nothing in the news about a jail being built right next to Hope's Peak!"

"Yeah, I guess that would be pretty...Wait!" Toko cut herself off massively.

"What!?" Makoto cried.

"I just saw movement in the window!" Toko pointed to one of the windows higher up in the complex; one that wasn't barred, "I think there are people in there!"

"Well...Maybe everyone else went to whatever that building is supposed to be?" Makoto suggested, "let's go take a closer look."

"A-Are you sure?" Toko stammered, "I don't like the looks of things."

"Me neither, but we haven't had any luck with running into anyone, much less people we know and recognize," Makoto explained, "SOMEONE'S got to tell us what's going on."

Toko and Makoto didn't feel any better even after approaching this strange and unrecognizable building. The walls seemed even bigger and more intimidating up close than from the classroom window.

"M-Maybe we should g-go back?" Toko asked, "I mean i-it's not like we can trust m-me to do any of the t-talking, right?"

"I thought you wanted to find your dear "Master." For all we know, he's in here." Makoto reminded her, stepping forward towards the large steel gate of the establishment. Much like the windows, the gates were made of bars, but currently, they were open. Despite her protests, Toko did not want to be left alone outside in front of the intimidating building, so she begrudgingly followed Makoto closely.

As they approached the building however, Makoto's vision began to fade in and out. For a second, he swore he caught a glimpse of another building entirely as he walked through the gate. One much smaller, and more comfortable looking.

He didn't express any of these concerns to Toko however, as he became too distracted by the concrete interior of the room he stepped into. It was a fairly large room with a few structures, but very uninviting.

It was a cold, drafty room with a platform above them. Makoto had never actually been to one before, bare in mind, but it seemed to be very similar to the one's he had seen on the crime drama's that his parents liked to watch. This was the part where prisoners would first be taken into the jail, then lined up for inspection.

"C-Come on now..." Toko shivered, both from tension and the cold air of the room, "wh-what even is this place...AH!?"

She gave a quick a shrill shriek all of a sudden, which snapped Makoto's attention straight to her. Following her vision line, Makoto looked towards a doorway on the other side of the room.

A figure dressed in a security uniform, and a weird mask on their face, trudged into the room. They were holding a police baton and flashlight, and they slowly made their way towards the two Ultimate Students. Makoto didn't quite know how to react, but felt a little bit of relief upon seeing another person, so he greeted them appropriately.

"Um...Hi!" he chuckled nervously, "sorry for dropping in unannounced it's just...we're looking for our classmates. Do you know where they might have gone to? I'm sorry for the way my friend here reacted, she's...very easily frightened.

"We are NOT friends...!" Toko hissed, "and stop calling me out!"

However, Makoto felt his blood run cold, when all of a sudden, the security guard-looking figure broke out into a small jog towards him. Not only that, but a loud, blaring, obnoxiously noisy alarm started to sound, which blocked out all other sounds except for Toko's panicked shrieking!

"Hey...This is bad!" Makoto exclaimed!

"No shit! Let's get out of here!" Toko cried, turning and starting to run. However, she was forcefully brought to a halt, as more security guards, clad in similar outfits, burst into the room from the other doorways. Toko didn't have time to react, when all of a sudden, one of them ran up to her, and smacked her around the face with their baton, knocking her to the ground!

"FUKAWA-SAN!" Makoto cried, running to try and help. However, he was suddenly grabbed by the back of his jacket by the other guard, which had now caught up to him...!

And with a single bash to the head with the flashlight, he was knocked out...!

Buzzkill - Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc

Makoto was awoken by the sounds of frustrated screams.

"Hey! Let me out! Y-You've got no right to keep me here!"

His mind was groggy, and the yelling made his headache worse, but still, he forced himself to sit upright. When his vision stopped being blurry, he took in his surroundings, and felt his heart sink.

He found himself in what was unmistakably a jail cell. It was an old, not very well kept area, with two stone-hard beds; one of which he lay upon; and a toilet. The bars were traditional, and he could make out Toko rattling on them, yelling at one of the strange masked security guards that had attacked them earlier.

Thank goodness she was ok at least. Makoto groaned as he sat upright, and Toko turned around upon hearing his moans.

"Naegi!" she exclaimed, dropping her edgy tone, clearly relieved that he had come to his senses, "thank god you're awake!"

"Fukawa-san..." Makoto got up as Toko helped him to his feet, "what's going on? How long was I out for?"

"Hell if I know. Hours could have passed and I'd have no way of knowing from in here," Toko snapped, "listen! We haven't done anything wrong! You've got no right to keep us here!"

"No right, hm?" an unfamiliar, and weirdly distorted voice suddenly joined them, and the guard guarding the cell moved aside to show a figure approach the cell, "then would you like it if I was to trespass in YOUR home and do whatever I please?"

Makoto's eyes widened as soon as he properly made out the figure. It was the very same one that he had seen that same morning...

"Wait...Haiji Towa!?" he exclaimed.

He said this, but it was clear that something was very off about the way Towa looked right now. Earlier, he had been wearing a very professional suit, and had brushed his long hair very neatly, to make himself look presentable in front of the Hope's Peak staff and students. Now however, he was almost the complete opposite of presentable.

He was wearing a pair of skinny trouser legs, shoes and...not much else. His chest and torso were completely bare, showing off a hairy chest, and on his head with his now incredibly disheveled hair, was a police-looking cap. He also now wore a pair of dark sunglasses, shaped like love-hearts, which he lowered upon approaching the cell. As he did, Makoto saw that his lavender-colored eyes were now a malicious yellow.

"What the hell is this!?" Toko spat, "what gives Towa!? What's with that outfit!?"

"Hmph...just a couple of pesky little kids? That's all?" he scoffed narcissistically, "I guess it's a bit more interesting than some petty thieves busting their way in here."

"What's going on!?" Makoto exclaimed, "where are our classmates!? What did you do to them!?"

"Don't address me so nonchalantly!" Towa sneered, "I am the WARDEN of this prison, and you will show me RESPECT!"

Makoto backed away, as the security guards flung open the door to the cell, and started to trudge in. Haiji Towa trudged in behind them.

"Trespassing, refusal to submit, threatening an official officer..." Haiji mockingly read a blank piece of paper that he pulled out of his trouser pocket, "you've seen far too much for now. The crime for these offenses...is DEATH!"

"D-Death...!?" Toko's face went blue, as did Makoto's, "wh-what do you mean-!? G-Get away! GET AWAY!"

Toko's pleas fell on ignorant ears, as the guards approached them.

"Start with the one with glasses," Haiji instructed, "she will pay for the extra offense of attacking my men!"

"What are you talking about!? I-I-I didn't attack anyone!" Toko squealed.

"It must have been Jill!" Makoto reminded her, "you got knocked out after all, so she must have taken over!"

Before Toko could respond to this suggestion, she was suddenly rammed straight in the stomach with one of the guard's batons! She clutched her stomach, coughed up something gross, and collapsed on the floor!

"FUKAWA-SAN! Gah!" Makoto once again rushed towards her, but was instead grabbed by the throat and held against the wall by another guard!

"H-Hey...!" Toko tried to find words, "I...don't know what this...is about...but leave him...out of this...!"

Both Makoto and Haiji looked towards Toko in surprise, but she crawled to her knees and continued.

"If...If this has anything...to do with Genocide Jack's crimes...then that's fine...! Just let...let him go...! He's innocent! And his sister will never forgive me if h-he dies!"

"Oh, don't worry, I'll deal with HIM appropriately," Haiji approached Toko, kneeling down and gripping her mouth with his hand, "I'll focus on your execution first."

*SLAP!*

As the guards held Toko down, Towa forcibly slapped her around the face, bruising her cheek.

"SCUM!"

*SLAP!*

"TOKO!" Makoto cried, trying his best to pry himself free of the soldier's grip, but to no avail. He struggled as much as he could, but couldn't escape.

"Give it up!" Haiji turned his head around briefly, and sneered a shit-eating grin across his disgusting face, "you're powerless against me. There's nothing you can do to defeat my guards, so just QUIT!"

*SMACK!*

He slapped and punched Toko again, then holding out a hand. One of the guards passed his baton over to him.

"Toko...!" Makoto grimaced, his vision going dark as he continued to be choked against the wall...As he watched Haiji raise the baton, everything went dark...

...

"So, that's it then?"

The Ultimate Lucky Student suddenly lurched awake, as a gruff voice suddenly whispered in his ear. He still found himself being held against the wall, but it somehow didn't hurt anymore.

Not only that, but the dark, stone cell he was in now turned a deep shade of blue, and everyone around him had now frozen, as if time had stopped.

Toko remained on the ground, bracing herself for the impact of Haiji's baton, which he was proceeding to swing towards her. Makoto reached out towards her, but still couldn't move from his spot.

"You're just going to stand there and watch her die?" the voice spoke again, "you disappoint me, son...A dear friend and classmate of yours is about to die, and you're not going to do anything?"

"What...can I do?" for some reason, Makoto felt a familiarity with the voice, so he didn't try to ask for who was calling him or what it was. Instead he just asked this "I'm just...me. No one special, not a hero, not someone who could stand against these guys in a fight..."

"So...are you just going to do as Towa said?" the voice spoke out again, almost mockingly, "just give up? Lay down and die here, when you still have your whole future ahead? Lay down and let Despair take you over?"

Makoto paused. It seemed that the theory of your entire life flashing before your eyes really was true, as in this case, his mind flashed to all the important people in his life. His parents, his sister, his classmates...everyone...

Was he really just going to watch as one of these dear people was murdered in front of him?

"My optimism..." Makoto finally found the words, "is something that I'm proud of. I would never let anyone I care about just die like that...!"

"Good lad," the voice responded, "this is your true resolve then? In that case...

Our pact is COMPLETE!"

Time suddenly started to move again, but the flow of events was interrupted by a sudden disturbance! A large burst of energy suddenly pushed out into the room, knocking Towa and his guards off balance, and interrupting Toko's execution, who looked up in surprise!

Makoto, for his part, was not having a good time. His head suddenly started to ache, and he could hear his heart practically beat out of his chest! His eyes dilated, and sweat ran down his face, as he clutched his scalp and tried to fight back the feeling!

"What are you doing!?" Haiji snapped at the guard who was previously holding him, "do your damn job and restrain him!"

Two of the guards ran up to Makoto, and grabbed both his shoulders, shoving him against the wall! Makoto struggled to resist due to the pain, keeping his eyes tightly shut...However, when he found the strength to open them, he suddenly felt something on his face.

He reached up, and touched it. Somehow, a strangely shaped mask had materialized itself onto his face. He grabbed it and tried to remove it, but found that it was firmly stuck to him!

"Yes, that's it!" the voice egged him on, "rip off the mask that hides your true self and SHOW YOUR RESOLVE!"

Though the idea was not comforting, Makoto complied. As the guards held him in place, he grabbed both sides of the mask, and tried to force it off! He screamed in pain, as pulling off the mask pulled away at his skin, causing him to bleed buckets of blood! He shrieked at the sky, and dropped the mask...

But as the mask landed on the floor, it burst into a column of blue flames, that completely enveloped Makoto and spiraled around him!

"NAEGI!" Toko cried!

"What is going on!?" Haiji Towa cried!

For his part however, Makoto had already become numb to the pain. He could feel the blood on his face seem to evaporate from the heat of the azure flame, yet his body remained unburned. He looked down, as he saw his body be enveloped by the fire...

He heard more spoken words, inside his head, and for some reason, felt his mouth move on it's own, as he copied them.

"I am Thou..."

"Thou art I..."

"Stand, thou who does not hesitate to become the saving light of Hope and Salvation for those trapped in the Dark Despair!"

"Call my name! Show the strength of the Ultimate Hope's unyielding will to judge those who dabble in this darkness!"

"Call thy forth, and RECIEVE THY BLESSING!"

Despite the situation, and how much pain he had been put through, Makoto felt himself crack a smile as the flames dissipated. When they did, everyone else in the cell saw that his outfit had now completely changed from the school uniform he was wearing previously.

With confidence, power and hope swelling inside his fast-beating heart, Makoto stood upright and squared down Haiji's guards, pointing his hand forward with gusto, as a large, lanky, four-armed spiritual figure materialized behind him and took his side, ready to dish out some justice!

Feeling the words seem to be whispered in his ear by an unseen angel, Makoto made a three word declaration that caused the guards to tremble in their boots...!

"Come forth

"Come forth...! MICKEY!"

Chapter End Notes

And so the journey to graduation begins...
I'm very excited for this story to be my first ever AO3 piece because I'm honestly super proud of how it turned out. And I really do hope that everyone who just so happens to come across this enjoys it as well. I love both Danganronpa AND Persona 5, and combining the two of them was a treat.
This fic was also posted on WattPad, so feel free to read it there too if that's your preference. My account is under the same name.
Before I close out, here's some additional information on Makoto's Persona, because for the many people who might be thinking "Wait, his Persona is Mickey Mouse?" No, it's not.
A Persona of the Fool Arcana, Makoto's Persona is based on Michael Spillane, much better known by his nickname, Mickey; An Irish-American mobster from Hell's Kitchen. Spillane, who was called the "last of the gentleman gangsters," was a marked contrast to the violent Westies gang members who succeeded him in Hell's Kitchen. He primarily specializes in Bless and Gun skills, but also has some physical attacks.
Anyway, thank you for reading, and I hope you stick around for the journey to come.

The Rabbit Hole

Chapter Summary

After narrowly escaping the mysterious prison cell and it's terrible warden, Makoto and Toko decide to return to the forsaken place to figure out what Haiji Towa is truly up to. However, they find more than they bargained for...

Chapter Notes

See the end of the chapter for notes

Argument (Break) - Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc

Toko, Towa, and everyone else confined within the no longer dark cell stared at Makoto with gaping mouths, astonished by what they were seeing.

The lanky spectral figure aside, Makoto's appearance had changed significantly. He was no longer wearing his school uniform, and instead, wore a much more flamboyant attire. A bright green suit with a bright yellow jacket underneath it. A bowtie interestingly shaped like a 4-leafed clover, and white smart pants, with matching white gloves.

His head was lowered, so no one could see his eyes, but the smile on his face exuded an air of confidence and power. The spectral figure loomed down, taking two of it's four arms, reaching into it's pockets, and pulling out a dagger and a gun. It stood by Makoto, almost as if the two were linked by soul, and a powerful introduction came from it's being.

"I am Mickey, last of the Gentleman Thieves! The spirit of rebellion that dwells within you. Should you desire it, I can grant you the power to tear down any blockade and break any barrier."

"Yes...please...!" Makoto replied, the words appearing in his mind as easily as knives cut through butter, "lend me your power!"

"You...I don't know what this is, but I'm not afraid of it!" Towa snapped, clearly lying out of his teeth given the look of fear across his face, "men! Change of plan! Execute that one first! And don't hold back!"

The situation got all the more hectic for the onlooking Toko, who watched as the security guards suddenly writhed around like worms in a sack. Their strange masks suddenly burst off their face, with a red and black ooze pouring out of it. That ooze then materialized into abnormal and strange creatures, one's that were small, and had pumpkins for heads.

This was new to Makoto too, but with the burning fire igniting his heart, he looked on at them without fear. The creatures lurched forward to attack him, but instead, he just raised his arm and pointed at the closest one.

"Take it down!" he cried. And at his demand, the spirit lunged forward and sliced the first enemy in half with the blade!

As the other three rushed at him, Makoto dodged their advance, like his body was on autopilot. He didn't even have to really think about pulling off the acrobatic backflip he had used to avoid their attack. He did it, just like that. He then, commanded once again by the voices and prompts in his head pointed his fingers towards the enemies.

"Kouha!" he shouted!

The spectral figure used a remarkably different attack this time, firing something from it's two empty hands. Two small sparks of light whizzed their way towards the enemies, and upon contact, exploded them into light and disintegrated them into nothing!

"Gah! Dammit!" Towa held up his arms as the force of the attack almost knocked him over.

Toko, who had been unable to move or talk in awe of this whole spectacle, suddenly snapped back to reality as she heard the sound of a jingle. She looked down to see the force of Makoto's attack had dislodged some keys from the strange man's belt.

With everything to lose, Toko instinctively jumped up and tackled the warden, knocking him over, and swiftly grabbing the keys. She turned rapidly towards Makoto and waved her arm over, as the spectral figure suddenly dissipated, and the odd green and yellow mask reappeared on Makoto's face.

"Come on! Let's go!" she cried, jangling the keys as a way of letting Makoto know of her plan. Acting quickly, Toko and Makoto dived out of the cell; Makoto slamming the gate shut, and Toko swiftly shoving the key in the hole and locking it! Towa clambered to his feet, and grabbed the bars, his face absolutely livid!

"YOU BASTARDS!" he cried in a rage, rattling on the bars, "Don't let them get away! SEIZE THEM!"

Makoto didn't wait around for backup to show. He instead grabbed Toko's arm and made a run for it.

"Wh-Where the hell are we gonna go!?" Toko cried.

"Anywhere but there!" he replied, "come on! Let's go this way!"

Makoto guided Toko towards an important looking door, and the two students burst through it in a desperate escape attempt!

"OW!"

"GAH!"

Upon rushing through the door, and coming out into the clearing behind it, Toko and Makoto were unpleasantly greeted by the feeling of the solid ground against their faces. They collapsed on the ground, and lay there for a few minutes.

"Wh-What happened...!? Where are we now!? Wait...Where did your outfit go!?" Toko exclaimed in quick succession.

Makoto took a moment to compose himself, as he picked himself up to his knees, and looked down at himself. He was wearing his school uniform again, and it was now damp and dirty from where he had collapsed on the wet grass. Trying to righten his mind, he suddenly felt a vibration in his pocket, and reached in it to take out his phone.

His phone screen was on the strange app from earlier, and now a new message displayed across it, which his phone's speaker also read aloud.

[YOU HAVE RETURNED HOME. CONGRATULATIONS.]

Death Wish - Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc

"What does it mean "returned?" D-Does that mean we got away?" Toko asked.

"Beats me..." Makoto replied, crawling to his feet, and helping Toko up to hers, "where even are we right now?"

The two of them looked around, and saw that they were standing in front of a building, but one that was remarkably different than the one they had just escaped from. It was small, and much more cosy-looking.

"I think this might be the new Elementary School." Toko observed, "but...where did the prison go?"

"I...have no idea..." Makoto's mind was drawing a blank. He was processing everything that happened back there, but was cut short in his thoughts as Toko suddenly grabbed him and shook him.

"More importantly, WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT!?" she shrieked, "what the hell were you doing over the summer break when I didn't see you!? What kind of demonic ritual did you go through to get that power!?"

"Wh-What power!?" Makoto exclaimed, "you mean that thing I did back in the prison?"

Toko glared at him.

"No...The power to turn yourself into a cow..." she snapped sarcastically, "what the hell do you think!?"

"Alright, dumb question..." Makoto scratched his face embarrassingly, "it's just...to be honest with you, I don't really get it myself...That was a first for me too."

"R-Really?" Toko's eyes widened, "you seemed pretty attuned to it. Like nothing was bothering you at all."

"Yeah, I have no idea," he told her, "I don't get it, much like I don't get anything else that just happened."

"Well...what do we do now?" she asked.

Makoto paused and took a look around before he answered. He suddenly noticed some faces looking at him through the Elementary School window. Not sure of what to do, he waved to the curious children that stared at him, then turned back to Toko.

"Let's just...head to class..." he sighed.

Distrust - Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc

However, upon going through with this decision, and deciding to head back to the school building, the two students came across something unexpected.

The people had returned to the hallways, and they passed several other students and faculty members (all of which gave them strange looks upon seeing how messy and muddy they were) but when walking down the hallway, they stopped dead in their tracks, as two figures walked past their classroom, stopping to greet them.

Jin Kirigiri, the headmaster, was one, but the other was too frighteningly familiar.

"H-Haiji Towa!?" Toko exclaimed.

Towa responded by widening his eyes in surprise, clearly not expecting to be called out so suddenly. Unlike how he was before, he had now returned to donning his regular outfit, and his hair had been neatly brushed back. Like how he had appeared when Toko and Makoto had spotted him at the main gate.

"C-Can I help you?" he asked, taking a few steps back as Toko glowered at him.

"Ah, apologies for my students," Jin turned to him, "these are two of the 78th Class, Makoto Naegi and Toko Fukawa."

The headmaster then turned towards the students with a look of disapproval on his face.

"I would have thought the two of you would try to make yourselves more presentable given that we have a special guest on site today," he told them, "did the two of you have fun playing in the mud?"

Makoto's eyes darted back and forth between Towa and Jin before he came up with a response. He looked into the concerned eyes of the Haiji Towa in front of him, and his mind kept flashing back to the vision of the weird and dominating warden outfit he had been wearing back in the prison.

Not only had the prison now disappeared, but Haiji had now turned back to normal. Something wasn't right about this, any of this.

But Makoto knew that if he was to tell the Headmaster that Towa had kidnapped and beat them in a prison that had somehow disappeared, there was no way in hell he would believe him given the circumstances. He needed more insight into whatever the hell was going on...So for now, he had little choice but to play along.

"Apologies, sir..." he shook his head shamefully, "the rain got pretty bad and...we slipped and fell into some mud. We got here as fast as we could, but...you know how my luck is."

"Wh-What!?" Toko snapped, "that's not what happened! We were running away from the jail before-MMPH!"

Makoto swiftly dashed over to Toko and covered her mouth with his hand before she could say any more.

"Jail?" Haiji parroted, "what were the two of you up to? There's no jail around here, is there?"

"Hope's Peak have definitely made numerous questionable decisions, but the Steering Committee are smart enough to know that placing the world's brightest children near a penitentiary full of it's worst adults is not wise by any sense." Jin assured him.

"Qu-Quite!" Makoto was sweating buckets, trying to cover up this situation, "e-excuse my friend, she's...schizophrenic. She hasn't taken her medication today."

"Oh! OH!" Towa smiled, "I understand. My apologies for misunderstanding."

"Fukawa's medicine should be in her desk," Makoto told them both, "if you'll excuse us, Headmaster, can I take her to class so she can take it?"

"Very well, I'll let you off this time," Jin shook his head and sighed, "remember, I know the two of you have permission to cut class at this academy, but that's ONLY do you can use it hone your individual talents. The school will have to take action if you're just choosing to slack off, alright?"

"Y-Yes sir! Won't happen again! Come on Fukawa-san!" Makoto quickly shuffled Toko away from the two, who continued their discussion as they walked down the hallway.

Makoto glanced back to get one last suspicious look at Haiji though, before they disappeared around the corner.

*I'm gonna get to the bottom of this...* he thought to himself.

Beautiful Days - Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc

"Oh, about freaking time!" the first person to raise his voice at the two students as they entered their classroom was Leon Kuwata, the Ultimate Baseball Star; a red-headed jock with a big presence and even bigger ego, "where the hell've you two been, making out behind the bleachers or somethin'?"

"Not funny Kuwata..." Makoto rolled his eyes as he walked over to his desk. With how many eyes were on him, it might as well have been a walk of shame.

"Makoto-kun! Finally, I was getting so worried!" Sayaka Maizono, the Ultimate Pop Sensation, hurried up to him. She noticed the dirt on his uniform, and did her best to pat what was left of it off. "Where have the two of you been!? What happened!?"

"This is absolutely outrageous!" Kiyotaka Ishimaru, the class rep and Ultimate Moral Compass, yelled at them in his loud and boisterous voice, "the first day back and the two of you decided to skip both first AND second period!? And look at the state of your uniforms! How could you desecrate the pride of the academy like this!?"

"Pretty sure the "pride o' the academy" is the students themselves bro..." Mondo Owada, the Ultimate Biker Gang Leader, made a decent enough point. Despite their very different lifestyle's and opinions, Mondo and Kiyotaka (or Taka for short), were actually best friends. Usually they were slung around each other's arms and laughing like the best of bros. So when Mondo made this point, Taka calmed down to listen.

"Hey, don't you guys think we should be worrying less about their clothes and more about themselves?" Junko Enoshima, the Ultimate Fashionista, chimed in on the conversation, with a concerned look on her face, "does no one else think they look like they got beat up?"

Everyone stopped for a moment to consider this point. Junko, for her part, reached over and patted the shoulder of the girl next to her.

"What do you think Mukuro-chan?" she asked, "think trouble's afoot?"

"I...wouldn't know..." The girl, Mukuro Ikusaba, the Ultimate Soldier, responded very quietly. She took a look at the dirty and muddy Makoto, but said seldom few words, as she did.

This was normal for her though, so Makoto didn't think much of it.

"A-Are you two ok?" Chihiro Fujisaki, the Ultimate Programmer, approached him, "you're not in trouble, are you?"

"Rest assured," Sakura Ogami, the Ultimate Martial Artist, a hulking woman with an intimidating face, but kind heart, gently patted Makoto on the shoulder, "if you are in any danger, let me know. I shall protect you."

"G-Guys, calm down!" Makoto assured them, "I know how it looks, but we're alright! We're not in any trouble...I hope..."

"You "hope?"" Hifumi Yamada, the Ultimate Fanfic Writer, inquired, "Naegi-dono, are you keeping something from us? You've got that look in your eyes...!"

"What look!?" Makoto asked, "no, I promise I'm not hiding anything! We just slipped in some mud and then...embarrassed ourselves in front of the guest, that's all."

Makoto noted that from the corner of the classroom, Ultimate Detective, Kyoko Kirigiri, looked at him suspiciously. He figured it would be best to try and avoid contact with her today, as she had been known to see through basically everything.

Even though it was unlikely that she would believe the truth, he was unlikely to get away with any lies.

"The guest?" Aoi Asahina (or Hina for short) the Ultimate Swimming Pro, skipped up to Makoto and took the side of her best friend Sakura, as she addressed him, "you mean that guy who was walking around with Mr Kirigiri? Uh...Haji Toga or something?"

"Haiji Towa..." Byakuya Togami, the Ultimate Affluent Progeny, suddenly stepped into the classroom, the air becoming heavy with smarmy pride as soon as he appeared, "if you wish to get anywhere in the world, it would be best to at least remember the name of important people that could shape your future career."

"MASTER!" Toko leapt up off her desk, and ran towards him with her arms outstretched. Whatever concerns or problems she had before had now basically vanished into thin air, as she laid eyes upon her crush and ran towards him. Byakuya held out a hand and palmed her face to stop her in her tracks.

"Don't hug me!" he snapped, "especially when you look like that. I don't care what it was you've been doing this morning, but whatever it is, clean yourself up!"

"Y-Yes sir! R-Right away!" Toko grabbed the hem of her shirt, before Junko hurried over and held it.

"Hey l-let's not do that in here," she told her, "come with me, we'll go to the girl's changing room."

Junko looked back and winked at her classmates as she escorted Toko out.

"You think she'll be alright?" Yasuhiro Hagakure, the laid-back Ultimate Clairvoyant, inquired as he polished his expensive crystal ball, "you know that Fukawa can be...y'know."

"She'll be fine," Hina assured him, "if anyone can handle Toko-chan, it's Junko-chan."

"Gotta agree with that," Sayaka winked, "anyway, what about you Makoto-kun?"

"I'm fine," he assured her, "I can brush the dirt off me just fine. No one minds if I don't wear my blazer today, do they?"

No one spoke up, so Makoto simply removed his blazer and sat back down. Taka walked over to his desk and scolded him a little bit for being tardy on the first day, but all things considered, he went pretty easy on him this time around.

By this point in time, Makoto and Toko had already missed first and second period, so now it was time for a break. Clearly, his classmates had worried about him though, so most of them had chosen instead to stick around.

He liked them for that. They really were one airtight, watertight little community, in and of themselves, despite their differences.

"Speaking of Towa," Mondo took his feet off his desk and sat up straight; a subtle way of letting his friends know that he was trying to be serious, "that guy's been skulkin' around the halls like he owns the place. Don't it rub you the wrong way?"

"I can...somewhat understand what you mean..." Chihiro contemplated, "though that might just be because he's intimidating to me..."

"Pfft! He's no more intimidating than Togami!" Hina laughed, "all rich boys are the same. Endless money but no personality!"

"Excuse me!" Byakuya snapped, "I am standing right here, and I do take offense to that. Towa and the Togami conglomerate aren't on the same level. Hell, we aren't even playing the same game."

"Glad to see you're as prideful as your lineage as you've always been..." Celestia Ludenberg, the Ultimate Gambler, who had been keeping to herself for most of this time, quietly snarked to Byakuya, but just loud enough so that he could hear it and turn her way with a glare on his face.

"Yeah..." Leon sighed, "I don't get what's so special about him...He doesn't look all that much to me. No chick's gonna wanna go for a dude that ain't handsome."

"He's more handsome than you~" Sayaka teased, Leon scowling back at her.

"I'm sure I need not repeat myself, but Mr Towa will be an esteemed guest here at Hope's Peak for the next two weeks until the Hope's Peak Elementary School is officially opened," Taka raised his voice so that his classmates could hear him, not that he needed to given that his default volume was already loud enough, "I will not allow any of you to cause him any trouble during his stay here, else I will be forced to report you! Do you understand!?"

"Jeez Taka!" Sayaka continued her teasing spree, "you would do that to your dear old classmates~?"

"I care about you all very much," Taka declared bluntly, "but I also care very much about the upkeep and reputation of the academy, and I wish to repay the favor by proving we are capable of good manners and hospitality! Is that so much to ask!?"

"She's messing with you Taka..." Chihiro smiled, "she knows how to behave...Mostly..."

"You wound me Fujisaki-chan!" Sayaka faux gasped.

"I am confused about something," Makoto chimed in, "if the Elementary School is not open, why are there already students in the building?"

"There are students in there?" Hifumi asked. Makoto nodded.

"Toko and I uh...passed by the building on the way here..." Makoto admitted, "there were some kids looking at me from the window. Anyone have any idea who they are?"

"They're children who are planned to attend the academy, but got to do so earlier thanks to Towa's connections," Kyoko explained, finally deciding to raise her voice, "so far there's the son's of Daimon, Kemuri and Shingetsu, as well as the daughter of Utsugi...There's also another girl, but I'm not quite sure who she's related to, or what her name is."

"Aren't those all like...really famous entrepreneurs?" Yasuhiro asked, "hey, maybe if they've decided to invest in helping Hope's Peak, we could have a few conversations with them and learn about business!"

"You're planning on extorting them for money, aren't you?" Mondo grumbled.

"Am not!" Yasuhiro snapped back.

"Et tu~?" Celeste mocked.

The truth was that because he was always wasting cash on buying random junk and useless knick-knacks that he believed were related to OOParts, Yasuhiro (Hiro for short) was in crippling debt. He would do anything to earn a bit of cash, and during their first year, he had even tried to coerce Makoto into selling his organs for him.

Makoto had refused obviously, much to Hiro's dismay.

"Realistically speaking, the more outside businesses that get involved with the academy, the better," Sakura pointed out, "it means that our options for the future are ever wider, even more so than our talents already provide us. I agree that we should treat Towa with the respect he deserves."

"Hmph..."the respect he deserves," huh?" Makoto grit his teeth. Sayaka looked over at him.

"What was that?" she asked, "did...you just say something Makoto-kun?"

"Huh? Oh uh...no, I didn't..." Makoto shook his head, "it's nothing I'm just...thinking of stuff."

"Stuff like what?" Kyoko asked. Makoto gulped. Now that she had asked him that, he knew he couldn't refuse to answer. So he raised his head and explained himself.

"I'm just worried about all the shady rumors surrounding him," Makoto explained, which wasn't TECHNICALLY a lie, "they don't bother me that much, but it's still something I've been thinking about."

"Naegi...The rumors are easily disproven and based purely on conjecture," Taka frowned at him, "do not let Mr Towa himself hear you say that."

"I told you already, I've just been thinking about it," he said, "they're not your typical bigshot businessesman rumors. They're worse."

"You mean the stuff about him maybe going after younger girls and abusing his power?" Chihiro asked, "yeah, I'm not feeling great about it either."

"If it's young girls he's looking for, there are plenty here at Hope's Peak..." Sayaka considered.

"Well, he seemed polite enough," Celeste chimed in, "but you can never tell. Some people hide their true, dark sides behind a mask of niceties. There's a non-zero possibility that Towa is the same way."

"Aah...Now I'm nervous..." Hina gulped, "I feel like I'm not gonna be able to look him in the eye anymore..."

"Dammit Naegi, look at what you did!" Leon jeered. Makoto shook his head.

"I wasn't trying to suggest anything!" he cried, "you just...need to be careful! That's all!"

"Everyone just chill!" Makoto breathed a huge sigh of relief, as Junko, the clear voice of reason in this situation, hurried back into the classroom, leading the now clean Toko by the arm with her, "Koters wasn't trying to bring any bad vibes. He's just looking out for everyone!"

"Y-Yes, that's exactly it!" Makoto smiled, "thanks Enoshima-kun..."

"Yeah, it ain't great talking about all this stuff so let's change the subject!" Junko once again skipped to the other side of the classroom, wrapping her arms affectionately around Mukuro, "like, speaking of newcomers, howzabout all the new Ultimate Students comin' in this year!?"

"Oh, yes!" Chihiro's eyes sparkled, "we've got a really interesting lineup for the first years this year! I heard there's an Astronaut and an Entomologist among their ranks! I'd love to meet them!"

"A...An entro...what now?" Mondo raised an eyebrow.

"Entomologist," Sakura clarified, "someone who studies insects and bugs."

"Didn't know you were into bugs..." Leon grimaced, "they freak me out mosta the time, and flies get in my face all the time during baseball matches."

"There are some really interesting one's though!" Chihiro beamed. Her smile was irresistible, even to someone as gruff and tough as Leon, who blushed and turned his head away.

"You did mention to me you were a big astronomy fan," Taka pondered, "I'm personally more curious about the Ultimate Anthropologist. That young man seems full of knowledge."

"Someone who studies humanity and culture." Celeste spoke up as Mondo began to open his mouth.

"Gragh!" Mondo groaned, "why do we gotta use all these big words!?"

"They aren't that difficult to say," Byakuya raised his nose to the sky, trying his best to ignore Toko, who nuzzled next to him, "your brain is just too small to comprehend them."

Mondo leered at Byakuya, but said and did nothing else.

"Actually, now that you mention it, I walked some of the way to school this morning with one of the first years who got lost along the way," Makoto explained, "she's a nice girl. Her name was Kaede."

"Mingling with the first year girls already?" Leon winked, "didn't know you were such a player~"

"Not everything is about getting your rocks off Kuwata! Naegi-kun isn't like you!" Hina snapped, "Kaede though..."

"Oh, that's the Pianist!" Chihiro smiled, "I think you might get along with her Sayaka!"

"She said she was a big fan." Makoto added. Sayaka acknowledged this with a smile.

"Then I might very well have to strike up a conversation with her," she winked, "but did the rest of you hear something else? I heard that the first years ALSO have an Ultimate Detective this year!"

"Another one so soon?" Sakura inquired.

"Yeah. Maybe you should meet and talk to him Kyoko?" Sayaka looked towards the lavender-haired investigator, "maybe you could teach him a thing or two?"

"If I feel like it..." Kyoko scoffed.

The conversation continued about the first year students, but as it did, Makoto found himself glancing back towards Toko. She seemed distracted by Byakuya, but also kept shooting concerned looks towards Makoto as the discussion continued.

Beautiful Morning - Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc

The discussion continued until third and fourth period arrived, and not much happened during each. Just a simple "welcome back" day that was lighthearted enough, and didn't cause any early-year stress for Makoto.

Hope's Peak was a very laid back environment though, so much so that Makoto often wondered where the academy's success even came from, but the results spoke for themselves.

When the bell rang at the end of fourth period, Makoto grabbed his bag. Given that he had been late this morning, and had ran straight to class, he hadn't had time to go back to the dorms and unpack his stuff, so he decided to head there now.

However, before he could leave the classroom, his classmate, Kyoko, stopped him.

"Hey, Naegi-kun." she greeted him politely, "I hope you're alright after what happened this morning."

"Huh?" Makoto replied.

"I don't know what's going on with you, but I have better things to do than pry into your business," she said, "just make sure you look after yourself from now on."

"Yes." Makoto nodded with a forced smile on his face, "thank you Kyoko."

Welcome to Despair - Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc

Makoto returned to his dorm room, and set about unpacking his things. The young man was honestly a bit of a minimalist. He had his necessities, and one or two typical high-school boy stuff, but he never quite understood why people would fill their rooms with random bits and bobs that they rarely even use.

Once he was done, he stood back and admired his handiwork. As he started sorting through his items that he would use for the final few lessons of the day, he suddenly heard a knock on his door.

"Yes? Hello?" he went over to his door and opened it, peeking out into the dorms hallway. Surprisingly, though also somewhat NOT surprisingly, it was none other than Toko Fukawa standing at the door.

"Fukawa-san!" Makoto exclaimed, "is something the matter?"

"C-Can I um...come in?" she asked nervously.

Makoto saw no reason to not let her in. More than likely, she was here to discuss the experience the two of them had gone through that same day, and at least this way they had privacy. After making sure no one was watching, he opened his door, and Toko quietly scuttled in.

"You can sit on my desk chair," Makoto indicated to the swivel chair at his desk, which Toko almost immediately plopped herself down in, "I think I know why you're here, but just for politeness sake...what can I help you with?"

As he sat down on his bed to face her, Toko suddenly reached into her pocket and pulled something out, handing it to him. Makoto took a moment to process what it was, and saw that it was a neatly wrapped Curry Pan meal from the cafeteria.

"Hanamura from Class 77 made this for me. You know, the Ultimate Cook?" Toko explained "and uh...before anything else, I wanted to thank you..."

"You...wanted to thank me?" Makoto repeated. Toko nodded begrudgingly.

"Don't get used to it..." she threatened, "y-you seriously saved me back in that prison, so...th-this is the least I could do to pay you back...I know you like this stuff."

"I do!" Makoto's face lit up, "thanks very much! Still, you really didn't have to do this. You don't owe me anything."

"Just take it! I'm only d-doing this so I don't feel bad about myself!" Toko snapped, thrusting the Curry Pan onto him, "but...more importantly, speaking of the prison...That wasn't a dream, was it?"

"I don't think so..." Makoto shook his head, "our bruises are gone, but my shoulder and head still hurts from where those weird demon guards whacked us...Oh and uh...Sorry for cupping your mouth earlier, but I felt it would be best not to let the Headmaster know about it for now."

"Looking back, I probably looked crazy," Toko sighed, "still, did you HAVE to tell the weirdo that I had schizophrenia? I don't usually go around advertising the fact that I have two personalities, you know?"

"Sorry, it was the only thing I could think of that would work," he apologized, "it just seemed weird to me. Towa didn't seem like he was playing dumb. It's almost like he had no memory whatsoever of what happened in the prison."

"Not to mention, the prison itself disappeared," Toko added, "it's intriguing though...The version of Haiji Towa that we saw in that place was more accurate to all those bad rumors that I was telling you about...Almost as if they had become real."

"Well, like I said, on top of the very real injuries, there's no way that the two of us would hallucinate the same thing at the same time," Makoto observed, "what happened was for real, so why did it all seem fake in the end?"

"We can't just go around asking a-about it or making b-blind accusations though," Toko grunted, "Towa's a big name now, bigger than it was before, and Hope's Peak are very serious about their business dealings with the company. We'd probably get in trouble if we tried to bring it up, and even if we didn't, we'd easily be snuffed out."

"You're right..." he thought, "but if what we saw is true, then this and that Towa have to be related somehow..."

His mind flashed back to all the events that had happened over the course of this day. He tried to put the puzzle pieces together, but as he did...

He remembered something...

Unsure of what to do, he suddenly grabbed his phone and opened it up. Sure enough, as he had expected, the strange eye-shaped app icon was still there, even though he had deleted it previously.

"Listen, Fukawa-san..." he said to her, "I've been thinking...After what happened to us, I want to get to the bottom of what's going on, so...I think...I need to go back to the prison...!"

"What!?" Toko exclaimed, with Makoto shushing her so that no one heard her through the walls, "are you nuts!? It's too dangerous, even with whatever super ability you used!"

"True...we barely escaped with our lives the last time..." Makoto considered, "in all honesty, I don't want to go back any more than you do, but..."

"But what!?" Toko snarled. Makoto responded by looking her dead in the eye with a stern expression, unlike any that she was used to seeing on his face.

"If the rumors surrounding Haiji Towa are true, then there's a chance that a lot of people here at Hope's Peak could be in danger, especially the kids who have already been inducted into the Elementary School," he told her, "and I can't just sit by when I have the power to do something about it! If we expose Towa for what he really is, we could save loads of people!"

"You might have the power to do it, but I sure don't!" Toko snapped, "besides, the prison disappeared! And you have no way to get back there!"

"I wouldn't be so sure of that," Makoto replied, "take a look at this."

He opened up the app on his phone, and turned the screen to show Toko. She stared at it, her face full of confusion.

"What the fresh hell is this?" she asked, " "Haiji Towa..." "Elementary School..." "Prison..." What...?"

"Gonna be honest, I have no idea either," he admitted, "but this app randomly appeared on my phone this morning, and I can't delete it. I wanted Chihiro to look at it, but after what happened, it slipped my mind."

"And how does this pertain t-to our current discussion?" she asked.

"Because I think this app is what transported us to the prison," Makoto told her, "it's a navigation app of some kind, and it's the only thing I can think of that might be related to our arrival in that place. After all, it's the only other thing that I have no clue what it's about."

He pocketed his phone and turned to Toko.

"I just wanted to let you know," he said, "you're free to come with me, but whether you do or don't, I'm going back. Yes, I don't fully understand everything, and yes, I might be in a lot of danger...But I can't just ignore what happened like it was some silly little nightmare..."

Toko paused for a second.

"Fine...FINE! I'll come!" she clutched her head in a humph. Makoto's face lit up.

"You will!?" he exclaimed, "I appreciate the backup, but...are you sure?"

"It's like I said in the cell..." Toko told him, "your sister would never forgive me if I just let you die...So I'm not going to. D-Don't think I'm doing this for your sake or anything!"

"Right, fair enough," he said, "but assuming I get the chance to wield the same power I did before, you're gonna have to stick by me. I don't want you running in and getting killed."

"Well, about that," Toko said, "I know that I'm gonna be useless in a fight against those things, but...SHE might be able to help?"

""She?"" Makoto asked, "you mean...Genocide Jack?"

Toko nodded.

"You're gonna have to be the one to explain things to her though!" she snapped, "remember, we don't share memories, so..."

"Somehow, I get the feeling that's not gonna be a problem," Makoto smiled, "in that case, here's the plan..."

Aria of the Soul - Persona 5

The plan was that Toko and Makoto would continue through their days as per normal, but go outside the dorms at midnight and meet near where they had escaped from last time - in front of the Elementary School. The students should have all gone home by now, and even if there was light security, it wouldn't be enough to be a problem if they attempted this plan from a distance.

Makoto would then attempt to use the strange navigation app to locate the prison again.

This of course, was assuming the plan would even work. After all, they had ended up at the prison rather by accident that morning.

After the day was over though, Makoto retired to his dorm early. He texted a goodnight and good luck to his parents and little sister, then went to sleep early so that he would have enough energy for when they reentered the prison.

However, when he drifted off to sleep, he once again found himself in the mysterious blue room he had entered the night before.

Makoto lifted his dreary head off the desk, and once again took in his surroundings.

"So...That really wasn't a dream after all..." he said to himself.

"Like I told you," a familiar voice spoke to him from the teacher's desk, "this place exists between dream and reality. It is present only in your mind."

Makoto, shaking off his grogginess, looked forward to see the familiar visages of Igor and Agatha, both smiling at him (Agatha obviously the more gentle and less creepy of the two, but he kept that thought to himself.)

"You are a very capable student indeed," Agatha chuckled, "piecing together the pieces of the puzzle all on your own, and being proactive enough to take a stand despite not knowing the full extent of the dangers you face. You deserve a gold star."

"Thank you...I guess...?" Makoto shrugged, "so...you guys were behind it all after all?"

"I assure you, the Palace you entered was not our doing," Igor explained, "and the power you awoke to was something you achieved by yourself...Hohoho...and what a power it is indeed."

"What do you mean by "Palace?"" Makoto asked, "and what exactly WAS that power? How did I do that?"

"The power you awakened to is the power of your Persona," Agatha explained, "you awakened to it because you have the potential and conviction to take a stand, even in a situation that you could not possibly hope to contend with. That power takes the form of a Persona, the physical manifestation of your will to rebel."

"Somehow...I understand..." Makoto processed her words, "but also...not really."

"Do you need me to elaborate further?" Agatha asked, approaching Makoto's desk and leaning down towards him, "as long as you intend to explore the Metaverse, you will be training the power of Persona, which you have awakened to. Personas are, in other words, a "mask" - an armor of the heart when confronting worldly matters. You are one with your Persona, and even if you do not know what to do, it does not matter. Your Persona will guide you when you cannot. Think of it as another part of yourself that can only be utelized within the Metaverse."

"You keep talking about this Metaverse stuff, but what exactly IS it?" Makoto asked, "is it...this other world that me and Toko ended up in? Where the prison we got trapped in was?"

"You catch on quickly, I am impressed," Igor chuckled, "for what the Metaverse truly is, you will discover that for yourself in due time. For now though, I hope you make good use of the gift I provided to you - The Metaverse Navigator. With it, you can enter the palaces and explore the place at your leisure."

"Wait..." Makoto realized, "you mean YOU'RE the one who put that app on my phone!? Right...that makes sense now that I think about it!"

"Wonderful. You really are a wonderful student," Agatha clapped her hands together, "now, the lesson can truly begin, and we are well on our way towards graduation."

"Graduation from what?" Makoto asked.

"Once again, you will come to figure that out in due time." Igor repeated, "you are a student, and if you continue on the path you are going, you, and the people around you, will never escape from the ruin that awaits you. But if you master the power of the Persona, as well as the Metaverse itself...there may still be hope for you, Makoto Naegi."

Makoto didn't like the sound of anything that he was hearing, but before he could inquire more, the sound of a schoolbell rang out through the Velvet Room. Makoto felt his eyes become heavy.

"It seems we are out of time..." Igor sighed, "remember...I expect great things from you..."

Beautiful Dead - Danganronpa Another Episode: Ultra Despair Girls

Makoto woke up from his sleep, and found himself back in his dorm room. He quickly looked over at the digital clock next to him, which was chiming, almost in unison with the school bell he had heard in the Velvet Room.

The time on it read 11:49, 11 minutes till midnight. Remembering the promise he made with Toko, he quickly got up, got dressed into some comfy clothes, and headed out.

Toko, thankfully, had agreed to the plan. She met Makoto at the place they had designated, also wearing some casual clothes, namely a long sleeved jumper. She also had her hair tied in her typical twin braids, and she startled a little bit as he approached.

"Calm down, he assured her, "it's only me."

"Thank God..." she replied, "hey, I've been thinking...what do we do if this somehow doesn't work?"

"If it doesn't work, it doesn't work," Makoto told her, "we just go back to our beds and sleep for the night. It's not exactly the worse-case scenario..."

"No, the worst-case scenario would be us getting brutally mutilated by the prison guards!" Toko hissed.

"Look, if you've got a problem, leave," Makoto snapped back, "I can do this myself!"

"Grgh...I'm here now, so I can't just go back like that..." she groaned. Makoto turned to her with a stern expression on his face.

"I'm serious Fukawa-san," he said, "need I remind you that we only saw a little bit of the prison last time, so I have no idea where we're going or what we're getting into. Plus, we got lucky in how we escaped last time, so there's no guarantee we'll get out again with our lives."

Toko gulped, but didn't move.

"You know what? That's not my problem," Toko said, "from now on, it's hers...ACHOO!"

Toko suddenly sneezed on command, and all of a sudden, her apperance and mannerisms drastically changed. Her eyes went from a light purple-grey to a vibrant red, and a ridiculously and inhumanly long tongue cascaded out of her mouth. She glared at Makoto with a crazed look in her eyes, and she began to cackle!

Genocide Jill had just been unleashed!

Absolute Delusional Girl - Danganronpa Another Episode: Ultra Despair Girls

"KEHAHAHAHAHA" she laughed, "well, look who it is! How's it hangin' Big Mac? It's been a while~"

"G-Good to see you..." every time this homicidal side of Toko popped out, Makoto never quite knew how to deal with it, so he just tried to stay polite, "listen, I need you to do me a favor. A favor for me AND Toko."

"Hmm...Hmmm...!" Jill crossed her arms and furrowed her brow, as she mockingly made a thinking pose, "oh! OOH! Lemme guess! We're going back to that freaky prison place to rough a buncha those guys up, huh!?"

"Oh...!" Makoto raised his eyebrows, "you uh...know about it already?"

"Psh! Of course! I've been lookin' forward to the chance to give those no-good guards some payback for whacking me over the head last time!" she smirked.

*So it's as I thought...* Makoto thought to himself, *after Toko got knocked out in the prison, Jill came out and attacked the guards...But if we still ended up the cell, is she really going to help?*

"So? SO!? Is that what's up!?" her eyes seemed to sparkle as the thought of slaughtering the guards appeared vividly in her mind. Makoto sighed.

"Yes, but it's dangerous," he said, "I know that means nothing to you, but I'm going in to investigate, so I need you to watch my back."

"Duly noted!" Jill squealed with excitement, "now come on! Let's go kill people!"

"Ay ay ay..." Makoto shook his head.

Not wanting to keep talking, and trying to block out the murderous nursery rhymes that Genocide Jill sang as they strolled towards the Elementary School,

Underground Trial - Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc

Once they got within a good enough distance, it was time that Makoto finally tested his theory. Though he still didn't get what was going on (and unfortunately, Igor and Agatha hadn't helped very much) he made sure that Jill was standing close to him, and then opened up the Navigator app.

The same four prompts had been saved on his phone - "Haiji Towa" "Hope's Peak Elementary" and "Prison." Ready to rumble, he tapped the center of the screen with his thumb, and heard the sound from his phone's speaker, as well as the words pop up on the app.

[BEGINNING NAVIGATION]

Sure enough, the surroundings began to distort. Makoto could see the Elementary School Building in front of him begin to shift and contort, and when he had a moment to readjust his vision, he saw once again the familiar threatening sight from the same morning.

The Elementary School had morphed into the jail, and like before, the door was wide open.

"WOAH! You've got some crazy power there Big Mac!" Genocide Jill cried out, "and hey! Got some pretty snazzy digs there too!"

Makoto looked down to see that he was once again wearing the same strange outfit that he had donned in the jail from that morning. A green suit with a yellow smart jacket underneath, and white gloves on his hands, as well as white trousers and white shoes. He also noticed that on his face, he was wearing an odd-shaped mask that he had ripped off to summon his Persona, as the Velvet Room people had called it.

This time however, it wasn't stuck to his face, so he could remove it with ease. He decided to leave it on now, as it didn't obstruct his vision too much.

"So what's with the clown suit?" Genocide Jill asked, "you trying to entertain some kids or something."

As mentioned previously, Genocide Jill and Toko didn't share memories. What one saw would never be seen or remembered by the other. So since Toko was the one to witness Makoto's transformation, this was the first time Genocide Jill had seen this new attire.

"Hah...Don't worry about the details. Just know that I can fight so long as I'm wearing this outfit," Makoto smiled at her, "now come on. We've got work to do!"

"Wowzers! Who are you and what have you done with Big Mac!?" Jill wolf whistled, "you're like a whole different person when you're wearing that mask!"

"You have NO idea..." Makoto laughed.

Despair Syndrome (2) - Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc

"Yes...Hello?"

Unbeknownst to Makoto, Toko or Genocide Jill, as they entered the prison, not too far away, the real Haiji Towa was on a phone call with his company. The man on the other end of the line was his father, and the current owner of the company, Tokuichi Towa.

"Haiji," he replied, "good to hear from you. How were you today?"

"Things are proceeding pretty smoothly," he replied, "Kirigiri ended up eating up all my nice little words. And from the way it sounds, the Steering Committee are looking forward to the developments that we'll bring them too."

"Good...I knew I could count on you," Tokuichi laughed through the phone, "still though, the real question is what's the situation with the Elementary School?"

"It's going fine as well...Though, we could try and convince those kids to settle down a little and shut up..." he sneered, "I heard a couple students saw 'em poking their shitty little heads through the windows earlier."

"Come now, don't be so openly harsh," he said, "most of those kids are the children of our biggest partners. Remember, even if we wish to expand business with the most prestigious academy in the world, we don't intend to lose any more connections over it."

"I know father...But just looking at them makes me sick..." he mumbled, "they're like diseased little dogs that I want to put down...Not that I'm going to...I think this place is torture enough for them."

"Leave disciplining them to their parents," Tokuichi commanded through the phone, "and remember, this is your first venture out of the company since...you know what happened. Don't screw this up for us. One scandal, and Towa Corp is done for."

"I know!" Haiji snapped, "I'm not an idiot, you don't have to keep reminding me..."

"I apologize...I just know it must be difficult for you to be within such close proximity of the girl all the time every time...I know you despise her..."

"Father...if she continues to thrive, she will tear our family apart," Haiji growled, "what makes you keep her around...!? Can't we just be rid of her and be done? Then I wouldn't be so stressed...!"

"Did you not just hear what I said about how the company's done if any more scandal's happen?" Tokuichi snapped, "this is the EXACT SCANDAL I am afraid of. The entire reason why I'm keeping her at Hope's Peak as long as I can is so that I don't have to put up with her here..."

"We can't give her up for adoption because the secret will come out then, right?" Haiji asked, "she's an eyesore...a beast that threatens to take everything from me...She's already well on her way to becoming the heir of the company in my place!"

Haiji, who was currently standing in an empty classroom, sauntered over to the window and stared out towards the Elementary School building.

"The most I can do for now is make sure she stays imprisoned in that building..." he grumbled.

"She's incredibly smart for her age, Haiji," Tokuichi assured him, "smarter than you and smarter than even me...And that is why I am thinking of a way to get rid of her that won't get us in trouble! I need you to keep an eye on her and those other kids until me and their parents can figure all of it out!"

"Yes father..." Haiji nodded, "don't worry. This academy doesn't suspect a thing. We give them what they want, and they may as well let us get away with murder."

"Good to hear..." Tokuichi smiled on the other side, "I'm proud of you, my son..."

Shore-scented Dead End - Danganronpa Ultra Despair Girls

"DAMMIT!" Makoto shrieked, "THIS IS BULLSHIT!"

"Jeeezuss! What's got you so upset?" Jill asked, as if the answer wasn't obvious.

"THIS!" Makoto shrieked, "THIS is what's got me so upset!"

Fortunately for Makoto and Jill, they had managed to navigate through the jail, down to the lower levels from where they were before, without any real issue. Makoto's new abilities gave him cat like agility and somehow, despite the light colors of his outfit, a means of blending in with the shadows and avoiding the guards detection...

Rather unfortunately, once they got to the lower depths, Makoto came to realize just how truly horrifying the prison really was...

He recognized the faces of the young children who were in the cells, and the feeling that he felt in his chest was indescribable, though if it had to be likened to anything, it was closest to pure, unbridled rage.

The guards within the cells were very uniquely shaped compared to the others they had come across, and all in different ways, they were being tortured.

There were four kids in the cells, three of which Makoto had seen before. A boy with red hair was being brutally beaten over the head and on the arms by a guard holding an alcohol bottle. He was whimpering and crying, his face flooded with tears and snot.

In the cell next to him was a girl with pink hair, who trembled in the corner, as a lanky shadow with longer fingers, reached out and grope the young girl. Makoto felt his teeth grind together, as the girl was clearly getting molested, even though she only appeared to be 12 years old. Even so, the girl didn't have the voice to cry out for help, and let it happen through the tears.

The third cell was by far the outright strangest, but equally as horrifying. A boy with light-blue hair was sat at a table, with several guards watching him, as he wrote and read several books stacked upon the table. He had an IV hooked up to his arm, and his eyes were bloodshot, as if they hadn't been closed for several hours...maybe even days. It was clear that he would be in grave danger if he decided to stop.

"I mean, I guess it is pretty bad..." Jill held her hands behind her head, seemingly unbothered by everything, "there were a lot of rumors that the kids that were inducted into the Elementary School were abused by their parents. Didn't expect 'em to be brought to a dungeon for it though."

"No...That's not the right word for it. This goes above and beyond any sort of abuse I've ever heard of. This is another form of torture entirely," Makoto's hands trembled as he tightly grasped the bars, "but it stops now...!"

"Hah?" Jill raised an eyebrow, "what're you planning on doing?"

"Isn't it obvious!?" he exclaimed, "help me get these bars open and these kids out of here! You wanted to kill the guards, right, so hurry up!"

Jill, excited by the prospect of a bloodbath, sprang into action and tried to help Makoto pry the bars off of the cells. However, as they did, another boy suddenly approached them from behind the bars. This one Makoto didn't recognize, and he couldn't see his face due to the hideous mask that had been uncomfortably stitched together that he wore on his face.

"I wouldn't do that..." he said in a whimpering and depressed voice, "if you try to help, it'll only make the pain worse..."

"How come they ain't torturing you?" Jill asked. The boy laughed apathetically.

"No one cares about me...They don't even know I exist in here," he said, "but they're afraid of what might happen if they try and fight back, so they just comply...It's what's best for everyone..."

"There's no way that's true!" Makoto snapped, but the boy turned his back and walked away, "come on! We're gonna get you out of this place!"

"Sorry to say!" another voice joined them, "but I'm afraid that's not really possible!"

"Whowasat!?" Jill snapped and turned around, noting that the voice echoed off the walls of the dungeon, but originated behind them. Both Makoto and Jill looked around as the voice continued. It was high pitched, and honestly, rather goofy sounding.

"Here's a little lesson for you!" it spoke out jovially, "it's very cruel what you're seeing here, but the people in those cells are not real people! They're puppets that only exist within the Palace. To put simply, they are fake humans! Just illusions of the real ones!"

Palaces...

Igor had used that term as well. Makoto stopped rattling on the bars, and instead, started to follow the voice. Jill, curious, followed.

"There you go!" the voice cheered, "my instruction has helped you! Now...I know it's a lot to ask but...do you, by chance, think you can help me too?"

Makoto finally traced the voice...But as soon as he approached the cell where it came from, his eyes widened and his brain drew a blank...

"What the HELL!?" he exclaimed!

For when he approached the cell, what he was greeted with instead of a person...was what looked more like a cartoon Anthropomorphic bunny rabbit!

Ms Monomi's Practice Lesson - Danganronpa 2: Goodbye Despair

"Whatwhatwhatwhatwhat!?" Genocide Jill exclaimed, her face excited, "a monster bunny!?"

"You know, I really don't like it when I'm the only one who's taking all of this seriously," Makoto commented, "who...or WHAT...are you!?"

The rabbit had white fur on one side of it's body, and pink on the other, as well as white feathered wings on it's back, and two ears, one floppy, and one upright and accessorized with a pink bow. It wore a pink and white skirt similar to the kind's that Sayaka would wear on stage. She also had a pink bib with white hems, a gold necklace, and a dark purple mask on the top of her face that contrasted with the rest of it's color scheme . On it's back was a pink staff, topped by an upside-down and right-side-up golden heart with a red gem in the center of it, framed with a pair of small white wings.

"Don't be afraid!" it seemed to smile at them, though it was hard to tell, "I'm not dangerous, or a monster! I'm just a squeezabley soft teacher! Try not to yell so that the guards don't catch you and lock you up with me..."

"Oh...good point..." Makoto hushed, looking over his shoulder, "w-wait a second! That doesn't answer my question!"

"Owh...My apologies for not explaining it right..." the rabbit pouted, seeming to cry a little bit, "but I'd be happy to properly answer any questions you may want once I'm out of here! Could you, by any chance, grab the keys over there and open my cell door please?"

Makoto paused for a second, looking at the rabbit before he made his decision.

"Fine..." he affirmed, "but you'd better not stab me in the back."

"Oh no no no!" the rabbit exclaimed, "stabbing people is a big no no!"

"You agreed pretty easily," Jill pointed out, "or...are you just opening the cell so you can get some fresh meat!?"

"Uwawawah!?" the rabbit panicked. Makoto shot Jill a glare.

"No!" Makoto snapped, "it clearly knows more about this place than we do, so it's insight would be appreciated."

Makoto swiftly grabbed the keys and found the right one to unlock the cell. As soon as he did, the gate swung open, and the rabbit hopped cheerfully outside.

"Uhuhuhuhu!" it giggled, "finally! I am free! Ooph!"

Curiosity had officially gotten the better of Makoto, as well as the need to pet some soft fluffy fur. He knelt down and started to pat and rub the rabbit's head.

"It's so soft!" he blushed, "this thing really is alive!"

"No no no! I am not just a thing!" the rabbit shook itself free of his coddles and turned around, seeming to frown at him, "I am not a stuffed animal or a pet! I am a teacher and a Magical Miracle Girl!"

"You definitely look like a magical girl with that getup," Makoto remarked, "do you have a name?"

"Of course I do!" she beamed, "I'm Monomi! What's your name?"

"Naegi. Makoto Naegi," Makoto responded, "and this is my classmate, Toko Fukawa...Or...I guess she's currently known as Genocide Jill..."

"'Sup?" Jill made a peace sign with her trademark scissors that she used to kill.

"So...you said that you'd answer any questions I had once I freed you," Makoto inquired, "you said something about a..."Palace..." What is that exactly?"

"Uhu! You're asking the right questions!" Monomi cheered, "you see, a Palace is...Oh dear..."

Run Away~Arrest - Persona 5

Monomi never got to finish this sentence, as suddenly they were suddenly and unpleasently interrupted. Rushing at them down the hallway next to the barred cells were a whole squadron of armed guards, ready to attack!

"Oh boy!" Makoto cried, "we've got company!"

"KEHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAAH!" Genocide Jill unholstered a pair of scissors from a holder on her thigh, and immediately ran towards the incoming enemies, "this is the part where I cut them all up, RIGHT!?"

"No! Wait!" Monomi cried out, "you're no match for them!"

"Aw SHUDDUP!" Jill cackled, "like I'm gonna take advice from a stuffed animal! DIE! KEHAHAHA!"

Jill leapt into the air in a ridiculous display of agility that you would never see from Toko, and she dropped down on the nearest shadow and ran her scissors right through the eyes of the mask...

...But nothing happened. The guard just raised his baton...

"Huh..." Jill frowned, "that usually works-"

*THWACK!*

Jill got whacked hard around the face by a solid wooden baton, and she went flying back towards Makoto and Monomi! Makoto screamed and jumped in the air, catching Jill before she could hit the wall. In addition to this, after a few seconds, Jill opened her eyes again, but this time, they had returned to the same grey-purple that was synonymous with Toko.

Sure enough, when the girl began to speak, it was clear that Jill had been knocked out for the count.

"Haah...?" Toko sleazily looked up towards Makoto, who looked down at her, relieved that she was alright, "N-Naegi...Wha...happened?"

"Um...well...Jill turned out to not be so great in a fight, and...we're kind of under attack?" Makoto pointed towards the incoming enemies. Toko immediately jolted awake, and scrambled to her feet, screaming when she saw them.

"OH SHIT!" she cried, "what the hell are we gonna do!"

"I see...so you have a split personality? I can work with that," Monomi smiled, "make sure the both of you keep this in mind, but it is very difficult, next to impossible, to defeat the shadows without using the Metaverse's power."

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHH!!!" Toko shrieked "WHAT THE HELL ARE YOOOOOOOOOUUU!"

"I'm Monomi! A squeezably soft teacher! I...did just tell you..." she stood between the students and the guards, "you freed me from my jail, so I'm going to help you in return!"

"Y-You know what? You're a whole other thing I need to process later!" Toko exclaimed, "Makoto! Use that thing you used before! When you summoned that ghost or whatever!"

"Um...well, now might be a bad time to admit this..." Makoto came to a realization at this moment, "but...I don't actually know HOW to use it..."

"WHAT!?" Toko squealed, "NOW you choose to tell me!?"

"It activated automatically last time!" Makoto cried, "I kind of figured it would do so again!"

"Activate it?" Monomi repeated, "you mean...you have the power of a Persona?"

"You know about Persona's!?" Makoto exclaimed. Monomi nodded.

"Don't worry about it Makoto-kun! I will teach you! Just watch and learn!" she smiled, turning around, and scuttling towards the enemies on her own.

"Watch and...Wait! You don't mean-!?" Makoto gasped, but his sentence was very dramatically cut off.

Monomi stood confidently in front of the approaching enemies, and both he and Toko watched as a familiar blue burst of flames erupted in front of them. Makoto watched in awe, despite Toko's panicked screams, as a figure appeared above the tiny rabbit, and squared down the enemies with her!

"Hmph! I detest violence, but bad guys need to be disciplined!" Monomi grabbed her magic wand off her back, and alongside her now summoned Persona, ran at the enemies!

"Let's take them down, MR A!"

Chapter End Notes

Things are really starting to heat up now...
As I did at the end of the previous chapter, I will divulge some more information on the newcomer's Persona.
Monomi's Persona is named Mr.A. It is a Persona of the Magician Arcana, and is based on a fictional comic book hero created by Steve Ditko. The character was inspired by Objectivism, the belief system and moral absolutism of the philosopher-novelist Ayn Rand; and is usually recognized as the precursor to famous DC detective, The Question; also created by Ditko. Much like Morgana in the original game, Mr.A mainly prioritizes in healing, and has Lucky Punch for good measure. However, instead of wind, it specializes in Psychokenisis attacks.
Anyway, as usual, I'm looking forward to seeing where we go from here, and I hope you are too.

Me, Myself and I

Chapter Summary

After gathering enough evidence to prove Towa's misdeeds, Makoto and Toko attempt to escape the prison once again, aided by their new rabbit companion, Monomi. However, things take a turn for the worse when Towa catches them with their pants down. It now falls to Toko to put her trauma behind her, and stand up to the warden to rescue not only herself, but her companions too.

Chapter Notes

See the end of the chapter for notes

Discussion -HEAT UP- [2nd mix] - Danganronpa 2: Goodbye Despair

"That bunny has one of those things too!?" Toko cried, both she and Makoto astonished at the form in front of them.

Monomi didn't pay any mind as she rushed towards the enemies. Somehow knowing that the rabbit was a threat, they did what they did before and turned into a puddle of goop, then materialized into different creatures entirely.

Two of them turned into the pumpkin headed creatures that Makoto had battled against that yesterday morning, but the one in the middle turned into something else; a nasty, grinning demon with a very pointy phallus sticking out.

"Let's go Mr A!" Monomi cried, "attack them with Psi!"

Monomi's Persona, which was apparently named Mr A, attacked the incoming enemies with what looked to be magical bullets, that homed in on them and damaged them upon impact.

This definitely knocked them back, but it didn't knock them down.

"I went easy on them so that you could have a turn," Monomi explained, "go on Makoto. Show me your power!"

"But I told you, I don't know how to do it!" he exclaimed, "your tutorial didn't exactly help!"

"All you have to do is focus your attention on the enemy in front of you!" Monomi cheered, "then picture the desire to defeat them in your mind. It comes down to casting away the mask that hides your true spirit of rebellion within you!"

"Spirit of Rebellion...Mask...?" Makoto repeated under his breath, before suddenly understanding, "Take off the mask! Alright, I think I got it!"

Feeling there wasn't much else to do but to try, Makoto ran forward, and swiped his hand across the strange mask on his face, as he did, the mask dissipated into blue blames, and the figure from that morning once again appeared at Makoto's side!

"Mickey!" he cried, "attack that demon using Kouha!"

Makoto's Persona shot another blast of light at the incoming enemies. The light directly hit the demon-looking creature, and it shot it out of the sky, sending it collapsing to the ground.

"Good boy!" Monomi squealed with excitement, "now you're getting it! Let's take the rest of them down now!"

"Right!" Makoto nodded confidently towards his new ally, then turned back to look at Toko, "Fukawa-san, maybe you should sit this out from here on."

"Yeah...Yeah I...I think I'll do that..." she sighed, looking somewhat dismayed. Makoto wanted to ask if she was ok, but didn't have time to as the demons came back for another round.

He narrowly dodged as the pumpkin-headed demons blasted flaming attacks at him, and as the devil flew at him, baring his fangs, Monomi jumped in the way of the attack, whacking it back with the wand in her hand.

"Lucky Punch!" she cried, pointing the wand forward. Mr A flew forward and pawed the demon in the face. Though the swing wasn't that big, the attack itself seemed to do immense damage, as the demon fell down.

"Just two left!" she exclaimed to Makoto, "you do the honors dear boy!"

"You got it!" Makoto knew exactly what to do, so he pointed at the last few enemies and commanded his Persona to attack yet again, "SNAP!"

Mickey thrust the arm with it's gun forward, and shot at the two pumpkin-heads, hitting them both dead on and knocking them down. The demons all collapsed into a pile, and as they did, Monomi brandished her wand, pointing towards them.

"Alright! Now group up with me and we'll attack them together!" she cried, "let's get in there, dear boy!"

"Right behind you!" despite not really knowing what they were going for, Makoto felt his body once again move on it's own. He felt himself move at a blinding speed, in unison with the little rabbit, and they laid waste to the demons at rapid speed. When they were done, they both landed behind the demons as they exploded into the same ooze they had been created from.

Thinking it would be a cool thing to do, Makoto struck a pose, and delivered a final victory quote to his dying foes. (Though he did almost trip over upon landing and was merely trying to cover that up...)

"The loser is...YOU!" he snarked.

King, Queen and Slave - Persona 5

"Woah...!" Toko whistled, "I already thought the superpowers were impressive but...that was something else...!"

"I know, right!?" Makoto exclaimed, his expression was like a 5 year old boy who had just heard the sound of the ice cream truck, "that was like...some super cool final attack from an anime or video game!"

"You sound like your sister..." Toko groaned, "but hey...I still don't get what's going on, but...you seem to know your way around all this junk..."

She looked down at Monomi, who had recalled her Persona by now, and turned towards them with her hands on her hips, proudly.

"Yes! And I would be more than happy to teach you! Lend this soft bunny an ear and I shall make it worth your while~" she beamed, "this is the cognitive world, AKA the Metaverse! Everything that you see around here, including all the people in the jail cells, as well as the cells itself, are created and shaped by human hearts and emotions; the only exceptions in this case, are the two of you, as well as myself, who came from outside. We call such a place a Palace."

"So THAT'S what you meant by Palace..." Makoto pondered, "and what about the power of the Persona? I've been trying to figure all of it out, but I still don't quite understand how it all works."

"No worries! It's a new learning experience for you, so feel free to take your time with it!" Monomi smiled, "but if I could best explain it to you, a Persona is what outsiders typically need to survive a fight against the Shadows."

"Shadows?" Toko parroted, "do you mean those weird demons that come out of the guards?"

"Technically speaking, the guards ARE the demons. The appearance they take as security guards is one that they adopted when they first came to the Palace," Monomi elaborated, "the demons and their many shapes and sizes are their true form. In contrast, everyone has the soul of a rebel locked deep inside of them. A Persona is what manifests when they decide to let it out."

"And you need one of these to survive a fight against the Shadows?" Toko clarified, "even if you have really good combat skills?"

"Physical strength doesn't matter much in a fight against the Shadows, as they can regenerate very easily from regular attacks with non-cognitive weapons," Monomi explained, "it's not IMPOSSIBLE to defeat them through normal means, but I, as an advisor, would not recommend it."

"Right...Guess I shouldn't've come after all," Toko grouched, "me and Jill are both useless."

"Fukawa-san, you're not useless..." Makoto told her. Toko shook her head, gritting her teeth.

"No...I've always been useless and a waste of space and air...I know that's what you really th-th-think!" she snapped, "look...can we just go home before more fuckers show up? I'm already getting sick of this place."

"Yeah...I'm sorry I dragged you back in...I didn't realize how out of our element we would be," he bowed his head slightly to apologize, "but I want you to know something, Fukawa-san."

"What is that?" she asked. She turned his way and saw that the look in his eyes underneath the mask was one of utmost seriousness, especially for Makoto Naegi.

"I have never once thought of you as useless, or a waste of space. You matter more to me than you know, and I'm so grateful to you for so many things," he said, "you've been an amazing and supportive friend to Komaru, despite your quirks, and even if you think no one accepts you, you still accept others despite your attitude. I've learned so much about the world of literacy, and the meaning of words and phrases, and I've changed a lot in a positive way thanks to your influence."

Toko was surprised to hear such passionate words from him, and even more surprised when he placed a hand on her shoulder.

"I know it might be hard to accept, given whatever you've been through in the past, but none of us hate you just for being yourself. I could never. You're our friend, and I swear to it, whatever happened to you to make you like this, it doesn't matter to me, or to anyone else. All that matters is that you're willing to take our side, even if you don't agree with everything we say. You're also insightful, clever and you're a great team member and friend when you can muster up the strength to socialize. If you think we won't talk to you, then you're sorely mistaken. And I am going to get you out alive, no matter what it takes."

"Naegi..." Toko responded quietly, "I...thank you...Same here, even if I can't do much..."

"Nice to see fellow students getting along! Luv Luv~" Monomi smiled, "now what say we all get out of here?"

"Yeah...I think I got the proof I needed," Makoto said, "Towa is the sick twisted bastard that the rumors said he was...Even if these kids aren't real, the fact that this is happening in a prison that he supposedly is the master of...It means something and it's not good..."

"While I do not approve of your bad language, I agree," Monomi affirmed, "but still, even with your Persona, you cannot hope to take him down as you are. After all, you are very clearly new to all of this."

"But you seem like a trained veteran..." Makoto pointed out, "and you did say you were a teacher, so maybe you could give me lessons sometime?"

"Oh yes yes!" Monomi skipped happily, "I will be your huggable loveable teacher while we explore the Metaverse! But for now, I think it's time I sent you kids home to bed. It's part of my responsibilities after all."

"I don't get it...I don't get anything..." Toko groaned, "what even are you supposed to be?"

"It doesn't matter. She's right," Makoto told her, "let's pick this up later."

Tension - Persona 5

"How was it that you managed to escape from this place the last time?" Monomi asked, scuttling surprisingly fast ahead of the two of them, as she helped lead them out of the castle. Makoto shrugged in response to her question.

"I don't really remember," he told her truthfully, "after I awakened to my Persona, everything else is a blur..."

"I don't really remember it either," Toko admitted, "and I was conscious at the time, so..."

"Well, it's no problem!" Monomi assured them, "all we'll have to do is return to the entrance hall through these rooms, and the two of you can exit from the...Oh...Oh dear..."

As they followed Monomi, Makoto began to recognize some of the rooms, and once they came into the clearing he realized they were in the lineup room where the guards had knocked them out the previous morning. However, there was one big difference this time that really set their plans off track...

The front gate was barred shut...!

"Oh crap! No, this can't be happening!" Toko, desperation and panic on her face, grabbed the bars and tried to pry them off, obviously to no avail.

"Dammit! Towa must be trying to keep us in!" Makoto stood in front of the gates, "stand back! I'll try to blast them open!"

"Makoto, wait!" Monomi tried to stop him, but unfortunately didn't call out in time, as Makoto used a Kouha blast on the bars. The blast made direct contact, but didn't do any visible damage.

"Crap!" he said, "hold on, let me try again!"

"I'm telling you, please stop!" Monomi was successful this time in halting Makoto's efforts to escape, "please bear in mind, your Persona is a part of you. Like running, punching and exercising does, the more you use it, the more it drains your energy. You can probably only use a few attacks right now before you collapse from exhaustion."

"Oh shoot!" Makoto exclaimed, "glad you told me that now before I wasted all my energy."

"It doesn't matter!" the sound of the deep, familiar and garbled voice sent a chill down the group's spine, "you're tired enough already, and ripe for the picking..."

"NAEGI! WATCH OUT!" Toko squealed. However, her warning came a little too late, as Makoto turned around just in time to be rammed straight in the stomach by another demon! This one looked like a black horse, with two very large, ram-like horns on it's head! Once it knocked Makoto down, it stood on him to pin him to the floor!

Monomi immediately jumped to help, but another demon of the same breed did the same to her! It got in her way and smashed into her, knocking her to the other side of the room and sending her crashing into the prison wall!

Even with their disadvantageous positions, Makoto could raise his head enough to see the familiar visage of Haiji Towa looking down at them from the platform above. The man sneered at them, a disgusting, shit-eating grin across his face.

"So...you decided to put that messed up outfit on again!?" Toko snapped, "you have even worse sense of style than I do, and I barely have any casual clothes!"

"Hmph...You have a problem with my uniform? You wish to add more reasons for why I need to execute you?" Towa cackled.

"Toko!" Monomi called out to her to get her, and Makoto's by extension, attention, "don't be deceived. This Haiji Towa is not the man that you know!"

"What?" Toko grimaced, "what do you mean!?"

"We're in the cognitive world! A domain separate from the one you hail from where human desires and dreams materialize into real creatures and objects," Monomi elaborated, trying to get back on her feet, "that man is the deep, dark, hidden desires of the real Haiji Towa given physical form. His own Shadow, if you will!"

"So he's Haiji Towa's own shadow...!?" Makoto winced in pain, trying but failing to force the horse demon off of him, "explains why he's so vulgar...This is the side of him that he doesn't want society to see!"

"Somehow, I knew you little brats would come here again, despite what happened last time...So I prepared in advance," Haiji scoffed down at them, "still, I'm surprised you would make the same mistake as last time...Hopeless kids will be hopeless kids..."

"M-M-Mock us all you want!" Toko pointed accusatorily at him, "we saw what was down in the dungeon! We know how you view those kids at the Elementary School! If a bastard like you mingles with Hope's Peak, they're never gonna be safe in that environment!"

"So what?" he scowled, "you calling me a monster?"

"If the shoe fits!" Toko snarled. However, in response, Towa just cackled maliciously.

"HAHAHAHA! That's rich coming from you, Genocide Jack!" he spat, "two personalities, and neither one of them, not even the professional killer, can defeat my guards! You sure talk big for someone so small!"

Toko's eyes widened in horror.

"You mean...you knew...!?" she gasped.

"Of course I knew...I'm a Towa," Towa glared, "my company's intelligence network is unmatched. Even if you were to escape from this place, I know who you are and what it is you've done...!"

He grabbed the bar of the platform and loomed down towards Toko, grinning ear to ear.

"I have to keep up appearances so I can keep ruling over this jail of mine, but know that all I need to do is expose you to the public, and your livelihood, as well as the livelihood of all those around you that you care about, will be destroyed! You'll be apprehended, and your friends and family will be arrested by association and collusion!"

"No...Please d-don't...!" Toko trembled, her legs shaking and a look of despair evident in her eyes, "I don't-!"

"Don't listen to him, Fukawa-san!" Makoto cried out, "he's just trying to get into your head!"

"Be that as if may, I haven't lied to her," Haiji sneered, "I'm so powerful that I might as well own part of the force! all I need to do is say the word, and everything you know and love will be ripped from you...

Because I can afford it......Can you?"

Toko, words failing to leave her mouth, collapsed to her knees.

"As for you two..." Haiji's attention turned to the downed Makoto and Monomi, "the two of you have already proven to be a royal pain in my side, so I think I'll just be rid of you now and be done!"

Haiji cast a commanding hand out towards the Shadows. As he did, the weight and pressure of the hoof of the first Shadow started to press harder down on Makoto, enough to nearly make his ribs crack! He screamed in agony, finding it harder to breath every passing second!

Monomi wasn't doing so hot either. She tried to stand up despite the wind being knocked out of her, but the other Shadow ran towards her and pinned her to the wall with it's horns! Makoto didn't even have the strength in his body to raise his arm and pull off his mask like this, and even if he did, he was too focused on the pain for the summoning of his Persona to be even possible.

"F-Fukawa-san...!" he groaned, "please...You gotta help us!"

"M-Me?" Toko's eyes were still pale with despair, "wh-what do you want me to do...!? You heard him! I can't help you, and if I do anything, he can take us all down, including you!"

"So what!? He's just bluffing! Not even he has that kind of power!" Makoto shrieked, "you're stronger than him! You just need to believe in yourself!"

"But...I'm not!" Toko began to cry, her body trembling with nerves and terror, "I'm not strong enough, and we're all going to die here! We should never have come back...!"

However...what happened next caught Toko off guard...Despite how he was slowly but surely being drained of life...Makoto started to laugh.

"Hehe...You're probably right..." he smiled at her reassuringly, "but you still came along in the end, right?"

"H-Huh?" Toko's eyes focused in on Makoto, who just kept smiling back at her.

"You were well aware of the consequences, yet you didn't want me coming in alone, right? It proves you really do care about me..." he winked, "but it also proves...that you can't stand this guy just as much as me...right!?"

"Naegi..." Toko couldn't do anything but stare. Makoto's expression became serious.

"You regret it, don't you!? The people that you've hurt as Genocide Jill! You always wish you could take it back!" Makoto cried out to her, "but this guy? He knows what he's doing is wrong, but he's reveling in it, unashamed by his actions! Someone like that is the REAL scum of the earth! NOT YOU!"

Makoto gasped in pain as the horse Shadow began to crush his ribs. But as it did, it was distracted by Toko suddenly standing upright.

"This...was never about me...I don't care what happens to me...Whether I pay for my crimes or not..." she said quietly, "but you're right...Master...Komaru...our classmates...If I let this scumbag hurt them because of my actions, then I'll never be able to f-forgive myself...!"

"HAH! Cute speech!" Towa mocked, jeering down at the students and their strange rabbit companion, "but what can you do!? No matter how you slice it, you're a scumbag and a monster, who doesn't deserve any compassion or love! You'll never be able to wash the blood off your hands, and you'll never be able to scrape off that label!"

Toko however, responded only with a scoff...

"Shut your mouth...!" she snarled, "you wanna call me a scumbag and a monster? Look in a goddamn mirror! You're right that I won't be able to free myself of our past crimes...But at least I never prayed upon little kids and exploited people as tools!"

Toko stamped her foot down, and pointed furiously up at Towa, who's face actually twisted into a look of concern.

"I've cut one too many people...But now? I'LL CUT YOU DOWN TO SIZE!"

Awakening - Persona 5

What followed caught everybody by surprise. Toko's eyes suddenly started dilating, and she clutched her head! She once again fell to the floor, and writhed around in pain!

"Don't tell me...!" Makoto gasped.

"Yes!" Monomi yelled excitedly, "she's awakening to her Persona! Looks like she had the potential too!"

Sure enough, as Toko lay on the floor, screaming in agony, she heard the sound of a voice in her head!

"It certainly took you long enough, dear girl..." it said in a sultry and old-fashioned tone, "form a pact with me, and I can grant you the power that you seek...The power that you BOTH seek..."

Toko's eyes widened, as she suddenly noticed something in front of her. Another figure had appeared, writhing around in the same way. She had the same appearance as Toko, like she was looking at herself in an invisible mirror!

The figure raised it's head, clearly in a similar sense of agony and confusion, and Toko immediately recognized the visage of her serial killer alter ego, though she had never seen it before! Somehow, this transformation had separated the two of them, and now they stood face to face for the first time!

"The both of you are already doomed to live in infamy, but you hold a hidden desire to turn your life around and wear your sins as a badge of honor once you overcome them. Why not unite for this common cause, and face these trials not as two...but as ONE...!?"

Still in pain, Toko felt a twinge of something in her mind, and knew immediately what she had to do. Though she had previously despised the character in front of her, she crawled forward, and reached out a hand, desperately trying to reach her, panting all the while.

Genocide Jill understood this feeling too, and as she crawled forward to unite with Miss Morose, they both heard the sound of the spirit lurking within them.

"I am thee..."

"Thee art I..."

"Brandish thy blade, which shall be your weapon to cut through to a future where YOU WILL THRIVE!"

As the voice finished talking, Toko and Genocide Jill finally grabbed each other's hands, and a flash of light burst out from Toko's figure as soon as they touched! She raised her head, and the onlookers saw that a jagged, cross-shaped mask materialized on her face!

Knowing what to do, yet screaming in agony the entire time, Toko grabbed the mask, and forcefully tore it off her face! Though it may have just been the echo from the room, the scream sounding like it had come from two people, though only one stood there! Just like with Makoto, her face bled profusely, until she became engulfed in azure flame!

The force of the transformation alone was enough to blast back all the enemies around them, including the one's pinning Makoto and Monomi down, both of whom inhaled a deep breath once free, yet did not tear their eyes away from the spectacle in front of them.

The flames finally dispersed, and Makoto saw the familiar glow of the Persona that stood behind Toko, leering at the enemies it had just taken out. It was tall and lanky, much skinnier than Mickey, and it's body and appearance looked almost insectoid; possessing several arms and being jagged in shape. Six appendages to be specific, two of which had small blades on the end, and another two which had razor-sharp scissor blades, which snapped violently! Lightning bolts crackled behind it's back, almost as if representing wings. For some reason, it also donned a bowler hat on it's head.

Makoto felt a grin crawl across his face as his classmate stood there with her head lowered. Her outfit had changed from her long-sleeved jumper and shorts, to a pair of ripped jeans, and a black jacket with a large, purple collar. The getup had scissor-shaped elbow pads, shoulder pads and knee pads. She also donned a pair of deep purple gloves that matched her hair, and her braids had unraveled, letting her long purple hair cascade down, fitting even more with the unshackled appearance.

After a second, Toko raised her head, her expression quite unlike any that Makoto had seen from the writer before. Her usual timid and consistently unnerved complexion had now become one of sheer determination and courage.

Makoto also couldn't help but notice, now that her round glasses had disappeared from her face, that Toko's eyes had now somehow become heterochromic. One of her eyes was the grey-purple that was familiar with Toko, while the other was the deep red of Genocide Jill's...

Almost like the two had become one.

"So...this is my...no...OUR Persona?" she hissed excitedly, stretching her fingers and her back, ready to rumble, "fantastic...! Now that we've got this power, it's finally time we KICKED YOUR ASS!"

Toko reached a hands towards her elbows, and dislodged the scissors strapped on each one, pointing the extraordinarily sharp blades at Towa. Towa, who for his part, glared down at Toko with an intimidated and hysterical expression.

Discussion Heat Up~ - Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc

"What the hell are you all doing!?" Haiji barked at the guards who joined him on the balcony, "get down and destroy them all!"

"You ok?" Toko hurried over to Makoto and reached out a hand, which he very gratefully took as she heaved him to his feet.

"Not as ok as you!" he complimented her, standing by her side as they both turned towards the enemies. Monomi also joined them.

The Shadows that dropped from the platform exploded into the red goop and materialized into their true forms. The first turned into yet another horned horse, but the second turned into a tiny flying fairy donned in a blue bodysuit. The third turned into a weird, rubber-looking demon hiding in a pot.

The group didn't have time to consider their appearances though, as all three lunged towards them. Toko however, scoffed, and struck a pose as her Persona stood behind her!

"Time to wipe them out...BARROW!"

Without waiting for any calls from her teammates, Toko took up the front position, and rushed confidently towards the horned horse demon, that charged straight towards her! She slid to a halt, and cast out her hand as her Persona attacked!

"ZIO!" she exclaimed, and at her command, Barrow fired a bolt of lightning at the horse! The bolt hit it dead on, and immediately knocked it down!

"Alright Big Mac!" she whistled, "you're up!"

"Yes ma'am!" Makoto leapt forward, choosing to engage with the fairy Shadow, which also fired a bolt of lightning off directed at him! The attack hit him, but he stood his ground, and summoned his Persona, just as Toko did!

"Mickey! Snap!" he shouted! Mickey did as commanded, and blasted the fairy with his gun, knocking it out of the sky!

"You alright?" Toko made note of the damage. Makoto nodded.

"I'm fine...Still a little sore from when that thing stood on me...!" he admitted.

"Uhuhu! Then you're in luck!" Monomi beamed, "I have just the way to fix that! Mr A! Dia!"

As Monomi summoned her Persona, she cast a spell on Makoto, and all of a sudden, he found the strength return to his muscles. The pain in his ribs also stopped, like it had never even happened.

"Damn! You can heal us too?" Toko smirked, "hate to say it, but you just keep getting cooler!"

"Don't get too cocky!" Monomi pointed out, as the potted demon soared by them and launched an array of fireballs at them! Toko and Makoto both ducked in time to avoid being hit by the flames!

"We've got this one!" Toko scoffed, dashing towards the demon, "Barrow! CLEAVE!"

Calling forth her power, she leapt into the air, and both she and her Persona slashed at the Shadow in unison. Barrow's blade stabbed straight through the creature, and it cried in pain and collapsed to the floor as it pulled out again.

"They're all knocked down!" Monomi pointed forward with her magic stick, "it's time for an All-Out Attack!"

"Here we go! Follow my lead!" Makoto confidently took the first leap towards the downed enemies, and neither Toko nor Monomi had any reservations as they lunged forward. They moved at blinding speed yet again, and wiped them out instantaneously, as they had done before. This time however, it was Toko's turn to pose dramatically!

"And THAT'S the FINAL CHAPTER!" she snarled, as the creatures exploded into nothingness!

A Dead-End to the Ocean's Aroma - Danganronpa 2: Goodbye Despair

"Holy cow Fukawa-san, that was insane!" Makoto's eyes lit up excitedly. Toko exhaled, her body dragging from exhaustion.

"I'd thank you if I had energy to spare..." she remarked, "but now that we've taken out the riff-raff, it's HIS turn...!"

With some effort, she pointed a finger up at Towa, who just stared down at them, disgruntled.

"Let that be proof...!" she huffed, "that I'm serious about this...! ALL of this...! And that you don't scare me!"

"You say that, but you can barely stand as you are," the sketchy warden observed, "and you still don't seem to understand the scale of power that I have here...You are outmatched."

"Oh Haiji, son..." everyone raised their heads, as another voice joined them, "why waste time with these rats? You're better off focusing on other things right now."

Makoto, Toko and Monomi watched as all of a sudden, a selection of figures joined Towa on the balcony. They appeared to be human, but something seemed off about them. Makoto didn't recognize any of the people, but it didn't help that they were all wearing different shapes of masks on their faces, so all he could use to identify them was their hair and other body features. As well as the fact that they were wearing different vibrant colors of the same uniform.

"Who or what are they?" he asked, "are those more Shadows?"

"No," Monomi told him, "those are cognitions. They're the same as the children down in the cells; figments of how Haiji views them in the real world."

"They all look so scummy..." Toko growled, "who even are they?"

"If I had to guess," the rabbit pondered, "they must be the parents of the Elementary School children. They're the only people related to Towa that would be showing up there after all."

"Correct," one of the figures, a man in a light blue tuxedo sneered down at them, "we owe the warden here a great debt, for keeping those monsters locked away forever."

"Those kids deserve the torment!" a man in red snarled, his suit very unkempt, and his hair equally as untidy, "if it were up to me, I'd have just killed the lil' shit a long time ago!"

"You pieces of shit!" Toko snarled, "they're YOUR children!"

"They're eyesore's is what they are..." a woman in brown spat, "and they'll spend the rest of their lives traumatized by Mr Towa's punishment!"

"Hey..." Makoto whispered to Monomi, in a cold sweat, "you said that cognitions were manifestations of how people were in real life. Does that mean the parents of the kids in real life are equally as terrible, and this is how they really think of their kids?"

"This is Haiji Towa's Palace, not theirs, so it's hard to say," Monomi explained, "but if this is how he sees them, they must be honest about their abuse with him. So yes, I would say so."

"Which means what we saw down in the cell," Makoto grit his teeth, "those kids are going through the exact same thing in real life!"

"Before I get rid of them for you," Towa told his court, "I'll have to deal with these masked gremlins first."

"Now, now, did you not hear what I just said?" the man in pink chimed in, "we have business to discuss, remember?"

"Yes, Mr Utsugi," he said, "just give me a moment. Men! Get them! They're all sentenced to death!"

At his command, several dozen more security guard Shadows burst into the room from doors on the side, and every single one rushed like mad towards the three.

"Oh boy..." Toko appeared to be so exhausted, she could barely keep standing; clearly not in a good state to be fighting so many enemies at once.

"We can't take these guys!" Makoto exclaimed, "I say we retreat for now!"

"Good idea, dear boy!" Monomi nodded her head sternly, "follow me!"

"Come on Fukawa-san!" Makoto grabbed Toko's wrist, and before she could demand him to stop, rushed her out of the room after the rabbit. The guards gave chase, and from his podium, Towa just stared down and snarled.

"Filthy peasants..." he grumbled.

Wonderful Dead 002 - Danganronpa Another Episode: Ultra Despair Girls

Makoto, dragging the exhausted Toko, along with him, chased after Monomi until the rabbit dove into a room down the side of a long hallway. Makoto yanked Toko into the room, and closed the door behind him, holding his breath as he heard the pursuing guards run past them.

He breathed a sigh of relief, then turned around to see Monomi clambering up a set of shelves at the back of the room.

"What are you doing?" he asked.

"The front gate is locked, and is likely to remain that way," Monomi told him, "so I'm going to give you two another way out. Just give me a few moments to dislodge this."

Monomi climbed on top of the shelf, then approached what looked like a grated window made to let the outside draft into the room. While he waited, Makoto turned his attention back to Toko. Her breathing had steadied, and now she was looking down at herself, observing her new and sudden change in wardrobe, including the jagged mask on her face.

"It...It looks good!" Makoto slipped in a quick compliment. Toko just stared at him.

"Uh...should I be happy about that?" she asked, examining herself. Makoto made note of her duel-colored eyes under the mask, and decided to drop the question that had been on his mind this whole time.

"Um...by the way...Sorry if this is sensitive to ask but...which one of you am I talking to right now?" he inquired, "you've got the vocabulary of Fukawa-san, but the strength and intimidating aura of Genocide Jill...so...which is it?"

Toko actually stopped to consider this, looking down through her mask at her gloved hands. She stood there in silence before she responded...

"It's...how should I put this?" she wondered, "it's...kind of neither...but also...both?"

"Huh?" Makoto clearly needed further clarification.

"Well, it's just...this is...I've never really felt this way before..." she said, "it's kind of like...this is a new side of me that I didn't even know I had. Like you said, it's like a blend of the both of us, but also...something different entirely."

"So...is it a third personality then?" he asked. Toko shook her head.

"No. I remember everything that happened before I summoned my Persona, when I was Toko," she said, "but for some reason, I also remember everything that happened when I was Genocide Jill earlier. At least, ever since we entered the Palace."

Makoto smiled. "So, it's like you've become one whole person again!"

"Yeah...I guess...and it actually feels pretty great!" she smiled back; the look of merriment on her face more genuine than Makoto had ever seen from her before, "the exhaustion and the outfit aside, I mean..."

"You really don't like it?" he asked, "sure, the mask might be a bit much, but I think it looks fine!"

"Well, it's better than your St Patrick's Day clown suit, that's for sure." Toko snarked.

"Hey!" Makoto took offense, but then he suddenly realized something that had been bugging him this whole time, so he called up to Monomi who was still fiddling with the grate.

"Monomi?" he got her attention, "why DO we change into these weird outfits when we awaken our Persona? Is it related to the awakening somehow?"

"I'm glad you asked!" the rabbit cheered, "when someone awakens to their Persona inside of a Palace, they automatically become a threat to the Palace's ruler; in this case, Haiji Towa. It's to prevent you from being affected by the distortions."

"Then why do our outfits look so different?" Toko added, "what decides how we look?"

"Your appearance reflects your inner self, and your outfit's design is based on your personal idea of what a rebel is," Monomi clarified, "subconsciously, your depiction of a vigilante is similar, if not the same, to what you're wearing now, Toko."

"Huh...I guess I never really thought about it..." she looked at her outfit once again, "usually I focus on romance novels, not superhero or vigilante comics...So I guess this is just how I see it, huh?"

"Shh!" Makoto hushed her suddenly, "did you hear that?"

Makoto was right to silence his allies, as the trio suddenly heard the sound of footsteps approaching down the hallway.

"Looks like those guards decided to circle back around..." Toko trembled, gritting her teeth, "we'll be in deep shit if they decide to search these rooms...!"

"Then we're in luck! I got the grate off!" Monomi called out. Sure enough, she had successfully pried the grate off of the window. Not wanting to be caught, Toko and Makoto swiftly clambered up the shelf and joined her on top.

"You helped me escape from my cell, so now I'm going to help you escape from this prison. I truly hope this makes us even," Monomi smiled reassuringly at them, "hopefully, I'll see you both again in the future."

"Wait, you're not coming?" Toko asked.

"I still have things I need to do here," Monomi told her, "now go, before they catch you!"

Toko didn't need to be told twice. In her own way of saying thanks, she silently nodded to the bunny, then squeezed herself out of the Palace through the hole in the wall. Makoto crouched down, but turned to look at Monomi before he made his escape.

"Thank you. I learned a lot about this place thanks to you," he smiled at her, "try not to let those guys catch you and lock you up again. I hope we run into each other sometime."

"What a pleasant and well-mannered boy you are! I enjoyed having you as a student, even if only briefly," she chuckled, "now go!"

Makoto nodded one final time, before following Toko out of the Palace. As he disappeared behind the wall, Monomi stood there for a while, silently looking at the hole, lost in her thoughts.

"What lovely little students they are..." she said quietly to herself, "perhaps I could borrow their power again?"

Makoto and Toko left the Palace, and once they did, they yet again found themselves in front of the Elementary School, back in the real world, and back in their regular clothes. Toko's glasses had returned to her face in place of her mask, and her hair had somehow magically tied itself back into braids. The Ultimate Lucky Student raised his head and saw the break of dawn in the distance. He checked his phone clock, which read 5:45am.

"Wow...We were really down there all night..." he sighed, "crap...I'm exhausted."

"Y-Y-YOU'RE exhausted!?" Toko snarled, "think about how I feel! Using my Persona must've taken years off my lifespan!"

"Oh! Fukawa-san!" Makoto realized, "you're uh...back to normal.

"Oh...yeah, looks like we got separated again," Toko realized, "maybe we're only united in body and mind once when we're in the Palace?"

Toko trudged forward, her legs trembling; looking like she was about to collapse. However, she still stood up, using what little strength she had to stay that way.

"But hey, we got what we came for, r-right?" she asked, "now we know the true extent of how Towa views this place. And those kids really are in danger because of him and their parents."

Makoto nodded, thinking about all the discoveries they had made within Towa's prison, as well as all the things the strange little rabbit creature had told them. His eyes looked back towards the rising sun, and then back towards Toko. He scratched his head, and smiled at her.

"Hey uh..." he said to her, "can I buy you breakfast? Or maybe just get you a coffee?"

"W-Woah! Th-That's pretty f-f-forward Naegi!" she flushed, "d-don't most guys usually offer to buy dinner? Not breakfast? Besides, I'm already e-engaged to Master. So I can't g-go on a date with you...!"

"What? Oh! No! No, that's not it!" Makoto exclaimed, then hushed himself, fearing what might happen if one of the school's security guards caught them, "it's just...you gave me that Curry Pan as a way of thanking me for saving you...Well, you saved me, so...now it's my turn!"

Beautiful Days - Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc

Toko, begrudgingly, accepted Makoto's offer. It was still a few hours before class was supposed to start for the day, and honestly Makoto should probably have spent it taking a power nap, given that he had basically stayed up all night. But he felt it was only right to show gratitude to Toko after she had faced her own personal demons, just to save him. That wasn't something he should have forced her into, regardless of whether she was his friend or not.

It just so happened that Toko's choice for where to eat breakfast was a curry place not too far from the school. Thankfully, she didn't order something too expensive, but then again, the breakfast menu was pretty cheap all around. They both decided to get the same thing: Omelette Curry.

"I didn't know you liked curry too..." Makoto commented. Toko smirked.

"I think I can write a book on the list of things you don't know about me." she said. This was meant as a joke, but Makoto's expression dimmed.

"You're right...and it's unfortunate," he said, which caught Toko's confused attention. Makoto quickly looked around to check that they weren't being listened in on before he continued. "You know what I said to you back in dungeon of the Palace? About how nobody really hates you, and that we'd miss you if you died?"

"Yeah...Honestly, I wanted to tell you thanks for that," she admitted, "i-if you hadn't said all that, I might have just given up, and I never would have awakened to my power..."

"Well, it occurred to me that maybe I'm not as great a friend as I claimed I was..." he told her, "we've hardly ever had a real conversation, and I don't think I know you as well as I should. After all we've been through, I'd like to..."

Toko didn't respond, instead just sitting there in silence with her head lowered. Makoto couldn't see her eyes due to the light being reflected off her glasses.

"Don't get me wrong, I'm not expecting you to just dump all of your trauma onto me, especially not in a place like this," he said, "but I would like to know more about why you are the way you are."

Toko retained her silence.

"Again, we can do it slowly," he said, "but...I really do care about you, Fukawa-san, and I know my sister does as well. If we were to become better friends, that would make the both of us happy."

Toko finally looked up from her curry, and stared at Makoto's eyes. Makoto could just about see the corner of her mouth turn up, though it wasn't a complete smile.

"Well...I've stuck with you so far, and I th-think we've gotten past the point of no return..." she stammered, "so...I guess it w-wouldn't hurt to play nice...since I'm gonna be helping you from now on..."

"Hah! Yes! Thank you very much!" Makoto smiled, "for a second, I thought you were gonna be like "what do you mean friends!? You think I'm stupid!? You're trying to trick me!""

"Alright, don't r-rub it in!" Toko snapped, "I-I've been h-hurt too many times before, I just don't want it to happen again! You're lucky I trust you enough..."

"So you really did have a rough past, huh?" he asked, "well, hopefully one day you'll be able to talk to me about it, but feel free to keep it secret for now."

"Yeah, thanks for not pushing..." she chuckled, "I'm surprised...You really DO care about me..."

They were silent for a moment, until Toko broke the ice this time.

"Soooo...What were you planning on talking about?" she asked.

"Huh? Oh well, whatever you want," he smiled, "maybe romance novels?"

"D-Do you really care about that sort of thing?" she asked.

"Well, I don't know for sure," Makoto replied with honesty, "but hey, I'm always looking to learn. And maybe talking to you will help me understand my Mom a little bit more."

"What's this about your Mom?" she asked.

"She owns and has read basically all of your romance novels," Makoto explained, "I don't really understand the genre myself, but she keeps assuring me that all the awards and prizes you've won were well deserved."

"O-Oh...she sounds...nice..." Toko blushed and twiddled her thumbs, "but it's really just my inner fantasy talking with all that stuff...It's not that impressive."

"Don't be like that! Think of the cultural impact your work has had!" he exclaimed, "Your biggest success was "So Lingers the Ocean", right? Everyone says it's your masterpiece. The book was such a hit that fishermen shot to the top of all the "Hottest Men" polls."

"Uuugh...Your straightforwardness is blinding me...!" Toko grimaced, but Makoto noticed that she had a sly smirk on her face, so he just laughed. He felt a warmth inside, feeling a strong bond of kinship and trust with his otherwise antisocial classmate.

But then, as this feeling grew in his heart, he heard a familiar voice within his head. His vision seemed to freeze, focusing on Toko, as he took in each and every word...

I am thou...Thou art I...Thy hast acquired a new vow.

It shall become the wings of rebellion that breaketh thy chains of captivity.

With the birth of the Hermit Persona, I have obtained the winds of blessing that shall lead to freedom and new power...

Makoto closed his eyes, feeling something stir inside his body. He meditated on it for a second, before he suddenly returned to reality when Toko snapped her fingers in front of his face.

"I thought you said you wanted to bond?" she grumbled, "are you ignoring me?"

"Oh, no, sorry!" he assured her, "it's just..."

He looked down, deciding to brush off what had just happened, and think about it later.

"It's just this curry is pretty good!" he smiled.

Interrogation Room - Persona 5

"Are you being serious with me right now?"

It was early in the morning, but at the same time as Makoto and Toko were enjoying their breakfast curry together, a certain silvery-haired Ultimate Detective was holding a meeting with a very respectable and elderly man in the same business.

Kyoko's family ran the Kirigiri Detective Agency, a large, but relatively unknown and mysterious organization, that was spearheaded by her grandfather, Fuhito Kirigiri. She had returned to her home to discuss important topics, and ongoing cases with her grandfather, who didn't seem to be taking her seriously.

"I know how it sounds...and to be honest, I don't believe it wholly myself. There must be some logical explanation that could disprove it," she told the elderly gentleman, "but as of right now, this is where my hypothesis has left me."

"I would just brush it off as bad juju and the ramblings of a madwoman if I wasn't hearing it from your mouth, my dear..." Fuhito grouched, uncomfortable by what his granddaughter was telling him, "so would that include yesterday's underground train incident?"

"Yes, among many other similar incidents in the past few months," Kyoko elaborated, "you are right to say that it sounds ridiculous and unbelievable, but my investigation has led me to believe that these incidents are a result of someone's will..."

"What do you mean by that?" Fuhito inquired. Kyoko inhaled a deep breath before she gave her answer...

"You can't exactly call these cases "crimes"" she said... "they fall more under the realm...of the occult..."

Chapter End Notes

Party member number three has arrived!
There are a couple of things I'd like to clear up about this chapter, but the main one for reference is that while in the Metaverse, Toko and Genocide Jack's personalities combine to become a mix of the two of them. It's still very much Toko Fukawa, just both sides of her united under a common justice.
This is only relevant inside the Metaverse. Outside, they're still two different personalities.
Also, as per usual, now that we have yet another awakening, I'll put in some details about Toko's Persona.
In terms of appearance, Barrow's insectoid-like body is based on Kameko; Toko's pet stinkbug and her most cherished companion prior to Ultra Despair Girls. The Persona itself is based on Clyde Barrow or Bonnie and Clyde fame. Fot those who aren't familiar, Clyde Chestnut (Champion) Barrow was a notorious highway criminal who traveled through Central USA with his partner, Bonnie Elizabeth Parker, during the American Great Depression. Their exploits captured the attention of the American press and its readership, during what is occasionally referred to as the “public enemy era” between 1931 and 1934.
Abilities-wise, Barrow has slashing physical attacks like Yusuke, but Lightning as it's primary element. And as the chapter itself states, Toko's Arcana is the Hermit.
Thanks as always for reading, and I'm sorry it took so long for this to get around because of the issues with AO3. As a reminder, I also update this story on WattPad, so if you can't read it here, read it there. My account is under the same name.

Family Values

Chapter Summary

Makoto and Toko work together to get as much information as they can on Haiji Towa and his associates, in hopes of forming a plan to take him down and expose his corruption to the world, when Monomi shows up in the real world and suggests a plan to them. Before she can explain the details however, Kotoko Utsugi goes missing...

Chapter Notes

See the end of the chapter for notes

Aria of the Soul - Persona 5

It took Makoto a bit of effort to get through the rest of the day. He became acutely aware of how his expeditions in the Palace has a pretty terrible effect on his body. While in the Palace, he could perform incredible acrobatic feats that he could never dream of accomplishing in the real world, but once he RETURNED to the real world, he felt like he'd been hit by a ton of bricks.

So yeah, he had struggled getting through today with his muscles being so weak, so he did it best to take it easy that evening, and decided to take a nap early once the day was over and he returned to his dorm room.

However, in his mind, he also suspected that if he was to get some shut eye, he might have another chance encounter with the mysterious attendants of the Velvet Room, who clearly now had more of a connection to the events he was going through than he initially believed...

And lo and behold...

He raised his head, quickly shook off the odd fatigue, then looked towards the front of the class where Igor sat, and Agatha stood next to him. The more times Makoto came to this room, the easier it was to get used to it.

"Welcome back to the Velvet Room, young man," Igor chuckled, "I see you've managed to establish your first bond as a Persona user?"

"My first bond?" Makoto parroted, "do you mean...with Fukawa-san?"

His mind flashed back to hearing Agatha's voice in his head while he and Toko were eating breakfast that morning. Something about the birth of the Hermit Persona.

"Indeed," he said "let us hope you can form more bonds and discover more possibilities along your journey to graduation. I have high hopes for you."

"Yeah, about that," Makoto piped up, "I know we don't have a lot of time here, but do you think you two could maybe answer some of my questions now? If I'm a student, that makes the two of you my instructors here, right? You keep calling me a "good boy" for asking so many questions, but you've neglected to answer any of them."

Makoto was honestly started to get pretty annoyed with how much the two of them beat around the bush, but he tried to sound as polite as possible. Agatha drifted over towards his desk, and stood next to him.

"My apologies. I suppose you are right," she smiled at him, "I suppose for now, I will tell you what I can. About the Palace's and the Metaverse."

"Thank you..." Makoto waited patiently as Agatha took the chair of the desk in front of him, turned it round and sat down to face him. As she did, she began to explain.

"Here is what you need to know for the time being. The place you call the "Palace" is within an alternate reality. One that reflects the hearts of those consumed by evil and distorted desires," she began to explain, "another world where those warped desires are made manifest. Which is to say...the man who created that place..."

"Haiji Towa...right?" he inquired. Agatha nodded.

"Correct," she said, "the Metaverse shaped that Palace because the man who created that place views the Elementary School as a Prison, and the students and children within it, his prisoners and slaves. The students that you saw within the jail are indeed suffering in the real world thanks to both Towa and their parents, but they are mere shadows of themselves in reality. They are only puppets that exist to be toyed with by that man's desires."

"You have already taken the task to topple that impregnable fortress," Igor smirked, "I for one, look forward to seeing how you attempt to do so."

Makoto suddenly heard the chime of the school bell that he had heard yesterday, and realized that he was running out of time here. Agatha stood up, and returned to Igor's side.

"I say once again..." Igor smiled, "I have high hopes for you..."

Class Trial (Dawn) - Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc

Realizing that this information was important to what they had been through, Makoto decided to meet up with Toko the following morning, and explained to her what he had seen in his visit to the room. However, her reaction was exactly what he expected it to be.

"Ok...s-so let me get this straight...You're telling me that you figured out a-all this crap about the Palace because two very strange people told you about it in a dream?" she asked, "I know this is rich given all that we've seen up until now, but are you sure you're right in the head, Naegi?"

"Quiet down...!" Makoto hushed her, keeping an eye on his classmates who had yet to leave for lunch, "remember, this is a secret!"

"Sorry..." she whispered, "but hey, if wh-what you've said is true, then I guess that means that bunny rabbit we met yesterday was right...The kids we saw in the cells of the prison yesterday that we thought were the kids from the Elementary School were actually..."

"Fakes," Makoto finished her sentence, "but what we saw going on with them there reflects the things that they're going through in real life. Haiji and his cronies are torturing them and making their lives hell. Whatever he truly plans to do with the Elementary School, it can't be good if it turns out to be anything like the Palace."

"But what do we do about it?" Toko asked, "it'd be good if we could get the truth from the kids directly, but normally we're not allowed to go near the Elementary School. So where do we go from here?"

"Plus, there's no guarantee they'd give us a straightforward answer while the threat of their parents finding out looms over them," Makoto told her, "we'll just have to ask some of the people around the school and the reserve course if they've heard any rumors."

"Rumors about what?"

Makoto and Toko were unpleasantly surprised, as Kyoko Kirigiri suddenly appeared right next to them, neither of them aware of her approaching them. They struggled to hide their surprise while they grabbed their bags.

"Oh! N-Nothing Kirigiri-san!" Makoto panicked, "we were just uh..."

"T-Talking about r-r-romance novels he's read!" Toko exclaimed, "M-Makoto's Mom l-likes my books a-and she wants to know if I-I had any favorite p-projects I worked on!"

Aside from the incessant stuttering as she formulated her words, this wasn't a bad cover-up, and Makoto was happy that Toko remembered their conversation yesterday morning. Kyoko however, only looked half-convinced.

"I must say, I am surprised..." she observed, "the two of you are much...closer...than I remember."

"W-Well..." Makoto tried to come up with an excuse, "we've been friends for a while, right?"

"Indeed," Kyoko replied, "but I didn't think you were this close. It's rare for Fukawa-san to let anyone else be this close to her besides Togami..."

"Well, it's because she came to hang out with my sister a couple times over the break," Makoto explained, "she and Komaru really hit it off, so she's become pretty close to me as well. That's kind of why we walked to school tomorrow."

"Hm...I see...Alright then," Kyoko nodded, "I'll leave you two alone for now, but I just wanted to remind you of something."

"Wh-What?" Toko trembled.

"Just remember what Taka said yesterday," she instructed, "try not to cause trouble for Mr Towa or any other guests that are on site right now."

With no other words, she briskly walked away, her cool and calm aura around her as she moved.

"She's totally onto us..." Toko grimaced.

"But she didn't seem like she planned on stopping us..." Makoto observed.

"Keeping all this Metaverse shit a secret is exhausting..." she sighed, as the two of them stood up and decided to leave the classroom.

"We don't have a choice," Makoto told her, "no one will believe us even if we did tell them. I don't want everyone to think we're crazy."

"Wait...Actually, that reminds me of something I nearly forgot to tell you," Toko's eyes widened, "Naegi. Remember how we got to the Palace using that navigator app on your phone?"

"The Metaverse Navigator?" he asked, "yeah, why?"

"When I woke up this morning, look what I found," Toko took her phone out of her pocket and showed it to her classmate, "it just randomly appeared on my home screen without me even installing it."

Makoto was surprised to see that the Meta-Nav app had now appeared on Toko's phone, as well as his own.

"I guess I can go back to the Palace if I really wanted to by myself," she said, "but I'm not sure about my chances, even with my new Persona."

"Well, you don't have to worry. I'll stick with you," he assured her, "but for now, I suggest we split up and ask around."

"D-Do we really have to?" Toko grimaced again, "can't we do this in a way that doesn't involve us asking around?"

"Sorry, but we don't have many other options," he said, "if it makes you feel any better, you can go talk to the Reserve Course students while I deal with the Main Course? You smell pretty nice today actually, so I doubt they'll push you away."

"Well, yeah, I had a shower for the first time in a while last night. The sweat and exhaustion after the Palace was getting e-even to me," Toko said, "but...f-fine...I guess I can try..."

Beautiful Death - Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc

Unfortunately, neither of the two Ultimate's had very much luck with their respective investigations. As they had planned, Toko went to go question the Reserve Course department, while Makoto asked as many Ultimate's on the Main Course as he could. Their search took so long that the day was over before they even knew it.

The two decided to reconvene in a quiet area behind the school, both sitting on a bench, neither of them looking particularly chipper about the situation.

"They all totally blew me off..." Toko grumbled, "not that I didn't expect it, but it was all the same thing...! "Huh? What's this about abuse?" "Don't go making crazy accusations!" "What does a talented person like you want with us?" "I'm trying to study, please don't talk to me...!"

She curled up into a ball and rested her tired head on her knees.

"Honestly, it seems they were all scared of me. I guess the Reserve Course students are jealous of us..."

"You think you had it rough?" Makoto sighed, "everyone said basically the exact same stuff in the Main Course. I asked our classmates and our senpai, and even some of the new First Year's, but they all acted like I was crazy. I think I got on Ishimaru and Kirigiri's radar too, so I had to back out before either of them could question or scald me."

"Which Kirigiri? Kyoko or Jin?" Toko asked.

"Both honestly!" Makoto swung his head back and groaned, "I am SO gonna get detention if the Headmaster catches me throwing these accusations around."

"So in conclusion, we learned absolutely fuck all from all of this!" Toko threw her hands up.

"Now hold on a second," Makoto calmed her down, "that's not true. Sure, we learned nothing about the abuse, but I asked some of our schoolmates about the family's of the students, and I learned a little bit about them."

"N-Now that you mention it, I guess there is that," Toko suddenly recalled, "one of the Reserve Course kids that were actually willing to talk to me told me about one of the kids. They said that his father worked at a company that was owned by a woman named "Kemuri..." I thought that sounded familiar, so I did some digging, and found out that one of the kids in the Elementary is called Jataro Kemuri."

"So he must be the son of that company head." Makoto concluded.

"Well, I wouldn't know..." Toko added, "the guy told me that according to his dad, Kemuri didn't have a child. So either we're barking up the wrong tree, or she's keeping him a secret."

"I found out something similar. Apparently, Mr Shingetsu has been picked to be the lead advisor and teacher for the Elementary Division." Makoto told her.

"Shingetsu? You mean that Reserve Course science teacher?" Toko asked, "why him?"

"Well, that's the concerning thing," Makoto explained, "I had a look at the lineup myself, and one of the kids currently in the Division is named Nagisa Shingetsu. If I had to take a guess, I'd say he's the kid with the IV strapped to his arm."

"If that's the case, he must be disciplined at home in a similar way," Toko growled, "there have always been rumors surrounding Shingetsu and his family. Stuff like how he was spiteful that he was never able to attend Hope's Peak as an Ultimate, so he let his son into the Elementary School and became an instructor just to get his ins..."

"Hope's Peak's system is interesting, but I can see why it would hurt a lot of people." Makoto contemplated.

"You're telling me! What a foolish system. Talent is a subjective ideal after all, and yet the focus this school puts on it! All children are special in their own way! Why can't they see that?"

"W-Wow Fukawa-san..." Makoto raised his head, "I didn't expect to hear those words out of your mouth of all things..."

"That's because they didn't come from my mouth!" Toko snapped back, "my voice isn't THAT high pitched. To be honest, I thought it was you!"

"My voice isn't that high pitched either!" Makoto snapped, but then switched his attention back, "but wait...who said that if it wasn't you or me!? We're the only people here?, right"

"A-Are we being spied upon!?" Toko shrieked, jumping to her feet. Makoto also hopped up alarmingly.

"No, no, no!" the voice squeaked again, and Makoto suddenly noticed movement underneath the bench they were sitting on, "it's only me! Don't be afraid! I'm here to talk to you!"

"Who's there!?" Makoto exclaimed, "come out from under there!"

Makoto watched cautiously as whoever or whatever was hiding under the bench suddenly scurried out quickly, and leaped up onto where they had originally been sitting. Toko squealed in fear at the creature, which upon closer inspection, was a very strange looking bunny rabbit.

Rather familiarly, the color of it's fur was split down the middle; white on one side and light pink on the other.

Ms Monomi's Practice Lesson - Danganronpa 2: Goodbye Despair

"See?" she squeaked, "it's only me! Nothing to be worried about!"

"Aaaaa...hahaha...!" Toko had clearly gone hysterical, "h-hey! Did I just hear that bunny talk? Nah! I must be losing it! Bunnies don't talk!"

"I am more than just a bunny, Ms Toko!" the bunny looked up at her, "I'm an adorable, squeezable teacher too!"

"WHAT THE FUUUUUUUUUUCCK!?" Toko, realizing that she wasn't going delirious (debatably), screamed, her face gone pale with fear!

"Wait a second...That voice and...that dialogue...!" Makoto's eyes widened with realization, "MOMOMI!? Is that YOU!?"

"Uhuhuhu! Thank you for recognizing me at least, Makoto!" the bunny said in a cheerful voice.

"W-Wait!? WHAT!? It's true!?" Toko took another look at the bunny as soon as she processed Makoto's words, coming to the same realization, "why are YOU here!? HOW did you get here!? A-And why do you look like that!?"

"I'm not quite sure myself," she replied honestly, "this is my first time coming over to your world, even though I've been able to do so for so long now. This is just what I look like when I'm here. My apperance in the Metaverse is my real form."

"Yeah, I-I get that, but I didn't think you could leave!" Toko asked, "don't tell me YOU have a phone too!?"

"Somehow I doubt it...She never brought up the navigation app when we talked before," Makoto observed, "the real question isn't HOW she's here, it's WHY?"

"Well, I told you I had some business in the Palace, right?" Monomi began to explain, "the reason I'm here is because I have a proposal for you!"

"A proposal?" Makoto parroted. The fluffy little rabbit seemed to nod and smile, despite it's limited expressions.

"The two of you have officially gone to the Metaverse, and have both awakened to the power of the Persona," Monomi reminded them, "it seems to me that even now, you're looking for a way to rat out his evil intentions to everyone in the school, but you're having trouble finding proof, correct?"

"Yeah...that's right..." Makoto told her, "how is this related?"

"Well," Monomi squeaked, "I might have a way to help! You see-"

"Naegi!? Fukawa!? Is everything ok!?"

"Oh crap!" Toko exclaimed, "you need to hide! They'll toss you off campus if they see you!"

"Or throw you in the pen with the rest of Tanaka-kun's animals!" Makoto added.

Gundham Tanaka was a third year at Hope's Peak. He was an odd boy with an eccentric personality, and was known as the Ultimate Animal Breeder.

"Uwawawa!?" Monomi panicked, "b-but where should I-!?"

"Ugh...Get in here!" Makoto grabbed his school bag and opened it, ushering Monomi inside. With no other options, Monomi hopped into the bag and Makoto quickly shut it on her as someone rounded the corner.

"Are you two, like...alright?" they said, "I heard yelling?"

"Oh!" Makoto forced a smile "E-Enoshima-kun! Ikusaba-san! Fancy seeing you here."

Makoto's classmates, Junko Enoshima and Mukuro Ikusaba, joined them in their little private corner. Toko didn't look comfortable now that they had been interrupted, but it might have just been because she was trying her best to hide Monomi.

"So these are you classmates?" Makoto heard Monomi's muffled voice from his bag, "they look like very sweet people!"

"Shh!" Makoto hushed, which caused Junko to give him a funny look.

"Did...Did I just hear squeaking?" she asked.

"Is someone else here?" Mukuro added.

"No, no, we're just chilling here!" Makoto assured them, "anyway...what's up?"

"I'm glad I found you two, there's been an emergency, and we need your help," Junko told them earnestly, "you know the kids from the Elementary School?"

Makoto and Toko shot one another an understanding look before they responded.

"What about them?" Makoto asked.

"Junya Utsugi, one of the children's parents, is here to pick her up for the day," Mukuro explained, "but his daughter, Kotoko, doesn't appear to be on campus."

Distrust - Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc

"She ran a-away?" Toko asked. Mukuro nodded.

"It seems that way. Somehow, she slipped through the school security," the soldier clarified, "I guess she was waiting while they were distracted and made a run for it."

"Anyway, Mr Utsugi and Mr Towa have gotten the staff and student bodies to look for her around the campus, and some of the Main Course have already took to the streets to look for her," Junko explained, "he seems really worried, so I thought I'd try and get the rest of us in on the search."

"You want us to help you find Utsugi's daughter?" Makoto asked, "count us in!"

"Thank you!" Junko grinned, "knew I could count on you! Come on Mukuro-chan, let's search over by that way, just in case she's still around."

The somber Mukuro quietly followed the peppy Junko as they made their way back to the main campus.

"What are you doing?" Toko asked as Makoto opened his bag to let the hidden Monomi out, "weren't we in the middle of something?"

"This might be a good opportunity!" Makoto told her, "if we get to Utsugi's daughter before he or Towa do, we might be able to get answers out of her!"

"But what about Monomi's proposal?" Toko reminded him.

"It can wait!" Monomi assured her, "answers or no answers, I dread the thought of a young girl lost and alone in the big city with so many strangers..."

She hopped out of Makoto's bag and onto the ground again.

"See what you can turn up with Ms Utsugi. If all else fails, come and meet me at the Palace tomorrow night. If you need me any sooner, I'll be hiding around your dorms, so just come search in the bushes if you need me."

"I still can't quite believe you actually came to our world..." Makoto shook his head, "promise me you won't get caught here?"

"I'm a master of stealth, despite my looks~" Monomi giggled, "they won't catch me~"

With that, she scuttled away. Makoto watched her until she was properly out of sight, then turned to Toko.

"Come on Fukawa-san," he said, "let's get a move on before we miss our chance."

Still hesitant, Toko nodded, and she followed after Makoto as they made their way towards the city.

Ultra Despair Girls - Danganronpa Another Episode: Ultra Despair Girls

Meanwhile, around this same time, in another school not too far away, a certain little sister had packed up all her things, and prepared to leave class for the day. However, before she could leave, two other girls in her class walked over to her and greeted her.

"Yo, Naegi-chan!" one of them, a gyaru with pale yellow eyes and blonde hair, held up by a black ribbon with white lace, rested on her desk, "we were just heading out too."

"How would you feel about walking with us?" the other girl, a tall lady with light brown hair and a pleasant smile asked, "we can grab a crepe on the way to the station and split it?"

"You mean it!?" Komaru Naegi, wearing her school uniform, gasped excitedly, "sure thing! Thank you Nakajima-chan! Hishimeki-chan!"

The two people were Kanon Nakajima and Maruku Hishimeki, two girls that Komaru had met within her first few days of High School and quickly hit it off with, despite how outgoing and trendy the other two were compared to her.

She had found out pretty early that Kanon was not only the daughter a director at TAT Television; the largest television conglomerate in the world right now; but rather conviniently, was also the cousin of one of her brother's classmates at Hope's Peak - Leon Kuwata, the Ultimate Baseball Star.

The other girl, Maruku, was one of those "classroom queen" type girls, meaning that she was easily one of the hottest girls in the class and all the guys wanted her. After seeing both of them warm up to Komaru, a lot of her classmates, men and women alike, had become jealous of her, so it hadn't been an easy time making friends besides these two.

The fact that they were willing to split a crepe between them though meant a lot to her. Still, it hadn't done a lot of good in blocking out all the whispers she'd been hearing. And even as she walked down the hallway towards the school exit, she could hear the chit-chat of the onlookers around them.

"Damn that Naegi girl..." she heard someone whisper, "she's just so plain compared to Kanon-chan and Maru-chan...! How come she gets to hang out with them?"

"I heard her brother's a Hope's Peak student...But she doesn't seem that special..."

"If it wasn't for the people she hung with, you'd forget she's even there..."

"I bet Kanon-chan's just using her...Poor girl..."

Komaru tried to keep a straight and happy face, but inside, the words were secretly getting to her. She knew if she kept smiling, they'd knock it off eventually, but she didn't like the fact that she was already getting a bad rep just for having made a few friends.

The worst part about it is that no one saw her for her. Just her friends and her brother. None of them had even tried to ask her about herself or what she was into.

Honestly, Komaru was afraid if she expressed herself, they would like her even less. Even Nakajima and Hishimeki could ditch her if they found her too boring or too weird.

"Hey, Naegi-chan?" Kanon got her attention one they hit the busy streets, "don't let all those floozies back at school get to you, m'kay?"

"Huh?" Komaru raised her hanging head, "oh, I'm not, don't worry. I'm tougher than I look."

"That's good to hear," Maruku patted her on the head, which to be honest, Komaru found pretty embarrassing, "all that gossip is stupid anyway. People have no idea what we're really like outside of school."

"What do you mean?" she asked. Maruku just laughed.

"I'm honestly pretty gross at home. I leave my clothes lying where I take them off and I only do the recycling once a month," she admitted, "if anyone saw what my home was like, they'd dump me in seconds flat."

"I'm jealous you can just be so openly honest about that..." Komaru giggled, "I don't have the courage to talk to people about most of my interests."

"You an otaku or something?" Kanon asked, "never mind, I shouldn't pry. Keep your secrets~"

"Let's change the subject," Maruku suggested, "didn't you join the handicrafts club Kanon-chan? I thought they had a meeting today?"

"Hashizawa-senpai is preparing for collage entrance exams, so she's had to take the day off," Kanon explained, "club's no fun without her, so I ditched it."

"Collage exam prep!?" Komaru exclaimed, "but the school year's literally just begun!"

"Just goes to show how dedicated she is," Maruku smiled, "but hey, if you're both free, how about we go to a karaoke place?"

"I dunno..." Komaru frowned, "I need to be back early tonight, or my parents will worry."

"Sounds like you got yourselves a couple of helicopter-ass parents..." Kanon grouched. Komaru shook her head.

"No, if they were like that, I doubt my brother would be allowed to stay in Hope's Peak's dorms..." Komaru sighed, "it's just...you know how it is...I'm not special like him; just an ordinary High School girl, so they worry about me."

"Are you sure that's not just because you're clumsy?" Maruku snarked. Komaru frowned at her.

"I'm not THAT clumsy!" she snapped back. Maruku rolled her eyes.

"You almost ate a chopped stick of glue yesterday because you thought it was a marshmallow..." she reminded her. Komaru blushed.

"Alright, don't rub salt in my wound!" she snapped, "fine, I'll go to karaoke with you guys. Will that get you off my case?"

"Maaaaybe~?" Kanon smirked, "still though, you should clean up your act. No guys are gonna want to go for you if you keep acting so silly in front of them."

"I dunno..." Maruku grinned, "some guys are into the helpless type...Though, not many good one's are."

"Hey, Naegi-chan!" Kanon leaned in towards her suddenly, "have you ever had a boyfriend? Or do you have a crush on someone?"

"Um..." Komaru blushed, "th-that's a secret."

"Oh!" Maruku raised her head and looked over to the other side of the street, "what's that about?"

Both Komaru and Kanon also raised their heads in the direction she was looking, and they saw what had caught her attention. Running down the road, past all the people on the street, was a young girl of about 11 or 12 years old. She had ankle-length, light pink hair with short straight bangs and slightly curved-in locks on the side of her head, tied into high pigtails. She had a shade of vivid pink colored eyes, and she wore a hot pink hairband with two horns atop, both bent in and the left one having a white bow with pink polka-dots by its base.

The girl had a look of desperation and anxiety on her face, and she kept running, almost as if she was trying to escape from something. However, no one from the other side of the street appeared to be chasing her.

"Was that girl lost or something?" Maruku asked.

"I dunno, but she was pretty cute, don't you think?" Kanon added, "hey, wait, Naegi-chan!? Where are you going!?"

"Sorry!" Komaru had instinctively turned around, and began to run down the street after the girl, looking back one more time towards her friends before she gave chase, "go to the karaoke place before me! I'll meet you both there!"

She took off after the girl before either one of them could stop her.

Junk Food for a Dashing Youth - Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc

Komaru gave chase to the girl, and eventually caught up with her. She had arrived at a slightly less crowded street of the city, with only one or two people travelling down it. The girl still looked distraught from when Komaru had seen her earlier, but her eyes were wandering over towards all the food stalls and mini-markets around her.

She looked like she was hungry. And she had slowed down, so Komaru figured now was a good time to approach. So, trying her best not to look intimidating, she headed towards her.

"Want me to buy you something, little girl?" she asked.

The girl jumped upon hearing her voice so suddenly, and turned around. Komaru was surprised to see that her expression looked even more traumatized than she expected; like just looking at Komaru caused her an existential feeling of dread.

"Don't worry..." she said, "I'm not one of those grumpy old weirdo's who creeps on little kids in the street. I'm just wondering what you're doing alone out here. You get lost?"

"Uuuh...Uuh...!" the girl trembled, looking like she was about to wet herself.

All of a sudden, Komaru started to panic, as the girl turned around and broke into a run into the road!

"I'M SORRY!" she shrieked, "PLEASE DON'T!"

"Hey, wait! WATCH OUT!" Komaru shouted, alarmed as she suddenly noticed a car speeding down the road straight towards the girl!

The girl herself seemed to only notice the car when it was right on top of her! What happened next was a blur, but Komaru felt her body move all by itself! She dropped her bag and dove into the road, grabbing the girl and just narrowly preventing both of them from being run over!

The girl's vision had gone hazy, and everything seemed to go white for her when the car approached, but she snapped back to reality once she realized she was safe, cradled in Komaru's warm arms.

"Hey!" the driver didn't stop, but yelled out of his window angrily as he continued, "be careful, you dumb kids!"

"FUCK YOU, ASSHOLE! YOU watch where you're driving!" Komaru snapped back and stuck her tongue out at the car as it drove away, "man, forget about him...Are you alright?"

The girl looked up at her, astonished, but she also seemed terrified of her. Realizing that she was causing some discomfort, Komaru carefully let go of her.

"Alright...Sorry about that," she bowed her head in an apology, "I'm glad you're safe at least."

She escorted the girl out of the road, and reached down to pick up her schoolbag. As she did however, the girl finally piped up.

"Um..." she stammered, "th-thank you..."

"Huh?" Komaru looked up at her, "oh, it's all good! As long as you're alright...Just be more careful next time."

"You're an adult..." the girl's eyes looked sad, "but you saved me...You didn't even touch me in any weird places..."

"Why would I do that!? I'm just a high-school girl!" Komaru exclaimed, suddenly quieting herself down so she didn't freak the kid out, "I have an idea. Just stay here for a second."

This is the Path we Follow - Danganronpa Another Episode: Ultra Despair Girls

A few minutes passed, and Komaru placed the child down on a public bench right next to a convenience store. She entered the store, then came out again a few minutes later, holding a plastic bag. She returned to the girl, and held the bag out towards her.

"Here...You looked hungry back there, eyeing all the sweets and whatnot, so I got you this." she smiled at her.

"This is...for me?" the girl's eyes seemed to sparkle with longing. Komaru grinned back and nodded.

"Yep! I got you sandwiches, a rice ball, some crisps, a candy bar and a juice box!" she started to unpack the items one by one.

The girl's face lit up when she saw the food for herself, and she immediately grabbed the rice ball and candy bar and started munching down on both of them at once!

"Hey, slow down!" Komaru laughed, "the food isn't going anywhere!"

The girl did as she was told and started to digest her food properly. Once she had finished a mouthful, she looked towards Komaru and asked her a question.

"Um...What's your name, Miss?" she asked.

"Naegi! Komaru Naegi!" Komaru responded with a smirk, "and you?"

"I'm...Kotoko Utsugi..." she replied quietly, "Naegi-nii...You're an adult but...you're being so nice to me? Why?"

"Hah! Anyone who's met me would say calling me an adult is debatable. I'm still very much a kid at heart!" Komaru assured her, "but you know, seeing a child in a tough spot and helping them out is how adults are SUPPOSED to act, you know?"

Kotoko didn't reply. Instead, she just went back to munching on her food.

"And you know, you and I might be in the same boat, or at least a similar one," she continued, "I ran away from home when I was a kid too once."

"H-How did you know-?" Kotoko trailed off as Komaru just laughed.

"Lucky guess," she admitted, "and also, like I said, personal experience talking. I got into a fight with my parents over something stupid...I don't even remember what it was...But I decided that I didn't want to be around and ran out of the house."

She laughed and scratched her head.

"I was stupid. I ran out into a world all by myself until my older brother found me crying in a rubbish bin. It just didn't seem fair, so I wanted to get out," she explained, "but life's not fair, and sometimes, there's not much we can do to change it. Whatever's going on at home, I won't judge, but I'm sure your parents are out looking for you too..."

Kotoko just nodded.

"Yeah...probably..." she said, "so, do you think I should go back and do as I'm told?"

"Like I said, I don't know your situation, and I won't ask if it's personal." she patted her on the head, which made the girl flinch, but she calmed down when she realized she meant no harm, "I'm just saying, people are probably worried about you. Not just your family, but your friends too. They'll be wondering what's happening to you."

"My friends..." Kotoko considered, "they're probably-"

"Hey!" someone suddenly cried out, "you're the girl who-! Wait...Komaru!?"

"Makoto!?" Komaru looked up in surprise to see her brother and his companion, "and Toko-chan too!?"

"Wh-Who are they?" Kotoko stammered. Komaru smiled at her warmly.

"This is my older brother," she explained, "and the girl he's with is my best friend. What are you two doing here?"

"That's OUR line!" Toko snapped, "w-we're here to find Utsugi's daughter."

"Huh? How come you two are searching for her?" Komaru asked.

"She's one of the students at Hope's Peak Elementary, and she ran away from the Academy a short while ago," Makoto explained, "but before we bring her back, I'd like to ask her a few questions first."

Kotoko, wary of both of them, seemed to shuffle closer to Komaru, as they knelt down to talk to her.

"Kotoko-chan," Makoto began, "I'll get straight to the point. There are rumors going around about how Towa and the parents of you and your classmates are abusing and exploiting you. By any chance, are they true?"

"What the hell!?" Komaru snapped, standing up, "you can't just ASK that Makoto! Don't you realize how insensitive you sound!?"

"He wasn't talking to you!" Toko pushed Komaru aside, "now come on kid, spill the beans."

"You too, Toko-chan!" Komaru turned on her, "can't you see the kid's nervous!? She already doesn't trust adults as it is, and you two aren't helping!"

"And why DOESN'T she trust adults, huh?" Toko glared at Kotoko, "maybe it's because of something going on in her life?"

"Maybe it's because YOU'RE freaking her out!?" Komaru leered.

"Kotoko-chan..." Makoto stepped forward, "are you really ok with the way things are? You had to have some reason for running away from the academy, right?"

Kotoko's voice squeaked, almost as if she tried to say something, but suddenly, a few people in black suits hurried over to them, catching their attention. Kotoko began to sweat bullets, and held onto Komaru's skirt.

"Kotoko!" a man in a smart suit and curly hair, who led the charge, hurried over to them, "thank goodness you're ok! Don't ever do that again, young lady!"

Despair Syndrome - Danganronpa Another Episode: Ultra Despair Girls

Makoto, Komaru and Toko moved aside, as the man and his entourage rushed upon them. He knelt down to look the little girl in the eye.

"Thank goodness you're ok though," he sighed with relief, "not a scratch. Were you two the one's responsible for finding her?"

"Oh, no, that was actually my sister," Makoto pointed to Komaru, "she's the one who deserves thanks."

The man turned only briefly to Komaru, who smiled back at him, but then suddenly turned back to his daughter.

"Yes, well...we've got a lot to talk about, don't we young lady?" he asked, "sorry, I should have been more wise to how you were feeling. But Daddy has a big contract for us tonight, and I'll use the money to treat you to something nice, ok?"

The man gently brushed the girls face. She seemed to freak out, but didn't move or retaliate.

"Poor girl..." he sighed, "she's scared stiff."

"So, you're her father then?" Makoto asked, "I guess that would make you...?"

"Junya Utsugi, yes," the man smiled and handed a business card to both the Ultimate Students, "thank you so much for this. I'll make sure Kotoko is brought home safely. Rest assured, I will pay you back for this."

"Th-That's fine..." Makoto assured him, "thanks for the card and the offer, but...please, don't be too harsh on your daughter for this? She's had a rough week..."

"Oh...don't you worry..." Junya Utsugi assured them "I'll be very gentle..."

Before Makoto or Toko could decline the offer, Junya Utsugi forced his card on them, then took his daughter by the hand and led her away. Komaru internally, wanted to stop them and ask what was going on, but with all the MiB's around them, she knew she had no chance.

She just watched as the father and daughter started to disappear into the distance, Kotoko's little body trembling the whole time.

"Hey...Naegi..." Toko leaned in and whispered in Makoto's ear, "you recognize that guy, don't you? I sure do..."

"I do..." Makoto nodded, "he was one of the fancy-dressed people in Towa's Palace...!"

"Now, now, did you not hear what I just said?" the man in pink chimed in, "we have business to discuss, remember?"

"Yes, Mr Utsugi," he said, "just give me a moment. Men! Get them! They're all sentenced to death!"

"Looks like we missed our chance to get any info," Makoto continued, "but hey, her reaction and attitude gave me something to work with.

"It's getting late out..." Toko pointed out, "maybe we should head back to school for the night and think about what to do next."

"Yeah...I'm interested to hear what Monomi's proposal is," Makoto said, "let's wait until tomorrow night and ask her."

After this private conversation, Makoto turned back to his sister.

"Sorry about that Komaru..." he said, "I didn't mean to sound like a jerk, I just..."

"Oh...OH CRAP!" she cried suddenly.

"Wh-Wh-What's with you!?" Toko snapped.

"Nakajima-chan and Hishimeki-chan! They're still waiting for me at karaoke!" she cried, "c-catch you later Makoto! I gotta go meet with them!"

"Hey, WAIT!" Makoto tried to call after her, but she bolted down the street before she had time to listen.

"Your sister is all over the freaking place..." Toko grumbled, "she marches to the beat of her own drum and makes everyone march with her..."

Makoto didn't greet this with a response. He just worryingly looked at his sister, who disappeared into the horizon.

Beautiful Dead - Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc

"Sorry I held you up for so long girls," Komaru told her friends as they left the karaoke club, "you're not mad at me, are you?"

"No, we're super mad," Kanon leered sarcastically, "that's why we let you sing little diddies with us all night because we hate your guts!"

"Ok, dumb question," she laughed, "I'm just sorry, that's all."

"What you really should be apologizing for is your choice in songs," Maruku snickered, "seriously, what are you? A little kid?"

"Don't judge me!" Komaru snapped, flushing embarrassingly, "those kids cartoon theme songs get stuck in your head, so they're the only one's I can remember off by heart!"

"Sure, sure," Maruku followed up, "that aside, don't you think Kanon-chan has a beautiful voice?"

"Oh, for sure!" Komaru's eyes sparkled, "I'd pay to hear you in theaters."

"Meh...Stageplay ain't my thing," she said, "honestly, I'm more about sports and getting dirty than anything. People act like they know the real me, but they don't."

"The real you...huh?" Komaru repeated quietly. However, as she did, she suddenly looked up and stopped in her tracks.

"Something wrong, Naegi-chan?" Maruku asked. Komaru turned back to her friends.

"Um...sorry to ditch you again so randomly," she said, "but I just remembered I need to take a detour home tonight. Grab some stuff from the store an' all. See you girls tomorrow?"

"Yeah, sure!" Kanon waved, "catch ya later."

Komaru felt slightly bad about telling this fib, but the real reason why she decided to split off from her friends was because she suddenly noticed her brother looking at her from the other side of the street. She quietly approached him, and he only smiled in response.

"Hah...Should I be flattered you decided to pick your brother to walk home with rather than your friends?"

"What are you doing here?" she bit back in response. Makoto sighed and shook his head.

"I was worried about you after what happened earlier," he admitted, "plus, you forgot to call Mom and Dad..."

"What!?" Komaru exclaimed, checking her text messages, "aw crap! I really thought I remembered to do it!"

"Don't worry, I gotcha," Makoto gave her a thumbs up, "I told them you were with me and you were fine."

"Why are you here though?" Komaru asked, "were you just out here waiting the whole time? Because if so...that's weird..."

"Sorry, I guess you're right, but you are still my sister," Makoto reminded her, "I know you probably wouldn't trust your big brother of all people with baggage, but I'm willing to help you carry it if it helps...Just talk to me, sis..."

Komaru hesitated, but sighed exhaustingly and frowned at her brother.

"You're probably still mad at me about earlier, right?" he asked, "it's ok if you want me to go ahead. But know, I wasn't trying to harass that kid..."

"No! No, it's...fine..." she said, "can...we walk while we talk?"

"Of course!" Makoto smiled at her, staying by her side as they headed towards the station.

"I guess I'll just get to the point," Komaru sighed, "Makoto...are those rumors about Utsugi and Towa true?"

Makoto didn't want to lie to her, but he knew that he couldn't tell anyone about the secret of the Metaverse. So he did his best to feed her a half-truth.

"I've only heard bits and pieces of it," he told her, "I don't know if they're actually true or to what extent it goes to if they are. Why do you ask?"

"I'm just wondering..." Komaru told him, "did I...make a mistake?"

"A mistake?" he parroted, "what do you mean?"

"You know what I mean!" she exclaimed, "if what you said was true, then I just sent that girl back to her horrible parents and household! I was just trying to help but I just...ditched her...I gained her trust and then I broke it!"

"Komaru!" Makoto yelled, "there's no guarantee that the rumors were true. Kotoko probably just had a panic attack and ran from home. Her father did seem worried about her at least..."

It hurt to say these lies straight to her face, but he had no choice.

"I guess it doesn't really matter...It's not like either of them would have ever told me the truth of the matter, even if it was the case..." she sighed.

"Ok, now what are you talking about?" he asked. Komaru sighed and hung her head.

"He gave you and Toko his business card but he completely blanked me," she said, "a high-school girl my age would have killed to get that kind of opportunity; to get in contact with a CEO like him...But I didn't get it. And you know why that is?"

Before Makoto could answer, Komaru answered for him.

"It's because you guys are Ultimate's and I'm not..." she sighed, "with Hope's Peak and everything else, society really values talent above everything else...Those who aren't born with that lucky ticket don't get nice things, especially not me."

"Komaru..." Makoto said quietly. She threw her arms up suddenly.

"I mean, don't get me wrong, it's not like I WANT that kind of recognition! I'm fine as I am! I've got friends at high school and life's going pretty smoothly right now," she assured him, "but...I don't know...I just don't like it when the only rep you ever get is being the sister of an Ultimate...like, you don't get to be your own person..."

To Komaru's surprise however, Makoto laughed.

"Alright...what I have to say to that is REALLY cheesy, and you're probably gonna be mad at me for saying it," he laughed, "but if only those guys knew that one of the luckiest things in my life is having you as a sister."

Komaru was indeed surprised by this, but Makoto simply continued.

"Ultimate Lucky Student is nothing special. It never has been, even though people treat it that way," he sighed, "I'm no less normal than you are, and I never have been."

He paused and looked up at the night sky.

"I've never really felt uncomfortable being around Ultimates, but...It's nothing like being with family. I feel so relaxed with you, like I'm back at home."

"If you really want to be relaxed, you should come home more often," Komaru told him, "last year, we didn't see you in person until you came home for New Year's. We missed you, you know? But I can understand how the ordinary is relaxing after being surrounded by Ultimates for so long."

"I know," Makoto sighed sadly, "but I'm just constantly thinking about it. When we graduate, will we go back to our ordinary lives? Or will it be a new beginning entirely?"

There was silence following this question, neither of them really able to answer it. Makoto just laughed at his own question.

"Yeah, right, huh? But I really am thinking about it," he admitted, "I'll definitely have to talk to Mom and Dad..."

"So you want me to give them a heads up?" his sister smiled, "got it. Just leave it to me. They try to hide it, but they're constantly stressing over your post-graduation life."

"I can imagine..." he scratched his face, "I feel bad not having talked to them about it all this time. But once this year is over...I'm sure I'll have arrived at a solution I'm happy with. And I hope that you'll find a life you're happy with too, talented or not."

"Makoto..." Komaru said quietly, but then suddenly asked "does the phrase "death flag" mean nothing to you?"

"Hey! Don't say that!" he lightly jabbed his sister on the arm, "squirt!"

"Who's a squirt, you little jerk!" she jokingly shoved him back. They both laughed.

I am thou...Thou art I...Thy hast acquired a new vow.

It shall become the wings of rebellion that breaketh thy chains of captivity.

With the birth of the Strength Persona, I have obtained the winds of blessing that shall lead to freedom and new power...

Beautiful Days - Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc

School was gradually getting tougher to get through for Makoto. Classes didn't really matter, and he didn't really have to try hard; but even so, he usually did his best.

But with how many late-nighters he'd been pulling, stressing not only over the Metaverse, Haiji Towa and the Elementary School, but also whatever the hell was going on with his sister, and her own personal baggage.

Thus, Makoto hadn't been getting a lot of sleep, and had been struggling to stop himself yawning in class. Every time he did, Taka could somehow sense it, and he'd turn around and give Makoto a glare.

"So in general," Mr Kizakura, the teacher who had been instructing today's lesson, "a "premeditated-crime" is a crime that-"

Makoto was only half listening to his lecture. His mind was elsewhere, and he couldn't focus. However, he was brought back to reality when he suddenly felt a vibration in his pocket, being his phone. Makoto didn't like checking his phone in class, but he also never ignored texts in case they might be important. So making sure that no one was watching him, he slipped his phone out of his pocket and looked at the messager.

His notif screen read "Fukawa-san."

Instinctively, he raised his head and saw his classmate on the other side of the classroom. She had her head looking straight down, and though he couldn't see it, he assumed that she was texting under her desk.

He discreetly opened his messaging menu to see what she had sent him. He started to converse with her over their phones.

Fukawa-san

[What's the plan for today?]

[I kinda forgot you had my number.]

[Just took it from the class group chat. Anyway, what's the deal?]

[Not sure...Utsugi-chan ended up being a bust...]

[I mean, you did say it wasn't gonna work.]

[I still thought it was worth a shot.]

[I wasn't expecting her dad to just show up and take her away before she could say anything.]

[We're pretty crappy heroes, aren't we? We can't even save a single girl.]

[Don't say that. We're not down and out yet.]

[You're right...]

[But what do we do now?]

[Like I said, we still have whatever Monomi brought up.]

[She said she'd meet us tonight, so we should hear what she has to say.]

[And what if her plan doesn't work?]

[Or what if it's something bad?]

[I hate the guy's guts, but I wouldn't feel good about hurting him...]

[Agreed. In that case, we just find something else...]

However, the truth was that Makoto didn't know what this "something else" even could be. In all honesty, if Monomi's plan didn't work, they'd be fresh out of options. There was nothing they could do in the real world, and even the Metaverse didn't have a straightforward answer.

Then again, nothing about the Metaverse was straightforward.

Makoto pocketed his phone, and was just about to turn back to class...But then, all of a sudden...

it happened...

Aoi Asahina, from her seat in the class, suddenly and dramatically stood up. Everyone's attention, including Mr Kizakura's, was on her.

A Dead-End to the Ocean's Aroma - Danganronpa Another Episode: Ultra Despair Girls

"Wh-What's going on over there...!?" she gasped. Several students tried to follow her line of sight, which looked out of the classroom window. Once they did, several of them also stood up.

"H-Hey...! Isn't this bad...!?" Hiro's eyes widened in terror.

"Wh-What are they doing up there!?" Chihiro gasped, "aren't those the kids from the Elementary School!?"

THIS got Makoto's attention, as well as Toko's...! He lurched to his feet and rushed to look through the window.

"Wh-What are you all doing!?" Kizakura exclaimed, "where are you all going? Return to your seats!"

Makoto wasn't listening though...The image that he saw through the window was all he could focus on...

And under his breath, he felt two words slip from his lips...

"Oh no..."

Chapter End Notes

Oh dear. Things are taking a dramatic turn for the worst.
Let's hope that the 78th Class can rescue the kids and that the Phantom Thieves can stop Towa before things take a horrible turn for the worst.
Make sure to leave Kudos and Comments on the story and today's chapter. I really want to hear everyone's thoughts.

The Highwayman Came Riding...

Chapter Summary

Following an attempted suicide from the Elementary School victims of Haiji Towa and his allies, Makoto and Toko learn from Monomi that Towa can be reformed if they make his Palace disappear. However, as they proceed to secure an infiltration route, an unexpected complication arises in the form of Makoto's sister Komaru, who is looking for revenge herself...

Chapter Notes

See the end of the chapter for notes

Wicked Plan - Persona 5

"Wow!" Kanon whistled, "that outfit doesn't look as bad on you as I thought!"

"Oh come on!" Komaru faux snapped, wearing a colorful crop top and shorts, "I know I'm not nearly as much of a fashion diva as you, but I can still pull off a look!"

"Damn right you can," Kanon winked, "still though, I'm pretty surprised. What made you want to join the cheerleading tryouts?"

"Well, I've had a lot on my mind lately, and I feel like if I'm gonna stand out, I wanna do it in my own way," Komaru told her, "and hey, I consider myself one hell of a confidence-booster. I managed to make the most depressed and morose person I know giggle, so I think that's a talent on its own."

"Oh? What other cool talents do you have?" Kanon asked.

"Uuuh...Not many," Komaru admitted, "I guess I like Pigeon-Shooting...Uh...CLAY Pigeon-Shooting to be specific."

"You're a good shot, huh?" Kanon remarked, "guess it shows...Given how you prefer the trigger..."

It took Komaru a second to realize what she was talking about, but then noted that she was holding a megaphone in her right hand.

"Oh yeah," she nodded, "loud and proud, I always say~. But seriously, thanks for getting Tomori-senpai to take me on."

"No problems!" Kanon winked "now let's get-...Huh?"

"What?" Komaru asked. Kanon pointed at the TV behind Komaru, which was currently airing the news.

"Isn't that...Makoto and Leon's school?" she asked.

"You mean Hope's...Peak..." Komaru dramatically trailed off as she saw the news story.

The camera footage showed an eye-in-the-sky perspective of one of the Academy's towering buildings...and more specifically what was on top of it.

Five very young children stood on the edge of the building, staring down at the ground below, all holding hands...

And upon seeing them closer up...Komaru felt her blood run cold, and a single name drop quietly from her mouth, as she recognized one of the five...

"Kotoko...chan...!?"

Blood of Villain - Persona 5

"Is this for real right now!?" Leon Kuwata cried, his face distraught and horrified at what he was seeing!

"They're going to jump!" Chihiro Fujisaki squealed, "someone stop them!"

"What the shit is going on!?" Mondo Owada boomed!

"EVERYONE! RETURN TO CLASS AND RETURN TO YOUR SEATS AT ONCE!" Kiyotaka Ishimaru bellowed!

However, despite how loud he was being, absolutely no one listened to him! Instead, they all burst out of their classrooms and stared desperately out of the hallway window at the Elementary School kids!

They were not the only ones who had spotted the disturbance, as the other classes had also clearly seen, given how they piled out of their classrooms as well.

Makoto couldn't tear his eyes away at the sight. The five children, Kotoko Utsugi included, stared down at the ground that lay far below them. He could hear screaming outside, signifying that people in the courtyard, and possibly the Reserve Course, were also seeing this.

Though it was hard to tell from a distance, Makoto saw a horrific look in their eyes as they looked down at death below...Not with a sense of fear...but of longing.

These children were about to jump to their deaths and in front of the whole school!

"W-We've gotta do something!" Makoto shrieked.

"Everyone! Listen up!" Taka boomed, so the whole hallway could hear him, "everyone calm down! Go back to your seats!"

"SHUT THE FUCK UP!" Toko shrieked, even louder somehow, which frightened the life out of the honor student, "what the hell makes you think sitting on our asses is the correct thing to do here!?"

"I think Taka simply means that it's up to the teachers and supervisors of the academy to handle this," Celeste remained fairly calm despite everything, almost as if she didn't really care what was going on, "I doubt he meant any harm."

"E-Even so, how are we supposed to stay calm!? Th-They could jump at any moment!" Hiro exclaimed.

"I will go and get them! Leave their safety to me!" Sakura growled, clenching her fist and running down the hallway.

"Wait! Sakura-chan! Wait for me!" Junko Enoshima suddenly turned, and bolted off down the hallway after her, "you don't know where you're going!"

"Ogami-dono! Enoshima-dono!" Hifumi Yamada squealed, "wh-what do you hope to achieve!? Mr Ishimaru is right, just contact the police or fire brigade! ANYONE!"

"We're ULTIMATE'S Hifumi!" Makoto snapped, suddenly turning tail and running after them, "this is what we're MADE for! If we don't protect the people in our society, who will!?"

"Makoto Naegi, don't you DARE-!" Taka couldn't get these words out as Makoto disappeared down the hallway after Sakura and Junko.

"What the hell's wrong with all these people!?" Makoto exclaimed, catching up to Junko and Sakura, despite how fast the two of them were (Junko was surprising in particular given her high-heels.) Several students in the hallways and courtyard, as Makoto could see from the window, were looking up at the students but not doing a damn thing. Some of them were even recording the spectacle with their phones.

"Forget about the Paparazzi wannabe's!" Junko snapped at him, "those kid's lives are more important!"

"Which way is it to that rooftop!?" Sakura roared, "we're running out of time!"

Fortunately, Junko knew the school layout like the back of her hand, and Sakura's big beefy body meant that the crowds of onlooking students either moved aside or were shoved aside as she charged through.

Even more fortunately, despite how little weight he carried in terms of the situation, Makoto was glad neither of them were pushing him away or telling him to go back to class.

Within a few moments, the trio arrived at the rooftop. Sakura could have kicked the door to the roof area open and grabbed the kids before they jumped within a moment's notice, but she was wise enough to realize that if she did that, it might frighten the kids so much that they just went for it.

Instead, she opened the door gently, and as she, Junko, and Makoto poured out onto the roof, the five children turned around to look at them.

All five of them had an inexplicable look of despair on their faces. Whatever had happened to them must have been bad.

Of course, Makoto knew the extent of how they had been treated by Towa and their parents, but to think it had gotten so bad that they had decided to commit suicide together...!?

Both sides on the roof just stared at each other for a moment, neither of them saying a word or making any action. Junko was the first to step forward.

"Sakura-chan..." she spoke softly and quietly, "can you do me a favor? Make sure that NOBODY gets up to this roof."

"What do you mean, Enoshima-kun?" Sakura asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Let me handle this," she said, "any outside interference will freak them out."

Realizing this logic herself, Sakura did as she was asked and kept a close eye on the door. Junko nodded to Makoto, and she cautiously approached the kids, who were too scared stiff to do anything.

Confession - Persona 5

"Hey..." she said, "can we like, talk for a second?"

"Wh-Who are you!?" a tanned boy with red hair snarled, "wh-wh-what do YOU want!?"

"What I want, kiddo is for you to listen to me," she told him, trying to soothe her voice and make herself sound more reasonable, "please...don't do this."

"Y-You think you can stop us!?" the blue-haired boy, Shingetsu's son, "w-we already agreed to this! We can't take it anymore! ANY of it!"

"Don't act like you know what we're going through!" Kotoko Utsugi sobbed, "you have no idea! You're probably here to b-bring us back to our parents!"

"You're wrong!" Makoto exclaimed, "we wouldn't do that to you!"

"LIAR!" Shingetsu snapped, "w-we don't trust adults! You're all rotten scum!"

"You just...wanna use us...!" the boy in the mask trembled.

This whole time, the girl in the middle, one with green hair and in a wheelchair, turned away and didn't say anything.

The rest glared daggers at the Ultimates, and Makoto was left in a rock and hard place, not sure how to proceed. However, everyone was surprised as Junko took another step forward.

"You've been through some traumatic events thanks to your families...and because of that, you can't trust any adults, can you?" she asked, "if I was where you were, I guess I'd be trying to jump too."

"H-Huh?" Kotoko trembled.

"Trust is a difficult thing, y'know?" she put her hands on her hips and looked at the sky, "usually it's stuff that's only reserved for friends or lovers or some crap...So, I'm not asking you to trust me. I'm not even asking you to be my friend. I'm just asking you to listen to me for a second, not as an adult, or a rotten deranged lunatic...but as a person. You kids are smart enough to manage that, right?"

The kids looked unsure of what to say, but then the wheelchair girl suddenly turned around. She looked concerned, but significantly calmer than the rest.

"Don't..." she glowered, "don't pretend to care...You're probably only doing this to get heroic credit, right?"

Yet again, Junko caught everyone off-guard as she started to cackle with laughter.

"KAHAHA! I'm famous enough as it is! Trust me, I don't need MORE attention. It actually kinda sucks," she smirked, "real talk though, is it so hard to believe that I just don't wanna watch a bunch of kids die? Pretty sure this Academy's haunted enough as it is. Not by ghosts, but by a bunch of ignorant losers."

Junko kept walking, then finally came to a stop when she was upon the kids. She took a knee and looked up at them. None of them knew how to react, but none of them looked at her with scorn any longer.

"I'm sure if a real hero was here, he or she would say something like...PROFOUND, or some BS to make you feel better...But I don't swing that way," she told them, "so I'm doing this MY way. The GENUINE way...And I'll be honest, maybe I can't help you with whatever it is that's going on, and maybe it's too much for you lot to open up to me about it...but that's fine...What matters is that I'm trying...And what matters is that YOU tried, and if you REALLY can't take it anymore, then...feel free to jump."

"Junko!" Makoto gasped, but she turned around sharply and shushed him.

"What if..." the green-haired girl started to cry, "what if we still want to jump? Even if you did say something profound about how our lives matter, what would you do? Forcefully bring us down?"

"I...I dunno..." Junko hung her head, shamefully, "I don't think I'll have to because...judging by your faces, you're smart kids, and you're willing to listen to me even though I'm a rotten adult...There are better things to do than jump off buildings in life...Like, hang with me! And my friends! We're all great people, I promise."

"You really think you can turn our view around, just like that?" Shingetsu sobbed, "do you think we're crazy or something!?"

"I don't think you're crazy," Junko said genuinely, "you just need a little help...and I mean REAL help...Not whatever the hell you've been getting up until now..."

Junko gently reached out and took the hand of the girl in the wheelchair.

"I'm Junko Enoshima. What's your name?" she asked, at the end of everything.

The girl hesitated...then she wrapped her fingers around Junko's.

"M-Monaca..." she responded quietly.

And just like that, the rest of the kids all joined hands with Junko. Whoever the wheelchair girl was, she appeared to be the leader of the group, and once she turned tail, the rest of them did too. Junko reached her arms as widely as she could and tried to get all the kids into a hug. Easier said than done, but as they broke down in her arms, it seemed to help.

It didn't matter to Makoto. All that mattered was the kids were safe. He considered maybe letting Junko take things from here, getting irritated at the loud murmurings of the people below who couldn't see what had happened, but before he could do anything, Kotoko Utsugi looked up from Junko's arms and stared at him in surprise.

She clearly recognized Makoto from yesterday, so he just gently waved back to her. Kotoko's eyes became even more bleary, and tears streaked down her face. Whether this was because she was scared of him or not, it wasn't clear.

Makoto realized that if Komaru was to see this, she would feel an inescapable feeling of guilt. She had already opened up to him about how she wasn't sure of her actions, and whatever had happened after Kotoko had gone home...

Knowing what these kids were going through, he couldn't help but feel angry...!

Death Wish - Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc

"Jesus Junko-chan," Hina sighed in relief once they returned, "I can't believe you really did all of that."

"And so quickly too!" Hifumi puffed his chest out, "you are an inspiration to us all, Enoshima-dono!"

"I cannot approve of you taking matters into your own hands," Taka stated, earning him many disgruntled glares before he followed up with, "but...I will admit, your handling of the situation was admirable and appropriate. You've earned my respect."

"I wasn't doing this for respect," Junko said, "I was doing it to save those kids' lives."

"By the way, where are the kids now?" Sayaka asked, her face still red from her panicked tears from earlier. Junko made a gesture toward the door.

"Right now, I have Kimura-senpai and Tsumiki-senpai looking after them in the Nurse's Office. I'm gonna go visit them in a second," Junko explained, "I've also hired my boys to come in and guard the area, just in case. They're not gonna let anyone through without a fight."

"Your BOYS!?" Leon exclaimed, "what are you, some kinda gangster!?"

"No, but I am a supermodel," Junko reminded him, "and naturally, I would have escorts and bodyguards whenever I go places."

"I don't know about this," Chihiro piped up, "wouldn't it be best to contact the student's parents? We can't keep them in the Nurse's Office forever."

Junko shook her head.

"I know it sounds cruel, both the security staff and myself agree that we can't let anyone else see the kids until we get to the bottom of their situation," she said, "the only person any of them want to see right now is me for some reason, so I'm gonna look after them for the time being. Should only be a few days at most."

"Hmph...I must admit, I find this all to be quite admirable. You're certainly capable of taking matters into your own hands." Byakuya smirked.

"So you also suspect that it may have something to do with their home lives?" Kyoko inquired. Junko shrugged.

"I wouldn't know. Just basing off personal experience," she replied, "but hey, I should be heading out...Before I do though...Koters and Toko? Could I talk to you? Outside?"

"Us?" Makoto asked, "why?"

"You'll see. It's private, just...come along, will ya?"

Everyone seemed confused by this. Makoto turned back and shot Toko a look, who just nodded her head as if to say "how bad can it be?"

"Alright, I'll come," Makoto told her, "I hope it's nothing too serious..."

"Be honest with me," Junko confronted the two of them in the hallway, "you both know what's going on with those kids, right? That's why you came running with me?"

"Huh? Wh-What are you talking about?" Toko asked.

"I already know the truth," she told them, "the two of you were asking around about Towa and potential abuse allegations from students all across the school yesterday. Even though you swore that you weren't taking the rumors seriously."

Junko's expression was stern and uninviting. Unlike her usually jovial and peppy expression.

"I don't know what happened, but the two of you must have found something that made you do that...And if it's related to Towa and the kids, I can't understand why you'd still keep it secret."

"Enoshima-kun..." Makoto assured her, "I won't say you're wrong...but it's not that simple. I don't want to be the one who goes around spreading what could be baseless rumors!"

The reality was that Makoto didn't want to tell Junko, or anyone else, about his dreams and explorations to the Metaverse, not that they would have believed him anyway. However, he almost jumped out of his skin as Junko slammed the lockers next to them with her fist!

"Five kids just tried to KILL THEMSELVES, NAEGI! On our school rooftop!" she snapped, "and you're worried about your STREET CRED!?"

"NO!" Makoto exclaimed, "that's not it at all! It's just-!"

"Just what!?" Junko snarled, turning her back, "you know what? Fine! Keep your secrets...Even if it costs people their lives...!"

These words caused an inexplicable weight of guilt to form in Makoto's heart. He watched in dismay as Junko, sadness and rage in her eyes, turned her back and started to walk down the hallway. Makoto desperately spun around to face Toko.

"I have to tell her!" he whisper shouted!

"That's a HARD NO!" she hissed back.

"Fukawa-san! We can't keep doing this!" Makoto cried, "I know we can't tell people about that other world, but we can't go on acting like everything's fine and taking care of it by ourselves! We don't even have a PLAN!"

Toko paused, her face disgruntled.

"We're the only ones who can enter the Palace and have the power of the Persona. You, me and Monomi," Makoto told her, "but we can't do this alone! If we sit on our butts too long, those kids might actually die next time!"

Toko clutched her head, groaning, like she was straining herself very hard. Eventually, she cast her head back, and gasped towards the sky.

"UUUUUUUUGGGH! FINE!" she cracked, "but JUST Enoshima! And don't you DARE say a word about Monomi or the Palace!"

"Yes! I won't, I promise!" Makoto beamed, chasing Junko down the hallway. Toko, much to her own disappointment, felt a smile crawl across her own face.

Makoto hurried down the hall and stopped Junko in her tracks, who just glared at him.

"Junko...wait..." he said, "you want the truth? Well...We did discover SOMETHING..."

Despair Syndrome (2) - Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc

"TOWA!" Junko burst into the empty staff room that Haiji was using as an office, with a panicked Makoto and Toko trailing behind him, "what the hell is going on!?"

Haiji Towa, sitting in the room by himself, turned sharply towards the door with a frown on his face. Fortunately, the room was empty, save for him, so there was little risk of anyone else interrupting them.

UNFORTUNATELY, it fell to Makoto to hold Junko back in case she did anything stupid. Toko, for her part, just remained behind them, trembling, cracking under the pressure of how nervous she was.

Makoto had told Junko about what they had discovered about the Elementary School children's abusive families, and how they were pressured to keep it hidden. He also told her that Towa and his associates planned to use the school as a way to get their ins on talent society and keep their kids under their control for the foreseeable future. As requested, he purposefully kept out any Metaverse-related subjects.

But what he DID mention was enough to make Junko hunt Haiji Towa down.

"You know," Towa remarked, "people usually use their hands to knock, not their feet. What kind of manners are they teaching you at this school?"

"Don't play dumb! These two just told me everything!" Junko gestured to her friends behind her. Makoto stepped forward.

"There's no use hiding it," he said "we know about what's going on with you and the Elementary School kids. The school is a ploy by you and their parents to have them removed from your lives."

"And it seems if it wasn't for the lot of you," Haiji stood up and faced them, "that plan would have happened a lot sooner."

"Y-Y-You know a-about the suicide attempt th-then?" Toko stammered. Haiji nodded.

"Even if I wasn't here on site, I would have found out about it," he said, "it made the front page within a couple of hours."

"Right...!" Makoto exclaimed, "there was a news helicopter that showed the suicide attempt on TV! The whole country's gotta know about it now!"

"Hah!" Junko smirked, "looks like those kids backed you into a corner, huh!? Good luck getting out of this!"

However, much to the concern and dismay of the three students, Haiji suddenly started to laugh...! A maniacal, evil laugh...

"Hahahahaha!" he cackled, "well, it's not gonna do me much good to hide it from the three of you if you already know the truth...But I think you'll find that it's not gonna be that easy..."

"What do you mean!?" Makoto snapped. Haiji raised his head and leered down at him.

"Oh, did you not hear?" Towa glowered, "I heard that the Hope's Peak Steering Committee is already in the process of providing me an alibi...And they're using their resources to feed the media a false story on what actually happened...False accounts and whatnot."

"They WHAT!?" Toko shrieked, "wh-why would they do that!?"

"How COULD they do that!?" Makoto added.

"You're lying!" Junko snapped.

"Try me..." Towa leered, "you can say what you like, but there's no evidence against me. If those kids try to speak up, no one will listen to them. And even if they do, those who spread the rumors will be silenced by Hope's Peak Academy, as I've said. Nobody will take the sides of a bunch of delusional children over competent, well-paying adults!"

"Why!?" Makoto cried.

"Because the powers that control this school have an interest in protecting me..." the evil man gave them a nasty smirk, "they care just as much about the Elementary School's completion as much as I do, and they aren't gonna let anything or anyone stop it. You should know by now, your school doesn't care about background, potential dangers, or abuse."

He took a menacing step forward.

"No, no, they don't care about ANY of that...All they care about is nourishing talent for the future of society, and if it came down to that...they would let me get away with murder so long as I'm their guest."

"BULLSHIT!" Junko snarled, "those kids aren't your prisoners, you fucking-!"

She tried to lunge at Haiji, but Makoto grabbed her arm and held her back.

"Stop! Don't let him get to you!" he exclaimed, staring determinedly into her eyes.

"Aw come on..." Towa suddenly leaned forward, within hitting range of Enoshima, clearly taunting her, "why shouldn't the girl let off a little steam?"

"You know damn well why!" Toko snarled, "back off!"

"Hmph..." Towa scoffed and returned to his seat, "honestly, you should consider yourselves lucky. Hope's Peak has just as much interest in protecting you as they do me. So for the time being, keep those kids in your comfy little hidey hole..."

He paused, then turned his chair, grinning from ear to ear like the Joker.

"But the Steering Committee WILL take action, and forcefully bring them back to their homes after the Elementary School opening ceremony, and when that happens I have no need to adhere to the terms of the contract anymore...so you should watch your backs..."

"Are you THREATENING us!?" Makoto glowered.

"No. I'm WARNING you," he snarled, "cause me any more grief, and you'll face the combined wrath of Hope's Peak AND Towa Corp...I'll destroy your lives beyond repair...

Because I can afford it...! Can you...?"

This chilling, familiar line made Makoto pull an expression of malic unlike any he had ever done before. Junko, thankfully, had listened to him and held herself back.

"I believe we're done here," he turned his back and returned to what he was doing before they crashed in, "now do me a favor and get the fuck out!"

Welcome to Despair - Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc

"What do we do?" a few minutes later, Junko, Toko, and Makoto recuperated outside the classroom. The Fashionista hung her head, looking disappointed and upset.

"All we can do for now is keep a close eye on the kids," Makoto said, "but Towa's right. We have no authority here. Only the staff do. They'll let us keep hold of the kids until the school opens, then they'll just drag them right back to their abusive families."

"If only we'd stopped Utsugi yesterday," Toko clutched her head, "th-then we might have been able t-to save at least one of them...!"

"Enoshima-kun..." Makoto turned to her, "what are you gonna do?"

"I don't know...But I'm gonna do what I can for now," Junko told him, "I can take Towa Corp to court after this, but that wouldn't save all five kids. Plus, I don't like my chances of winning against them. So I'm just gonna keep watch and think of a plan in the meantime."

"Alright," Makoto nodded, "Fukawa-san and I are gonna hang around here for a bit, so we'll catch up to you later. Feel free to call us if you need help."

"Thank you Koters," Junko smiled apathetically, "and I'm sorry I dragged you into this..."

"WE'RE the ones who dragged YOU into this," Makoto told her, "and we'll find a way to fix it, I promise."

Junko quietly nodded, then turned and walked far down the hallway. When she was out of sight, and he was sure the two of them were alone, Makoto turned to Toko.

"This has gone too far..." he told her, "enough people have suffered because of Towa, Utsugi, and the rest of their conglomerate. It needs to stop..."

"But what the fuck are we gonna do?" Toko snarled, "he gave us a warning, didn't he? Plus, we don't have a plan, like you said."

"No...but we only have one more option," Makoto told her, "let's go talk to Monomi. I don't know what her plan is, but I doubt someone like her would go for anything too dangerous."

"We're taking a gamble and relying on the rabbit, huh?" Toko asked. Makoto nodded.

"Like I said..." he frowned, "this can't continue...!"

Death Wish - Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc

"LET ME THROUGH!" a screaming girl in a cheerleader's outfit at the back gate screamed, "please, let me through!"

At the same time as Makoto and Toko were having their discussion, Komaru Naegi had tried to sneak into the school from the rear gate, having heavily underestimated the level of security the academy had.

Especially given that rat-faced paparazzi had already tried swarming the outside of the school for most of the day. Hope's Peak had even hired riot police to stop them from getting within 20 feet of the academy. Komaru had been lucky enough to slip by them, but not enough to be barred entry by a very beefy man in a green coat.

"Back off!" he snapped, "random no-good girls like you aren't allowed on school grounds! This is a domestic environment!"

"Please!" she begged him, "I'm not doing anything wrong! I-I'm Makoto Naegi's sister! Makoto Naegi from Class 78! Please, I need to get through!"

"Oh yeah!?" the security guard grunted, "and I'm Santa Claus! GET THE FUCK OUT!"

Komaru, rather rudely, was picked up and flung backward by the beefy man. Their commotion, however, was suddenly interrupted as two people joined them.

"Juzo?" the first, a tidy-looking woman with orange hair and an apron greeted the guard, "what's going on? I heard you yelling?"

"Yukizome-sensei," the guard, whose name was apparently Juzo, turned and grunted at this Yukizome woman, "this random high schooler is intruding on academy grounds. She claims she's here to see her brother."

"Did you have to be so rough with her?" the other person, a man with short white hair and an icy glare, snapped at the guard, "she may be an intruder, but you needn't fling her around like a ragdoll! What's wrong with you!?"

"I...uh..." despite how the man in the coat towered over the skinny white-haired man, he seemed to cower under the pressure of his stern words and cold stare, "sorry...Munakata..."

The white-haired man walked past Juzo, and reached out a hand for Komaru to take. He helped her up to her feet and saluted her calmly.

"Apologies for his actions. My name is Kyosuke Munakata; head of construction and innovation here at the Academy."

He then gestured to the other two.

"This is Juzo Sakakura, head of security, and Chisa Yukizome, homeroom teacher of Class 77."

Juzo turned his head and scoffed. Chisa smiled warmly at Komaru. The difference was like night and day.

"Unfortunately, we can't allow you to trespass," Munakata explained, "regardless of your reasons. But tell me honestly, you're not here visiting your brother are you? A simple phone call could have sufficed in that case."

"I...I'm...No, I'm not..." Komaru felt intimidated, despite how kind the man was being, so she spilled the beans, "but it IS true that I'm Makoto Naegi's sister, and I swear to you I'm not here for a news story or to spy!"

"What are you here for then?" Chisa Yukizome asked. Komaru sighed, her face distraught and nervous.

"Please...just tell me...is Kotoko-chan ok?"

"Kotoko-chan?" Munakata repeated.

"Munakata," Sakakura spoke up, "she may be referring to Kotoko Utsugi; Junya Utsugi's daughter. One of the children who almost committed suicide on the roof today."

"Y-Yes! Her!" Komaru gasped.

"Ah, right...Now it makes sense. You must be an acquaintance of Kotoko Utsugi's, and you came to check on her, right?" Munakata smiled, "I cannot allow you through to see her, but rest assured she and her friends are alive and well. Junko Enoshima of Class 78 is taking care of them for the time being."

Komaru breathed a huge sigh of relief.

"There's your answer," Sakakura spat, "now get out of here!"

"Juzo!" Yukizome snapped, smacking him gently on the chest, "don't be so heartless! Rest assured Ms Naegi, we'll do whatever we can to make sure those kids are protected, and we'll get to the bottom of what's going on with them."

"In the meantime though, we must ask that you leave," Munakata added, "it pains me to do this, but having you on our grounds only gives us more problems to deal with."

"I understand," Komaru bowed, "I'll...get out of your hair..."

Komaru turned sadly after thanking Munakata and started to walk away, her head hanging sadly.

"Why did I think I could do anything?" she stared down at her hands, "I'm so...useless...I don't even have a talent...If I did, maybe I could have helped...!"

Komaru felt tears stream down her face.

"Wh-What's wrong with me...!?" she asked, "I only met the girl yesterday! But somehow...this feels like...all...my fault...!"

She stood still and sobbed for what felt like a while. Her emotions were overwhelming her and there was nothing she could do to choke back the tears. The feeling that her words and comfort were inconsequential crushed her.

However...she suddenly became distracted as she spotted something out of the corner of her eye.

Underground Trial - Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc

Two figures, a guy and a girl, hurried down an alleyway, both looking around to make sure that they weren't being followed.

And not just any guy and girl...Komaru knew these two...

"Makoto...? T-Toko-chan?" she said under her breath.

And...like she was being led by an invisible hand, Komaru approached the alleyway.

Curiosity getting the better of her, she slightly poked her head around the corner and watched her brother and best friend; wondering what they were up to. She frowned with confusion as she watched Makoto take out his phone, and the home screen of an app she had never seen before appeared on his phone.

[BEGINNING NAVIGATION.]

"What are they...?" she trailed off and gasped as all of a sudden...

Her environment began to change around her...!

Living to the Fullest - Danganronpa Another Episode: Ultra Despair Girls

"Alright..." Monomi whispered, "just hide down here and follow me...Turn around that hallway before the guards see you...!"

"Got it!" Makoto and Toko whispered simultaneously.

With the three of them now fully decked out in their Metaverse attire; Makoto in his green suit, Toko in her jeans and jacket, and Monomi now not looking like a real rabbit anymore; the three of them entered Towa's prison and carefully hid behind a table, trying to avoid a guard.

The students did as Monomi instructed, and quickly and quietly hid around a corner, avoiding one of the prison guards that was searching for them.

"Where exactly are we going?" Toko asked quietly, "you still haven't told us the full extent of your plan!"

"I know, I'm sorry for beating around the bush so much," Monomi nodded back to her, "but there is something I wish to confirm, so I only ask that you remain patient with me. I will tell you the full story in but a moment."

"All we can do is trust her..." Makoto whispered as they continued down the hallway, "wait! Watch out!"

Before they turned to another hallway, Makoto called out to prevent them from turning and running straight into a guard.

"Dammit..." Toko hissed, "there's nowhere we can hide down here..."

"Don't worry," Makoto smiled at her, "I think I've got a plan. Just get ready to fight, alright?"

Curious about his plan, Monomi and Toko nodded to him. They let Makoto take point, and all of a sudden, when the guard got close enough, he lunged out of the hiding spot, jumped on its back, and grabbed it's masked face with his gloved hand!

"Show me your true form!" he shouted grabbing the enemy's mask and forcefully ripping it off!

When he did that, several Shadows burst out of the guard's face, all of which looked panicked!

"Good job dear boy!" Monomi beamed, "you're learning so quickly!"

"Compliments later!" Toko snapped, "fight now!"

Riddle Land - Danganronpa Another Episode: Ultra Despair Girls

"Alright!" Monomi smiled, "this should be a good place."

Monomi stealthily led the two through the prison. They tried their best to sneak around and worked together as a team to fight where they were forced to. Eventually, she led them down another long, stone hallway, and opened up a door to a random room at the end.

"What?" Toko asked, "what's up with this room? Why were you trying to bring us here?"

"Before I got kidnapped by Towa's minions, I had a map of the institute that I stuffed somewhere in here," Monomi explained, "plus, this might be a good opportunity to rest a spell."

"Well, I guess this is pretty tiring after a bit," Makoto wiped his forehead with his sleeve, "but why here? If the Shadows come in here, won't we be trapped in a dead end?"

"Oh, don't worry about that, dear boy," Monomi winked, "the Shadows don't come in here."

"How do you know?" Toko asked. Monomi puffed her chest out as she explained.

"There are certain areas in a Palace where the ruler's control over it is weaker than the rest. This may usually be because the place represents a room in the real world that the Palace ruler doesn't go to very often. Thus, they have little influence over it. Because of that, the Shadow's don't patrol this area, so they're a good place to hide if things get too tough out there. I call such places, "Safe Rooms."

As Monomi finished her explanation, she found a map in a drawer in the corner of the Safe Room. She then walked to the middle of the room and placed it out on a table.

It was a fairly big map, one that appeared to have the entire structure of the prison on it.

"Wow...You really planned this all out..." Toko remarked about the map, but then returned to their conversation, "so...this place really is how Haiji Towa's mind sees the Elementary School?"

"Yes," Monomi nodded, "and as you've no doubt suspected, the real Towa is not consciously aware that it exists, even though deep down, it's all connected to him."

"That would explain why he didn't recognize us or tell anyone about what went down here..." Makoto considered "but regardless...Since we're in a safe place, don't you think now is a good time to explain to us what your plan is?"

"That, dear boy, is exactly what I am preparing to do," Monomi told him, "let's do a little pop quiz, shall we?"

"Ugh! Do we HAVE to?" Toko groaned. Makoto nudged her in the arm.

"As you both are now aware, this place is connected very closely to Towa's mind, and it's the manifestation of all of his distorted and evil desires put together...So here's a question for you," the rabbit led on, "what do you think would happen if the Palace and everything within it were to disappear?"

"Disappear?" Toko parroted.

"Well...if that were to happen, it stands to reason it would affect him in reality..." Makoto thought about it.

"Let me elaborate...And listen very carefully," Monomi smiled, glad that he was starting to get it, "a Palace represents ALL of a person's DISTORTED and EVIL desires. So if the Palace is erased, what would happen to the evil desires?"

Makoto's eyes widened, as the truth sunk in.

"The distorted and evil desires would be erased WITH the Palace! And if that happens...all of Haiji Towa's evil traits would be erased, which means he would be left with only good ones!" he exclaimed, "and if THAT happens...Towa will return to his senses and become a changed man!"

"Good boy!" Monomi cheered, "that's exactly right, Makoto!"

"Wait!? A-Are you serious!? He'll become a good guy!?" Toko exclaimed, "hang on though...How does that help exactly? It doesn't exactly give us enough to corner him, does it?"

"Good question Toko. However, it's not as simple as that," Monomi continued, "erasing a palace means we change the heart of the palace ruler. But even if we make the distorted desires vanish, their sins and the crimes they committed will remain."

Monomi paused as she stood on the table and walked confidently and smugly to the other side.

"To make a long story short, we don't need to expose Towa's true nature to anyone," she said, "he'll be so crushed under the weight of guilt, he'll confess his crimes with his own mouth...!"

"What!?" Makoto and Toko explained simultaneously.

"And, to top it all off, with the Palace gone, everything we did in here will be lost in everyone's memories except ours. Towa will break down, and will never know that we were involved!" Monomi finished the explanation.

"And if Towa really confesses to everything...he might bring the other bastards like Utsugi down with him!" Toko considered, "the parents and the academy won't be able to cover up ANYTHING if Towa tells the world the truth!"

"That's amazing!" Makoto gasped excitedly, "we can make him self-destruct without getting our hands dirty!"

"Well?" Monomi raised her long ear, ready to hear praise, "was I a good teacher?"

"Yes! Better than great!" Makoto beamed.

"What's the catch?"

Toko suddenly dropped this question from her mouth, which caused Makoto's joyride to stop in its tracks.

"This sounds too good to be true," the writer observed, "there's no way there's not a "but" to this whole situation. That part feels pretty important."

"Come on Fukawa-san!" Makoto whined, "don't be so pessimistic!"

"No, Toko is right. She is asking the correct questions," Monomi said, "there was a reason why I was so hesitant to share all the details immediately after all."

"And what was that?" Toko listened attentively. Monomi sighed.

"Truth be told, I know how changing hearts works, but I've never successfully done so before. And yes, there is a fairly big consequence if things don't go to plan," she explained, "to reiterate, erasing the Palace will erase the rulers distorted desires, but desire itself is integral to life. The desire to eat, to sleep, to pursue dreams and love...You understand?"

"What are you saying?" Makoto asked.

"Our mission is to get rid of Towa's desires that make him a bad person, but there are dramatic consequences if we were to erase all of them..." Monomi elucidated, "if that happens...his mind will suffer a complete shutdown..."

"And...what will happen to him if that happens?" Makoto didn't like where this was going. Monomi shook her head and answered.

"At best, his mind will be wiped and he'll end up comatose...And at worst...he could die..."

Makoto and Toko looked at each other, their expressions riddled with concern and tension.

"You're reacting a lot calmer than I thought you would do. Trust me, I know neither of you wants to become murderers, and god forbid I would never force you to become one," the bunny interjected, "even with all of that laid in front of you, will you still help me change Towa's heart?"

There was a pause before Makoto answered.

"What else can we do?" he murmured, "you said this was a worst-case scenario, right?"

"Yes...It's unlikely to happen, but it can still happen." she explained.

"We're really going for this?" Toko asked, "I mean, I've got a murderous rep as it is, but I wouldn't want you to go through that feeling."

"I told you already, Fukawa-san." Makoto glared, "this has to stop. We can't let those kids be victimized anymore."

"Alright..." Toko nodded, "then I've just got one more question to ask: How do we erase the Palace?"

"It's quite challenging, but on paper, it's very simple," Monomi smiled, "each Palace has a core that holds it together; the nucleus of the person's desire, if you will. An apparatus that their distorted desires originated from."

"In other words...a Treasure?" Makoto asked.

"Bingo! A+!" Monomi squeaked excitedly, "that's a perfect term for it. To get to the point, all we have to do to erase the Palace is STEAL that treasure."

She pointed to the large map on the table.

"And according to my previous reconnaissance, the treasure should be right around here, at the top of the tallest tower!"

"Yeah, doesn't look like it's gonna be easy..." Makoto looked, "but again...what choice do we have?"

The conversation was suddenly and dramatically interrupted, by the sound of a blaring jail alarm! It caught the trio by surprise and they all jumped!

"Wh-What's that!?" Toko cried, "did they find us!"

"No! I told you, they can't find us in here!" Monomi told her, "that alarm...there must be another intruder in the Palace!"

"Another one!?" Makoto gasped.

"I was wondering why there weren't as many guards as last time...They must have been distracted!" Monomi realized, "but...who could it be!?"

"I have a bad feeling about this...!" Makoto felt himself break out into a cold sweat.

Ultra Terrified Girl - Danganronpa Another Episode: Ultra Despair Girls

"WH-WHAT'S GOING ON!? SOMEONE HELP ME!"

A floor or two below where the Persona-users were, Komaru Naegi found herself in a rather unfortunate situation. Having been dragged accidentally into the Palace when Makoto used the Meta-Nav, she was now chained up to a large post, bound by her arms and legs as she was lowered into a large pit, surrounded by an equally large cage.

She was surrounded by armed and intimidating-looking guards wearing masks. Above her, on a balcony overlooking the pit, she saw the disgusting and snide visage of Shadow Towa. However, obviously not being aware of the Palace or what it entailed, this man might as well have been the real deal.

"This isn't funny!" she shrieked up at her, "let me go or I'm gonna call the freaking cops!"

"What is that infernal racket?" the large, spacious room was quiet save for Komaru's screaming, so she could hear the sound of voices. She watched as the cognitive versions of Utsugi, Kemuri, Shingetsu, and Daimon joined Haiji on the balcony, all 5 of them staring and smirking down at Komaru.

"J-Junya Utsugi!?" Komaru gasped, "wh-what the hell's going on!? What do you want from me!?"

"Ah...so THIS is what you invited us down for...I always knew you'd find a use for this pit one day..." Utsugi grinned malevolently at Towa.

"About time we had some good entertainment around here..." Daimon grunted.

"I don't know..." Shingetsu frowned, "she doesn't look like much. Is she a Hope's Peak student?"

"No, I haven't seen her around," Haiji sighed, "she just seems to be an average, good-for-nothing high schooler who decided to intrude. But I've had to blow off some steam lately, so I thought I'd make her execution fun for us all."

"I suppose it's better than nothing..." Kemuri sighed, clearly unbothered.

"Hehahaha..." Utsugi leaned in and licked his lips, "I wonder if the beast will tear off her clothes and leave her bare naked before she dies...That'd be great..."

Komaru couldn't make heads or tails of what she was hearing, but the more these people spoke, the more horrified she became. However, she didn't have time to focus on them. She felt the chains pull her arms above her head, and in front of her, a large steel gate slowly began to open...

What emerged from this gate caused Komaru's stomach to sink...A huge monster crawled out of the darkness. It appeared to be a disgusting amalgamation of a tiger, a bear, and a hawk, having a sturdy body, big powerful bear-like claws, a beak, and delirious and deranged eyes. It had a mane too, which was made of short, pickle-shaped, green hair.

Komaru screamed as it approached her; it growled and slobber dripped from it's mouth. As it opened, Komaru could see, rather unnaturally, the creature had a long, sharp array of teeth within its beak!

The creature lunged at her suddenly, but right before it could snap her head off, it was suddenly yanked back!

Komaru tilted her head, and despite how her vision was blurred by her frightened tears, she could see the creature's leg being chained to somewhere within the darkness.

"Not yet, you disgusting monster!" Haiji snapped down at it, "you're gonna take your time with this one! we can't have you spoiling the show before it's even begun-!

"KOMARUUU!"

Haiji was cut off, and he turned his head in fury, as the other three intruders burst into the chamber. Seeing his sister in the middle of the pit, Makoto desperately grasped the bars as if he wanted to rip them off or squeeze through them

"Woah...!" Toko trembled upon seeing the beast, "that is one ugly motherfucker...!"

"You punks again!?" Towa snarled, "how many times will I be forced to lay my eyes on your disgusting figures before you learn to give up!"

"YOU SON OF A BITCH!" Makoto shrieked, "LET MY SISTER GO!"

As if the screaming voice wasn't enough to give it away, Komaru immediately recognized the figures with this line.

"Wait...MAKOTO!?" she cried, "wh-what are you doing here!? Wh-What are you wearing!? I-Is that TOKO next to you!?"

"So much for the mask..." Toko grumbled, as she and Makoto took off their masks and placed them on their heads so Komaru could better see their faces, "yes, it's us! What the hell are you DOING here!? How and why did you get here!? And what are YOU wearing!?"

"I don't even know where "here" is!" Komaru shrieked, panicking as the beast tried to reach out and grab her with its claws, "one second I was behind Hope's Peak, trying to get to Kotoko-chan, and the next I'm in this dungeon surrounded by guards, and this perverted old man!"

"Wait...You were BEHIND the school!?" Makoto gasped, "crap! Does that mean-!?"

"She must have been nearby when you activated the Meta-Nav!" Toko reached the same conclusion, "we must have dragged her to the Metaverse by accident!"

"The Metaverse!?" Komaru cried, "I don't know what you guys are talking about!"

"Do not worry, Ms Komaru Naegi!" Monomi declared, thrusting out her arm and grabbing her magic stick, "sit tight! We will save you from this predicament!"

"What the hell is THAT!?" she cried, her voice continuing to get higher pitched "some kind of demon rabbit!?"

"DEMON!?" Monomi squeaked, falling over and landing on her back.

"Ah...I get it now..." Haiji and the rest of his entourage stood up, "you're in cahoots with these scum, aren't you? You must have come here because you wanted answers, right?"

Komaru couldn't respond. Her attention was all over the place. On the beast, on her friends, and on the onlookers all at once.

"Monomi!" Makoto panicked, "get this cell open, NOW!"

"Alright, give me a second to find the door!" Monomi scuttled down the room quickly; Toko and Makoto in hot pursuit.

"What do you think, Mr Utsugi?" Towa turned to the cognitive version of Junya, who had the same shit-eating grin on his face the whole time, "think she deserves answers?"

"I don't see why not." Utsugi sneered, "you want to know what happened the night before my daughter tried to off herself, don't you?"

Komaru, upon hearing these words, immediately snapped back to attention. Her entire being was zeroed in on Utsugi, as he started to explain.

"Listen...whatever your name is..." he said, "I'm glad that you found my daughter...you managed to get me back a real good source of income, you know?"

"I-Income...!?" Komaru parroted.

"I have to give credit to my wife, you know? Her business strategies are genius," Utsugi continued, "see, my daughter is a pretty famous small-time child actor, and her appearances on TV have made her...quite desirable...to a lot of our business partners."

"Wh-What do you mean...!?" she started to feel sick, and this feeling got even worse as Utsugi began to elaborate.

"When she was about 10 years old, Kotoko's mother found a good way to get us income, and it's what we based the grounds of our financial rise to. To put things simply for your feeble mind, we prostituted Kotoko to her producers, and other people who wanted a piece of her, all for very good cash at that!"

"P...Prostituted...!?" Makoto froze in place as soon as these words reached his ears. The only one who didn't stop in fact, was Monomi, who had found the door to the cell, and was busy trying to force it open "you prostituted your 10-YEAR-OLD DAUGHTER!?"

"Her cognitive version was being groped by a shadow in the cell downstairs!" Toko spat, "that must have been why! Towa must have had his way with her once or twice himself!"

"It wasn't just the girl. My wife prostituted herself alongside Kotoko as a "mother and daughter set"," Junya continued, "you know, it's in our daughter's best interests too! This will help her career, and she'll always have the spotlight, sparkling forever! It's a win for everyone!"

"YOU BASSTAAAAAAARRDD!" Komaru shrieked louder than she ever had before, so much so that she felt her throat go hoarse. She immediately recoiled as the beast snapped its beak at her again.

"Youth is a great, horrifying power! One that should be used to your advantage when you still have it!" Junya laughed, "I don't care if you, Kotoko, or society hates me! This is a legitimate business! Better than whatever YOU'RE doing with your measly life, you NOBODY!"

Utsugi raised his nose to the sky and sighed.

"Yes, my wife sure is something...It almost makes me feel bad for cheating on her..."

Komaru felt the feeling in her legs go...She collapsed, crushed by the Despair, knowing and remembering that she had done nothing to help Kotoko, despite trying. All she had done was send her straight back to this horrible whelp of a man...!

"Kotoko-chan...!" tears streamed down her face endlessly, "I'm so...sorry..."

"Don't apologize," Shingetsu suddenly intervened, "what could you have ever done? You're NOBODY! A talentless, regular high-school girl with no talents whatsoever!"

These words made Komaru raise her head.

"Hmph...I have to agree," Kemuri sighed, "I don't have a great opinion of Junya's business either, but at least Kotoko-chan has the talent to make it work. Someone like you, on the other hand, is nothing but a waste of space. A regular, nothing girl who you pass by on the street and don't even take a second look, let alone a first one."

"I'll say," Shadow Towa added, "you're not even pretty enough to turn a dude's eye. And that's coming from a guy who LIKES younger chicks."

Komaru let their words sink in, and she clenched her fists in pain. She could feel the sharp and painful sensation of her nails digging into her wrists.

"Maybe you're right..." she sobbed, "what could I have done...even if I wanted to...?"

"Let's just get this over with!" Daimon snapped, "are we gonna rip her apart, or are you gonna wait until those assholes break in and save her first!?"

"Ah, of course, I'd delayed you enough..." Haiji pressed a button on a remote he held in his hand, which was then followed by a loud *KER-CHUNK!*

The green-haired beast became unshackled from its chains, and it roused itself as it realized this. It gave another roar of rage and hunger and prepared to charge at Komaru.

Helpless, and with heaviness in her heart and soul, Komaru stopped fighting back...

At least...until she heard the sound of her brother's voice echo throughout the chamber.

"You delirious bastards...!" he growled, "I've been sitting here listening to this bullcrap, and you really think I'm not gonna SAY anything about it!? HOW DARE YOU SAY THAT TO HER!"

Everyone in the room (except for Monomi who was determined to unlock the cage) including the beast somehow, stopped and turned toward him.

"Komaru Naegi is my sister! And she's more than that!" Makoto snapped, "NO ONE in this world is more important to me than she is! If I didn't have my little sister's support, I wouldn't be where I am today! So don't you DARE call her worthless trash right in front of me!"

"Makoto...!" the limited light in the room glistened off of Komaru's tears.

"She's nothing, huh!? She's worthless!? What, just because she doesn't have a talent or money, she means nothing to anybody!? GET YOUR HEADS OUT OF YOUR ASSES!" Makoto continued on his tirade of fury, "you high-and-mighty, judgmental pieces of HUMAN GARBAGE are BENEATH someone like her! AND YOU ALWAYS HAVE BEEN!"

Makoto had expended his emotions, and just glared at the cognitive entrepreneurs, breathing heavily. Though they didn't take him that seriously, it was still enough to get their attention...

"You...you're right...!" Komaru realized, clenching her fists again, but for a different reason, "even if I'm average...Even if I'm nowhere near the same level as an Ultimate...That's fine...!"

She snapped and glared up at the balcony towards Towa and his cognitive associates.

"IT'S TOTALLY FINE!" she shrieked, "because YOU'RE LOWER THAN THAT! ALL OF YOOOOUUU!"

Awakening - Persona 5

And as the people on the balcony stared down at Komaru with looks of disgust and nervousness...that's when it happened...!

Komaru felt the feeling in her legs go once again, but also, her head started to pound; like she was suffering from the worst migraine she ever experienced! She yanked hard on the chains that bound her to the post, and screamed into the sky! Meanwhile, a voice started to speak in her head...

"My, my, it's high time that ya turned ya thinkin' around," it said, "if you ain't gonna be the one to make these scumbags pay for their sins, then who will? Break outta those chains, both physical and mental, and let's show 'em what for!"

The cognitions on the balcony widened their eyes in terror, as Komaru forcefully ripped herself free of her chains and shackles, prying herself off the post and standing, crying in pain, as she squared down the ferocious beast in front of her!

"I am thou..."

"Thou art I..."

"We can finally form our pact, and take these distorted monsters down...!"

Komaru raised her head, as a black domino mask materialized on her face, and she stamped forward. The beast even seemed to cower backward as she approached!

"You're right...Parker...!" Komaru whispered under her breath, "screw everyone's expectations...! I will not be talked down to by SLIMEBALLS like THEM...!"

"That's more like it!" the voice cheered her on, "you can't get by with just grittin' ya teeth an' bearin' it! Now that you get it, I'll grant'cha my power!"

"Let's DOOO THIIIIIIISSS!" Komaru screamed, grabbing the mask and tearing it off her face! She shrieked as her skin peeled away, and the beast and the Shadows in the cell with her all staggered back as she exploded into a burning, azure flame!

"Yes! Yes Yes YES KOMARU, YES!" Makoto felt himself cry tears of joy at the spectacle!

"You're kidding me!" Toko's cried, holding up her arm to shield her eyes from the burning light in the darkness, "Kokichiru has a Persona too!?"

"She does now!" Monomi replied, "the cage is open! Let's get in there!"

After once again donning their masks, Monomi, Toko and Makoto burst into the cage, and as they did, the flames around Komaru dissipated, and as expected, her outfit had now dramatically changed.

Her cheerleader top had changed, so now instead of being bright colors and displaying her school's logo, it was now black, had slightly longer sleeves, and a large skull shape emblazoned on the front. In addition, she wore a pair of black and red shoulder pads, with a black bandana around her neck. Her cheerleading shorts had shifted into a pair of slender, skintight, black, zip-up pants, and she wore crimson red cowboy boots and gloves on her feet and hands respectively. Lastly, on top of her head was a black Stetson hat with a red belt.

As the chains of rebellion and blue flames surrounded it, behind Komaru was a rusted, automaton-looking figure, with long curved hairstyle, that glowed a neon red. Its body was curvature in shape, but angular in proportions, and its hands and arms twisted as it complied with Komaru's movements...

The cowboy-clad girl and her Persona glared at the enemies in front of them...First the beast, then the Shadows, and then the cognitive bastards on the platform above them. Having had enough, Komaru posed and pointed her arm up at the balcony.

Having had enough, Komaru posed and pointed her arm up at the balcony

"Alright PARKER! Shoot them down!"

Fight for Your Life - Persona 6 Imagine

Komaru's Persona suddenly shifted, and it pointed its right arm robotically up towards the balcony! All of a sudden, it's arm transmuted into the barrel of a firearm, and out of nowhere, it launched a rocket up towards Towa and his guests!

"What the SHIT!?" Toko shrieked.

The rocket made direct contact with the platform, and it came loose from the wall, collapsing downwards! The cognitions screamed as all of them fell, the only one who didn't being Haiji Towa himself, who was able to grab onto the doorway before they dropped!

Utsugi, Kemuri, Shingetsu, and Daimon, however, all fell into the pit with Komaru and the beast. Panicked, Shingetsu and Daimon both scrambled to their feet and lunged at her!

"YOU LITTLE BITCH!" the latter screamed, "A NOBODY LIKE YOU ISN'T GONNA MAKE A FOOL OF ME!"

However, he was promptly shut up! Komaru, reached behind her and took out her cheerleader's megaphone. Spurred on by the voices, she pointed it straight at Daimon, and pulled the trigger...

And to everyone's surprise, a laser-like blast shot straight out of the megaphone, and hit Daimon straight in the head! He exploded into black ash as he went flying, and seeing this, Shingetsu collapsed.

"How's THIS for a NOBODY!?" Komaru pointed her megaphone at him next!

"NO! NONO! DOOON'T-!" he pleaded. His prayers, however, fell on deaf ears, as Komaru blasted him straight through the chest, letting him disintegrate into nothing too.

"Like I said..." she smirked violently, "you're all BENEATH me...!"

"HAIJI!" Kemuri screamed, clawing at the walls, "let us out! BRING US BACK UP!"

But before Haiji could do anything, Komaru launched a third blast straight into Kemuri's back, disintegrating her!

"How...HOW DARE YOU!" Haiji screamed down at her, "you good-for-nothing skank!"

"How dare me!? HOW DARE YOU!" Komaru snapped back, "you took the childhoods of those kids and toyed with them to your leisure! You pushed them into a corner where they felt their only option was to end it all! Let's see how YOU like it when I take everything from YOU!"

Komaru, her Persona by her side, pointed up at Towa. As she did, her brother, her best friend, and the weird demon rabbit thing all took her side, glaring him down with her.

However, despite their confidence, their attention was very quickly turned away, as the green-haired monster roared at them, having mustered up its strength and preparing to fight instead of flee!

"Careful guys!" Monomi declared, "this one's tougher than anything we've fought so far!"

"Plus, we've got all these guys to deal with!" Makoto looked around as all the Shadow guards in the cell burst free of their bodies and materialized into their demonic forms...

"I don't care...!" Komaru suddenly grabbed one of the chains that bound her off the floor and cracked it, "I'm not gonna hold back anymore!"

To everyone's surprise, as Komaru grabbed the chain and lashed out with it, it was enveloped by blue fire, which when dissipated, replaced the chain with a bona-fide whip! Or rather...a lasso!

The beast roared again and lunged towards the group, who kept their guard up, but Komaru cracked the lasso and fended it back!

It retreated from the impact, but didn't stay back for long, as it returned for another round! The group narrowly moved out of the way, as the big beasty gnashed at them with it's jawed beak!

"You want some more!? Fine then!" Komaru snarked, slinging back across the ground and summoning her Persona, "Take this! GARU!"

Komaru's Persona whipped its neon, laser-like hair back towards the beast as it soared towards her. As it did, what looked to be slashes of biting wind flew toward it and smashed into it, knocking it back! The beast slid across the ground until it smashed into the wall!

"That's what you get!" Komaru grinned, "next time, think about who you're messing with!"

"Yeesh!" Toko bit her lip, "and to think, a second ago you were cursing how useless you were, now you're acting like a dom?"

"Don't call me that!" Komaru blushed, "literally any other word would have worked better than "dom!""

"Playtime is over, dear students!" Monomi called out, "stay alert! We still have Shadows to deal with!"

Sure enough, the Shadows rushed forward, launching a variety of attacks at the party which they were just able to dodge.

Monomi leaped into the air and suddenly pulled a party popper out of her skirt. She pointed the end at an incoming barrage of flying fairies, and set it off, knocking all of them out of the sky and onto the floor.

"Toko!" the rabbit cried, "take care of those steeds!"

"Got it!" Toko summoned her Persona "Barrow! ZIO!"

Toko's Persona shot a blast of lightning at the horned horse in front. She then lunged forward and intercepted the other two that accompanied it. She launched herself upwards and rushed down the first one, slicing it into pieces, then turning around and swiping her mask off her face again!

"Now! Giant....SLICE!" with her command, Barrow lunged forward and carved straight through the other horse, taking it down immediately! The steeds that didn't vanish into thin air collapsed on the ground!

Before Toko had a chance to celebrate, the team found themselves forcefully knocked out of the way as the beast pulled itself back up and jumped and crashed down on top of them!

It suddenly heaved itself up onto its hind legs and started to flap its wings, causing a hurricane-level gale to blow toward them. Toko held up her arms and tried to retain her balance! Komaru fell to the ground and clutched at the floor to try and stop herself from blowing away! Monomi's little body flapped its wings to try and stop herself from being blown away!

This force was suddenly interrupted as the beast looked up in surprise, seeing Makoto soar down towards him. He had avoided the attack in advance and had clambered up the side of the cage, getting himself into an advantageous position and striking from above!

"MICKEY!" he cried as he summoned his Persona, and it grabbed it's gun and immediately landed a shot on the beast's wing! The wing was knocked down and the beast fell on its legs again! Toko, Komaru, and Monomi recovered, and wasting no time, Komaru lunged forward, swiping off her mask and summoning her power!

"Time to finish this! GARU!" she cried! Her Persona used the same attack from earlier but with more gusto and power! The beast flew backward, and crashed once again into the wall, also knocking down any other Shadows that it collided with!

"This is it!" Makoto called to his allies, "let's wipe them out in style!"

"All-Out Attack!?" Toko asked.

"All-Out ATTACK!" Monomi clarified, jumping back! Moving along with the rest of the group, Komaru lurched back and joined them, as they rushed down the enemies, and attacked them at rapid speed! The team landed and pulled their own poses, and this time, it was Komaru's turn to say the cool line.

"And don't come back!" she declared.

The masked group watched as all the Shadows disappeared into nothingness. Komaru turned her attention back to the platform, or at least what remained of it, seeing Shadow Towa's horrified face looking down at her.

"Oh shit...!" he spat, before turning tail and making a run for it out of sight.

"HEY!" Komaru cried, "get back here so I can kick your ass!"

"Calm down," Monomi told her, "you wouldn't have the energy to fight him even if you did catch him."

"I...I guess you're right...Ah!" Komaru became acutely aware of how weak her body felt after the battle, but then she gasped as the ugly beast stood up and leaned forward at her.

Its eyes pierced her body, just as it had done before, but for some reason, it now didn't roar. The team remained on guard, but also watched carefully, as it poked the nose of its beak towards Komaru.

Cautiously, she reached out and touched the creature's beak with her arm, and as she stroked it, the beast made a noise like a purring cat.

"Huh?" she suddenly looked at her hand, "why am I wearing gloves? Wait, why am I wearing ALL THIS!? When did my clothes change!?"

Still petting the monster, she quickly looked at her strange outfit, including fiddling with the brim of her hat.

"It's better than that weird skimpy outfit you were wearing before, but...that can wait. What's up with this thing?" Toko frowned, "so it's just...fine now?"

"I guess it was just stressed out from having been locked up for so long. Looks like a good thrashing calmed it down," Makoto observed, "I don't get it though. How come the beast didn't disappear like the other Shadows?"

"Because it isn't a Shadow," Monomi told him, "this monster is another one of Haiji's cognitions."

"It's a cognition!?" Makoto exclaimed, "of what exactly?"

"I don't know..." Monomi replied honestly "but speaking of hideous cognitions..."

The group suddenly turned after hearing coughing and spluttering, seeing a figure crawl on the ground towards them.

Cognitive Junya Utsugi, his clean face, and clothes now covered in mud, glared at Komaru with a face full of complete and utter malice.

"You...! How...could you do this...!?" he snarled, like an animal on its last legs, "you're nothing but an incompetent, talentless, loser! You're supposed to be as weak, confused, and useless as every other person! So HOW!? How could you have tamed the monster that even the TOWA'S were afraid of!"

"Wait...You mean Towa was afraid of this thing?" Makoto gestured towards the beast.

"I'll tell you why," Toko stared down at the pathetic display of a man in front of him, "it's because Komaru Naegi is NONE of those things. She never has been! That's why even someone like me can recognize her as a friend!"

"Toko-chan...!" Komaru's eyes blissfully looked toward her.

"Hey, don't get all soppy," Toko turned her head to hide her blush, "it's not a compliment...It's just a fact..."

"We're going to rob Haiji Towa of every last one of his distorted desires..." Makoto spat, "and you? You can stay in the mud and rot...!"

Utsugi grit his teeth hard, and with a violent look in his eyes, he lunged toward Makoto! Makoto held up his arms defensively, but didn't need to, as the beast suddenly reached out with its bear-like paws and grabbed the disgraceful man!

"NO! NONO! NOOOOOOOOO!" Utsugi screamed in horror, as the beast lifted him up into the air and dropped him in its mouth! Makoto, Komaru, Toko, and Monomi all watched in horror, as Utsugi was gnashed and ripped to pieces by the monster!

"Oh my god...!" Komaru trembled, "did...Did I just kill a bunch of people...!? Wh-What have I done!?"

"Komaru, calm down! You haven't killed anyone! None of this stuff is real," Makoto looked disturbingly at the beast, which licked its "lips" with a long black tongue, "no matter how much it looks like it..."

"Wait so...this is a dream then?" Komaru asked. Makoto shrugged.

"No, not a dream...That's not exactly what I meant..."

Before he could continue, however, the beast suddenly finished its meal and looked up towards the ceiling. It stared upwards with a feeling of longing, before looking back down expectantly at Komaru and her friends.

"You wanna go home, don't you?" she asked, "well, we're not gonna stop you!"

Komaru cringed as the beast leaned downwards and licked her with it's long black tongue affectionately. She, Makoto, Toko and Monomi then braced for impact as the beast turned it's head back towards the sky, and flew straight upwards, crashing through the roof into the dark sky above! Komaru hurried forward and waved, trying not to be hit by the debris.

"GOODBYE!" she cried "HAVE A NICE LIFE, WHEREVER YOU GO!"

"We should hurry and get out of here," Monomi piped up, "Towa got away, which means reinforcements will be on us in but a few moments!"

"Komaru, can you walk alright?" Toko asked, "if not, you can use my shoulder."

"Mine too." Makoto nodded. Komaru nodded back.

"Thanks...both of you..." she breathed.

This Is The Path We Follow - Danganronpa Another Episode: Ultra Despair Girls

"So...you were going to cheerleader tryouts, and that's when you saw Kotoko-chan on the news?" Makoto clarified. Komaru nodded.

The team had now returned to reality. Komaru had exhausted herself following her awakening, and now she and Makoto sat on a park bench. Monomi snuggled herself inside Makoto's school bag, and Toko came back a few minutes later after buying drinks from a vending machine.

"Here...take this," she handed Komaru a cup, "it'll p-perk you up a bit..."

Komaru took the cup and sipped the drink. She immediately proceeded to spit it out again.

"BLEARGH!" she exclaimed, "black coffee!? What's wrong with you!?"

"What are you, 6 years old!?" Toko snapped back, "I know you're juvenile, but I didn't think your tastebuds had stayed the same since you were a kid!"

"Give me a break!" Komaru scowled, "I don't do bitter stuff!"

"If you would like, Ms Komaru Naegi, I will gladly drink it!" Monomi poked her head out of the bag, "I quite like the taste of coffee!"

"Isn't it a bit weird that a rabbit drinks coffee? I feel like it'd be bad for you," Komaru remarked, "then again, I guess a rabbit that speaks human language is weirder...I'm surprised you're not turning many heads..."

"Actually, I think we're the only ones who can understand what she's saying," Makoto theorized, "she spoke earlier in front of Enoshima-kun and Ikusaba-san, but they only heard squeaking."

"Seems that people can only understand her in the real world if they've been inside a Palace like us," Toko chimed in, "speaking of which, h-how are you feeling Kokichiru?"

"I still haven't taken it all in. The fact that a world like that exists is shocking enough on it's own." she replied, shaking her head.

"Let me guess," Toko smirked, "you didn't understand anything we told you about how the Palace works, did you?"

"Not a damn thing!" Komaru bluntly replied, "but the one thing I DID understand is that if we steal this "treasure" of his, it'll get Towa to confess his crimes, and the crimes of his associates. So I say we go for it!"

""We?" You mean you want in?" Toko's eyes widened.

"Don't say that like I'm gonna hold you guys back!" Komaru snapped, "I have just as much reason to want to take Utsugi and Towa down as you guys, maybe even MORE of a reason! Plus, I have a Persona now too!"

"Well, it's true that a little more manpower wouldn't hurt, but that's not what I meant," Toko reminded her, "if we screw this up-"

"Towa will die, I know..." Komaru interjected, "but I know we can do this. I have faith in us, and I will not let that scumbag die before he tells the world the truth!"

She handed her coffee cup to Monomi, who delightfully sipped it, then she stared down at her hands.

"It's the only thing I can do for Kotoko-chan now..." she added, "if there's even a chance that Towa's confession will put her parents behind bars, I am gonna do whatever it takes..."

"I agree as well," Makoto chimed in, "with Komaru by our side, I think we're more than capable of taking any challenge that place throws at us."

"We certainly have a good strong class here!" Monomi exclaimed chipperly, as she sipped the coffee, "I have full confidence things will work out!"

"You guys and your stupid Hope and intuition," Toko giggled, "f-fine...I-If you're all g-gonna twist my arm about it, I guess we can. It's not like I expect Kokichiru to take no for an answer anyway."

"Hey, don't mess with me!" Komaru whined, "I'm being serious about this!"

"Alright!" Makoto beamed, "in that case, from this point on, we're comrades fighting for a common cause. And we're GONNA win!"

He reached out an arm and placed it in the middle of all of them.

"Seriously?" Komaru frowned, "isn't that kind of embarrassing?"

"Oh, grow up!" Makoto rolled his eyes and smirked, "what better way to officiate our mission and crown ourselves as teammates?"

"F-Fine, but only once...!" Toko grimaced, reaching cautiously out with a shaking hand and placing it on top of his.

"Alright, fine," Komaru sighed, "thanks for this, Makoto. You're the best!"

"Yes!" Monomi hopped up onto everyone's joined hands, wanting to participate herself, "we are now a true team of Phantom Thieves! Hip hip hooray!"

"Phantom Thieves?" Komaru parroted, "huh...I like the sound of that..."

"But then here comes the real question..." Makoto asked, "let's say that we end up getting to the treasure in the prison. What happens then?"

Monomi's nose twitched excitedly.

"Oh, I'm so glad you asked, dear boy," she beamed, "and the answer is simple. When stealing a treasure, what WOULD a Phantom Thief do next?"

Two days passed, and everything remained buzzing at Hope's Peak Academy. After the conversation with Towa, Junko Enoshima had spent the last two days with a bad taste in her mouth.

"Junko..." Mukuro Ikusaba, who walked down the hallway with her, "you know that you can't keep those children from their parents. Even if Naegi's abuse allegations are real, you can't just take matters into your own hands."

"I know...But I need to find some way to protect them..." she said, "but honestly...it feels like I'm waiting on a miracle..."

The two girls turned the corner, still deep in thought, but Junko raised her head as she suddenly saw a large crowd gathered in the middle of the hallway. She approached with a furrowed brow and tried to see what was causing all the commotion. Mukuro followed.

When they approached, Junko followed everyone's line of sight and suddenly noticed that a strange card had been stuck to the bulletin board. Not only that but copies of it appeared to be littered about it. It was green in hue with some writing and a strange symbol on the top.

"Wh-What is that?" Junko asked. Mukuro leaned forward and responded...

"It looks like..." she said quietly, "...a Calling Card...?"

Chapter End Notes

We are now a party of four! Just the amount of people we need to storm a Palace!
Komaru is honestly one of my favourite members of this team too, so I'm really glad I finally got to reveal her. I did always think it was weird we never got a cowboy-styled Phantom Thief (at least before Kana in P5X who still doesn't look like a typical outlaw) and I think the fit fits for her.
Also, if you're wondering where the random pictures suddenly came from, I had an issue with AO3 for the last few days that didn't let me upload pictures, and that seems to have been patched now. I'm thinking I might go back and add the photos for the last few chapters too, at least when I get a minute.
If it doesn't work, know that you can always view the story on my WattPad under the same name as this to see the photos
All that aside, the last thing I need to do is go over Komaru's Persona, and I'm sure a lot of you might have seen this coming, but for those who don't know, Komaru's Persona is the OTHER half of Bonnie and Clyde.
Bonnie Elizabeth Parker and Clyde Chestnut (Champion) Barrow (who Toko's Persona is based on) are famous highway criminals who reigned during the Great Depression. Lots of movies, shows, and stories have been written about the two's exploits.
In terms of abilities, Komaru has a weird blend of Ryuji, Morgana, and Haru. Her primary element is wind, her Persona focuses on gun skills like Triple-Down and One-Shot Kill, and she has power buffs too.
Speaking of which, I didn't mention this before, but Toko's Persona has speed buffs like Yusuke. She just hasn't used them yet.
Anyway, that's all for now. Thanks for tuning in, and I hope you're looking forward to these 4 thieves sticking it to the man. And I hope you're looking forward to seeing them come up with their codenames too~

Penitentiary of Megalomania

Chapter Summary

Now possessing an effectively full party, the Phantom Thieves need to prepare to take on Towa's Palace one final time. Makoto is thus tasked with getting equipment and weapons for his teammates.

Chapter Notes

See the end of the chapter for notes

Welcome to TOWA Tower - Danganronpa Another Episode: Ultra Despair Girls

There were many murmurs in the hallway crowd, and several students were in the way, so it was a struggle for Junko and Mukuro to shuffle their way past them to get a closer look at the noticeboard.

Once she was close enough, Junko read the note aloud.

A message for Haiji Towa, a man enveloped in Lust.

We know the truth. Your dark intentions with the funding and construction of the Hope's Peak Elementary School are clear as day to us, though you try to hide them from those who you wish not to see it.

You wear the skin of a respectable businessman and force your distorted desires onto young children who cannot fight back.

As such, we have decided to steal away that which distorts you and make you confess all of your sins. Watch out, because we are coming for you.

From

The Hope's Peak Phantom Thieves~

"Woah...!" Junko whistled as she finished reading. She shot Mukuro a look of astonishment, who shot her one right back...at least...as astonished as Mukuro Ikusaba could manage.

Other Ultimate Students from other classes, both the year above and below the 78th Class, started to gather around the noticeboard. Junko listened out as she heard their comments.

"D-Does th-this mean the rumors w-were true?" Mikan Tsumiki of Class 77 asked.

"Did Mr Towa do something wrong?" Mahiru Koizumi, from the same class, added, "could this be talking about what happened yesterday with the Elementary kids?"

"Wait a second!" Kaito Momota of Class 79 exclaimed, "does this mean someone's gonna take something from Mr Towa?"

"I wonder who drew this logo?" Kaede Akamatsu, the first-year that Makoto had met on the first day, picked up one of the cards and examined it.

"And who are these "Hope's Peak Phantom Thieves?"" Chihiro Fujisaki pondered.

The hustle and bustle continued, until all of a sudden, three figures approached from down the hallway. Everyone backed up as Kiyotaka Ishimaru walked through, with Headmaster Jin Kirigiri and Mr Haiji Towa himself, following behind him. All three of them looking very concerned.

"H-Here it is sir, just as I reported," Taka indicated to the board, "I have no idea who could be responsible for this."

"Wh-What the...!?" Towa broke out into a cold sweat, reading the words on the cards, and feeling his skin crawl, "who...Who did this!?"

He looked around at all the terrified students. He suddenly grabbed Kaito Momota by the scruff of his neck!

"Was it you!? HUH!?" he snapped, looking around like a deranged lunatic, "or was it YOU!?"

"Hey! Lemme go bro!" Kaito snapped, prying himself away!

"Mr Towa, calm down!" Jin exclaimed, "we will get to the bottom of this, just do not attack the students!"

Haiji suddenly spotted Junko and Mukuro. He tried to advance toward the former, but the Ultimate Soldier gave him an ice-cold glare and stood in his way. Haiji glared at the Fashionista.

"Was it you then?" he spat.

"Nope..." Junko shrugged, "this is news to me too. But what would you do if it was?"

Haiji forced himself to relax, and instead just scoffed.

"Hmph...Guess it doesn't matter anyway," he said, "you'll be out of my hair soon enough."

"Everyone! Return to your classes for the day!" Jin commanded, "Ishimaru, go and grab Sakakura-san and Munakata-san."

"Yes sir!" Taka took off down the hallway, fast-walking so he didn't run in the halls. He didn't pay much attention to Makoto and Toko, who were hiding around the corner watching the spectacle.

"Hehehe! I knew it was a good idea to get you to write the calling card, Fukawa-san" Makoto giggled to himself, "and putting it up on the bulletin board was a genius idea!"

"Let me say that from personal experience, pinning someone's embarrassing and shameful secrets to a bulletin board is guaranteed trauma." she cackled, not giving Makoto a chance to ask for more details.

"Your sister's artwork is impressive in its own right. She's the one who designed the logo, yes?" Monomi poked her bunny-rabbit head out as she hid in Makoto's school bag, "does she study art?"

"No, just a hobby that she does in her free time," Makoto explained, "I'd say ask her yourself, but I doubt she would tell you."

"S-So..." Toko stammered, "did you get all the stuff we needed?"

"I have it all hidden away in my room," Makoto assured her, "I need to make a few last-minute preparations, but we're meeting Komaru tonight out back. Make sure you're ready."

"Trust me," Toko smirked, "I'm as ready as I'll ever be."

They quieted down, and Monomi poked her head back into the bag, as Mr Kirigiri and Towa both trudged past them, the latter looking distraught. He caught the two of them out of the corner of his eye, and scowled at them, recognizing them from the other day.

"I know you're behind this...!" he spat, "and I will personally thrust the both of you to hell for this...!"

Staring at his furious expression, Toko and Makoto's eyes widened, as for a second, they could see Towa's Shadow self staring at them, a smirk on his face.

"You think you can steal it?" he scowled, "try it...I dare you...!"

[ONE DAY EARLIER]

"WOOOOOAAAAAAHOHOHOAAAAAAAHH!"

Returning to the Metaverse a day following Komaru's Persona awakening, the newfound team of Phantom Thieves once again stormed Towa's Prison, navigating the same hallways they had done yesterday, and continuing on from the Safe Room they had stopped at.

Following Monomi's map towards the tallest tower in the penitentiary, Monomi had come up with a (in her own words) "genius plan" to climb the tower without getting detected.

This "plan" in particular, involved something Monomi bestowed upon Makoto, that being a grappling hook. Using it, Makoto was able to swing himself around the tower, and through a window, avoiding being stopped by any guards that stood in front of the doors.

The PROBLEM with this strategy is that Monomi only had one grappling hook. In order to get the whole team inside, she, Komaru and Toko had to hold tightly onto Makoto as he grappled up the tower. Toko held onto his free arm and shoulder, Komaru grabbed tightly around his waist, and Monomi grappled his leg.

It was honestly a stroke of luck that the guards didn't hear them, as none of them could stop themselves from screaming as Makoto carried them round. Fortunately, they burst through the barred window into an empty, open cell, and all collapsed on the ground.

"Alright!" Toko snapped, "that is NOT gonna fly!"

"Yeah, I don't think I'm crazy about being the grappling hook guy," Makoto admitted, "I was honestly nervous that Fukawa-san's mask was gonna poke me in the eye!"

"I thought that my hat was gonna fly off!" Komaru exhaled, "or worse, I thought we were gonna die!"

"Priorities Kokichiru!" Toko scowled. Monomi shook her head and cried.

"I'm sorry...but it turned out ok, didn't it? We just need to go a little further and we're there!"

"Fine...Let's just get this over with..." Makoto sighed, readjusting his mask and collar, "looks like we'll need to cross that bridge to get to the treasure room."

"Don't look down..." Komaru remarked as they began to cross.

DSO_Beautiful Dead - Danganronpa Another Episode: Ultra Despair Girls

"Psh...It's as tacky as I thought it would be..." Toko remarked as the group came into a very neat and tidy room, with glistening trophies, treasures, gems and other such precious items lining the shelves around the room.

"This is definitely the treasure room..." Komaru looked like she was resisting the urge to swipe it all, "so...which one of these is the thing we're looking for?"

"It'll be that one, right up there!" Monomi pointed upwards. Everyone followed her paw, and looked up to see something very strange. A formless cloud of rainbow energy appeared above them, hovering quietly and calmly in midair.

"Wait...that's it!?" Toko guffawed, "THAT'S Towa's treasure!? That cloud!?"

"Can we even take that?" Makoto asked, "I feel like it'd slip through our hands if we tried to grab it?"

"So what, we just came here for nothing!?" Komaru groaned, "Ugh! We might as well just grab all this junk and leave...Hey, actually, how expensive do you think it is? Can we make real money off it?"

"Oh no no no dear boys and girls," Monomi procured a ladder from the side of the tall treasure room and used it to give herself more height, so she could speak with her teammates more easily, "our goal today was only to secure a route of infiltration to the treasure. We won't be able to steal it until we make it materialize."

"I get it. This was only phase 1 of the plan...We know how to get to the treasure now, so when we make it appear, we can just rush in and take it," Toko considered, "how do we make it appear then?"

"You're learning Toko! Well done!" Monomi beamed, "I eluded to it yesterday; but to put it simply, we need to make the Palace ruler aware that their treasure is in danger of being stolen by us. To do that, we need to go back to reality and warn the real Towa that he's being targeted."

"Oh! Oh!" Komaru's eyes sparkled excitedly, "so...we're gonna send him like...a calling card or something!? That's so badass! Real Phantom Thief like!"

"Well, SOMEONE'S pumped..." Toko smirked, Komaru's excitement being infectious, "are there any catches to this?"

"Well, let's just say there are a few things to keep in mind. The first one I'm sure is obvious," Monomi admitted, "if Haiji in reality becomes aware of his desires being taken, the security of the prison will go through the roof. We'll have to deal with a lot more traps and a lot more enemies, so we'll need to be careful."

"Which I guess means we need to prepare in advance before we come back," Makoto chimed in, "there's little we can do using just our Persona's and what weapons we have on hand."

"We'll also need medicine and healthcare of some kind, we can't just rely on me to patch you up for this. I'm almost completely spent as it is from the few enemies we took care of," the bunny added, "there's also another thing I'd like you all to keep in mind. The Calling Card will almost guarantee the treasure's materialization, but the effect it has on the palace and treasure won't last forever."

"Wait, there's a time limit!?" Komaru exclaimed. Monomi nodded.

"Which is why we need to be EXTREMELY CAREFUL when we choose to send the card. If we wish to stop Towa, we will need to send it before the opening ceremony of the Elementary School, but when we do, the treasure will stay materialized for a day at most."

"So once we send the card, we'll have until the next morning to nab the treasure and change Towa's heart." Makoto affirmed.

"Alright then..." Toko nodded, "what's the plan?"

"Here's what we'll do," Makoto took charge, "Fukawa-san will be the one who writes the Calling Card. She can do that tonight, if she's up for it."

"H-Huh!?" Toko gasped, "why me!?"

"You're the Ultimate Writing Prodigy!" Komaru exclaimed, "why WOULDN'T it be you!?"

"I gah I uh...ngh...alright, fair point..." Toko glowered, "fine, I'll think of something...But know my talent is in words, not the style of them. I don't think it'll be impactful if I just get a piece of card, write something on it and make copies..."

"Oh! In that case, let me design it! It's one of my passions after all!" Komaru beamed, "why don't you come stay at our place tonight and we can work on it together!?"

"Y-You want...m-me to stay...!?" Toko stammered.

"That might be good!" Makoto added, "it'd make it easier for us all to meet up if you stayed at our house tonight. No one would think it's weird either."

"Well...I guess I don't have a choice when you p-put it like that..." she blushed and twiddled her thumbs

"Haha. Toko-chan's the same, even in the Metaverse!" Komaru giggled, "anyway, what about you Makoto?"

"I guess if I'm leaving it up to you two, Monomi and I can be on gear duty," Makoto told them, "we'll grab some weapons and some supplies, then prepare them for when we send the Calling Card."

"Alright, if you're sure," Komaru acknowledged, "but...where are you even gonna get supplies like that?"

"I might know a few connections," Makoto said, "Hope's Peak is full of people, and fortunately, I have some in mind. Whether or not it will go well is really up to luck though..."

"Then I guess it's best we leave it to you after all," Toko contemplated, "is that all then?"

"There is just one more thing I would like to talk to you about," Monomi piped up, "from this point forward, I believe it would be in our best interest to assign each person here a code name for when we're exploring this place."

"Code names?" Makoto parroted.

"We've managed to avoid it so far, but there's no telling what kind of effect yelling your real names in the Palace would have in the real world," Monomi explained," for safety purposes, we should address each other with custom code names."

"Right on! That sounds badass too!" Komaru squealed with delight.

"But what to call ourselves?" Makoto wondered, "this isn't as easy as you make it sound..."

"Why don't we just call each other by our colors?" Komaru asked, "I'll Ms Black, Makoto will be Mr Green, Toko will be Ms Purple, and Monomi will be Ms Neopolitan Ice Cream!"

"Neopolitan Ice Cream isn't a color!" Makoto snapped, "can we just conclusively agree that Komaru ISN'T the one who comes up with the names?"

"Ordinarily, I would vouch for better participation," Monomi frowned, "but in this case, I agree."

"Oh come on!" Komaru whined, "I think it was a good idea!"

"Well, congratulations, nobody else does..." Toko remarked. Komaru scowled.

"Alright then, fine!" she snapped, "YOU do it Toko-chan! We'll make the most of your talents!"

"So I'm the Calling Card Writer AND the Code Name Maker?" Toko groaned, "fine, I guess...But give me some time to think about it."

"You can start with yourself if that makes it easier?" Makoto suggested. There was a pause, as Toko examined her outfit, including removing and checking her mask. She placed it back on her face and raised her voice.

"Well, for me, I guess "Genocider" or "Slasher" works, but they seem a little too obvious and too lame..." she led on, "in which case...Given the shape of my mask and the sharpness of my outfit...How about you call me..."Razor?""

"Oh, that's cool!" Komaru pounded her fists together excitedly, "Toko-chan will be the Phantom Thief, Razor!"

"Yeah, I like it too!" Makoto chimed in, "this might be a good idea."

"I'll do Monomi next, since she might be a bit trickier," Toko, or rather Razor, looked down at their rabbit companion, "as for you...how about Usami?"

"Usami?" Monomi tilted her head. Toko nodded.

"Usamimi is Japanese for Rabbit Ear," Razor explained, "aside from the obvious fact that you look like a rabbit, rabbit ears are considered lucky, and we're pretty lucky to have you on hand to explain all this stuff. Plus, it doesn't sound too dissimilar to Monomi, right?"

"I like it," Makoto smiled, "it's cute!"

"If you like it so much, I'll take it!" Monomi grinned, "I will be Magical Miracle Girl Usami! Luv Luv~"

"What about me!? Do me next!" Komaru began to get more and more excited the more names Toko dropped, "should I be...Cowgirl or something?"

"Not bad, but Cowboys and Cowgirls aren't really thief related, so I think I can do you one better," Razor, for her part, also seemed to be enjoying herself, "for you Komaru, let's go with Highwayman!"

"Huh? Highwayman?" Komaru repeated.

"Oh? Like the poem we learned in class?" Makoto asked, "the one by what's his name...Alfred Noyes?"

"Well, yeah, there's some poeticness to it, which is more than this moron deserves," Razor snarked, "but a highwayman is a robber who steals from travelers, and since Komaru's outfit looks like an old western robber, it's what I went for."

"Not gonna say I'm against it, but isn't it a bit of a mouthful?" Komaru herself asked, "besides, I'm not a man..."

"Would you prefer Highwaywoman or Highwaygirl then?" Toko asked.

"N-No..." Komaru sighed, "I guess I can always change it if it doesn't stick. I'll go with it for now."

"Well, I'm up last," Makoto smiled, "how about me?"

"Uh...Actually, I did think of one for you, Naegi..." Toko bit her thumb, "and I think it works! But...I don't know if I should say it."

"What? Wh-Why not?" Makoto asked.

"Because if I do, I think you'll be angry at me..." she said.

"Now now Razor," Usami assured her, "honesty is the best policy! I think you should tell your friend your thoughts and feelings, and see what he thinks. There's no harm in at least asking him."

"Usami's right," Makoto told her, "I promise that I won't be angry...U-Unless it's something stupid or inappropriate, like a slur or something..."

"That's not it...Just...let me explain before you start lashing at me..." Razor spoke slowly. After a short pause, she unveiled her idea...

"...Leprechaun..."

"Lepre-WHAT!?" Makoto cried.

"BAHAHAHAHA!" Highwayman burst into laughter, rearing her head back, "LEPRECHAHAHAHA! That's so funny!"

"It's not funny!" Makoto blushed, "why would you-!? No...No! No...I promised I wouldn't get upset. But why Leprechaun of all things?"

"Is it because he's green?" Usami inquired.

"Is it...snrk...because he's short...!? AHAHAHA!" Komaru cackled.

"Hey! That's not fair!" Makoto snapped.

"No! Not either of those things!" Razor exclaimed, "o-ok, actually, maybe that's a little right..."

"Hey! I heard that!" Makoto whined. Toko shook her head and faced him.

"I promise, for once, I don't mean it as an insult. If anything, the opposite. And I have several reasons for it," she assured him, "my first reason is because it relates to your Ultimate Talent. Leprechauns are mythical creatures from Ireland, which is known for, supposedly, being very lucky."

"Oh...I see...and since I'm the Ultimate Lucky Student, you want to take that into account?" Makoto clarified.

"It works with your outfit too, like Monomi-uh...Usami said," Razor continued, "and in addition, your Persona, Mickey. I think it may base itself off of Mickey Spillane, the Irish-American mobster."

"Right, I get it now," Makoto contemplated, "any other reason."

"Yes. In their folklore, Leprechauns are known to partake in acts of mischief, and to be unpredictable," she elaborated, "and you Naegi, have managed to catch me by surprise every time. You're easily the most unpredictable member of the team, and that makes you a trump card. So the Code Name Leprechaun represents that as well."

"Ah! A-Alright!" Highwayman tried to catch her breath, "that makes a lot more sense now that I think about it."

"You make some good points. I guess you didn't mean it as an insult after all..." Makoto raised his head and smiled, "alright. It's embarrassing, but I approve. I'll go by Leprechaun from now on."

He shot his sister a glare.

"And don't you dare laugh about it again. You'll give away our position when we're sneaking around!"

"Alright, alright, I promise!" Highwayman lifted her mask, took off her hat, and wiped her eyes, "I'm over it, I swear!"

"Alright then!" Usami smiled and clapped her paws, "from this point on, we're Leprechaun, Highwayman, Razor and Usami! Now all that's left to do is escape this Palace and prepare to send the Calling Card."

"Watch out Towa," Highwayman placed her hat back on her head and instinctively posed, "we're coming for you...!"

"So while Toko and Komaru are taking care of the Calling Card, it's up to us to get weapons and medical supplies for our infiltration," Monomi spoke to Makoto, poking her head out of his bag, "we'll also need to get supplies to make things like lockpicks in case we come across any chests or doors."

The Phantom Thieves returned to the real world, and as soon as they did, they went their separate ways. While Makoto went off to grab supplies for the mission, Toko went back to the Naegi household with Komaru.

Komaru was going to let their parents know that Toko was staying the night, as well as the fact that Makoto would be coming home for the evening.

"By the way, I nearly forgot to ask," Makoto looked down at her, "why did Komaru's megaphone shoot lasers when we were in the Metaverse? I can't believe that nearly slipped my mind."

"Simple, dear boy! I will explain while we walk," she replied, "It's because Komaru's Megaphone LOOKS like a gun. The Metaverse is a world of cognition, so if Towa perceives it as a weapon, it will become one."

"Wow...impressive..." Makoto whistled, "so...it stands to reason that the more realistic the weapon, the more powerful it is?"

"Yes. And it's safer too. After all, it wouldn't be ideal to be seen carrying a gun wherever you go, so we'll need to find a way to get our hands on the most realistic fakes we can find," Monomi added, "speaking of which, where did you have in mind."

"I'm going to talk to one of my third-year senpai," Makoto said, "hopefully, he'll hit us up...Hopefully..."

"You don't sound so sure..." Monomi trembled.

"Well, he's not a bad guy...but he's been known to have a bad attitude and tries to keep people out of his personal life..." Makoto elaborated, "I just hope this goes well..."

"Oh...Hello Makoto-kun," as Makoto approached Class 77A's classroom, a person came out and greeted him, "what brings you here?"

This person was Chiaki Nanami, Class 77's Class Representative, much like how Taka was for theirs. She was the Ultimate Gamer and was well respected by not only her own class but basically every other class in the school.

"Hello Nanami-senpai," Makoto greeted her back, "sorry to drop in so casually...I was wondering...Is Kuzuryu-senpai around?"

"Fuyuhiko?" Chiaki asked, "yeah, he's inside. What do you need him for?"

"Sorry, but it's kind of personal," Makoto told her, "I need to speak to him privately. I hope you don't mind."

"Hmm...You want to speak with the Ultimate Yakuza privately?" she asked, "what kind of trouble could you have landed yourself in for something like that?"

"I-It's not like that!" Makoto assured her, "I just had a question I needed to ask him. A-Assuming he's willing to hear me out."

"Alright, stay here." Chiaki smiled, "I'll grab him for you."

As Chiaki went back into the classroom, Monomi poked her head out of the bag.

"She seems like a sweet girl!" she commented, "like she'd be the perfect student."

"You're telling me," Makoto smiled back, "Nanami-senpai's quiet, and she's not especially outgoing or social, but believe it or not, she's the most popular girl in the school. And I MEAN popular. Even the teachers love her."

"With a smile like that, who couldn't?" Monomi said, quickly hiding back in the bag as Chiaki came out of the classroom again with the man he was looking for.

"Here he is," Chiaki stated the obvious, "he complied a lot easier than I thought he would."

"Hey, what's that supposed to mean!?" said the other person, "it's not like I had a lot better to do..."

This guy was the Ultimate Yakuza, Fuyuhiko Kuzuryu. And yes, that title meant exactly what it was. Fuyuhiko was born as the heir of the Kuzuryu Clan, one of the most powerful organized crime families in the world, and was scouted by Hope's Peak Academy as the Ultimate Yakuza.

"Yakuza...!" Monomi squeaked from within the bag, "you want to get weapons from an actual legitimate Yakuza group!?"

"Calm down," Makoto whispered, "he's not a bad guy. A little grumpy maybe, but he'll hear me out, I'm sure."

"Huh?" Fuyuhiko glowered, "what was that?"

"Nothing, don't worry, just talking to myself," he said, "thank you Nanami-senpai."

"I'll leave you two to it..." Chiaki waved haphazardly, returning to the classroom. This left Fuyuhiko and Makoto in the hallway by themselves.

The pressure was on!

"Aight, follow me for a sec," he looked back towards his classroom, "we should go somewhere private."

"O-Ok..." Makoto sheepishly nodded.

"'Kay..." once Fuyuhiko and Makoto had retreated into a more private corner of the hallway, the pint-sized crime boss crossed his arms and rested against the wall behind him, "what do you want? It's weird that you'd come to me for help."

"W-Well," Makoto began, "sorry, but the question is a little awkward."

"We've rarely talked before now," Fuyuhiko observed, "so I can't imagine you'd be approaching me for any reason other than...wanting to make use of my family's resources?"

"Um...well..." Makoto stammered.

"Don't get all nervous on me, I'm not angry," he assured him, though his frowning face said otherwise, "just know that asking the Yakuza for favors is a risky idea Naegi. Especially for someone who lives a quiet life like you."

"Yes, I know...But I promise you, I don't intend to take advantage of you or your family in any major way," he said, "I just have a question about the clan that I hoped you could answer."

"Oh yeah?" Fuyuhiko grunted, "and what's that?"

"Alright, I guess I'll get to the point then," Makoto decided to just come out and say it, "what kinds of things to the Kuzuryu Clan dabble in when it comes to the firearms and weaponry industry?"

Fuyuhiko clearly wasn't expecting this of all things to come out of Makoto's mouth. As soon as he did, he stopped leaning against the wall and stood up straight. Makoto could feel the sweat on his face, but he swallowed his nerves and kept looking him in the eye.

"Why do you ask?" the Yakuza inquired, "you know, that's not something I can really go blabbing about openly, right?"

"Well, to put simply, I'm in the mood to explore the market," Makoto told him, "so I was wondering if either you could sell me some weaponry, or point me in the direction of a good supplier?"

"Ok, so...let me get this straight..." Fuyuhiko tried to grasp the situation, "you approached me about my family because you want to buy a GUN!? The hell's wrong with you!?"

"Oh, no, that's not it!" Makoto realized that he'd missed a pretty crucial part due to his nerves, "there's a misunderstanding here!"

"Oh IS there!?" Fuyuhiko glowered, "I think you made your intentions pretty clear. Yeah, the clan makes good money from the weapons trade, but we can't just sell them to the GP! Even if you are my underclassman and an Ultimate Student, Japan's gun laws are oppressive as hell, and if you get caught owning a firearm or anything like that, the cops'll be on both of us in seconds flat!"

"Seriously, that's not what I mean!" Makoto panicked, "I'm not looking for a real one!"

"Huh? You're not looking...for a real one?" Fuyuhiko parroted. Makoto frantically nodded.

"This has been a big misunderstanding; I'm so sorry," Makoto clarified, "but I'm not looking to purchase actual firearms and weaponry. I'm just looking for the most true-to-life copies I can!"

"Huh...is that right?" Fuyuhiko frowned, "what exactly do you need it for?"

"Um...Well, that's kind of personal...But I guess I can tell you," he said "me and a...few friends...are looking to create cosplays for an upcoming convention. We're cosplaying as Phantom Thieves and we'd like to get weapon props to finish them off."

"Oh?" Fuyuhiko's eyes widened, "I didn't know you were into cosplay?"

"Oh yeah, m-much more in recent times! My sister's crazy into nerd stuff, so I've been going to cons with her," Makoto felt bad about lying so much, but he didn't have much of a choice, "so...she asked me if any of my classmates might be able to provide us with true-to-life model guns and I said, "yeah, I have an upperclassman who I can ask about it!""

"That being me?" Fuyuhiko asked. Makoto gave him a thumbs up in response.

Fuyuhiko dwelled on it for a moment, then turned to Makoto.

"Then you might be in luck," he smirked, "classes are over for today, so...you got time right now?"

"Yeah!" Makoto smiled, glad things seemed to be going well, "wh-what do you need?"

"Just come with me," Fuyuhiko smiled, "if it's models you want, I know a place."

Beneath The Beautiful Dead - NoteBlock

"Woah...So this is the place you mentioned?"

Fuyuhiko led Makoto off the school grounds after grabbing his stuff and took him to the nearby city streets. He led Makoto down a busy commercial alleyway and in front of a sketchy, but impressive-looking pawn shop.

The sign on the top read "Taboo."

"I'll let you in on this alone, but this shop is a front for a lot of the clan's street businesses. Trade and the like," he explained, "it's a workshop where the higher-ups create things like forged firearms and other such shit and sell them to the best buyers...But a lot of them end up becoming commercially available so they can make a quick buck..."

He suddenly leaned in with a smirk on his face.

"You wouldn't go tattling about that to the cops, would you?"

"O-Of course not!" Makoto exclaimed, "especially not when you're doing this big a favor for me. Plus, I think Hope's Peak has an interest in protecting you and your establishments anyway..."

"Good point," he said, "well, you first."

Makoto gulped and stepped into the store. The place was fairly small and dimly lit, and VERY packed; with shelves lined with all sorts of props and military equipment. Even the front counter, which had glass cabinets showing off models and the like, was full of different kinds of weapons and guns.

Oh yeah. THIS was the place.

Sitting at the front desk was a rather disheveled-looking man in a blue jacket and a black cap. He had a short-cut beard, big sideburns, and a lizard-shaped tattoo on his neck. He had a cigarette in his mouth and was reading a comic book while resting his feet up on the counter until Makoto and Fuyuhiko walked in.

"Oh hey. If it ain't the young master 'emself..." he grunted, his voice deep and gruff, "what brings ya by 'ere?"

"Naegi? Meet Shinji Hashimoto. We call him Spike," Fuyuhiko did the introductions, "he's a contracted member of the clan and runs the business here."

"You a buyer?" Spike asked, "you don't look like you're part o' any family...What clan are ya from?"

"He ain't from a clan, he's my classmate at school," Fuyuhiko clarified, "he's here looking for the best models you got."

"Y-Yes, please..." Makoto stammered. Spike scoffed.

"Hehe...He looks like he's 'boutta piss his pants..." he jeered, "but aight kid...Just buy whatever looks interestin' to ya..."

"You call THAT customer service!?" Fuyuhiko spat, "he's new to all this you know? You could be a little more helpful!"

"Well, this is an ENTHUSIAST shop, Fuyuhiko..." Spike glared, "it ain't my fault you bought a greenie in 'ere..."

"I-I'm not a greenie!" Makoto exclaimed, "I know...a little bit!"

"Oh, izzat so?" Spike asked, "well, whatcha want then? An automatic? A revolver or sum shit?"

"Uuuh...May I take a look around first?" Makoto asked, not really knowing how to respond. Spike simply nodded and got back to reading his paper.

"It's alright Naegi, I'll chip in an' help..." he said, "come over here. It should have what you're looking for."

Fuyuhiko led Makoto to the corner of the shop where the main display of guns and pistols were. Before they could get to picking and choosing though, Fuyuhiko turned around again with a concerned look on his face.

"So...hey, I guess now's a good time as any to ask but...are you sure you weren't lying to me about this?" he asked, "you're not planning on using these to like...pull a prank or threaten someone, are you?"

"O-Of course not!" Makoto exclaimed, "do I look even remotely intimidating to you!?"

"Feh...You never know," Fuyuhiko made a decent point, "a lot of horrible as fuck people look totally normal on the outside."

"I...guess that's true..." Makoto couldn't help but think of Haiji Towa when Fuyuhiko said this, remembering how he hadn't suspected anything was wrong until he saw the Palace.

"What I'm saying is that your specific requirement of "it has to look super real," concerns me. I don't mean to sound like your dad or some shit, but if you're gonna buy here, you've gotta keep a few things in mind," Fuyuhiko crossed his arms and explained, "if you're going around outside with it, keep it in a bag or out of sight so you don't freak anyone out. And for the love of God and all that's holy, DO NOT go pointing it at other people! Lastly, like I said before, don't let the fuzz catch wind of you having them. We don't need them coming around here."

"Of course not, I promise I'll be careful." Makoto smiled. Fuyuhiko just shook his head.

"You'd better be," he threatened casually, "anyway, what is it you're looking for?"

"We're mainly here to get weapons for you. I already have my magic stick and party popper, and Komaru already has her megaphone and lasso," Monomi whispered, "we might need to get Toko a ranged weapon as well. It doesn't help if she's the only one lacking a firearm."

"Alright..." Makoto nodded, "let's see what we have..."

However, upon taking a closer look, Makoto came to a shocking realization.

"What the heck!?" he exclaimed "this stuff's expensive as hell! 20,000 Yen!?"

"What the fuck did you expect?" Fuyuhiko frowned, "if it's too high, why not try haggling with Spike?"

Makoto peeked his head up above the boxes and shelves and took a look at the man behind the counter, seeing that he was looking back at Makoto with a mischievous and frightening grin.

"Uuh...Y-Yeah!" Makoto giggled nervously, "I can try...?"

After a few minutes of searching, Makoto emerged with his purchases. For himself, he had decided to snag himself a simple revolver, and some fisticuffs, feeling he would be more proficient with punching his enemies as opposed to tangling them with a knife of some sort. On top of that, he had also bought a model taser for Toko, with Monomi recommending it personally.

This had come out to a total of 160,000 Yen, burning a massive hole right through Makoto's allowance. He emerged from the store with Fuyuhiko, tears in his eyes, hearing the screams of his wallet.

"Can't believe you actually went for the asking price after all that," Fuyuhiko mocked, "you didn't even try to barter the price down..."

"Give me a break!" Makoto snapped, "I can't deal with hard-boiled tough guys like the Yakuza!"

"...You're fine with me though?" he pointed out, "heh...Guess I'm not as intimidating or worthy as the Yakuza name as I should be, huh?"

"N-No, that's not it!" Makoto assured him, "it's just that I know you more personally and I know you're not a bad person..."

"Feh..." Fuyuhiko sneered, "well, I guess it didn't go too badly after all."

He walked up to him and patted Makoto on the shoulder.

"Remember, I'm trusting you to handle all that shit with care," he remarked, "and hey, just hit me up if you need to come back. Next time, I'll see if I can get you a discount."

"Thanks..." Makoto replied half-heartedly. He watched Fuyuhiko make his leave, and once they were out of eye and earshot, Monomi emerged from the bag.

"Do not worry Makoto," Monomi patted him with her tiny paw, "I'm sure you tried your best."

"I know..." Makoto groaned, "but thinking about how much crap Komaru is gonna give me for this..."

"W-Well, we still need to get our hands on medical supplies," Monomi sighed, "wh-what can we buy with the money we have left?"

"A couple of band-aids, maybe?" Makoto admitted, palming his face.

With the both of them conclusively deciding that it would be a waste of time, money, and effort in buying a couple of band-aids for health provisions, Makoto and Monomi decided to return to Makoto's dorm room and hide the stuff they needed for tomorrow night. Makoto would then take a trip back home and spend the night at his house, alongside his sister and classmate.

However, upon entering the lobby of the school dorms, he suddenly spotted a rather unique interaction in the middle of the floor between two people he recognized. The first was his classmate, Leon Kuwata, and the person he was speaking to was another one of their 3rd year Senpai from a different grade class.

Her name was Seiko Kimura. She had been invited to the academy as the Ultimate Pharmacist. She had a reserved personality and a stilted way of speaking. As a pharmacist, she had an extensive knowledge of medicine and drugs. She'd created many different kinds of drugs, including ones that can drastically change one's physical appearance and make them much faster and stronger.

Makoto paused for a moment as he watched their interaction. Trying his best to overhear.

"So...lemme get this straight," Leon asked, "you want me to take this stuff before my next game, and then tell you what kinds of results I get compared to my usual?"

"O-Only during practice," Seiko squeaked, "I don't want to be held responsible if you get banned from games due to doping. The effects won't last forever and I've made sure they're not addictive."

"So these are like...performance-enhancing stuff?" Leon asked. Seiko nodded.

"This is just for an experiment. I've provided samples to other sports-gifted students around the school with the academy's permission," she said, "and don't w-worry. It's not deadly or harmful to your body."

"Meh...Guess I could give it a try," he thought, "it's not like I take practice seriously to begin with."

"Th-Thank you." Seiko smiled under her the surgical mask she wore on her face, "w-well, I'll be out then..."

Leon nodded and made his own exit, walking down the hall to his room. As Seiko started to leave the 2nd year dorms, she froze as her eyes fell on Makoto.

"O-Oh!" she panicked, "g-good evening, Naegi-san!"

"Evening, Kimura-senpai," Makoto greeted her back, "sorry for getting in your way. Have a nice evening."

Makoto briskly walked past her, trying not to give her any more reason to feel nervous, but before he could make his leave, she stopped him.

"U-Um! Wait!" she called out, making him turn around, "I-I actually was just thinking...I have a favor to ask," she told him, "how would you feel about helping me with an experiment?"

"Me?" Makoto asked, "how come? I'm not exactly an athlete, nor do I possess any talent that might help with your field. Are you sure?"

"Yes...I believe it may help..." she said, "despite your talent, you have a record of being unlucky. You're always getting injured in the strangest and most bizarre ways, right?"

"As much as I hate to admit it," Makoto scratched his face, "how can I help you though?"

Seiko reached into her pouch and gingerly handed Makoto a small white paper bag. He carefully took it.

"These are some fast-acting, effective painkiller medicines that I made," she explained, "try it when you're tired or if you're aching anywhere. Just make sure you come and report its effects back to me when you do."

"Makoto, this is perfect!" Monomi whispered within the bag, "it might not be the most official, but if this girl is a doctor of some kind, her medicine should come in handy in the Metaverse!"

"H-Huh?" Seiko peeked over his shoulder, "did you hear something?"

"No, no, nothing at all!" Makoto rustled his bag to indicate Monomi to shut up, "I'll take it. Thanks, senpai!"

"No, th-thank YOU!" she beamed. Even though Makoto couldn't see her mouth under the mask, her happy face was nearly radiant, and he had to shield his eyes, only looking back as she merrily skipped away.

"So, you ran out of money getting the gear, then your Pharmacist senpai gifted you some for free?" Komaru queried, "man, I guess your Ultimate Luck really IS good for something after all!"

*SNAP!*

"Yeah, well, tell that to these things..." Makoto glowered.

After receiving the medicine and dumping all of their equipment in a safe place in his room, Makoto returned to his house for the night. His parents were surprised to see Toko staying the night, and even more surprised to see Makoto come home so early in the school year, but they were nice enough to allow the believed-to-be slumber party to happen.

While Makoto had been gone, Komaru and Toko had worked very hard on designing the calling card. Komaru had gotten some card paper and drawn out a basic design for the card, as well as a logo. Toko had borrowed her laptop to write the message, and the two were now busy printing multiple copies of it.

As for Makoto, as soon as he got back, Monomi provided him with a bunch of tools and metal scraps that she had gotten from who knows where? Proclaiming that she was going to give the students a quick crash course on everything they need, she was teaching Makoto how to create lockpicks...with varying results. For every pick Makoto successfully created, he snapped a different one.

"The plan is I'm gonna get Genocide Jill to post all of these on the bulletin board near the front of the school, early in the morning when no one's around. She's a night owl, so she'll be up for it if I leave the situation in a note," Toko explained, "even if Towa somehow misses it, word will get around fast enough for him and the whole school to take notice."

"That'll give the steering committee a scare as well," Makoto giggled, "aw, this is gonna be great!"

"What should I do?" Komaru asked, "I have school tomorrow too, so is it ok if I miss the reaction?"

"Don't worry. If anything goes wrong, we'll tell you." Makoto assured her.

Komaru nodded, sitting down and staring quietly at the printer.

Despair Imitation - Danganronpa 3: The End of Hope's Peak

"Something eating you?" Makoto asked, before exclaiming "DAMMIT!" as he broke another pick.

"Take it slow Makoto!" Monomi assured him, "we're in no immediate rush!"

"Don't worry about it," she said, "I'm just...worried about Kotoko-chan."

"Ah, I see..." Toko raised her head, "it's gotta suck, you can't even go and visit her. They won't let you on campus."

"Sakakura and security are watching the place like vultures ever since the incident," Makoto put down his tools to focus on the conversation, "but if it's any consolation, I actually caught Enoshima-kun before I left and asked her about what's going on."

"Junko's the one looking after them, right?" Komaru asked, "what did she say?"

"Things are quiet now. Towa's kept his distance, but I think that's due to overconfidence rather than respect," Makoto said, "she's confirmed that the Steering Committee and the police will take action once the Elementary School opens."

"So like Monomi said, we'll need to pull this mission off before the opening ceremony...Which is in two days..." Toko recalled, "which means we'll need to send the card tonight, then pull off our big heist tomorrow."

"I still can't quite believe the Steering Committee of your school would take Towa's side, even knowing what he's done!" Komaru growled, "thank god Junko's on their side at least."

Toko suddenly put the laptop down and turned herself around to face Komaru.

"Listen Komaru..." she said, refusing to make eye contact, "we'll...we'll save those kids...and we'll reunite you with Kotoko so you can apologize...Ok?"

"Wha-!? I didn't-!" Komaru trailed off.

"You thought it though, didn't you?" Toko interjected, "I know I say that a lot, but this time I KNOW you thought it..."

Komaru hung her head.

"You blame yourself for not protecting her back then...You shouldn't..." Toko said, "but I also think that getting a chance to apologize to Kotoko would do you both a lot of good. So...we'll save them...I promise..."

Komaru leaned in and wrapped Toko into a hug. Despite her issues, Toko didn't reject her.

"Thank you...Toko-chan..." she sobbed into her shoulder. Toko carefully patted her back and let her weep.

All Makoto could do was watch, then went right back to crafting the remaining lockpicks.

*SNAP!*

"Crap..."

[BEGINNING NAVIGATION]

Thus, the night of the heist rolled around. The previous night, Genocide Jill had snuck into the school and plastered the notes all over the bulletin board. Rather fortunately, she hadn't used scissors to stick up the calling cards, otherwise, it would have been obvious who was behind it.

That night, Makoto and Toko snuck out of their dorms and once again reconvened behind the school near the Elementary School building. This time, it had been a little more difficult getting there due to increased security, and with the stage set up for the next day's opening ceremony, there wasn't much they could do to get by there.

Fortunately, Monomi had informed the group that they need not stand right outside the building to enter the Metaverse. They could enter it by the school gates, and then simply walk towards it from there. This was also good, as it saved Komaru from having to sneak onto the school grounds.

Midnight rolled around, and once Komaru had snuck out of the house and joined, everyone activated the metaverse navigator (the app had also appeared on Komaru's phone by this point, and she had received advance warning from Makoto and Toko not to activate it willy-nilly) and the group entered the Palace. Makoto, Komaru, and Toko were immediately decked out in their Phantom Thief attire, and Monomi returned to her true form.

"We'd better get this over and done with by morning time," Komaru said, "Mom and Dad are gonna kill me if they find that I snuck out."

"Hey, there are worse reasons to sneak out at night," Toko pulled a gross face, "you COULD have gone streaking?"

"Ugh! In your dreams, Toko-chan!" Komaru flushed, "oh! Wait! sorry...Razor!"

"Oh, right...code names..." Makoto remembered, "that aside, look up there."

Makoto, or rather Leprechaun, pointed up towards the high wall in front of them. Specifically, at what appeared to be searchlights going crazy, looking for any sign of intruders.

"Usami did warn us," Highwayman recalled, "Towa knows we're coming because of the calling card, so this place is on high alert now."

"Yes indeed!" Usami smirked, "I do hope you kids like a bit of challenge!"

"So...this is it, huh?" Razor readjusted her jacket, looking at the large steel gates of the penitentiary, "this is our debut as Hope's Peak's one and only Phantom Thieves..."

"You sound excited, Razor," Leprechaun commented, "I can't say I expected that..."

"On the contrary," Razor shook her head and giggled a little, "I'm actually super nervous, and a bit hysterical..."

"That's to be expected. Now that we've sent the calling card, we cannot afford to fail," Usami put her game face on, "but do not worry. We're more than ready. You all have your equipment, yes?"

"Yep...Got my taser and scissors...Highwayman, you still got your stuff?" Razor replied.

"Uh-huh! What about you Leprechaun?" she turned to her brother. Leprechaun nodded back

"Of course..." Makoto sighed, "after all the trouble I went through to get all this stuff."

Highwayman paused and took one last look back up at the prison.

"You heard them Usami...We're more than ready for this."

"Alright!" Leprechaun adjusted his gloves, then led the charge, "let's go!

Riddle Land - Danganronpa Another Episode: Ultra Despair Girls

The Phantom Thieves made their way down a long hallway, using whatever obstacles were nearby as cover against the guards that patrolled the area. This included stone pillars, wall corners, and sometimes the team was even forced to hide under cell beds to avoid being caught.

"Alright, the coast is clear!" Leprechaun poked his head around the corner, "let's get a move on team!"

When turning the corner and finding no enemies, the group hurried down the next hallway and stopped right in the middle.

"According to my map, we should be able to take a shortcut to the treasure through this door," Usami mentioned, "unfortunately, it appears to be locked..."

"So what do we do?" Razor asked, "find a key?"

"Why don't we just bust it down?" Highwayman suggested "there's no guards around..."

"They'll come running if they hear the noise!" Leprechaun reminded her, "remember, security is tight. If we get caught even once, it's game over for us."

"No. I have a better idea," Usami confidently nodded towards the lock, "Leprechaun. Come over here. I think it's time we put those lockpicks of yours to good use."

"Oh goodie," Makoto sighed sarcastically, "time to break MORE of these things."

"Don't worry. I'll guide you!" Usami smiled at him, "Razor? Highwayman? Do you think the two of you could stand guard in case any enemies come round?"

"Sure..." Razor nodded, "Highwayman, you get that side, I'll get this one."

"Got it!" Highwayman tipped her hat. The two did as they had been asked and stood in the middle of the hallway, each of them looking down both sides, while Usami and Leprechaun crouched next to the door.

Leprechaun carefully slid the pick into the lock as per Usami's instruction, then watched as the bunny pressed one of her long ears against the door. He started to twist the pick carefully, making sure he didn't break this one and waited for his mentor's instruction.

"Alright, listen to my instructions carefully dear boy," she said, "twist your pick about 40 degrees to the left."

"Mmhm..." Makoto responded, his attention hyper-focused on the pick.

"Good...now rotate it clockwise for about half rotation..."

"Right, right..."

"Yes, yes...now...turn...!"

The emerald-clad Phantom Thief did as he was told, and all of a sudden, there was an audible *CLICK!* Excitedly, Leprechaun grabbed the doorknob and opened it.

"Sweet!" Highwayman turned around, "good job bro!"

"Looks like the pick snapped when you got the door open though," Razor observed, "guess we shouldn't go too crazy with them."

"Right...We've only got a limited number of these after all..." Leprechaun pocketed the remaining picks, "in any case, let's move before we get caught."

"HYAGH! HUH! RAGH!"

"UUUGH!"

After climbing up some stairs and coming out onto another floor of the penitentiary, the group was ambushed by some guards that were waiting around for them. They were forced to fight and ended up destroying them with the power of their weapons and Personas. Leprechaun managed to take out the last one by laying waste to it with his fists and his new fisticuffs.

"Awesome dude!" his sister whistled impressively, "you're actually pretty good with those!"

"Believe me, I'm just as surprised as you are," Makoto reflexively stretched his fingers, "but still, am I the only one who thinks this place gets more and more unsettling as we go further in?"

"Ugh...I can't believe that this bastard has portraits of himself lining these halls," Highwayman pointed out "isn't it supposed to be a prison? Pretty sure this isn't normal."

"Guess it just reflects how highly that asshole thinks of himself," Razor replied, "anyway, where to next?"

"We shouldn't be too far away from the treasure tower," Usami contemplated, "you know, when we grapple shot our way up it yesterday?"

"We have to do that again!?" the Writing Prodigy whined, "hey...I don't suppose you managed to score us some additional hooks, huh?"

"Fuyuhiko's store didn't sell them," Leprechaun admitted, "and even then, I doubt I could get them. I spent all my allowance on the weapons."

"Well, here's an idea. The place he took you to is a pawn shop, right?" Highwayman asked, "why don't we grab a whole bunch of stuff from the treasure room and around the Palace, then take it back and sell it there?"

"Oh sure..." Razor rolled her eyes, "because no one's gonna ask where we got a shit-ton of golden cups, trophies, and medallions, are they?"

"Actually..." Usami chimed in, her face lighting up excitedly, "that's a great idea Highwayman!"

"It is!?" Highwayman and Razor exclaimed at the same time. Usami nodded.

"True, we won't really be able to take back any of the valuable items that Razor just said," she explained, "but the items and gold that appear in the Palace resemble important things to Towa in real life, just like the treasure. If we take the gold and whatnot outside of the Palace into the real world, it will transform into items of equal value that we can sell at a high price!"

"Wow...I...never considered that to be possible," Razor commented, "but...doesn't that seem a little extreme? We're just here to steal his treasure, right?"

"We're thieves, Razor! There's no reason why we can't just nab whatever we want," Leprechaun smiled, "plus, this place will be gone soon, so we'll have more of a use for it than Towa, right?"

"Well, when you put it like that..." she contemplated, "fine. I guess we can grab some. Good thing these outfits have deep pockets."

"WAAAAGGH! OOF!" Highwayman cried as she went splat on the ground, "eagh...That could have gone better..."

After attempting to scale up a wall by holding on tightly to the brickwork, Komaru had been unsuccessful in her thieving escapades and instead had dropped down into a courtyard below, landing on her face and aching all over.

This, however, was the least of her problems, as she raised her head to see guards approaching her quickly.

"Intruder!" it cried, "capture them!"

"Oh crap!" Komaru scrambled to her feet as the guards turned into their true Shadow forms. She swiped across her face and summoned her Persona to counterattack. "Parker! TRIPLE DOWN!"

Highwayman successfully razed down the enemies as her Persona pointed a machine gun arm forward and riddled the shadows with bullets before they had a chance to pounce. She quickly looked around to see if there were any more targets, but then relaxed her breath, leaned against the wall, and powered down. As she did, her three thieving friends joined her.

"Highwayman, are you ok!?" Leprechaun exclaimed, "that was a pretty nasty fall..."

"We heard enemies," Usami added, "you didn't get attacked, did you?"

"Y-Yeah, I did...But they were nothing. Wiped 'em out in one go," she assured them, "OW! Ugh...shame I can't wipe out this literal pain in the ass."

"So, um...What exactly was your plan?" Razor tilted her head. Highwayman sighed.

"Well, it occurred to me that risking our luck and swinging through the window again might not have been the best idea...So I tried scaling the wall, getting inside the tower, and opening the door from inside so I could let everyone in..." she explained, "but I totally rolled a Critical Fail on my Dexterity Check, huh?"

"Quit it with the nerd talk!" Toko snapped, "we're in this together you know!? Don't go pulling crazy stunts without running it by us first, ok?"

"Alright, sorry Razor-chan..." Komaru sighed and smiled, wincing in pain as she tried to walk forward, "I won't do it again."

"That aside, are you sure you're alright?" Usami asked, "you're limping quite badly..."

"I was gonna power through, but now that you mention it, this really does hurt..." Komaru grimaced, "I think I might have busted my hip..."

"Komaru, if you busted your hip, you wouldn't be standing," Makoto reached into his pocket and pulled out a small bottle, "here. Try this out."

"What's that? The medicine that the pharmacist woman gave you?" Komaru took it, "you really think this will work?"

"Monomi can always heal you if it doesn't," Makoto told her, "but it would be a waste of kindness if we didn't use it."

Komaru popped open the bottle, was surprised by the sweet smell of the contents, then gradually downed the contents. Her face was one of pleasant surprise as she started stretching her leg.

"What the heck!?" she exclaimed, "I feel so light! A-And my injury feels like it's not even there anymore! What is this!?"

"Kimura-senpai sure is something..." Toko smiled, "you should go and get more of this stuff in case we ever find ourselves in this situation again."

"I agree," Usami beamed, "we very well might need it."

"Well, if I report the results back to her, I'm sure she'll be willing to hear me out at least," Makoto sighed, "but come on guys. Let's not dilly-dally...It's grappling time..."

"AGH! Dammit!" Toko shrieked as the thieves once again flung themselves through the window "that's NEVER gonna get any easier."

"Ok, seriously Makoto," Highwayman made sure that her hat was still fastened to her head, "if we somehow ever need to do this again, you're gonna need to find someone who sells grappling hooks. We can't keep doing this."

"We have bigger issues on hand right now guys," the lucky student pointed forward, "look!"

His fellow thieves all looked forward and felt their stomachs sink. Yesterday, they had been required to cross a bridge in order to get to Towa's treasure room. The same was true for the day, but this time, something else stood in their way.

The bridge was now booby-trapped with wall-mounted miniguns and visible laser trip mines. No doubt, if the thieves were to touch these lasers, they would be attacked by the guns and turned into Swiss cheese.

"What the hell!?" Komaru cried, "this is like some super awesome spy movie stuff! Are we really gonna have to dodge our way through these!?"

"As cool as it sounds, that's impossible," Leprechaun shut her down, "some of these lasers are so tightly packed, there's no way for us to squeeze through. I don't think even Usami could fit."

"Then what do we do?" Razor asked, "there's no other way around, and I'd rather not take my chances with the abyss."

"Hm...I think I may have found a solution..." Usami piped up, grabbing everyone's attention, "however, we do have one problem."

"Oh, yeah?" Leprechaun asked. Everyone leaned in as Usami unfolded the map. She pointed to a certain spot on the floor below them.

"According to my map, there's an area below us that serves as a security office. If we get there, we might be able to disable the laser field and get by with no problems," she explained, "however, in order to access security, we'll need a top security access badge."

"Ok..." Highwayman nodded "and...how do we get that?"

"Most likely...one of the high-ranking guards wandering the tower will have it. We just need to find them and "persuade them" to fork it over."

"Sounds good to me," Razor sneered, "let's get a move on."

"Hey! Asshole!" Highwayman shouted, "you looking for me!?"

After figuring out which of the guards had the key, the team formulated a plan.

It started with first, making sure that the guard was alone with no backup. The team scoured the floor and battled against the other Shadows, taking them out to reduce the level of security. Then, after waiting for it to be in the perfect position, Highwayman came out of hiding and grabbed its attention. Immediately upon seeing her, the Shadow shouted out and quickly gave chase.

However, as soon as Komaru turned the corner, and the Shadow followed her, Leprechaun and Razor jumped out of hiding. Toko ran her scissors straight through the Shadow's body, while Makoto leaped on its head and ripped off its mask.

"You're mine!" he shouted, leaping off as the mask disintegrated and the shadow burst out of hiding. Ready for a shakedown, the group all grabbed their guns and pointed them at the enemy.

But that's when something unexpected happened...The shadow materialized into the fairy-looking demon, but instead of immediately attacking them, it hovered in mid-air and pouted with its hands on its hips.

"Hey! What's the big idea!?" it snapped, "stupid thugs! You have no sense of respect!"

"Holy crap, it talks...!" Toko gasped.

"Wait...so...these guys are sentient after all!?" Komaru's eyes widened.

"Of course they are," Usami nodded, "shadows are born from the hearts of humans, so they should be able to talk, right? Most of the time, they just choose not to."

"We ALSO wouldn't resort to such lows!" the fairy snapped, "I know we're enemies, but did no one ever teach you brutes manners!? Who do you think you are, ripping off a lady's mask like that!?"

"Oh! Uh..." Makoto frowned awkwardly, "s-sorry..."

"Did you SERIOUSLY just APOLOGIZE to it!?" Razor snapped.

"Dude...Seriously...Read the room..." Highwayman added.

"Huh...Maybe you have more manners than I thought you did..." the fairy, however, seemed rather impressed.

"Oh...Thanks!" Makoto smiled before snapping back and cocking his weapon, "I mean NO! W-We're here for your security badge! H-Hand it over!"

"Oh, that's all?" the fairy asked, "fine...I just have to give it to you and you'll leave me alone, right?"

It tossed the badge towards the thieves, which Makoto reached out and snatched in the air.

"There. It's yours," she spat, "now get lost! Just looking at you idiots makes me sick!"

"Ugh...Guys, can I shoot her?" Highwayman asked.

"Don't let it get to you, it's just a grunt," Usami told them, "let's just get to the office and go."

However, before they left, Makoto turned back one last time toward the Shadow.

"Thanks a lot!" he smiled, "you've done us a real solid!"

"Leprechaun, whose side are you on!?" Razor snapped, "stop getting into bed with the enemy!"

"I-I'm sorry guys! I'm just no good at this!" he panicked, "I don't like the idea of pointing a gun at someone and threatening them!"

"You...You actually thanked me?" the fairy seemed pleasantly surprised by this turn of events, "you're s-seriously throwing me off my game here pal...But...I guess I appreciate it."

"Woah...Wait, what's going on?" Highwayman pointed towards the Shadow, which suddenly started glowing with a bright, white, holy aura, as opposed to the menacing and red one from before. The demon's face also lit up with what looked like a look of realization.

"Wait a moment...Something's coming back to me...!" she gasped, "that's right! I remember now! I don't just belong to Warden Towa alone...I'm a being that drifts through the collective hearts of humanity..."

"What is this?" Usami's eyes widened, "I've never seen anything like this!"

"My real name...is Pixie!" the Shadow declared, "from henceforth, I shall reside within you!"

What happened next shocked everyone. The Shadow, or rather Pixie as it called itself, morphed into light and shaped itself into the same shape as Makoto's mask. The mask them soared towards the group, with them all raising their hands to try and block it, but then flew straight towards Leprechaun and burst into light upon hitting his masked face.

"Ah! AGH! She went in my face! SHE WENT IN MY FACE!" Makoto panicked but quickly calmed down upon realizing that he was ok.

"Wh-What just happened...!?" Razor frowned.

"I...I don't know..." Usami was taken aback by what she had just witnessed, "that was...some kind of special power."

"How are you feeling bro?" Highwayman asked, gently patting him on the shoulder to get his attention, "you feeling drained or...hurt in any way?"

"The opposite actually..." Makoto replied slowly, "I feel like that gave me a bit of a boost...!"

He slowly turned around with a look of confidence on his face.

"Anyway, I have no clue what happened, but we'll figure all that stuff out later," he assured them, "for now, we should get to the security office and disable the traps."

"Yeah..." Usami nodded, "the treasure awaits!"

The next few steps were simple. After finding the office, Leprechaun handed Usami the badge, and Usami was able to hack them into the security system. The group watched through security cam footage in the room that she turned the laser field off, and after sharing a team hi-five, they cautiously made their way back up the stairs, and across the bridge.

"Hey...Don't you think it's weird that there aren't many guards past this point?" Highwayman asked as they hurried through the treasure hall, "I kind of figured the treasure room would be more well-protected."

"True, but they probably thought we wouldn't get this far," her brother replied, "I wouldn't worry too much about it."

"Agreed. Let's just grab the treasure and go," Razor sighed, "the sooner we get out of this whorehouse, the better."

In agreement on this front, the Phantom Thieves arrived at the treasure room, and Leprechaun opened the large pair of doors that they had reached the day before.

It didn't take even a second for the team to notice the newfound elephant in the room.

"S-So...This is Towa's treasure, huh?" Makoto asked.

"Yep...That's it." Usami affirmed.

"What the hell!? It's HUGE!" Toko shrieked, taking a few steps back from how startled she was.

And sure enough, it was. Floating in the air where the mysterious cloud had been the previous day was a larger-than-life, shiny golden badge, with the initials H.T embedded in it.

"So you're telling me we've gotta carry this giant thing out of here!?" Komaru cried, "how can we even do that without being spotted!?"

"Well, we won't know unless we try..." Makoto stretched his neck and wheeled his shoulders, "Razor? Highwayman? You two take two of the corners, I'll take the third. Usami? Keep watch for any enemies."

"Yes, I will," Usami hung her head, "I'm not tall enough to assist here..."

"Oh boy..." Razor sighed, "fine...Let's just be quick about it."

"What about the rest of the treasure?" Highwayman asked, "didn't we say we were gonna grab a bunch?"

"Leave that to me too," Usami affirmed, "I'll put it in my bottomless handbag."

With this response, she randomly pulled a purse out of her skirt and went around the room, dumping the trophies, medals, and ornaments into it. No matter how many she put in, the bag never seemed to get full.

"I...don't even feel like questioning that one..." Komaru commented.

"Me neither," Makoto laughed awkwardly, "let's just grab as much as we can and leave."

"Huh?" as the team heaved the heavy badge out of the treasure room, down the stairs and through the treasure hall, Usami, who took point, stopped them, "everyone! Halt! Look ahead!"

Leprechaun, Razor and Highwayman halted their advancement as requested, and all three looked down the hallway, where they saw something very...peculiar to say the least.

Wonderful Dead 001 - Danganronpa Another Episode: Ultra Despair Girls

Approaching them in the middle of the long treasure hallway was what looked like a red carpet. Shadow guards stood to the side, and walking down towards the thieves, pulling a variety of sexy poses looked to be a selection of nameless girls wearing high school girl uniforms.

The thieves just looked at the display gobsmacked, not sure what the hell was even going on, as the girls started to do synchronized dances to music that was coming from...somewhere.

The spectacle went on for a few moments until the music hit its drop point. And as all the girls posed dramatically, a figure was unveiled in the middle of them. A skeevy man with messy hair, heart-shaped glasses, a warden's cap, a bare chest, hot pants, and a horribly shaved chest...

Shadow Towa.

Before any of the thieves could react, Haiji's Shadow reached out a hand towards them.

"I'll be taking that back, thank you~!"

As he said this, the Phantom Thieves exclaimed in surprise, as their cargo suddenly lifted up into the air and flew towards their enemy! As it did, the badge shrunk smaller and smaller, until it returned to a normal badge size. Once Towa grasped it in his hands, he reached up and stuck it to his cap.

Blooming Villain - Persona 5

"Towa!" Highwayman snapped, "you sketchy asshole!"

"So you showed your face after all..." Razor snarled. Towa raised his arm and waved.

"Take 5 folks!" he sneered confidently, "I'll dispose of these rats myself!"

"Ooh~ Mr Towa~" the girls squealed, "you're making a really scary face~! It's kinda hot!"

"Now now ladies...We can have some fun later..." he perved, "first, I got business to take care of.

With a wave of his hand, the guard shadows, and the girls (the latter of whom gave Towa's bare arms a squeeze on their way out) made their exit. Shadow Towa strode towards the thieves with his hands in his pockets.

"I gotta give credit where it's due; you really ran my security through a loop," he huffed, tapping the badge on his hat, "but I can't just let you take this. This little thing is proof that I'm in charge here. No one's gonna take it from me, especially not you!"

"Yeah right, you egotistical maniac!" Razor snapped, "you're sorely mistaken if you think everyone's just gonna bend to your will here!"

"You seem awful serious about making sure you can control those kids," Leprechaun stepped forward, "why is that? They're just kids after all. What harm could they possibly do you?"

Towa's shadow just scoffed.

"I wish I could think like that...But you sorely underestimate them," he said, "kids are crueler than most adults you know? And that beast...that beast is unruly...wild...and threatens to destroy everything..."

"By "beast" do you refer to the monster that you kept locked up in here that tried to kill Highwayman?" Razor clarified.

"You know what? I actually think I'm starting to figure a few things out...Why you're so determined to put these plans through and what you're so afraid of..." Leprechaun raised his voice and readjusted his jacket collar, "Towa...be honest with me...You're NOT the heir to Towa Corp. are you?"

"H-Huh!?" Komaru gasped. Shadow Towa just spat back.

"Who else would it be, other than me?" he asked. Makoto just shook his head, pitifully.

"There's something that's been tugging on my mind ever since we left the Palace last time...I've been thinking more about the Elementary School kids when I met them on the rooftop," he unveiled, "throughout all of this, there's been one kid who doesn't seem to fit in anywhere...The girl in the wheelchair, Monaca."

"Oh, right, her!" Toko remembered, "not only do we not know the full story with her, but she's the only one who we haven't seen appear in this Palace!"

"No, Razor, that's what I'm saying. We HAVE." Leprechaun told her. It took everyone a moment to realize what he was insinuating until Highwayman was hit by a bolt of realization.

"Wait!? You mean...that monster was...Monaca-chan!?" she cried.

"Usami told us after we defeated the beast that it wasn't a Shadow. It was a cognition...A personification of something or someone in the real world that Towa sees as a beast or a monster," Leprechaun looked back at their foe, who was gritting his teeth, "did anyone else notice that its mane had the same green hair as Monaca too?"

Makoto dramatically pointed a finger toward the warden.

"So tell me, Haiji Towa. Who is that girl to you, and why are you so afraid of her!?"

Towa hung his head and sighed an exasperated sigh. He then lifted his head with a defeated look in his eyes.

"Judging from your words, you already know the answer, so I guess I have no reason to hide the truth from you anymore," he grumbled, "yes...the truth is that girl's full name is Monaca Towa..."

"Towa!?" Komaru gasped, "does that mean she's-!?"

"She is my younger half-sister, born out of wedlock," Towa revealed, "she's the daughter of my father's lover, who abandoned her and left her with us. Of course, if this fact were to ever be revealed, it would be a huge scandal that would threaten the company!"

"Which is why you never gave her up for adoption..." Razor considered.

"She's an unwanted child...everyone feels uncomfortable around her, whether they know her situation or not. Ever since I first met her, I had a bad feeling! Like one day, she would destroy my family...my legacy...everything...!"

Even from a distance, the thieves could see him clenching his fist.

"And lo and behold I was right...That little runt...though I loathe to admit it...is a natural-born genius, even for someone her age. She surpasses both me and my father in every way, and even blackmailed him into taking away my right as heir!"

"You got blackmailed by a 12-year-old!?" Highwayman scoffed, "yeah, right!"

"I have to agree," Makoto added, "though I do admit that the intelligence of a young girl that even Hope's Peak recognizes the potential of is a looming threat to the likes of you. Even though she's younger, her title immediately suggests she's more capable...Those who know the truth would naturally gravitate towards her guidance than yours..."

"Making a connection with Hope's Peak Academy, and sending our children under the jurisdiction of the Steering Committee is a surefire way to get her out of our lives without scandal!" Towa snarled, "it's what's best for everyone! So tell me, what exactly have I done that's so wrong!? Maybe I'm selfish, sure, but this is for my future! One that that monster threatens to take from me and all of us!"

"Screw your future and your legacy!" Highwayman growled, "a self-absorbed, kid-sniffing manchild like you doesn't deserve it!"

"You're the reason why that girl is even in a wheelchair, aren't you?" Usami leered, "you abused her at home, just like the children of your associates who are in on your project!"

"Dogs are disciplined to keep them in line and teach them to respect their masters!" Towa spat, "this is no different!"

"Are you even listening to yourself!?" Razor glowered at him, "you've hurt, lied to, manipulated and threatened so many people, all for your own selfish gain! You almost pushed those 5 kids to suicide!"

"Manipulation? Quite the funny joke..." Towa cackled, gradually getting closer, "I am a TOWA! One of the most powerful businessmen in the world! People approach ME for opportunities; they KNOW what they're getting into! They just want to ride the coattails of a man who has a plan! It's not MY fault that fools like you and those children don't get all that!"

The thieves stepped back, as a dark, strange energy started to surround the warden.

"U-Usami!?" Leprechaun called out, "what's going on with him?"

"Nothing good, I'll tell you that much..." she replied, "get ready!"

"I am HAIJI TOWA! I am THE WARDEN!" Towa shrieked, "I'm the one who's gifted! The one who has the right to success! I am above all you peasants! I am NOTHING like you WORTHLESS PIECES OF SHIT!"

Everyone stared in horror, as Towa's face and body suddenly started to morph. His skin appeared to turn thin and his skull changed shape...His hands and shoulders started to grow, and his fingernails stretched into long, sharp claws...A pair of curvature horns appeared on his head, and his body began to grow in size, as something large started to burst out of his back. Additionally, Towa's tongue dropped out of his morphed, gaping maw, and it had grown so much it sagged on the ground like a rope. The transformation was sickening, and once it was complete, Towa towered over the group, the only recognizable parts of him being his long hair, and cap, with the treasure still stuck right on it.

"You're right about one thing..." Usami, standing her ground in spite of the horror, "you're nothing like us...You've become so distorted that you're not even worth being recognized as a human anymore...!"

"You've become a demon...!" Makoto growled, "a demon warped by his own Lust...!"

Sure enough, what loomed down over them was no longer Haiji's Shadow, but the true, malicious demon form of Towa's desires. With its tongue still limp on the ground, it started to cackle maniacally.

"THAT'S RIGHT!" Towa roared, "I AM THE DEMON THAT RULES THIS WOOOOORRLD!"

Chapter End Notes

I haven't drawn anything for Towa's Shadow form, I've only made art of the Persona users, and technically those aren't even awakening scenes, just art I made for the series.
If I ever do make art for the Palace rulers in the future, I'll add them.
And just for clarity's sake, from this point forward, while the characters are in the Metaverse, I'm going to refer to them using their code names most of the time. Sometimes I'll refer to them with their actual names, but here's a recap of everyone's Metaverse code names to alleviate any confusion:
Makoto Naegi - Leprechaun
Toko Fukawa - Razor
Komaru Naegi - Highwayman
Monomi - Usami
Thanks as always for reading! I love to get feedback from my readers, so feel free to leave a comment, and some kudos if you feel up to it!

The Warden of Lust

Chapter Summary

With everything to lose, the Hope's Peak Phantom Thieves steel themselves and prepare to defeat Haiji Towa's Shadow, which has now taken a new beastly form, once and for all!

Chapter Notes

See the end of the chapter for notes

"Uuuuuummm...Usaammiiiii...?" what little of Komaru's face was shown under her Highwayman mask had turned a pale shade of blue upon witnessing the transformation before them, "the fact that the Palace rulers have the power to turn into super demon lords...WOULD HAVE BEEN NICE TO KNOW!"

"You're the nerd among us and you weren't expecting there to be a final boss!?" Razor grumbled, "with our luck, I saw this coming a mile away..."

"Save the commentary for later! He's coming right at us!" Usami cried out.

The team's head immediately snapped back towards the titanic and horrific demon, as Shadow Towa lunged straight towards them.

"IT'S TIME TO DIE, YOU FILTHY INSECTS!" he boomed.

Thankfully, Monomi's warning was received in time, and all four thieves leaped out of the way of his strike.

However, it was a close shave. Not only had his new form clearly granted him incredible strength, but it gave him heightened movement and speed as well!

"MICK-AGH!" Leprechaun attempted to summon his Persona to attack, but before he realized it, Towa was on top of him once again. He spun around at blinding speed and snatched the Lucky Student up! Towa began to squeeze Makoto tightly, and Makoto could feel his ribs closing in on themselves!

As he screamed in pain, Highwayman rushed up behind, cracking her lasso and launching herself toward the demon!

With a cry of defiance, she jumped up and flung her lasso whip, smacking Towa's demon over the skull! However, this attack did very little to phase the monster, and Towa retaliated by reaching up and grabbing the Highwayman while she was airborne! He then started to crush her in his palm, just as he was doing Leprechaun!

"SIBLINGS SHOULD GET ALONG, RIGHT!?" Towa cackled, "WELL GO ON! HUG IT OUT!"

Komaru and Makoto cried out in agony, as Towa suddenly smashed them together with an incredible force! Both Naegi siblings crumpled to the ground after they impacted, groaning in pain and struggling to get to their feet.

*BANG!* *BANG!* *BANG!*

*ZAP!* *ZAP!*

In an attempt to damage their foe, as well as take his attention away from their companions, Usami and Razor started shooting at Towa with their respective weapons. However, the combusted sprinkles from Usami's party popper weapon and Razor's taser were doing very little to actually hurt the monster. Their ammo basically just bounced right off him.

"HAHAHA! CATCH!" he growled. He suddenly swiped the ground in front of him, catching Leprechaun and Highwayman, and flinging both of them towards the attackers! Usami jumped out of the way in time, but Razor wasn't so lucky, as both Naegi's flew straight at her and crashed into her; all three of them getting smashed up against the wall!

"S...Sorry..." Komaru groaned. With her neck having been bent weirdly from the impact, Toko struggled to shake her head.

"W-Wasn't...your fault..." she assured her, "th-that's gonna hurt like hell tomorrow..."

"Get back on your feet or you won't SEE tomorrow!" Makoto commanded, more forcefully and strictly than he meant to, but it was still enough to rouse the thieves! When they recovered, they saw Monomi dancing around the beast, avoiding its swipes and trying to distract it on their own!

"Go Mr. A! Don't let up!" she cried, launching as many psychokinetic blasts of energy at him as she could, clearly dealing some damage, but not enough.

"We've gotta help her!" Razor declared, "Highwayman, sync up with me!"

"Got it!" Highwayman confidently tipped her hat, and the two rushed toward the monster! Usami dodged out of the way of another swipe with its claws, then backed out as her teammates approached!

"Now might be a good time to patch you up...Dia!" she exclaimed, approaching Makoto, summoning her Persona, and using her healing spell on him. Makoto once again felt the energy return to his body, and he was able to stand up much more easily now.

"Thanks!" he nodded, "now let's get back to it!"

"Stay still, you little bitches!" Towa roared at the thieves as he brought his claws down on them. They had avoided his quick swipes, but now it was time for a counterattack!

"BARROW!" Razor cried, summoning her insectoid Persona, which reached up and caught his clawed hand, "get him now Highwayman!"

"You got it! PARKER! Triple-Down, close range!" Highwayman ran forward and summoned her Persona as well! It raised its machine-gun hand, and started hailing bullets straight into Towa's gigantic beastly visage from point-blank! This actually seemed to do some damage, as Towa recoiled and clutched his face where Komaru shot at him!

"Alright! Now GARU!"

"And ZIO!"

Barrow and Parker launched more attacks at their users' command! A blast of biting wind followed by a bolt of hot thunder smashed straight into Haiji, who staggered back!

"Heeeh...Hehehehe...Can we call a time-out...!?" Towa leered, his visage curling into a monstrous smile, "I'm feeling a little...THIRSTY!"

"Razor! Highwayman! Look out!" Makoto saw an attack coming, but his warning arrived a little too late!

Towa reared his hideous head and his long, rope-like tongue suddenly shot forwards straight towards the girls! The only either of them could do in time was shove the other one out of the way so that only one of them ended up facing the brunt of whatever was coming!

...which is exactly what Toko did. She shoved Komaru who tumbled out of the way, leaving the writer to be smacked by Towa's gross, sandpapery tongue!

The tongue perversely wrapped around Toko's arms and legs, and she felt the friction as Towa pulled her in and started licking her!

"Uaagh! L-Let go of me, you weirdo!" Toko squealed, covered in saliva slime! Towa just laughed!

"It ain't what you think, little lady! You aren't even my type!" he snarled, "for me, they've gotta be real young! As young as possible!"

"Snap, Mickey!" Makoto thrust an arm forward as he summoned his Persona. Mickey aimed forward and shot Haiji's tongue with its gun! The attack landed, and while it didn't damage Towa as much as Leprechaun would have preferred, it was strong enough to force him to drop Toko!

"Razor!" Highwayman immediately ran to her best friend and tried to wipe her free of the grossness as much as possible, "a-are you alright!?"

"Yeah...I'm ok..." Toko groaned, "you bastard! The only one who gets to lick me like that is Master Byakuy-UGH!?"

"Razor!" Leprechaun exclaimed, as Toko suddenly collapsed when she tried to assault Towa again! Towa's Shadow put his hands on his hips and glared down smugly!

"Aw, feeling a little weak there, buddy?" he taunted, "well unfortunately for you, I feel BETTER THAN EVER!"

The thieves screamed as suddenly, Towa rolled both his fists into a ball and pounded the ground in front of him! The impact created a shockwave that blasted them all back!

Toko got the worst of it, not just from being the closest, but also from seemingly having been weakened by Haiji's tongue. Makoto forced himself to his feet and stood in front of the group, taking another sample of Seiko's medicine out of his pocket and downing it, which instantly perked him up.

"You two take care of Razor and fix her up!" Leprechaun declared, "I'll keep Towa busy in the meantime!"

Heeding his command, Komaru grabbed her arm and slung her around her shoulder, moving her back while Makoto rushed at Towa's Shadow by himself. Wasting no time, Usami used her Persona to heal Razor's injuries.

"Are you sure you're alright?" Highwayman checked, "what even happened back there?"

"I...I don't know...!" Razor admitted, "for some reason, I think when he licked me, it sapped me of my energy! I can still move but...my attacks feel weaker than before...My Persona doesn't feel as strong either..."

Before either of them could respond, they were unpleasantly interrupted as Leprechaun suddenly crash-landed right next to them, after being instantly hit backward by Towa's powerful paw!

"Is...Is it just me...?" he groaned, sitting up, "or does it seem he just suddenly got stronger than before?"

"I think I understand what happened! When Towa was licking Razor, he was actually sapping her energy!" Usami explained, "now Towa is stronger while Razor became weaker!"

"Oh...great...as if I didn't have little enough energy already after the first few hits!" Toko groaned, "what am I gonna do?"

"From experience, if your strength is taken, moving around and attacking for a little bit will revert it on its own," Usami told her, "the reverse is true too. If we hold out for long enough, Towa will return to his original strength."

"But his original strength is too much for us to handle!" Makoto said as Towa started to crawl towards them, "how are we supposed to match up with him now!?"

"Wait! That's it!" Highwayman jumped up, "I've got an idea! Leprechaun, try getting back in there!"

"Now!?" Makoto exclaimed, "but he just bitch slapped the crap out of me!"

"Trust me!" Komaru stared at him with determination, "I might have an idea of how to knock him down a couple pegs!"

Though he had his doubts, Makoto trusted his sisters' intuition, so he nodded and prepared to pounce. Usami crouched down as well.

"I will help you, dear boy. In case this goes wrong, I can always patch you up again!" she said, "now let's go!"

With Usami right behind him, Leprechaun ran forward, getting ready to throw some iron-fisted punches at the big beasty. As he jumped in to attack, Komaru summoned her Persona and cast a spell of her own!"

"Alright Parker! It's Tarukaja time!" she shouted.

All of a sudden, Makoto could feel his body glow with powerful energy! His arms, legs, and soul all felt so much stronger within that instant, and now, more confidant than ever, he jumped up towards Towa and laid a massive punch right in his jawbone!

The attack was stronger than either side had predicted, and Towa's head keeled back from the impact! Not wanting to give him a chance to recover, Makoto immediately summoned his Persona and pointed straight at his opponent!

"Now CLEAVE!" he declared!

"Follow up with Psi!" Monomi added!

Simultaneously, Mickey brandished a blade in another of its 4 arms and sliced across Shadow Towa's gargantuan face; and Mr. A blasted a strong psychic energy right into the monster's gut. Both attacks landed with power, and Towa fell backward on the ground.

"Woah!" Leprechaun landed on his feet and stared at his Persona, "that was something else!"

"Told you it would work!" Highwayman scoffed confidently, but then her expression faded as she spotted something over his shoulder.

Leprechaun turned around to see that the abominable Towa had been accompanied by the same high school uniform-wearing girls from earlier, all of whom had shown up again and started stroking his face.

"Come on Mr Towa~!" they squealed, "get back up and fight~! We're here to support you! kya~!"

"What are they doing...!?" Razor, supported by Highwayman, stood up. Towa's monstrous visage suddenly grinned and he grunted as he forced himself up.

"Hehehe...Don't worry ladies...I just need to re-energize myself..." he smirked, "care to give me a hand?"

"Ooh! Me, me, PICK ME MR HAIJI~!" the girls all screamed. Towa replied by suddenly picking up the nearest girl...and with a smile, dropped her in his mouth!

"What the hell!?" Highwayman exclaimed, "why did he-!?"

The subsequent roar of fury that came from the savage behemoth answered her question for her! As soon as he swallowed the girl, and he immediately pounced towards them with an attack!

"Full recovery!" he snarled, "whatcha gonna do NOW!"

The thieves were able to dodge out of the way of the attack, with Komaru supporting Toko! Things were looking bleaker by the second. Not only could Towa power himself up with his tongue, but he could heal himself by eating his cognitive harem! Defeating him wasn't going to be easy at this rate!

"Hey...Leprechaun...?" Usami turned to the Lucky Student with a serious look on her face, "I know this sounds weird, but I think we need to recuperate! We need a plan of attack!"

"Nothing weird about that," Leprechaun acknowledged, "and I've got a plan. As soon as I give the signal, back out and hide behind cover!"

Usami nodded as Leprechaun passed her and ran toward Towa. The rabbit scuttled toward Highwayman and Razor to inform them of the plan. As soon as he was close enough, Makoto shouted to get Towa's attention.

"Hey! Towa!" he hollered, "KOUHA!"

"AAGH! MY EYES!" Towa recoiled, clutching his face as Mickey shot two blasts of spinning light straight into his retinas! Seizing the opportunity before he could miss it, Leprechaun rushed full speed towards his allies, and all four of them ducked out of sight before Towa could recover!

"Wh-What the-!?" he thundered after rubbing his eyes, "WHERE DID YOU GO!?"

Being careful so that he couldn't sniff them out, the thieves hid behind a statue in the treasure hall and huddled together to discuss quietly.

"Ok...We need a plan..." Razor stated upfront, "and I don't mean some BS strategy that we pulled out our ass. I mean an ACTUAL plan!"

"Agreed...Usami, how are you doing energy-wise?" Leprechaun made note of Usami's panting. Though she was sweating and out of breath, Usami shook herself awake.

"I...I'm not out yet...But it's true that I'm running low on energy after battling and healing so much," she confessed, "how about Seiko Kimura's medicine?"

"Only two left..." Makoto checked his pocket, "here...Have one of them."

"So...What do we do? I can buff us up all we want, but it's not gonna be enough to take this guy down. I'll run out of energy before then." Highwayman said.

Usami took the medicine and chugged it like a baby with a bottle. She discarded the empty glass and pointed upwards towards the ceiling. The ceiling of the treasure hall was shining gold, with skylights and expensive, glittery chandeliers.

"Remember, we're not here to fight Towa in the first place. Our goal is to steal the treasure," she said, "if someone gets up to the chandeliers above us, they might be able to swoop down and grab the badge off of Towa's hat. The Palace rulers deride power from the treasure, so if we can get it out of Towa's hands..."

"We might have a shot!" Leprechaun realized.

"Um...That sounds great and all, but how are we gonna get up there if we have to go through...

Towa suddenly roared, and his voice caused a shockwave of sound that forced the thieves to cover their ears.

"...that..." Highwayman finished.

"Our only option is to send one person to do the deed," Usami explained, "the rest of us will need to attack Towa and keep him busy for us to even have a chance."

"Then leave that part to me...!" Razor chimed in, "Towa's already got me down and out, and my strength will have recovered by the time I get up there."

"Are you sure Fukawa-san?" Makoto whispered. Toko nodded.

"You're gonna need Highwayman's buffs and Usami's heals," she reminded him, "if the plan is to just keep him busy, you can lose a little bit of damage, right?"

"When you put it like that, alright," Leprechaun smiled and nodded, "we'll leave it to you."

Highwayman reached over and took her hand, staring into her eyes with a look of confidence.

"You can do this," she smiled, "I know you can."

Toko was surprised, but also touched by this gesture. She grinned confidently back.

"Leave it to me...!" she said.

"WHERE ARE YOU, YOU LITTLE SHIT-STIRRERS!?" Towa shrieked, "I AIN'T DONE WITH YOU YET!"

"Cool your jets, big guy!" Makoto called out, "we're right here!"

Towa spun himself around to see the figures of Leprechaun, Highwayman, and Usami standing up straight, squaring him down with stern expressions. Towa laughed in his deep, distorted voice as he crawled towards them.

At the same time, though he was unaware of it, Razor snuck up behind and started to climb up one of the statues, attempting to get to the chandelier above. Fortunately, the statue was tall enough to reach the ceiling, but unfortunately, with its weird shape, it was gonna take some effort to climb up.

She could only hope her teammates could keep Towa busy for long enough.

"So, you finally decided to come out of hiding, huh?" the monstrous warden growled, "hm? Is there one less of you? Where did the one with the sharp mask go?"

"Who knows?" Highwayman shrugged, "probably got scared and ran away like a coward, thinking you might lick her again!"

Highwayman had to stifle a laugh, as she noticed Razor behind Towa glare at her and draw a line across her neck with her thumb. Thankfully, Towa didn't seem to notice.

"Don't get cocky though!" Usami declared, "the three of us are more than a match for scum like you!"

"You're the ones who shouldn't get cocky!" Towa roared, whipping his long tongue at them. The three Phantom Thieves jumped over the attack before Towa could grab them and sap their energy. Simultaneously, they all summoned their Personas!

"Parker! Garu!" cried Highwayman!

"Mr.A! Psi!" hollered Monomi!

"Mickey! Kouha!" shouted Leprechaun.

All three attacks smashed into Towa! A blast of wind, followed by a boom of psychic energy, finished with a bullet of light!

"Mister Towaaa~!" the girls all squealed as he got hit. With a grin on his face, Towa once again reached out to another one of the girls and swallowed her. He immediately perked up, once again healed of all damage!

"Dammit! We're not gonna keep this up if he can just regenerate like that!" Highwayman snapped. Usami nodded.

"I agree...I don't like it, but I guess there's just one thing for it!" she suddenly rushed forward.

Before Leprechaun could stop her, Usami suddenly leaped in the air towards the girls and pulled out her party popper weapon! She fired it off, and blasted the group of girls backward!

"Hey! Cut that out!" Towa bellowed, "ain't a guy allowed to have a fanclub!?"

"Leprechaun! You shoot too!" Usami called back at him.

Remembering now that he also had a firearm, Leprechaun did as instructed and rushed forward brandishing it! The girls all tried to get away, but he cocked his weapon and aimed!

"What the hell is that!? Where did you get that!?" Towa cried, "don't! No! LEAVE THEM ALONE!"

*BANG!* *BANG!* *BANG!*

With a couple of shots, Makoto and Monomi wiped out the girls, who all disintegrated into black ash, despite Towa's cries of defiance!

Makoto stared down at his revolver, bewildered. Even though he had already gotten used to the Metaverse's quirks, and even though Monomi had explained this beforehand, it was still a sight to behold. That this toy gun was shooting real bullets.

"I told you, did I not?" Monomi smirked, clearly reading his expression, "should he perceive it as a weapon, that's what it will become."

"STOP LECTURING AND WATCH OUT!" Highwayman shrieked, just in time for Leprechaun and Usami to avoid an incoming attack from Towa, who had a face full of malice!

"WHAT HAVE YOU DONE!? I'LL SLAUGHTER YOU, YOU BASTARDS!" he screamed.

Both of them backed up until they were beside Highwayman again, who summoned her Persona and used the same special ability from earlier!

"TARUKAJA!" she asserted, "let's take him out, now!"

"Alright! Thanks!" Makoto felt his body once again glow with power, "MICKEY! KOUHA, FULL POWER!"

"I DON'T THINK SO!" Towa boomed, "TAAAAKEE THIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIISSSS!!"

Nothing could have reasonably prepared the thieves for what came next! Towa suddenly crouched down into a stretching position and opened his horrific mouth; rolling up his long tongue. A light started to glow from within him, and he suddenly fired a gigantic beam of energy at them!

The beam traveled so fast that the team could barely even react to it! Instinctively, Leprechaun and his two allies held up their arms, hoping they might block the blast, but instead, they just went flying backward!

"No...!" Razor, who could do little but watch this spectacle from the top of the statue, exclaimed quietly. When the dust settled, Leprechaun, Highwayman, and Usami were seen flat on their faces. Their clothes and bodies were scorched from the blast, and Towa puffed out his chest and cackled!

"AW! THAT'S ALL!? I WAS EXPECTING MORE!" he clamored, "you're done for, you little rats! I'LL DISINTEGRATE YOU AAAAALLL!"

Barely conscious, the trio lifted their heads in horror, as Towa charged up ANOTHER beam immediately after the first! If he blasted them all again while they were like this, they wouldn't have a snowball's chance in hell at surviving!

"U-Usami...!" Highwayman whimpered, "we...we could use...some support...!"

"I...I'm sorry..." Usami sobbed, "I'm out of energy...I don't think I can heal us anymore...!"

"So...this is it then..." Komaru's eyes were so heavy she couldn't even cry, "well...we had a good run guys..."

Upon hearing these words, Makoto felt his heart sink...

But he also felt his blood boil...

Though his teammates were devoid of energy, and though he was on his last legs as well, Leprechaun forced himself up. He helplessly stared down Towa's energy beam as he prepared to blast it straight at him.

There was absolutely no way he could survive it if it hit him like this...

But he still felt he had to do SOMETHING!

And as this thought occurred to him, however, he suddenly heard a familiar voice within the confines of his mind. Time seemed to slow down from his perception, and the room shifted into a slightly desaturated shade of dark blue.

"So, young man..." the unmistakable voice of the long-nosed Igor echoed in his mind, "even when death is staring you directly in the face, you refuse to submit?"

"Of course not," Makoto responded as easily as he breathed air, "I can still fight...This isn't over yet..."

"Very well...Then you are fit to wield the power you were bestowed with after all..." Igor chuckled, "then go forth, wielder of the Wild Card...The path to graduation is within reach..."

"Wild...Card...?" Makoto asked, but by the time he did, time had resumed and Igor's voice had gone. Now he was back in the present, staring down Towa's horrifying visage.

"SUUFFFEEER!" Towa thundered, firing off his blast, heading straight for him.

"BRROOOTTHEEEEEERRRRR!" Highwayman shrieked hopelessly, as she, Usami and Razor all stared in disbelief...!

The world froze for the thieves at that moment...As they were blinded by the light that was about to envelope Makoto...

But then, all of a sudden, the Lucky Student stomped his foot...and ripped off his mask in an act of brazenness.

"PERSONAAA!" he screamed!

Climactic Reenactment (Vetrom Remix)

From Makoto's figure, a gigantic bolt of lightning, the same kind as Toko's Persona, suddenly fired off straight toward the incoming laser cannon! The two beams clashed, resulting in an explosion that nearly blasted everyone away, including Towa!

The beams dissipated and the light died down, revealing Makoto's figure in full. Though he was still clearly damaged, he stood up straight, and the spectral form of his Persona hovered behind him...

However...this Persona WASN'T Mickey...!

"WH-WHAT THE SHIT!? HOW DID YOU-!?" Towa's unholy eyes widened in terror as Leprechaun stared him down.

"Huh!? W-Wait, that's-!?" Highwayman gasped, "isn't that the Shadow that Leprechaun was talking to earlier!?"

Sure enough, Pixie, the fairy-looking shadow in a blue bodysuit, took Mickey's place by Leprechaun's side. She was quiet, but she had a smug look of approval on her face.

"I-Impossible...Earlier, during our confrontation..." Usami tried to force her mind back to that plan, "did...did he take the Shadow's appearance and powers, and turn it into a Persona!?"

"Is it even possible to wield more than one Persona!?" Komaru asked. Monomi wheeled her head around, her mind going all over the place.

"N-No! Not usually! I've never seen this before!" she panicked, "just...who IS he?"

Leprechaun knew that this would be better to figure out later, turning round and casting his hand towards his allies!

"Pixie!" he raised his voice, "Dia on both of them!"

Komaru and Monomi were pleasantly surprised as they felt strength return to their body. Makoto's new Persona had used the same healing spell that Monomi had in her arsenal! They lifted themselves up, as Makoto took the last vial of Seiko's medicine and downed it, tossing the bottle to the side!

"No...NO, NO NOOOO!" Towa screamed, "I AM THE WARDEN! ME! I WILL NOT BE DEFEATED BY A PACK OF IDIOT CHILDREN!"

"Guys?" Makoto turned confidently, Pixie by his side, "let's put this sick dog down!"

He raised a pair of fists and received some bumps from his companions, and all three of them, full of power now, rushed towards the foe!

It was now only a matter of wearing Towa down until Razor had the perfect opportunity to steal the badge! She had successfully made her way to the top of the chandelier and waved to let her team know she was ready to pounce! Usami charged forward first, leaping up toward the giant's face!

"LUCKY PUNCH!" she cried!

Summoning Mr. A, the Persona reeled back and punched Towa in the face with an expanded fist. Usami clearly got him good with this attack, as he toppled backward and screamed at the sky!

"Alright! Passing the Baton!" the rabbit scuttled back and hi-fived both Highwayman and Leprechaun on her way, "go for it, young one's!"

Both Naegi siblings nodded back at her and leaped up towards Towa, both pointing at the creature!

"DOUBLE SNAP!" they cried at the same time. Komaru summoned Parker, and Makoto once again summoned Mickey, both of them blasting Towa in the face with their respective gun attacks!

"Wait, you can still use your other one!?" Komaru exclaimed as they slid back across the ground, "so you really do have more than one!?"

"Who'd have figured, huh?" Makoto couldn't help but wink, "speaking of which...! ZIO!"

As Towa tried to recover and attack again, Makoto halted him by knocking him back with a bolt of lightning after he once again summoned Pixie!

"RAZOR! DO IT NOW!" he shouted, and just as Towa realized what was going on...it was too late!

"LOOK OUT BELOW!" Toko cried out playfully, summoning her Persona and having Barrow use one of its blade arms to slice right through the chains of the chandelier! It gave away, and both the lighting and the thief that stood on them crashed down onto Shadow Towa's head, who cried out in pain!

The impact knocked Towa's hat off of his head and before he had a chance to recover it, Razor swiped it and shoved it down towards the team! As she drew closer, the hat shrank back down to its smaller size, and the badge along with it. Towa turned back with a look of dismay and panic on his hideous visage!

"NOOOOO!" he roared, "give that back! THAT'S MY TREASURE, YOU INSECTS!"

"Well, it's ours now!" Highwayman scoffed, "face it Towa! You got...STUNG!"

"I've had enough of this dude! Let's take him out while we have the chance!" Razor summoned her Persona yet again,

"ZIO!"

"GARU!"

"PSI!"

"KOUHA!"

Towa shrieked in agony as an array of wind, lightning, psychic energy, and light blasted him from all angles! He collapsed onto the floor, on his last legs, surrounded by the thieves that he had previously brought to his mercy!

But in true Makoto Naegi fashion, they had turned the situation around!

"Checkmate!" Makoto pointed his gun at Towa, "All-Out Attack everyone!"

At his command, the thieves lurched into the air and swarmed Towa with sporadic attacks, ripping him to shreds!

The last thing the monster saw as he lifted his head was Leprechaun's silhouette above him, aiming down at him with a pistol in hand...!

"BEGONE!" he shouted as he pulled the trigger...

And that bullet...was the final nail in Towa's coffin...

The Phantom Thieves watched as Towa's gigantic monstrous form started to shrink, and within a few seconds, he was back to his normal size and appearance.

Or rather, back to his ordinary Shadow appearance. The only thing he was devoid of now was his hat and badge.

He looked up in terror at the thieves around him, who all glared at him with eyes of vengeance! His own eyes then fell upon the hat that Toko had knocked off his head earlier, and with everything to lose, he scrambled to his feet and dived to grab it!

"Hey! Someone grab him before he gets away!" Razor cried out as Towa grabbed the hat and tried to make a run for it! Highwayman and Leprechaun responded by casting out their lasso and grappling hook respectively toward the twisted warden!

They snared Towa by the legs and yanked him back, who kept a tight hold of the cap the whole time! Leprechaun grabbed Towa and threw him against the wall! The thieves then surrounded him, blocking any chance of escape he had left.

"We won't try to hurt you any more than we have, but we will if we have to," Razor threatened, grabbing her taser and pointing it at him, "hand us the treasure...Final warning...!"

Towa's grip tightened on his cap, and he cowered under the threatening figures in front of him, like a timid animal that had been cornered by a pack of angry wolves.

"You wanna know something funny?" Highwayman spat, "the way you are now must be exactly how Kotoko and the others felt when they were forced to deal with you and their parents...You're now seeing the exact same view they were forced to put up with every...single...day...Cornered, with nowhere to run and no one to talk to...!"

She leaned in menacingly.

"So...how does it feel?" she asked.

"This...This isn't my fault...!" Towa whimpered, "I had a legacy that I needed to protect! This was the only way I could appease everyone! My father and his colleagues and associates!"

His expression shifted into a glare.

"Y-You kids all know how it feels! You're always trying to live up to others' expectations!" he snapped, "especially you, normie! Don't you ever feel like you want to rise above everyone else to prove to them that you really do have what it takes!?"

*SLAM!*

Towa squealed as Komaru kicked the wall next to him with her spurred boots, her face gone red with rage!

"That doesn't mean you can just manipulate and take advantage of people!" she snapped, "DON'T YOU DARE COMPARE ME TO YOU!"

"I...I'm sorry...!" Towa begged, "I just...I thought you would understand!"

"Persona!" Komaru cried out, swiping across her face and summoning her Persona. Parker's arm shifted into its gatling gun, aiming its line of fire straight at Towa!

"Woah-WOAH! Highwayman, chill!" Makoto panicked, quickly grabbing her shoulder. Komaru simply shook him off and glared at the whelp of a man in front of her.

"I have never had the urge to kill anyone before now..." Komaru admitted, "but right now, I'm so angry that I could rip you to pieces without even blinking...! You wanna test me? Go ahead...!"

"NO! PLEASE! DON'T DO THIS!" Towa screamed and cried like a child. Komaru enraged, cast her hand towards him!

"TRIPLE DOWN!" she commanded, getting Parker to rapid-fire bullets at him!

"OMARU DON'T-!" Toko cried, attempting to stop Komaru from her tirade! Fortunately, Parker's bullets all landed on the wall next to Towa's Shadow, who just squirmed there, paralyzed with fear!

"Monaca probably thought the same thing you know? When you beat her, she probably begged you to forgive her, even though she did nothing wrong!" Komaru spat, "but you went so far as to paralyze her, just because you were so afraid of her, and wanted to protect your STUPID EGO!"

Towa seemed to have a moment of clarity as he stared up at Komaru. He stopped screaming, and looked down at his open hands, tears streaming down his face.

"You know what? M-Maybe you're right..." he admitted, "it...I knew it was all horrible...but I still relished in it despite that...I guess in truth, I never had what it took to be a leader..."

"Well...At least you realize that now..." Makoto sighed.

Shadow Towa lifted his head and stared at the thieves, remorse in his malicious, yellow eyes.

"If you wanna finish me off...then go ahead...Since you defeated me, you've earned that right..."

"Don't be stupid..." Komaru scowled, her eyes also containing a hint of sadness and regret as her mask flamed back onto her face, "if I killed you here, we wouldn't be able to prove your crimes or save Monaca and Kotoko...That's all that matters to me."

"Highwayman..." Usami smiled, "I'm so proud of you..."

"You...You're sparing me...!?" Towa's eyes sparkled, "th-thank you!"

"Don't thank us yet. We're not finished with you," Makoto threatened, "you will confess your sins, as well as the sins of your peers, and you will all spend a long time atoning for them until you all have endured just as much pain and suffering as your children, and whatever other victims you may have!"

Towa paused, registering these words, then curled into a ball and bowed in front of his foes, as if seeking mercy. His body started to glow with a bright, golden light, and he started to fade into thin air.

"Yes...I will do just that," he said, "you have no right or reason to believe my words, but I will return to myself in the real world and atone...I...I promise...!"

And just like that...Towa's Shadow vanished without a trace...The only thing that remained of him was his hat, with the treasure still on it.

Komaru reached down and grabbed the hat, plucking the treasure off it and holding it in the palm of her hand.

"Welp..." Toko sighed, "at least we won't have to struggle carrying it out of here anymore..."

"Good thing too!" Monomi nodded, "do you kids all hear that?"

The thieves stood in silence at these words, and all of a sudden, they heard what Monomi was referring to.

The noise of crumbling, getting louder and louder.

This was then followed by a yelp of surprise, as a piece of the ceiling gave way and smashed right next to Toko's feet, which caused her to recoil in shock.

"H-Hey!? What's going on!?" Makoto exclaimed, "i-isn't this bad!?"

"This is just about what I expected to happen," Monomi frowned with determination, "with the Palace Ruler now being gone, there's nothing keeping this place stable. Within a few moments, it will collapse, and it'll take us down with it if we don't get a move on!"

"Shit!" Toko exclaimed, "come on! We've gotta go or we're dead meat!"

Monomi took the lead, and Makoto and Toko tried to chase after her, but before they could, they all stopped upon seeing Komaru stay frozen in place. She looked down at the treasure, with sadness in her eyes.

Clearly, she was reflecting upon Shadow Towa's final words, as well as everything else she had been through in the last few days. But she snapped out of it as her brother patted her on the shoulder and got her attention.

"Come on sis," he smiled at her reassuringly, "let's go save those kids...!"

Komaru smiled back, then after shaking off the last of her doubts, she and her allies broke out into a mad dash to escape the crumbling prison.

[THE NEXT DAY...]

It was the day of the opening ceremony for Hope's Peak Academy's Elementary School division, and the building along with it. Every class at Hope's Peak Academy had been gathered out the front of the new building, and the academy had even invited members of the general public, as well as all the people who had helped fund the establishment to the ceremony. Even the Reserve Course students were required to attend.

But things had been tense at the school all morning, especially for Junko Enoshima and the 78th Class. By this point in time, all of them had become aware of what the situation with the children was, and yet none of them were able to stop it when Sakakura and Munakata charged into the nurses' office to retrieve the kids and take them back to their parents.

All 5 kids stood next to their parents that had shown up, gathered underneath the big stage where Jin Kirigiri and Tokuichi Towa stood, preparing to make a speech to the crowd. All of them looked very upset and nervous.

"So, we're thinkin' that those parents are the ones who're hurtin' those kids, right?" Mondo asked, "and there ain't anything we can do?"

"If you try and attack them you will get arrested and expelled, no question," Sakura told him, "we don't even have enough proof to make a case."

"And even if we did, we'd need an experienced enough lawyer," Chihiro added, "and on top of even that, the Steering Committee are so serious about this school, they won't let anyone touch a hair on Towa Corp's head any time soon."

"So what, we just sit back and do nothing?" Leon spat, "I dunno...That leaves a bad taste in my mouth."

"Agreed," Sakura said, "it disturbs me how little they've done to address the incident, even though the media is aware of it. No doubt many people on campus today are aiming to get to the bottom of that situation for a paper story..."

Junko's heart was weighing heavily on her, as she and little Monaca stared back at one another with the same expression of sadness and concern in their eyes. There had to be SOMETHING she could do, but now that Towa Corp was already here, the situation seemed all for naught by now.

"Now that I think about it though," Sayaka piped up, "isn't there someone missing?"

"Towa himself is not here today, due to some unreported incident that he's caught up with," Celeste explained, "Tokuichi Towa, the current CEO, is filling in for him today."

"Not what I meant," the Pop Star replied, "I knew that. I mean our classmates don't seem to all be here. I think we're missing a few."

"Indeed...Both Naegi and Fukawa are nowhere to be seen." Byakuya pointed out. Taka put his hands on his hips and tapped his foot.

"They have a lot of nerve being late on today of all days," he grumbled, "what could be keeping them?"

No sooner did he ask this though, both Makoto and Toko suddenly hurried up to their class and joined the group. They both took a moment to catch their breaths, then looked up at their classmates and smiled.

"S-Sorry about that!" Makoto panted, "didn't mean to be so late."

"Naegi-kun, Toko-chan, where were you!?" Hina exclaimed, "we were worried!"

"S-Sorry," Toko stammered, "we got caught up with something, but we're here now."

"Ugh...be lucky, I'm not the one in charge of keeping attendance," Taka glowered, "I would have marked you both with a big red X and given you a real stern talking to! Right now though, I have other things on my mind..."

"Yes, I'm sure they're fully aware of your system, Ishimaru-kun," Celeste sighed, "but I'm glad you two were at least able to join us..."

"Sooo..." Toko led on, "where's Haiji Towa? Wasn't he supposed to be doing the speech today?"

"Apparently, he couldn't show up," Hifumi explained, "Mr. Towa has called in sick, so Mr. Towa...uh, the OLDER Mr. Towa has shown instead. And all his business partners that have kids that go to the school are here as well."

"I see," Makoto smiled, "even Utsugi, huh?"

Makoto raised his head to look back at the crowd of members of the General Public, and right at the front, he could see his sister and his parents. Komaru gave Makoto a knowing nod, and he gave one right back.

Makoto turned around and walked up next to Junko, who looked at him with a confused expression.

"How'd things go with the steering committee?" he asked her openly. Junko sighed and shook her head.

"Not good," she replied bluntly, "and to be honest, since I put us in deep water with Haiji Towa, you might find MiB's knocking on your door demanding a debt payment in a few days."

"I don't know about that," Makoto shrugged, "maybe he had a change of heart by now?"

"Don't be stupid!" Junko snapped, "a person's mental state doesn't change that easily!"

However, she suddenly noticed that Makoto was staring up at the stage, unafraid and unbothered, with a big smile on his face. She tapped his shoulder to get his attention.

"You seem pretty happy for someone whose life is about to get a lot more difficult..." she pointed out, "why are you smiling...Are you...up to something?"

"No, nothing like that," Makoto told her, "I...I have hope. That's all."

"What are you talking about? ...Hope, huh?" Junko scoffed and crossed her arms, glaring at Tokuichi Towa as he took center stage with Jin Kirigiri.

"Thank you all for coming today," the principal smiled at the crowd below, looking over towards his class where his daughter stood, "I would like to begin this ceremony by addressing many concerns on behalf of the academy staff, relating to an incident that was featured on the press a few days ago. The academy is investigating the cause of said incident, and will release a statement once that has been completed."

*Bullshit...* Komaru thought to herself, *they know damn well the reason why they tried to jump, but they don't care...! They just need time to spit out a lie to the public!*

"What matters, however, is that no one was killed or injured in the incident, and the ceremony for the opening of the Elementary Division can continue. Not only that, but Hope's Peak Academy will continue to foster the lives of the most talented our world has to offer, no matter what it takes. So, without further ado, I would like to present today's spokesperson, Mr Tokuichi Towa!"

There was a small round of applause as Tokuichi Towa took the stage, already possessing his own microphone.

"I would like to start by thanking Hope's Peak Academy very much for welcoming us to their school, and I do hope that we can provide support for many collaborations to come in the future, no matter how far that may be," he began, "and I would also like to apologize on behalf of our company today, as my son Haiji, who was originally supposed to be giving this speech, took ill this morning."

"Hmph...we'll see..." Toko smirked, hiding her smile from everyone else. However, secretly, she was very nervous.

"These last couple of days have been a lot of pressure, and clearly, just starting out as our new company head, he needs some time to readjust," Tokuichi spoon-fed the presses his own take, "you must understand how it feels to be confused and nervous at times, but it's precisely during these times that you need to remain calm and focus on living your lives. So, I would like to-"

"Hey!" someone from the crowd exclaimed, "i-isn't that Mr Haiji Towa there!?"

Everyone; the students, the staff, the GP, the parents, the children, and the CEO and Headmaster as well; froze when this random reporter raised their voice. Everyone's attention shifted over to the side, where sure enough, Haiji Towa himself walked over to the stage, escorted by two MiBs from Towa Corp. The entire time, he hung his head, with a miserable expression on his face.

There was an uproar of bustle from all parties in the crowd, and while he looked confused at first, Tokuichi Towa's concerned expression quickly shifted into a calmer one, as he started a round of applause when Haiji stepped up onto the stage. Jin Kirigiri walked over and handed Haiji his microphone, which he was swiftly thanked for. Haiji then took center stage and stared at the crowd, his expression unchanged from the look of dismay and concern that he had arrived with. Murmurs of confusion washed throughout the crowd, and only afterward when it died down, did Tokuichi step forward again.

"Alright, forget what I just said," Tokuichi joked, which earned him a couple of giggles from the now quiet crowd, "Ladies and gentlemen, let me introduce you to the man who should ACTUALLY be giving today's speech. My son, and the heir to our fine company, Mr Haiji Tow-"

"I am NOT the heir to the company..."

Goodbye Despair High School - Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc

Haiji suddenly spoke into his microphone, and instantly cut his father off. Tokuichi looked at his eldest with an expression that was a mix between offended, confused...and panicked...!

"M-Mr Towa?" Jin tried to check if he was alright, but instead, was caught by surprise as Haiji inhaled a deep breath and continued his speech.

"I have just told you all a truth that has been covered up by my company for a while now...I am not the true heir to our proud company," he repeated, "that right...goes to Monaca Towa...My younger half-sister and the Lil' Ultimate Homeroom."

There was an uproar almost immediately! The students were shocked, and instantly started nattering amongst each other! The public visitors did the same, all shooting each other surprised looks! The Elementary children, Monaca especially, looked up at Haiji in surprise, while Tokuichi, Utsugi, and the other parents all stared at him with complete and utter HORROR!

"Wait...Monaca-chan is Towa's SISTER!?" Leon gasped, "but...I thought Towa was an only child!?"

"She must be an illegitimate child...!" Mukuro chimed in, "Towa certainly seems like the type to get around. And the existence of such in this line of business would mean a big scandal..."

"And Haiji just...straight up TOLD everyone that? In front of a crowd as big as this with so many news reporters!?" Chihiro exclaimed.

"B-Big Bro?" Monaca tilted her head.

"Haiji!?" Tokuichi frenzied, "wh-what the hell are you DOING!?"

"Something I should have done a LONG time ago..." Haiji spat, "I'm going to confess our sins...Every single one of them..."

There was no sign of the reporters, photographers, and the crowd in general calming down, so Haiji simply raised his voice and continued speaking.

"She was borne out of wedlock from one of my father's lovers, and we were forced to raise her in our home. However, she exhibited many traits of pure genius for someone her age, surpassing both me and my father in such a way that our board who knew of her considered passing her up as the heir instead of me," he explained, "and she more than deserves that right. I, on the other hand, have committed many acts that are unbecoming...not just as a CEO, but as a human being in general...Including, but not limited to, verbal and physical abuse...as well as sexual confrontation with minors..."

"Did...Did he just say that he had sexual confrontations with children...!?" a girl from the Reserve Course gasped.

"Wait...does that include...!?" another boy asked. He was swiftly cut off by Towa himself.

"I know what you are all thinking...And the answer is yes...Not only did I commit all of these crimes upon the Hope's Peak Elementary Children themselves...but it was done with their parents' express permission..." Haiji's eyes looked down, sadly and pathetically, "in fact, it was part of our business transactions together...and it was not just me...Abuse, prostitution, and neglect are all things that these children have suffered at the hands of myself, my company, and their parents as well..."

"You...YOU IDIOT!" Junya Utsugi, blue in the face, grabbed Haiji's leg as if trying to pull him off the stage, "WHAT ARE YOU DOING!?"

"Mr Utsugi looks panicked...!" Sonia Nevermind from Class 77 exclaimed, "c-could it be that what Towa-san is saying...?"

"Looks like it's all true...What sick bastards...!" Fuyuhiko Kuzuryu growled, "he prostituted his own kid!? Who does that!?"

"We...We gotta go...!" Daimon grabbed his son's arm, and frantically looked around for an escape, but realized there was no way he could go where he couldn't be followed. Masaru started to struggle as his father squeezed his arm.

"Ngh...D-Dad...!" he whined, "y-you're hurting me...!"

"Shut it, you brat!" Daimon spat, "this is your fault, I KNOW IT IS!"

Daimon made the most critical mistake of his life at this moment...Instinctively, panicking and having no out, he whacked his son right over the head...in front of hundreds of people! There was an uproar of complaints and fury, and all he could do was stare back, hopelessly!

"What are you DOING Hope's Peak! That man just hit his own child!" someone from the GP crowd shouted, "arrest him already!"

"Yeah, somebody call the police!" someone next to him shouted.

Daimon instinctively decided to throw caution to the wind and make a run for it, but luckily, he was stopped in his tracks by Juzo Sakakura, who thankfully, decided to answer the public's wishes. Daimon threw a punch, but Sakakura hit him dead in the face right back, knocking him out for the count in a single hit! This act caused a small cheer in the crowd, but the panicked and confused murmurs still overshadowed it.

"This whole t-time..." Haiji began to cry, clutching onto his microphone with shaking hands, "the Hope's Peak Elementary School was a ploy by Towa Corp and our supporters to be rid of our children for good...or to force them into other lives...or to get them jobs that would give us money...Thus, I ended up seeing the place as a prison for the monsters that I believed they were...And I'm sure it goes without saying at this point, but...I am the reason why Monaca-chan is paralyzed...And the reason why the kids tried to jump off the school roof...? That was us...!"

"Disgusting!" Mahiru Koizumi from Class 77 glowered, "how could all of them be so gross and unruly!?"

"And to think, they did all of this to people so young..." Seiko Kimura frowned "they could have long-lasting medical conditions because of what they've done..."

"There were always rumors..." Korekiyo Shinguji from the first-year group spoke up, "but I did not believe they were true...How deplorable..."

"HAIJIIIIII!" Tokuichi knew there was no way out of it, as Juzo's actions had now meant the rest of the security department surrounded him, the parents, and any one of their allies from any chance of escape. Haiji himself collapsed onto his knees and seemed to bow to the crowd.

"I...have put innocent youths through horrible acts that they didn't deserve..." he sobbed, "I am arrogant and thoughtless and I should be ashamed of myself! If I must pay with my life for the horrible things I have done to not just these children, but many people, old and young, like them, then I WILL DO SO!"

"H-H-Hold up...!?" Kazuichi Soda from Class 77 panicked, "did he just say he was gonna pay with his life...!?"

"You don't think he's gonna kill himself, do you!?" Kaito Momota from the first years raised his voice.

"M-Mr Towa!" Jin exclaimed, "p-please, you must calm down!"

"DON'T YOU DARE RUN, YOU ASSHOLE!"

The crowd was silenced, as this piercing shriek from the further crowd silenced everyone and everything. Everyone turned their shocked heads to see an ordinary high school girl standing on her seat and glaring Towa down, megaphone in hand!

"K-Komaru!" Makoto's Dad tried to pull her back down to no avail, "p-please, don't-!?"

"Those kids, who tried to jump...and all your other supposed victims...!" Komaru continued, ignoring her father's pleas, "despite everything you've done, they're still going! Living lives full of regrets because of you, but they're still living! If you were really serious about atoning for your crimes, you wouldn't run away to the afterlife where no one can touch you anymore! YOU DON'T HAVE THE RIGHT!"

"Hey...Makoto-kun...Isn't that your sister!?" Sayaka asked, the rest of his class turning towards him with surprise. Makoto could only respond by nodding with a face full of pride.

"Yep," he smirked, "THAT'S my sister...!"

"You...Yeah...You're absolutely correct...!" Haiji suddenly stood up again, the crowd and onlookers instantly turning their attention back to him as he addressed them once more "she is completely right. I must accept my punishment and atone for my sins! Though I do not speak for my associates, I will turn myself in post-haste! Will someone please call the police!?"

"The police...!?" Mondo Owada's mouth dropped open from everything that had just occurred, "i-is he for real...!?"

"Grrr! A-Apologies for this, but the ceremony is over!" Jin Kirigiri announced in a panic, "p-please, make your exit down the path behind you! Students of Hope's Peak, return to your dorms, immediately!"

There were angered and desperate cries of things like "hell naw, we ain't done yet!" and all Makoto Naegi could do was stare back at the stage.

"No...no...noo...!" Junya Utsugi clutched his head, "it can't be...It can't end like this...!"

"Junya...Don't be so pathetic..." Kemuri, for her part, seemed rather relaxed, "I suppose...it was entertaining while it lasted."

She suddenly looked down at both her son and Utsugi's daughter.

"Wherever you two end up...I hope you're happy..." she said quietly, "and I'm sorry...That's all I can really say to you."

Even though this apology was very half-assed, it was the best that Kemuri could muster. Hope's Peak's security rounded up her, Utsugi, Shingestu, Daimon and both Towa's and "escorted" them away.

"Y-You can't DO THIS TO ME!" Tokuichi screamed, "I AM TOWA! I'LL RUIN ALL YOUR LIVES! ALL YOUR LIVES! AAAALLLL YOOOOUUURRR LIIIIVVVESSS!!!"

Yukizome at the same time, rounded up the children and gathered them together. Her face looked shocked but also relieved to know that change was coming. However, what drew Makoto's attention was Junko Enoshima's bewildered expression. She looked back at him with shock.

"What did...H-How did you...?" she asked. Makoto shook his head.

"I didn't do anything," he said, "I just somehow knew that what was written on that calling card yesterday would come true somehow. It's all about having a little faith."

"Oh, right! That calling card!" Chihiro suddenly remembered, "everything happened just like it said!"

"Does this mean that Phantom Thieves thing was real!?" Leon exclaimed.

"Something must have been done to Mr. Towa for him to suddenly confess all of this out of the blue," Mukuro frowned, "that is for certain."

"Don't be naïve," Byakuya snarled, "there is no such thing as "stealing a person's distortion!" It's impossible!"

"But why else would he start by saying things like he would atone with his life or turn himself in?" Celeste inquired.

"Maybe it's because it got leaked!" Hina pumped her arms, "isn't that a thing in crime and punishment where if you turn yourself in you get less harsh treatment?"

"What could have possibly happened?" Sayaka inquired.

"Who knows?" Toko snidely turned her eyes away, "but man...Towa t-turned out to be one sick motherfucker, huh?"

"As did the rest of his group..." Sakura added.

"Did none of you hear a word of what the headmaster just said!?" Taka bellowed, "we must return to our dorms at once!"

"Alright, alright, we get it!" Leon rolled his eyes, "sheesh man!"

It took several hours for the hustle and bustle to die down. The police that was called in to question Towa ended up having to help Hope's Peak's security to push all the reporters and paparazzi off campus.

Makoto and his classmates were forced to return to the dorm rooms, and after a few hours passed, Makoto lay on his bed, texting on his phone.

Ever since Komaru awakened to her Persona, the group had subtly created a group chat with just the three of them in it, so they could privately discuss their plans. Now, they were simply enjoying some down time and discussing the events from earlier over text.

----------------------------------------------

Naegi's/Fukawa Group

Makoto: [You doing ok Komaru?]

Komaru: [Yeah. Just got home. Traffic was awful on the way back]

Toko: [I can only imagine.]

Toko: [The police had to section off a lot of roads as part of the Academy roadblock after all.]

Komaru: [How are things over there?]

Makoto: [Towa and his cronies all got escorted off camp by the police]

Makoto: [As for the kids, they're staying over in the Elementary School building, being looked after by Miss Yukizome]

Makoto: [We might end up getting the news about it tomorrow, but word is that all 6 of them, including Tokuichi Towa, have been arrested]

Komaru: [I'm just amazed...His heart really did change!]

Toko: [And to top it all off, he didn't end up having one of those "mental shutdown" things that Monomi mentioned!]

Makoto: [Yeah, I'm really glad!]

Komaru: [Oh yeah, speaking of which, where is Monomi right now?]

Makoto: [She was in my bag during the ceremony, now she's just sitting here with me.]

Toko: [Did you give her her present yet?]

Makoto: [Not yet]

----------------------------------------------

"Present!?" Monomi's bunny ears perked up, "you bought me a present!?"

"Quiet down, I'll get to that in a bit," Makoto laughed, "anyway, I bet you're also glad that Towa didn't die, right?"

"Yes...Now I know for sure," Monomi nodded, "if we get the Shadow to return to the original person without killing it, it prevents the mental shutdown. Even after everything, that's the one thing I know for sure!"

Makoto nodded and returned to his chatroom.

----------------------------------------------

Toko: [Still though...I'm left wondering if all of this was for the best...]

Makoto: [I think so...Why do you ask?]

Toko: [I have no idea. Things are just happening very fast for my liking.]

Komaru: [I know what you mean...]

Komaru: [Still though, I have good news!]

Makoto: [Oh yeah?]

Komaru: [Hope's Peak Academy have announced to the public that they're looking to scrap the Elementary School plans]

Komaru: [Even though the staff and Steering Committee really wanted it to follow through, they can't just ignore total public opinion]

Toko: [Even if they could, the misdeeds of Towa Corp reached the governments' ears, and I think they may threaten to cut Hope's Peak's academic funding if they persist with putting their budget into the project run by a bunch of pedophiles and abusers.]

Komaru: [True, but then there's the REAL good news!]

Komaru: [They stated that they're putting the kids up for adoption, and in the meantime, they're going to ask the families of the students if they could foster them for a while.]

Makoto: [Oh yeah! I heard about that!]

Komaru: [Sooooooo...Makootoooo?]

Makoto: [Yeeaaaaaasss?]

Komaru: [CAN WE PLEASE FOSTER KOTOKO-CHAN, PLZPLZPLZPLZPLZPLZ!?]

Makoto: [Hold your horses, Highwayman. That's something to ask Mom and Dad]

Makoto: [And it hasn't been made official yet, so don't jump the gun.]

Komaru: [AWWWW Fiiiiiine...!]

Toko: [You really want this, huh?]

Komaru: [I know it sounds stupid since we've only met once...]

Komaru: [But I feel like I let her down. And I want to fix things]

Komaru: [If she'll let me]

Makoto: [I'm sure she will man]

Makoto: [I'm sure she will]

Komaru: [Alright it's late, so I think I'm gonna hit the hay]

Komaru: [Exploring the Palace really sucked the energy out of me, I'm still tired even now]

Toko: [Yeah, same here.]

Toko: [But hey...I know I don't usually say this a lot, but do you guys maybe want to meet up somewhere tomorrow?]

Toko: [To grab dinner and celebrate our victory?]

Toko: [Just the three of us.]

Toko: [*Four of us. Sorry Monomi, you can come too.]

Komaru: [That sounds awesome! We can blow our spoils on a big meal!]

Makoto: [I like the sound of that!]

Makoto: [For now though, good night girls]

Komaru: [Nighty night yall!]

----------------------------------------------

Makoto lay down on his bed calmly, a feeling of relief and satisfaction washing over him, knowing that the crooks had been put away and that Hope's Peak Academy was safe.

Though the academy didn't matter too much. Makoto was just glad that the kids at the Elementary School could have their own futures.

"Oh! That's right!" Makoto suddenly sat up, "I needed to show you something Monomi."

"Is this the present that Toko mentioned?" her ears perked up again.

Makoto nodded, then walked over to the corner of his dorm room. He reached down and picked up a large box, opening it up, and placing its contents on the table in the center of his room. It was a small, homely cage for small pets.

"You said you were planning on staying in this world for a little bit, right?" Makoto asked, "after we pawned off the treasure for some cash, we split the money between us equally. Since you can't really use it, I decided to use some of my cut to buy this. Now you have a place to stay."

He scratched his face awkwardly.

"Oh but uh...sorry if it feels like I'm treating you as a pet. I meant no offense."

"No, no, dear boy, it's wonderful!" Monomi hopped onto the table, and Makoto let her into the cage. Monomi very quickly started to investigate the quirks of her new home, including the water, food bowl, and a little hidey-hole for her to sleep at night.

"Oh, it's wonderful!" she squeaked, "I can most certainly get used to this!"

"It's the least I owe you," Makoto admitted, "whether you feel like it or not, we would have been lost without your guidance. So...thanks."

"If anyone should be proud, it's me!" Monomi left the cage and looked up at him with her beady. bunny eyes, which despite that description, warmed Makoto, "the more I think about it, the more the code name Leprechaun really suits you!"

"You uh...really think so?" Makoto blushed. Monomi nodded.

"Like Toko said, you're unpredictable and tricky, and you proved to be the ace up our sleeve with that new power of yours," she reminded him "that said, you are still young. If you want to be a real Phantom Thief, then I suppose it falls to me to guide you, and your friends."

"Thank you...I look forward to it." Makoto bowed, "and if that's how you really feel about the code name, then I guess I have no choice but to stick with it!"

And with this, Makoto once again heard the familiar voice in his head...As a new contract was established.

I am thou...Thou art I...Thy hast acquired a new vow.

It shall become the wings of rebellion that breaketh thy chains of captivity.

With the birth of the Magician Persona, I have obtained the winds of blessing that shall lead to freedom and new power...

"Naegi-kun? Who are you talking to?"

Makoto almost fell over in surprise as he heard a sound from his doorway. He looked up in a panic to see his classmate, Kyoko Kirigiri, staring at him.

"K-Kiri-san!?" he cried, trying his hardest to act casual, "I didn't hear you come in! Did...did I leave my door open?"

"You were careless," she stated bluntly, "with everything that's going on, you should be more mindful of your surroundings."

"Oh come on, it's not like anyone's gonna sneak into my room and kill me in my sleep," Makoto told her, "that aside, I imagine you've been working with the police to get this incident resolved, huh?"

"Yes...and it's piled on even more work on top of my already busy schedule," the detective sighed, "that aside...is that a rabbit?"

"Huh!? Oh uh...yeah..." Makoto tensed, "I uh...I found a stray on campus and decided to take it in..."

"Why not give it to Tanaka-kun?" Kyoko asked.

Makoto couldn't think of a good answer to this, but Monomi for her part, just kept making adorable squeak noises, like she was trying to charm Kyoko into liking her. Kyoko however, shook her head and sighed.

"Fine, I won't complain. So long as it doesn't make too much noise at night and you look after it," she said, "I'll ask the other girls if they have any food for it."

"R-Really!?" Makoto exclaimed, "thanks!"

"Don't mention it," she smiled, "anyways, what's its name?"

"Oh...Her name's Monomi." Makoto told her.

"I see...sit tight, I'll be back soon." the sleuth exaunted. Monomi's rabbit face, despite her limited expressions in this form, seemed to curl into a big smile.

"So many diligent and kind students in these dorms," she said, "yes...I think I'm going to enjoy living here very much!"

Despair Syndrome (1) - Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc

Unbeknownst to Makoto and the other newfound Phantom Thieves however, a group of smartly dressed, very disgruntled-looking businessmen were crowded around a table in a private room, all discussing the events that had happened at the academy in private.

There were four men in total. The first was Tomita, a rotund man with fat lips and short, messy hair from where he had been practically pulling it out from stress.

The second was Wakaba, an elderly man who was definitely the calmest of the four. He had problems with his vision, so he wore a pair of dark glasses on his face.

The third was Ashikawa, the leader of the group; a balding man with a face like thunder.

And the last was Uragami, a tanned man who looked like he had no clue what to say or do in the moment.

These four were the main members of the Hope's Peak Steering Committee, who had gathered to discuss their future plans and reflect on the incident that had occurred today...However, their individual reactions made this somewhat difficult.

"What in the world HAPPENED up there today!?" Ashikawa snarled, "it was a complete disaster!"

"Ashikawa, please, calm yourself," Wakaba interjected, "we haven't finished talking about our plans going forward yet, nor have we discussed what we're going to say to the public."

"H-Haven't we!?" Tomita trembled, "Towa confessed his crimes in front of so many people! Students, teachers, reporters, and even some people with p-p-police ties! If we continue with the plans for the E-Elementary School-!"

"We don't have a choice at this point but to scrap it!" Ashikawa snapped, slamming the table with his fist, "regardless if Towa's case goes through and he and his co-conspirers end up arrested, the public will riot if we try to push the plans forward! Hope's Peak's credibility will be brought into question and we'll lose applicants! The government themselves might even get involved..."

"Actually, I consider this a big stroke of luck," Wakaba smiled, "be thankful their crimes were exposed NOW rather than later, and that those children won't have to face the abuse they suffered any longer."

"Wakaba has a point actually," Uragami chimed in, "imagine what could have happened if Towa had confessed a while after the Elementary School was established. Sure by that point, there would have been no way to secure those CEO's children's safety, but on top of that, Hope's Peak's credibility would have been shot. As things stand, people still are assuming that the Academy didn't know about the misdeeds that were being committed on these children, but if it had happened later, someone might have made a link, and things could have spiraled out of control."

"Things have spiraled out of control as it is!" Ashikawa glowered, slamming the table again, "Towa's confession means that any hope we have of snuffing out the media outlets that recorded the attempted suicide is all for naught! It will honestly be a stroke of luck if our candidates for the next year all end up accepting after this!"

"I understand how you feel, Ashikawa-sama, but if I may be frank, there are bigger issues at play here...!" Uragami said. This caused all three other members to stare at him.

"Wh-What do you mean, U-Uragami-san?" Tomita stammered. Uragami replied by reaching into his pocket and pulling out a fancy piece of card, sliding it into the center of the table.

"This was found plastered all over the bulletin board at the front entrance of the academy building," he explained, "it appears to be addressed to Haiji Towa himself. Headmaster Kirigiri presented it to me personally."

""Phantom Thieves?" What nonsense is this!?" Ashikawa spat as he read it, "what are you getting at here, man!?"

"The letter mentions stealing Towa's distorted desires..." Uragami explained, "it sounds ridiculous, but...think about it...By any chance, could THAT be involved...!?"

Uragami's words caused the other three Committee members' blood to run cold. Or at the very least, Ashikawa and Tomita went pale. Wakaba retained his calmness.

"Y-You mean..." Ashikawa began to sweat bullets, "th-the Metaverse...!?"

"Th-That's impossible! The only people who should know about the Metaverse are ourselves and the Cultivation team!" Tomita panicked, "d-does this mean that someone else has access and is making use of it!?"

"Now that you mention it," Wakaba chimed in, "following Towa's confession, I asked the scientists if any changes had been made to his cognition. It turns out that his Palace has been completely destroyed, and his treasure went missing."

"Why did you not say this sooner!?" Ashikawa cried, "dammit! So not only can these "Phantom Thieves" as they're called alter cognition as we can, but they can even TRAVEL to the cognitive world!?"

"T-Travel? Wh-What makes you think that?" Uragami asked.

"Towa's treasure was stolen. The only way that's even possible is to go into the cognitive world and steal it for yourself. We've never been able to, since we lack the power to fight Shadows," Ashikawa explained, "but if these Phantom Thieves really have the power to do so...Then they can change cognition in a way that even we could never hope to do..."

"And it stands to reason that they will attempt to do so again should we ever partner with anyone else in similarly shady practices," Wakaba acknowledged, "not that I feel comfy with doing that anyway, but even that aside, the presence of these individuals poses a serious risk to our practices at the Academy."

"EEEK! T-They're gonna come for us next!" Tomita squealed.

"Don't be such a baby!" Ashikawa snapped, "but still, Wakaba is correct. These thieves have put us in a really rough and hard spot...And as long as they're still around, they threaten to do so in the future."

"You mean it's possible they may discover what we ourselves have been using the Metaverse for?" Uragami inquired, "a-and that they might stop us?"

"Precisely..." Ashikawa nodded, "we need to lie low on any actions for a while and focus on dealing with public backlash in light of Towa's incident. The good news is that aside from the students, word about the Phantom Thieves' presence won't get around so long as we can prevent it."

"So...we're going to cover up the Phantom Thieves' existence?" Tomita asked.

"That may be our best move for now, but we cannot leave them be under these circumstances," Wakaba said, "here's what we will do. We will get Kirigiri, Kizakura, Munakata and as many of the main staff as we can to pull out all their resources, and track down the Phantom Thieves in the school. If that fails, we'll try something else."

"Wakaba-sama..." Uragami's eyes widened, "are you insinuating what I think you are?"

"Wh-What? What is it?" Tomita trembled.

"That the Phantom Thieves may be students at the Academy? Why yes, that would be correct," he smiled, "though that is little more than a tentative theory. We cannot confirm it until some investigation has been done."

"Then investigate we shall," Ashikawa glared, "no matter what, they'll pay for this...!"

Chapter End Notes

Prison of Lust...Closed.
For real though, I had a blast with this so far. I'm definitely gonna see this story to completion, even though it might take up a fair bit of my time.
This crossover is just so fun to me, and I didn't even realize how much I was going to enjoy writing it. Coming up with Persona's, code names, targets for the thieves to conquer and the overall plot I have in mind is something I REALLY want you all to get hyped for.
Regardless, the twisted prison is now gone, and Haiji Towa is done for. Thanks as always for reading! I love to get feedback from my readers, so feel free to leave a comment, and some kudos if you feel up to it!

The World Will Know Our Names...

Chapter Summary

While Kyoko Kirigiri begins to investigate the mysterious individuals who left the calling card, the team enjoy some downtime at a buffet restaurant, celebrating their victory over Towa and his thugs.

Chapter Notes

See the end of the chapter for notes

Summer Rain - Persona 6 Imagine

It had been quite a while since Kyoko Kirigiri last decided to visit her grandfather's agency. But in light of all the recent stress she had been under at the academy, she needed a break.

It had only been two days since Haiji Towa's confession, and the news stories had been going wild with hot takes, stories and everything else. But what really mattered to Kyoko was the truth, not the half-baked opinionated articles that news stations just spat out.

Towa's case had been pursued fairly quickly, and he and the other miscreants involved in the scandal had been taken to court. With some assistance from Hope's Peak, the Elementary School children had gained the power to speak up, and near irrefutable evidence had been discovered that proved every last one of the conglomerate's crimes as Towa had stated.

As for the company itself, it was currently still standing. Though Kyoko suspected it wouldn't be long before it totally collapsed. The bigger they are, the harder they fall, at least that's what they say.

As for the other CEOs and Towa's close compatriots, they weren't doing so hot either. By this point in time, in light of what had been exposed about Kotoko, Utsugi's business practices were already dead in the water. Both he and his wife had been the first to be prosecuted, and everyone who was involved in his prostitution and other illegal businesses had come forward and confessed. While some had been more compliant than others, all of them had been arrested and were likely going to serve varying lengths of jail time. However, Junya Utsugi himself was rightfully going to be put away for the rest of his life.

Daimon went down very quickly too, but it turned out that his business was based on illegal practices and forged documentation from the start. To get his business grants, he and Towa Corp had faked academic documents and falsified a CV for funding, which had long been stripped from him. In reality, the man was little more than an angry abusive drunk who just tried to LOOK professional.

Both Shingetsu and his wife had not only been arrested but Shingetsu was completely fired from Hope's Peak. The academy had even filed something of a restraining order against him, allowing them to take action if he even put so much as a toe near the academy. Clearly, his actions were akin to a betrayal for the staff and forces at work, and with the Elementary School gone, what good was he anyway?

From the way Kyoko had heard it, however, Kemuri's case didn't sound especially serious. She had been arrested and was to be charged for being a co-conspirator in Towa's project, as well as being a neglectful parent, but other than that, there weren't many grounds to arrest her. She hadn't abused Jataro aside from forcing him to wear his mask, nor had she laid a finger on any of the other kids, despite knowing what their parents were putting them through. She would still be charged and fined for her misdeeds, but it seemed unlikely she would be sent to serve time. However, her business was most assuredly done for.

Though this wasn't a first, Kyoko had barely slept trying to connect all the dots and figure out things, even though she hadn't been directly involved with the situation. No matter what she tried, there seemed to be no reasonable conclusion as to why Towa just decided to spill his guts like that...

...Well...Except for one...

Still, she'd spent long enough dwelling on all of this, and now she had other things to take care of. She arrived at the Kirigiri Detective Agency and as she passed through, she earned the typical paranoid and/or scornful look from the agents and detectives as she passed them by; though she also received some friendly greetings alongside these, some more serious than others.

The Kirigiri Detective Agency was spearheaded by Kyoko's grandfather, Fuhito, with her being the one to eventually succeed him in the family business. The agency had been around for a long time, despite the anonymity of it, and the Kirigiri line itself was comprised of many talented detectives, dating back to even before the Sengoku period, at least according to the documents she had read.

However, Kyoko's father Jin had long since defected from the family, due to not wanting to be a detective himself. Though she had been too young to truly remember it, Kyoko's mother died when she was only a little girl, and from what she had heard from her grandfather and other sources around him, Jin had used her death as an excuse to leave the family and pursue his own dreams.

This alone had given Kyoko enough of a reason to resent him, but on top of that, she had earned the unfortunate rep of being the daughter of a man who abandoned his family and his legacy for his own selfish interests.

Personally, Kyoko couldn't bring herself to truly hate Jin for this decision. He had his own life and was free to make his own choices. It was this, and everything else on top of that, and what he had abandoned and left her to do in his place that bothered her. In truth, her real reason for attending Hope's Peak in the first place to was to make a connection with her father, not to form a bond or tie herself to him, but rather the opposite - to cut each other out of their lives by graduation, so that she no longer felt plagued by her past.

Even though her family kept their talent out of the spotlight, Kyoko publicly touted her abilities so that the Hope's Peak recruiters would notice her. A decision that Fuhito didn't approve of, but had come to respect.

Though she had a cold shell about her, Kyoko was honestly very close to her grandfather, who raised her and taught her all she currently knew in the detective business, and he protected her from anything he deemed a threat. Yes, he was certainly strict, but he still allowed Kyoko space and freedom should she need it. He had been every bit of a parent to Kyoko that her father had failed to be.

And he had a very pleasant smile on his face as she walked into his office.

"Kyoko, my dear girl!" he chuckled, "I certainly wasn't expecting this visit! Especially given what happened at your school recently."

"Well, I figured that some coffee and sweets over a talk about cases would clear my mind of all the misery and stress," she gave him the rare genuine Kyoko smile, "if that's ok with you?"

"No, not at all my girl. I have more than enough free time right now," he said, "that said, I am still surprised. Despite your nature, your love for sweets hasn't changed since you were young I see?"

"Sugar is good for your body's energy, you know?" she said, "and I've been low on that."

Fuhito chuckled again, getting up from his desk to put the kettle on while Kyoko lay the food she had brought out on the desk and took a seat on the opposite side.

"So..." he began, "I suppose I should get to the point. How has school been?"

"It's been alright...I have gotten well acquainted with my classmates and...I even got to talk to father a few times..." she admitted, "though it has mostly been for work-related reasons."

"Oho? So, Jin has been making use of you?" he raised a surly eyebrow. Kyoko sighed.

"He's not running me into the ground or anything. He and the Steering Committee have been getting me to do some investigation for them a few times, especially as of late," she explained, "they want to make sure every last bit of corruption is weeded out with the Elementary School."

"Well, if it were up to me," the elderly detective said, pouring the boiling water into the cups, "I'd send those kids to an orphanage, demolish the building, and be done with it."

"Understandable, but that's not how it works," Kyoko scowled, "they can't just dispose of the kids as they feel like it, otherwise it will cause a scandal. Plus, I think you underestimate just how much money the Committee lost now that the plans have fallen through. It's a little too late to sue Towa for damages."

"I know how the law works Kyoko, you need not lecture me." he said, "still, I can't help but think that we may have avoided being caught in this if you weren't a student at that school..."

"Grandfather..." Kyoko was saddened, "I know you don't approve of my decision to attend Hope's Peak, but..."

"Haha! Relax, my dear, I'm only messing with you," Fuhito smiled warmly, "true, I have my reservations about your father, but I have no qualms with the school itself, despite everything. Quite the opposite actually. Did you know that I recently decided to take on one of your kouhai?"

Kyoko's eyes widened in surprise, staring at her grandfather, who could help but laugh at her sudden expression.

"You...took on a Hope's Peak student?" she inquired.

"Why would I not? They ARE supposed to be the best of the best, right?" he asked, "he seemed eager to join the agency and I wanted to see what he can do. I'm not quite sure of his abilities yet, at least compared to yours, but if he gained an Ultimate Title, he must be worth something."

"Wait a moment...Could you be referring to the new Ultimate Detective in Class 79?" Kyoko asked, "Grandfather, are you aware that he's-?"

"Yes, I know who he is," Fuhito cut her off, "but the sins of the father do not always weigh on the son, you know? Or well...he's actually his nephew, but I think the saying still applies."

He leaned forward, resting his elbows on his desk and his head in his hands.

"I'm willing to give him a chance, but I've told him he must produce results if he wishes to work here. So far I've signed him up for an internship, and I'm having him work on a case for me."

"What case?" Kyoko asked. Fuhito replied by pointing a finger toward a table on the far side of his office. Kyoko's eyes looked over to see a random brick with a letter stuck to it sitting there.

"The case of whoever's been throwing those damn things through office windows," he grumbled, "I mean, we already have a good idea of who it is, but I've asked the young lad and a few others if they can catch the guy."

"Sounds like you've got your own share of problems lately..." Kyoko contemplated, "anything else you've been working on?"

"Well, I recently closed the books on the investigation into that one Cabinet Minister," Fuhito explained, "he wasn't directly involved in the incident that caused the scandal, but he's been forced to resign...It's concerning. That's our 4th cabinet resignation in the last few months."

"At this rate, it would be amazing if we had any government left by the end of the year. It's just scandal after scandal..." Kyoko frowned, "something is behind it, but I still need to figure out what..."

"You mentioned to me before that it may be something occult-related," Fuhito recalled, "do you still believe that?"

"Yes...somewhat..." Kyoko admitted. Fuhito sighed.

"Then I'll tell you what. Assuming you're not already busy with school, studies, or other cases, I'll let you take a lead role in the investigation on this case," he promised her, "and if anything goes south, I will take responsibility for it."

"Th-Thank you sir!" Kyoko exclaimed in pleasant surprise. Once again, Fuhito just chuckled.

"I'm assuming you wanted to bring that up with me today, correct?" he asked, sipping his coffee, "that or perhaps the young man in Class 79 I just mentioned. So I just cut to the chase."

"You're quite perceptive grandfather," Kyoko acknowledged, "but actually...there is something else that's come to my attention."

"And what might that be?" he asked.

Kyoko finally decided to pose the question that had been on her mind this whole time.

"In regards to the incident with Towa and what caused his sudden change of heart," she said, "I believe...my school may have received a visit from...a group of strange Phantom Thieves..."

"Alright! On the count of three! One...Two...Three!"

"CHEERS!"

Home - Persona 5 Strikers

Sitting down cheerfully at a fancy buffet restaurant, Makoto Naegi, Komaru Naegi and Toko Fukawa, all dressed in smart clothing, clinked their glasses together and all took a merry gulp of their drinks. Having all grabbed their fair share of food, they all started to dig in.

Makoto had gotten his usual favorite meal of curry but also had some vegetables, fish, and a cake for afterwards. He was also planning to go and grab seconds once he was done.

Toko had only picked up mere scraps for her plate. Her meal still looked filling enough, but it was clear that she wasn't intent on gorging, despite the situation.

The same could not be said for Komaru, who had grabbed basically as much random food as she could, including meat, vegetables, and cake, and piled it all up on her side of the table. Though she had promised to share some of it with the others.

"MMMMMGH!" she moaned, taking a big bite of juicy meat, "sooo gooood! So juicy!"

"That's what she said~" Toko teased. Komaru immediately flushed.

"Dammit! I knew you were gonna say that!" she snapped, "give me a break!"

"Calm down I-I'm kidding!" Toko laughed, still stuttering despite her merriment, "you're right though. I'm not normally a fine dining girl, but I could eat like this forever!"

"You've only put a little bit on your plate though, Fukawa-san," Makoto observed, "still, I won't judge. Hey Monomi, you want any of this?"

"Yes please!" she poked her head out of Makoto's bag excitedly, "I would like some salad...some cake...Oh, and some fish, please!"

"Didn't think a rabbit would want to eat fish..." Toko remarked, as Makoto cut a bit of his fish off and fed it to his bunny buddy, who chowed it down with a smile on her fluffy face.

"This is lovely!" she exclaimed, squeaking happily, "I must say Komaru, you have very refined taste in dining!"

"I always thought you were a fast-food junkie..." Toko snarked.

"Yeah, it's honestly surprising..." Makoto commented, "how'd you even pick this place out?"

"I got a recommendation from Kanon-chan! It's a hot topic among her and her gal friends." Komaru beamed.

"Kanon-chan?" Toko parroted, "I feel like I've heard that name before."

"She's the cousin of your classmate, Leon Kuwata, and is also the manager for his baseball team," Komaru explained, "she's also the daughter of the director of TAT Television!"

"Oh yeah! Leon's talked about her! He seems fond of her," Makoto exclaimed, "wow, you sure do have some impressive connections Komaru...!"

""Connections" is a bit much. We're just friends" she assured him. Toko scoffed.

"I see...No wonder this place reeks of the rich and famous...Looks like I'm already being replaced as the best friend huh? Rich girls sure are something..."

"Oh, cut that out!" Komaru snapped, "you know that's not what I meant! But uh...speaking of which, we're blowing all the money at once so we don't have to worry about it later, right?"

"Yep. We got 30,000 in total after we sold off Towa's treasure, plus everything else we nabbed from the Palace," Makoto recalled, "so assuming Monomi gets overlooked, that's 10,000 for each of us to spend on meals. I already spent some of my cut on Monomi's rabbit home though."

"And I am VERY grateful!" Monomi piped up.

"Speaking of which, I'm still pretty surprised," Komaru added, "about what ended up happening to Towa's treasure..."

"Yeah..." Makoto's mind flashed back to what happened right after they escaped from the prison.

Beautiful Dead - Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc

[A FEW DAYS AGO...]

"Gah! Hah...haah...That...THAT sucked...!" Toko snapped and panted, as she and her fellow Phantom Thieves tumbled down the alleyway they had entered the Metaverse from.

They had just narrowly escaped being crushed under the collapsing jail after having successfully defeated Towa and stolen his treasure. The thieves were back in their regular clothing, a little shaken and bruised, but very much alive.

"We good?" Makoto called out, using what little breath remained in his lungs. On top of having just literally ran for their lives, emerging from the Metaverse had immediately caused a sensation of exhaustion and tiredness that hit the group like a wrecking ball.

After reaffirming that everyone was alright, Komaru pulled out her phone. Her eyes widened upon seeing the screen.

"H-Hey guys!" she huffed, "look at the nav!"

Makoto and Toko immediately pulled out their phones, which were already on the Meta-Nav screen. The words on the screen were once again read loud and clear.

[THE DESTINATION HAS BEEN DELETED.]

"So it's t-true..." Toko heaved a heavy, knackered sigh, "we really can't go there anymore...?"

"There's nowhere to go to," Makoto reminded her, "the prison totally collapsed...Wait! Komaru, do you have the-!?"

"Oh right, the treasure!" his sister exclaimed, reaching into her skirt pocket, "don't worry! I've got it right...huh!?"

"Oh my god..." Toko's face went pale, "PLEASE don't tell me you dropped it while we were escaping!?"

"Of course not! I'm not that stupid!" she exclaimed, "it's just...it's a lot bigger than I remember it being..."

Komaru pulled her hand out of her pocket and showed the contents to her friends. What should have been a majestic golden warden's badge...was instead a dingy little trophy.

"What the-!?" Toko exclaimed, "did you get something mixed up?"

"Stop trying to pin this on me! I told you, I'm not that stupid!" Komaru snapped, "The treasure was in my pocket when I was in the Metaverse, and this is what was in my pocket when I came out!"

"Komaru hasn't made any mistakes, do not worry," Monomi explained, "in truth, that trophy IS Towa's treasure. It's real form."

"Real form?" Makoto parroted, "what are you talking about?"

"Simply put, that trophy was the source of Towa's desires," the bunny clarified, "to that man, it held the same amount of value as the warden's badge from his Palace."

"Hold on, there's some writing here..." Komaru examined the trophy and read its scriptures aloud, "says "Young Revolutionary Awards...""

"Oh! I remember that!" Makoto exclaimed, "Towa won that trophy when he first became heir to the company. He entered a young upstarts competition on behalf of the corporation and took the top prize."

"I get it...Towa hated the fact that Monaca was always ahead of him," Toko frowned, "I guess that was proof to him that he could make it to first place, and he couldn't ever let that go..."

"I know this is stupid, especially after everything he did, but that just makes me feel sorry for him...What he said about how everyone's expectations were weighing on him didn't seem to be wrong..." Komaru considered, "still though, now that we've stolen this from him, that means his heart will change, right?"

"Probably!" Monomi beamed, giving confidence in this very skeptical answer.

"Oh come on! Our lives are on the line here!" Toko snapped "the Elementary School opens tomorrow!"

"Uwawawa! I-I'm sorry!" Monomi panicked, "it's just I told you I'd never done this before either! But if there's one thing I'm sure of, it's that this has affected Towa's personality quite a bit."

"So what, we just wait a while until we hear the news? That doesn't sit right with me...But I guess we don't have a choice..." Makoto sighed.

"Oh come now, why the long faces?" positive energy radiated off the bunny (though admittedly it wasn't as impactful as it would have been if she was in her Metaverse form) "I'm positive that it will be fine. Haiji Towa is indeed a horrible, terrible man, but it seemed that he really did regain his conscience at the end when he said he would be returning to himself...At least somewhat."

She hopped onto Makoto's bag and then onto his shoulder.

"Even if this doesn't solve all the problems at hand, I know for a fact that there are people who you have saved because of your actions. Those children included."

"Y-Yeah..." Komaru stared down, clearly still a bit anxious, but accepting of this answer.

However, her face suddenly became panicked, and she grabbed her phone again and looked at the time.

"OH CRAP!" she squeaked, "I need to get home before Mom and Dad wake up! I'm SO grounded if they catch me!"

"Goodnight Komaru..." Makoto smiled and waved as she rushed away.

"Heh...She never changes..." Toko smiled.

"Ok...I know we agreed to like...not ask questions and all...And I'm grateful you're keeping your curiosity on the down lo, but...Where the fuck did you GET all this stuff!?"

These words came out of the mouth of Fuyuhiko Kuzuryu, as Makoto and his sister took a trip to Taboo, the pawn and weapons shop that the Kuzuryu family owned. They brought Towa's treasure, as well as all the other gold and gems they had snagged from the palace, and brought it there in exchange for cash.

Rather unfortunately, much like the treasure, the gold and gems had transformed into meaningless bits and bobs. Still, while they weren't gonna sell as well as the trophy, no doubt they would have at least SOME value.

The Naegi siblings had gone to the pawn shop to get whatever cash they could off their steals, but unfortunately, explaining how they got it to Fuyuhiko was going to be challenging.

"W-We uh...We were just looking around some of our relatives' homes and...found all this junk!" Komaru tried her best to lie, "we agreed that we had no real use of it, so we were thinking of finding a place to pawn it off."

"Fortunately, I remembered this place when you took me here before," Makoto followed up, "in any case, how much could we get with all of this combined?"

"Hmph...Spike?" Fuyuhiko clearly didn't have any more questions, so he turned around and spoke to the manager, who was already in the process of doing the calculations.

"Eh...It's kind of outdated, but it's still worth a high price...It ain't exactly an antique though..." he replied, "how does 30,000 yen for it sound?"

Against their will, the siblings made the exact same exclamation at the exact same time...

"Hot damn!"

Home - Persona 5 Strikers

[BACK AT PRESENT...]

"It is sad though..." Toko recollected, "imagine your primary reason for living is a shitty little award that you happened to win as a kid. That's clinging to your past glory if I've ever seen it..."

"Well, even though we went through hell and back to get it, I'm glad it's not our problem anymore," Komaru admitted, "sure, it's a decent keepsake, but I wouldn't feel comfortable knowing that the incarnation of what made Towa such a horrible piece of shit is in my possession."

"I know what you mean...Getting rid of it was the right choice." Makoto affirmed.

"And hey! With the spoils, at least we have a chance to celebrate our victory!" Usami cheered, "you know, there's no reason to feel guilty, right Komaru?"

"Aahaha...You noticed, huh?" Komaru gave an embarrassed chuckle, "sorry, I can't really help it."

"That trophy was only a fake created by Towa's desires...at least that's what I gleaned from Monomi's explanation," Makoto reminded her, "maybe this is above us, but we did change his heart and set him back on the right track, right?"

Komaru nodded sheepishly.

"By the way, I haven't actually heard any updates from the school in regards to the case now that Towa's confessed," Toko chimed in, "have any of you guys been keeping track?"

"Almost constantly, though I hate to admit it. I've even been caught looking at my phone a few times in class," Komaru admitted, "information about what the school plans to do with the kids is still being kept close to the chest...The Towa's, Utsugi, and all the bastards that were in on their schemes are all in the process of facing court charges."

"Well, think about it this way," Makoto told her, "even if by some disastrous miracle these assholes don't get charged for their crimes, their companies and everything they've ever worked for is as good as dead in the water."

"Don't wanna be that person, but if it's disastrous, it's not a "miracle". Miracles are specifically welcomed events. If the criminals don't get charged, it would be a "tragedy"," Toko interjected, "but yeah, there's nothing left for those bastards, even if they DO get out. Their names have been dragged through the mud, and no one's about to pick them up."

"Yeah, no kidding," Komaru laughed, "according to the reports, 99.3% of all companies' buyers and stocks pulled out overnight. Towa's, Utsugi's...All of them! Even if they're proven innocent in court, there is no way in hell any of them are getting their livelihoods back."

"Nor their kids either," Makoto added, "Hope's Peak have already confirmed they're going through with the fostering and there's nothing that they can do about it...Though thinking about it now, wasn't the point of the Elementary School to get rid of the kids in the first place?"

"I think that only applied to Monaca. The other kids were kept there so their parents could further exploit and use them. After all, having connections to a place like Hope's Peak makes people nigh untouchable, so it's a good thing we stopped them when they did," Monomi piped up, "all's well that ends well I always say. So why don't we chow down as much as we can before our time runs out?"

"Huh? HUH!?" Komaru's eyes widened with panic, "oh crap! I forgot we're on a time limit!"

"We've already used up half the amount of time we have left!" Makoto panicked, looking at his phone timer, "I'm nowhere near full yet! Tasty food, here I come!"

"I am NOT leaving until I've tried EVERYTHING on the dessert menu!" Komaru snapped, "Toko! Watch our things, we'll be right back!"

Toko sighed, trying her hardest to hold back a smile as she watched the siblings hurry towards the buffet, doing their best not to barge into other people.

"They are SUCH children..." she groaned.

"Maybe so...But they're your friends, right?" Monomi poked her head up, "you wouldn't have them any other way!"

"D-Don't put words in my mouth!" she glowered, flushed.

DSO_Distrust - Danganronpa Another Episode: Ultra Despair Girls

"Hey...Kokichiru? Are you done in there yet?"

"J-Just a second...!"

Toko heard Komaru groan from inside the bathroom stall. She didn't know if said groan had come from her mouth or her stomach, but she certainly wasn't about to check. Within a few minutes, Komaru opened the door, her face exasperated, but she smiled at her spectacled friend.

"Thanks for checking in on me..." she grunted, giving a half-hearted thumbs up. Toko shook her head.

"That's what happens when you eat too much..." Toko lectured her, "this is why I eat my meals sparingly. Do you even realize just how many pounds you'll put on because of this?"

"Hey, that's Future Komaru's problem," she laughed, "at least I didn't throw up or anything. Now come on, let's get back to Makoto and Monomi. They're probably wondering where we are."

Toko and Komaru quietly made their way out of the girls' bathroom and back to the elevator. Komaru had initially panicked when she saw that the on-floor girls' restroom was closed for cleaning, but Toko had swiftly escorted her upstairs to avoid any catastrophe. After a while of sitting down and letting her stomach do its thing, Komaru emerged from the bathroom totally fine. She decided to strike up a conversation with her friend.

"Hey...so, earlier, when we were talking about Kanon-chan...And when you thought I was replacing you as my best friend..."

"Huh? O-Oh...that..." Toko replied sheepishly, "th-that was only a joke..."

"Yeah, I know, but still..." Komaru smiled at her, "even if you think people hate you or don't want you around, there's nothing you could do that would stop me from seeing you as someone important to me."

"R-Really?" Toko looked at her. Komaru nodded.

"Yeah, really. You're as close as family to me, even though we've only known each other for a little bit and...I'm glad I have you around..."

Toko paused to process her words.

"Heh..." she finally spoke up, "I feel bad for having to take that line from whoever you decide to marry in the future."

"Can I not pay you a compliment without getting some sarcastic remark!?" Komaru snapped. Toko laughed.

"Kidding again...Thanks, Kokichiru..." she said, not looking her friend in the eyes.

Despite this, however, Komaru smiled back at her, knowing what she really meant and felt.

However, this feeling of bliss didn't last for very long, as all of a sudden once they reached the elevator, Komaru got shoved aside and almost knocked off her heels! Toko whirled around and noticed this, catching her before she fell.

The writer glared back at the person who had shoved her, to see 5 men in business suits crowding in front of the elevator, which was now opening. In fact, these men were very familiar.

"Make sure you grab the car," the man in the middle, a tall specimen with short white hair said, "we must return to HQ before the Committee's conference."

"Yes, of course..." the man who had shoved Komaru to the side was a beefy man who was even taller, "if you don't me asking, Munakata-san...what exactly did Tomita tell you?"

"To wait quietly and make no statements publicly until this whole fad blows over," the thin man replied, "just the kind of mollycoddle strategy I would expect from those old cowards..."

"A bit harsh, don't you think?" one of the other men, an even BIGGER guy with long brown dreadlocks asked, as they stepped into the elevator and took up all the space, "you know they're just trying not to rock the boat, right?"

"I appreciate your input, Gozu-san, but do not speak as if you know more than me..." he replied.

"Hey!" Toko snapped, "we were here first, asshole! A-And you just knocked over my friend! A-Apologize!"

The man didn't even look Toko's way and instead replied by sniffing the air.

"I thought I smelled something...When did this place become a child's playground?" he glowered, "talk about lack of class..."

"Hey! HOLD UP, YOU BASTARD!" Komaru snapped but failed at a chance to chew the man out before the elevator doors closed on her. The other patrons of the diner watched with concern, clearly too afraid to speak up about it, unlike Komaru, who smacked the elevator door with her fist.

Toko quickly grabbed her shoulder and pulled her back.

"D-Don't make a scene!" she snapped. Komaru turned to her with a face like thunder.

"But still! What he said to you-!"

"Let it go..." Toko told her firmly, "I'm used to abuse like that...If anything I hate it more when people hide their emotions from me..."

Komaru stopped and hung her head, the whole situation depressing her. Toko suddenly laughed.

"I'll have him know that I took a bath yesterday and washed thoroughly, so he clearly doesn't know what he's talking about." she snickered.

"Woah! I thought so!" Komaru beamed, "twice in one week! Impressive Toko!"

The smile quickly faded from her face though, as she turned back towards the elevator.

"I recognize that guy," she admitted, "on the day Kotoko nearly jumped, he and that other dude were at the back gate. He basically threw me to the ground then started to play the nice guy..."

"Kyosuke Munakata..." Toko nodded, "we see him around school a lot these days...Yeah, those are his true colors alright...a hard-headed, strict, lethal businessman, who doesn't have time for "filth." He even treats us Ultimates like shit if he doesn't deem us worthy."

"What a piece of ass...!" Komaru spat, "guess Towa's not the only person who hides his true face behind the one he shows to the public."

"Make sure this is your last round, Makoto," Monomi told him from within his backpack, "if you eat any more I feel you may burst."

"Don't worry," Makoto assured her "this is the last thing I need to finish from what I picked out on the menu. After this, I should be-"

*THUD!*

As Makoto was up at the buffet counter, filling his plate with whatever food was left, he was suddenly bumped in the arm by someone next to him in the line. Fortunately, he was able to retain his balance and prevent any food from spilling onto the carpet.

"Hey! Watch it!" the person exclaimed, suddenly widening their eyes upon seeing him, "w-wait a second...Naegi? Is that you?"

Makoto recognized the voice, then turned around in dismay, seeing two people he recognized. Both of them had shit-eating smirks on their faces once recognized him.

"Oh...Yakushiji-san...Hamuko-chan...Long time no see..." he greeted them halfheartedly. The boy named Yakushiji-san cackled excitedly and patted him on the back, almost causing Makoto to spill his food again.

"Man, I never expected I would run into YOU of all people here!" he grinned, "and what's with the surnames? Don't be so cold!"

"So what brings you here, "Ultimate?" You on a date or something?" Hamuko asked. Makoto shook his head.

"No...Just out at a party with some friends and family..."

"Psh...Figures...Runt like you could never get a chick, even with your Ultimate Title..." she scoffed, "or are you still pining after Sayaka-chan like the simp you are?"

"I never pined after Maizono-san..." Makoto replied, "if the two of you want money, I can't lend you any this time...I spent all of it on the food."

"Aw, a crying shame, but come on. Don't treat us like we're here to shake you down," Yakushiji sniggered, "but hey if you're here for a party, that makes sense. After all, you ARE a famous Ultimate now."

"Makoto?" he suddenly heard the familiar voice of his sister behind him, and he and the other two turned to see her and Toko approach them, "what's going on?"

"Oh, hey! Komaru-chan!" Yakushiji smiled, "didn't think you were here too! Well, I guess we won't keep you any longer. Let's go Hamuko-chan."

"Alright..." Hamuko pouted, and she and Yakushiji turned sourly and walked away. Makoto looked at his feet with a dismal expression, while Komaru glared after the two.

"Middle-school bullies?" Toko suddenly inquired. Komaru looked back at her.

"Wow...Good guess." she commented.

"Not "bullies" per se," Makoto clarified, "just...old friends that I don't care to speak to anymore..."

There was an awkward air, and the three just stood there in silence. The only one who moved was Makoto who moved out of the way of the line to avoid blocking other's way.

"Hey...Naegi?" Toko spoke up finally, "is that plate gonna be your last?"

"Yeah..." he responded, "why?"

"Because I think we should get out of here..." she replied.

After Makoto finished his last plate of food, the kids paid the bill and left the restaurant. Despite the merriment of their celebration at the beginning, and how much delicious food they ate, the only taste in their mouths when they left was a bad one.

Needing a moment to catch the breeze and reflect in the evening air, Makoto, Komaru, and Toko all sat down on a bench near the train station. They quietly watched as the trains passed them by, telling each other about the experiences they'd had."

"Sounds like you had a rough time..." Komaru told her brother upon his explanation, "of all people to show up tonight..."

"They're not the only surprise..." Makoto remarked, "you guys seriously ran into Munakata?"

"Yep, and he's every bit as pompous as we know him to be...Sakakura too." Toko nodded.

"I'll bet," Makoto frowned, "even if you are important, you can't just cut the line and push people out of the way!"

"You know Sakakura doesn't treat normal people with any respect," Toko hissed, "if you're not an Ultimate, you're dirt in his eyes. God what I would do to rip him a new one!"

"He'd wreck you..." Komaru sighed, "just like he wrecked me..."

"Come on Komaru, don't let it get you down..." Makoto patted her on the shoulder, "still, this sucks...!"

The silence returned yet again, and it was deafening. Makoto was praying that someone would break it, and fortunately, his sister answered his call.

However, what she actually said gave him some food for thought.

Welcome to Despair Academy - Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc

"Hey...Can I ask you guys a...weird question?"

"Most of your questions are weird, so sure." Toko snarked. Komaru ignored her and instead turned to their little rabbit companion.

"Monomi?" she said "Towa isn't the only person with a Palace...is he?"

Monomi shook her head.

"No. Anyone who has a strong, distorted desire can have one," she explained, "and every Palace has a treasure to steal."

"And if they have a Palace and a treasure...That means they could also have a change of heart?"

"Theoretically, yes. Where are you going with this...?"

"That's my question too..." Makoto and Toko both turned their heads toward her, "what are you saying Komaru?"

New World Order - Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc

"I think you know full well what I'm saying," the look on her face was bound and determined, "Towa...Utsugi...There are tons of horrible people out there in the world; some that are still connected to Hope's Peak even now. Selfish...Condescending...Evil people...We have the power to CHANGE them."

"So...Let me get this straight," Makoto interjected, "are you suggesting that we CONTINUE as Phantom Thieves?"

"Exactly!" Komaru beamed, "people like Towa run rampant because no one has the power or courage to fight back against them! But WE do!"

"I...I honestly want to agree with you..." Toko chimed in, "I may be a little crude b-but even I c-can't turn away when someone needs help...The question is how do we even do that?"

"We do exactly as we did before," Makoto suddenly stood up, "we take their distorted desires and force them to confess their crimes! Just like we did Towa!"

"Right!? If we do the same thing we did before to other terrible people, there's no way we could go wrong!" Komaru also hopped up, grinning excitedly, "we could bring about REAL change...! We could change this whole rotten society that kicks people down simply for being who they are!"

"Yes indeed!" Monomi hopped up and down, "that's exactly what I was hoping to hear! Now I know I did the right thing taking on the task of being your teacher!"

"H-Hold on a second!" Toko stammered, "aren't you guys getting ahead of yourselves!?"

"The idea doesn't sound appealing to you, Toko?" Monomi asked. Toko shook her head.

"It's not that," she admitted, "it's just...I don't think you guys remember just how dangerous it was going into Towa's Palace. We could have been killed at any given point, especially when we were fighting against Towa. If Naegi-uh...MAKOTO hadn't awoken to that new power, you would have LITERALLY been toast!"

"Aw, are you saying you care about us?" Komaru teased. Toko just gave her a scornful glare.

"This isn't a joke, Kokichiru!" she snapped, "of course, I want to protect you guys...I'm just saying that in a place like the Metaverse, that's ridiculously difficult...It would be nice to follow through with what you're proposing but...I don't want you to get hurt..."

"Toko..." Komaru dropped the playfulness upon seeing her friends' depressed expressions. However, they snapped back to attention when Makoto suddenly chuckled.

"That's all the more reason we need you to come with us, Fukawa-san." he told her, "yes, the Palace was dangerous, but we survived it. And we did so because we work well together as a team. And if we keep that up, I know nothing can stop us!"

There was a pause as the other three all looked at him. Makoto felt awkward from the pressure of their gazes.

"So...one of you...say something please?" he squeaked. Toko just laughed.

"No...Sorry for not saying anything, I just...You're right. If that's how you really feel, then I'm game."

"YES! Thank you, Toko!" Komaru rushed over and squeezed Toko into a huge hug, which clearly flustered the writer, "we're gonna do great together!"

"In that case, our Phantom Thief troupe is officially formed!" Monomi called out proudly, "we're still kittens of course, but from here on out, we'll learn and grow together as a team!"

"Kittens huh?" Toko smiled, "I like the sound of that."

"Yes!" Komaru clapped her hands and pumped her arms, "let's make a name for ourselves and show this world who's boss!"

Makoto nodded. The prospect of continuing to be an elusive Phantom Thief and taking down society's hidden evils was nothing if not appealing.

His life was about to change. That was for certain.

----------------------------------------------

PTChat

Makoto Naegi added Toko Fukawa and Komaru Naegi to - PTChat

Toko: [What's this?]

Makoto: [If we're really gonna do this, I decided to create a chat group where we discuss primarily Phantom Thief stuff.]

Makoto: [I downloaded an update for it that prevents it from being exposed to hackers or viruses.]

Toko: [Huh...That's clever.]

Komaru: [Thanks for letting us know.]

Komaru: [I'm actually glad you did that because there're a few things I want to talk to you about.]

Makoto: [What's on your mind?]

Komaru: [Oh, nothing much. If this is for Phantom Thief stuff, I just wanted to ask a few things.]

Komaru: [If we're gonna be going into Palaces and stealing people's hearts as a team, we're gonna need a leader.]

Makoto: [Why's that?]

Komaru: [Every team has one. Someone that we can trust to fall onto when things get rough.]

Komaru: [But also...NOT IT!]

Toko: [Trust me, no one even considered you, Kokichiru.]

Toko: [But yeah, I'm also going to call not it. That's far too much responsibility for me to handle.]

Komaru: [Makoto, is Monomi reading this? Ask her.]

----------------------------------------------

"No, I'm afraid I must turn that down," Monomi sat on Makoto's shoulder, reading the chat for herself, "I do not wish to be a leader."

"Are you sure?" Makoto asked, "wouldn't it be ideal for the leader to be the person most knowledgeable about the Metaverse? Plus, you said yourself you were our teacher..."

"Let me put it this way," Monomi explained, "yes, I may be a teacher, but a teacher cannot teach if the students aren't willing to go out of their way to learn. I can explain whatever I well please, but whether you'll understand it from my words alone is another story."

"I...I guess..." Makoto responded, not really understanding.

"How about this then?" the bunny said, "let's treat the Phantom Thieves as if they're a group, and stealing hearts as if it's a project. The teacher can offer guidance and instructions, but they can't really participate in the group activity themselves, can they?"

"Ah, I get it." Makoto understood, then turned back to his phone screen.

----------------------------------------------

Makoto: [She said no thanks. She says leading and teaching aren't exactly the same thing, and that we've gotta be the ones responsible for this.]

Komaru: [Not sure I get it, but if that's how things are, so be it.]

Toko: [Guess that means we only have one option left.]

Komaru: [Honestly, I'd be ok with Makoto leading. He did awaken to his power first, plus he can wield multiple Persona's.]

Komaru: [And he does seem to have a knack for all of this.]

Toko: [Other than intimidation, that is.]

Makoto: [Hey, that worked out for us in the end! Can you stop holding that over my head?]

Komaru: [Makoto has a -3 to his Intimidation but a +5 to Charisma in general.]

Toko: [What did we tell you about the D&D talk?]

Komaru: [Sorry Toko-chan. I'll reign it in.]

Makoto: [Actually, while we're here, there's something I've been meaning to ask you, Fukawa-san.]

Makoto: [Kind of a personal question.]

Toko: [If it's personal, can't you DM me?]

Makoto: [No, not that kind of personal.]

Makoto: [It's just that since we're going to be working together a lot more closely than, I don't really want things to remain overly formal between us.]

Makoto: [So is it alright if I call you by your given name like Komaru does?]

Toko: [You wanna seriously call me Toko-chan!?]

Makoto: [No! Not "chan!" just Toko?]

Toko: [Oh...alright then.]

Komaru: [That was easy!]

Toko: [What, did you expect me to go into a frenzy about it?]

Makoto: [I mean...]

Makoto: [Yes?]

Komaru: [Kinda]

Makoto: [Monomi just said she's surprised too.]

Toko: [You guys have NO faith in me, do you!?]

Toko: [In any case, just make sure you still call me Fukawa-san in class, ok?]

Toko: [Not only is it embarrassing for anyone other than Master to call me by my given name, but it would also give everyone a clue as to something happening between us.]

Toko: [And with who we share a classroom, that can mean a variety of things.]

Makoto: [Togami doesn't call you by your given name though...]

Toko: [But he's allowed~]

Makoto: [Well, regardless, you're right. Don't worry, I'm more cautious than that.]

Makoto: [In any case, I guess if the rest of you don't feel up to it, I'll fill the role of our leader for now.]

Komaru: [Yep. No objections from me!]

Toko: [Nor I.]

Komaru: [Speaking of names though, that's actually the OTHER thing I wanted to ask about.]

Komaru: [Not that I dislike the name, but isn't just calling ourselves "the Phantom Thieves" a little bland? We need a flashier title than that.]

Komaru: [Or at least a longer one?]

Toko: [Agreed. I just went for that last time because I wanted to keep it simple. I didn't really want any personal touches on it in case someone caught on.]

Toko: [But yeah, if we're going to produce more calling cards in the future, we'll need a name with more impact than "The Hope's Peak Phantom Thieves."]

Komaru: [I'd like a nice cute name personally, but also one that's pretty cool.]

Komaru: [Like the "Talent Tramplers" or something.]

Makoto: [There's nothing cute about that.]

Makoto: [Also, I thought we agreed that you weren't to be responsible for picking names.]

Komaru: [Just CODE names!]

Toko: [No, it applies here too.]

Komaru: [AAW!?]

Toko: [What about you, Makoto?]

----------------------------------------------

Makoto paused for a moment, leaning himself back to look up at his dorm room ceiling as he thought of something.

His mind flashed back in that moment to the first time he awakened to his Persona, what Mickey had said to him, and what he had said back.

About how his one true redeeming quality was his optimism, and how he had never given up before and wasn't about to start.

Makoto thought more about the conversation they had after they left the buffet that same evening. Exposing the injustices of society didn't just serve as a warning to the corrupt...but also a message to would-be victims.

Makoto wanted everyone to know the same hope that he held onto in the most trying times...To inspire that same feeling in standing up to injustice and despair, and never giving up, no matter what life threw at you.

Like a flash of Kouha, an idea suddenly hit him, and he returned to his messenger to type it in.

----------------------------------------------

Makoto: [How about...The Phantom Thieves of Hope?]

Beautiful Days - Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc

With no more stress about Towa, and following a (mostly) relaxing evening at the buffet with friends and family, Makoto woke up the next morning, refreshed for what felt like the first time in a while.

He was already in the process of packing up and returning to his dorm rooms for the afternoon, slowly absorbing all the hustle and bustle about the Towa case and the mysterious presence of the Phantom Thieves out of the corner of his ear. His sleep schedule had returned to normal, and the bags under his eyes were slowly fading. However, he now had a new problem to contend with.

Insisting upon visiting the classrooms and seeing the upkeep of the students and teachers at school for herself, Monomi had practically demanded that Makoto take her to class. By this point in time, all of his classmates had become aware of his pet, though not the fact that she was from another world.

The other day, when they had all been introduced to Monomi, Sayaka, Hina, Chihiro, and for some reason even MONDO had all fawned over her. Taka was worried about the implications of a pet in the dorms, but after Makoto reminded him of Gundham Tanaka from Class 77, as well as assuring him that the responsibility for the bunny would rest entirely on him, the Class Prez caved and allowed it.

On top of that, Kyoko and Sayaka had done him a huge favor and put a request through to allow him to have a pet in the dorms. However, if he was caught with her in class, that wouldn't be ideal.

So he had agreed under the condition that Monomi kept quiet. However, it became all too clear that the Metaverse mentor could not contain her excitement. She kept on making comments about how ideal the teachers were and how incredible the students were, and Makoto kept having to shake his bag every time someone heard a squeaking, choosing to blame it on his chair.

Still, he couldn't exactly fault her, and it seemed like she'd learned her lesson by the end of the day. As he packed his things, he listened to Monomi as she spoke from within his bag.

"All the pleasant aspects of the school aside, the corruption and poor decisions are all too clear. Whoever runs this school is far from innocent," she said, "while it's great that the Phantom Thieves of Hope are up and running, our main problem now is how we're going to find another target."

"True...We had a pretty strong opening with Haiji Towa. Because of us, about 6 or 7 enterprises went down overnight. That's gonna have a massive effect on the economy." Makoto acknowledged.

"Let's not necessarily look for "bigger" just focus on "big" for now." Monomi whispered as Makoto zipped his bag up.

Good thing he did too, as all of a sudden, Kyoko Kirigiri approached his desk. Makoto did his best to act casual.

"Chair still squeaking?" she inquired, which was a very strange opening for her. Fortunately, Monomi heard her voice from within the bag, so she squeaked as she felt Makoto move his seat.

"Yeah...Sorry, I know it's been distracting," he apologized, "what's up? I feel like I haven't had a chance to talk to you the past few days."

"True, I've been very busy. I went back home to pay a visit to my grandfather," she explained, "and I've been trying to catch passing conversations and rumors with all that's been going on lately. Apparently, someone leaked the calling card to the media."

Makoto's eyes widened.

"Seriously!?" he gasped, "the one from...uh...what were they called? The Hope's Peak Phantom Thieves or something?"

"Yes, that one," Kyoko told him, "it seems to me that the academy tried to cover it up, like how they covered up the truth of how Toko Fukawa and Genocide Jack are the same person. Unfortunately, it seems it slipped through their fingers. Now the media is crawling all over it."

"I wonder who leaked it...?" Makoto asked, half to himself and half to the detective girl in front of him. Kyoko sighed and shrugged.

"Who knows? I've been looking into that myself," she unveiled, "but in any case, it's created quite the buzz both around the school and outside of it. Check the internet lately?"

"Huh? What do you mean?"

As he asked this, Kyoko pulled her smartphone out of her jacket pocket and showed the screen to him. Kyoko had two phones on her person at all times. A cell phone for work and a smartphone for leisure...Though Makoto wasn't quite sure what "leisure" was for Kyoko.

Regardless, he was quite surprised, to say the least when he saw what was on the screen.

"You haven't seen this yet?" she inquired, "this popped up overnight and gained incredible traction. With how trendy you are, that surprises me."

"Well, I've been busy myself lately," Makoto admitted, which wasn't really a lie, "so I haven't had a lot of downtime. What's this about anyway?"

"It's a social media site that's dedicated purely to the Phantom Thieves, that people can create and edit posts on," she explained, "like Tumblr, only more personally themed. Lots of people are congratulating and thanking them for what they've done, but some are even name-dropping people who could be the group's next potential target."

"That's...chaotic..." Makoto commented, not liking the idea of his name coming up on online forums for ill reasons, "surely there are laws for that kind of thing, right? Who even made this site?"

"You make it sound like getting anonymous threats online isn't something that happens every waking hour of the day," Kyoko grumbled, pocketing her phone again, "and I'm looking into who made the site now. Regardless, it seems you have quite the superfan out there."

"Yeah, seriously..." Makoto laughed.

However, his heart stopped and his stomach sank as soon as he realized what she had just said. He looked up at her with tension in his eyes.

Despair Syndrome (2) - Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc

"Wait...What did you just...?"

Kyoko responded with a small, quiet chuckle, and she leaned against the classroom window, a wry smirk on her face.

"I had figured you'd taken an interest over the last few days in this incident," she said quietly, "so if I'm allowed to ask, what do you make of all this media buzz...

...Mr Phantom Thief...?"

Chapter End Notes

Ooooooooh...!? She knooooooows...!?
Bet you're wondering what's gonna happen next, right? Well, now that our team has been properly established and Leprechaun, Highwayman, Razor and Usami are already keeping their eyes out for a new target, we're officially moving into the second arc of our story.
And I hope this cliffhanger starts it off with a bang.
As always thanks as always for reading! I love to get feedback from my readers, so feel free to leave a comment, and some kudos if you feel up to it!
Also, you can read the story on WattPad, so check me out there too for some other Danganronpa goodies - https://www.wattpad.com/story/343137490-phantom-thieves-of-hope-a-danganronpa-x-persona-5

The Collective Unconscious

Chapter Summary

To their dismay, the Phantom Thieves' identities are discovered by Class 78's Ultimate Detective. However, instead of approaching them with an arrest warrant, Kyoko approaches them with a proposition; one that will allow them to prove their righteous goals to her. Monomi sees an opportunity in her proposal and doesn't hesitate to seize it...

Chapter Notes

See the end of the chapter for notes

[THE PREVIOUS MORNING...]

"I'm sorry...You want me to find out who's responsible for sending the calling card?" Kyoko asked, "but that was just a meaningless little prank to spite Towa, wasn't it?"

Kyoko stood in the Headmaster's Office at Hope's Peak Academy, having a conversation with four fully grown men.

The first was Jin Kirigiri, the Headmaster, and her father.

The second was Koichi Kizakura, a teacher at Hope's Peak, the lead talent scout, and an old friend of her father's.

The third was Kazuo Tengan, the former Headmaster before Jin took over, who now served as a guidance counselor.

And the fourth was Ashikawa of the Steering Committee.

Alongside Kyoko, the first three men all had concerned looks on their faces, whilst Ashikawa merely greeted her with a smile.

"While I would like to believe so, Young Miss Kirigiri, we cannot be too careful," he told her, "we among the staff would like to know who it was so there's no miscommunication with the media and the police. Your father and Mr Kizakura have already been challenged with the staff, so I would like you to cover the students."

"By herself?" Jin glowered, "sir, even though she is an Ultimate, that is ridiculous."

"I must agree," Tengan frowned, "for one who runs the school, you seem to have very little faith in the people YOU invited to attend it."

"That makes me three," Kizakura chimed in, "even with all that aside, you can't just ask her to investigate the students in secret."

"Look..." Ashikawa pinched the bridge of his nose, "I don't like this any more than you do. But it's BECAUSE we believe in Young Miss Kirigiri's ability that we're even asking her. Rest assured, if you do we will reward you handsomely."

Ashikawa suddenly looked at his watch, raising his eyebrows.

"Sorry, I have somewhere I need to be," he bowed politely, "I expect great things from you though!"

He quickly left and closed the door behind him. As soon as his footsteps down the hallway were out of earshot, Kizakura made a disgruntled noise.

"Who the hell does he think he is, pushing the responsibility of a committee member onto a student?"

"Well, it's not like we can say anything," Tengan reminded him, "in a way, asking the Young Lady to take on this task is just another way she can foster her talent. At least...that's the excuse I expect them to offer."

"I'm very very sorry about this Kyoko..." Jin sighed, "but you know I can't just oppose the higher-ups."

"You're a figurehead who bares all their mistakes, that's all you've ever been," Kyoko scowled, which did emotionally hurt her father a little, "but fine...If they want results, I'll get results..."

She smiled to herself as under her breath, she added.

"Whether I'll show those results is another story..."

"So that's what happened...?" Makoto asked. Kyoko nodded, her expression sour.

The two of them were now sitting in a more private part of the academy, making sure that no one interrupted their conversation. Talking in the classroom would have attracted too much attention.

However, despite the cool spring air, Makoto was sweating buckets. Even though he knew Kyoko was one to watch out for, he wasn't expecting he would be exposed so soon. He had tried to satiate her potential aggressiveness by buying her a drink from the vending machine, but he should have known that you couldn't bribe the Ultimate Detective.

"I'm surprised you didn't make any attempt to deny it when I approached you," she said, "you broke down quickly."

"Well, what do you expect!? You were the one who always told me I'm an open book," Makoto groaned, "and what's the use? No doubt you've figured everything out anyway, haven't you?"

"Not necessarily true..." she told him, "your methodology for instance, still evades me. How you were actually able to "change Towa's heart" for instance..."

She turned her head towards him.

"So...care to share? Was it blackmail? Drugs? Violence?"

"N-No, of course not!" Makoto exclaimed, "wouldn't there be traces of that if it were the case!? We didn't lay a finger on him!"

"Ah, so there really is more than one of you..." Kyoko smirked, "I assume that Fukawa-san is in on this too?"

Makoto kept his lips sealed. Kyoko may have already figured it out, but he wasn't going to sell out Toko any more than he already had. Plus, there was no way in hell Kyoko would ever believe him, even if he told her everything about the Metaverse.

"So what?" he finally spoke, his face agitated and nervous, "are you gonna arrest me or something? If so, just get it over with, but I'm not breathing a word about my accomplices."

"That's surprisingly formidable of you...but gallant in its own way," she smirked, "you must really care about keeping your secrets."

She placed her drink down and crossed her arms, looking forward again.

"I'm not going to file for an arrest," she said "or more accurately, I can't. Not on my current conscience."

"What!?" Makoto gasped, his head snapping her way.

Kyoko didn't look into his eyes, but she closed hers and smiled. Not a warm smile, but definitely not a cold one either. Perhaps she was just satisfied having taken him off guard.

That was just like her.

But Makoto couldn't help but be suspicious of her intentions.

"What's with you?" he skeeved, "this isn't like you. You never turn a blind eye to injustice."

"So you think what you did counts as an "injustice?" I don't see it that way..." she replied.

"Wait...so...you think we did a GOOD thing?"

"I didn't say that either..."

"Well, what is it then!?"

"Calm down."

"S-Sorry..."

The stress and confusion created by Kyoko's attitude were starting to get to Makoto's head, and he spoke to her brashly, immediately regretting it. Kyoko retained her cool composure and explained herself.

"I mean that without knowing your methods, the only thing I can currently charge you on is the crime of threat. And there's absolutely no concrete evidence linking you or anyone else to being the perpetrators behind the calling card. Towa never mentioned your name during his confession, after all..."

She shifted in her seat.

"And then there's the Steering Committee...Who are just using me to try and get rid of you so they don't have to get their hands dirty. Honestly, I can't help but think they're doing this out of spite since Towa's confession ruined their latest commercial plan."

"Of course!" Makoto snapped, "Towa was the real villain here! Not us!"

"I agree," Kyoko nodded, "there's evidence that proves all the crimes that Towa admitted to, so you're off the hook...for now..."

"What do you mean, "for now?"" he inquired.

"I'll make this simple," she said, "how about we make a deal between us? Though the idea of a detective and a thief working together does sound rather silly..."

"What do you mean by "working together?" What do you need me to do?" Makoto asked, "if you want me to explain my methods, I don't think I can tell you. You wouldn't believe me even if I did."

"I'm more than capable of finding out the methods on my own," Kyoko told him assuringly, "and I'm also more than willing to turn a blind eye to the Towa situation, but only if you prove to me that you're well and truly on the side of good. To do that, I want you to incite a change of heart into another person."

"Wait...really?" he asked, "who?"

"I don't know his name yet," she admitted, "but I know who does, and I plan on asking them later today. Once I find out, I can send you whatever details you need."

"Ok...but why do you want me to do this?" he asked, "what did this person do?"

"They've been throwing bricks through the Kirigiri Detective Agency's windows, making death threats, and even assaulting some of the detectives that collaborate with the agency," she told him, "and he's elusive and hard to catch. He knows the ins and outs of the security system and patrols, and he knows exactly how to bypass it."

"That's...horrible...!" Makoto gasped.

"I'd like to get to the bottom of it, and I'm more than capable of capturing him on my own, but I feel this would be a good opportunity," she said, "so how about it? You enact this "change of heart" and prove to me that you're the good guys, and I won't tell the police or the Steering Committee what I know. After all, I have no interest in arresting someone under false charges."

"Are you absolutely sure?" Makoto asked again, "I didn't know you supported vigilante justice..."

"I don't," she told him bluntly, "but you said it yourself...I can read you like a book, and I KNOW you're not the villain the adults claim you are. Just...prove me right about that."

Makoto hesitated but then reached out a hand.

"Alright. You've got yourself a deal," he said, "make sure you send me the person's name at least and I'll get it done."

"Thank you," Kyoko reached out with her gloved hand, taking and shaking his, "I look forward to seeing your results."

As they shook hands, Makoto felt himself establish yet another contract.

I am thou...Thou art I...Thy hast acquired a new vow.

It shall become the wings of rebellion that breaketh thy chains of captivity.

With the birth of the Justice Persona, I have obtained the winds of blessing that shall lead to freedom and new power...

----------------------------------------------

PTChat

Makoto: [Hey guys...]

Makoto: [We need to talk.]

Komaru: [Hell yeah we do!]

Komaru: [Isn't this whole thing insane!?]

Makoto: [Huh?]

Toko: [What is?]

Komaru: [Have you guys seriously not seen it?]

Komaru: [Come on! Get with the times!]

Komaru :[www.phansite.net]

Toko: [Wait, what's this?]

Makoto: [Oh yeah! I saw this!]

Toko: ["Phantom Aficionado Website?"]

Komaru: [PhanSite for short!]

Komaru: [Someone made a website specifically for us! And there's loads of awesome comments on there!]

Komaru: [I've been reading them basically all through lunch!]

Makoto: [What have they been saying?]

Komaru: [Lots of cool stuff!]

Komaru: [ "Well done Phantom Thieves!" "Thank you for giving us hope!" "Now I can keep going too!"]

Toko: [Wait, we have a FANBASE!?]

Komaru: [Technically a "Phanbase."]

Toko: [I don't get it. We only posted the calling card in Hope's Peak. Where are all these anonymous messages coming from?]

Toko: [Surely they can't all be students?]

Makoto: [I found out just now that someone in school leaked the calling card to the news outlets.]

Makoto: [By the time the Steering Committee realized, it was already too late.]

Makoto: [Now the world knows we're out there.]

Komaru: [Swatting lies in the making~]

Toko: [Huh?]

Makoto: [What kind of response is that?]

Komaru: [Dunno.]

Komaru: [Honestly though, it's pretty surreal.]

Komaru: [I was so caught up in trying to save Kotoko-chan and her friends that I didn't even realize what the bigger impact of what we did was.]

Toko: [Towa Corp was massive. And with the other corporations combined, it's even bigger.]

Toko: [If nothing else, Japan's economy is going to take a massive blow. Not one that will cripple it, but even so.]

Toko: [Honestly, that just makes it concerning to me that the media and world by extension found out about our calling card.]

Toko: [I hope we don't get labeled as criminals...]

Komaru: [Oh come on! There's no way that could happen!]

Komaru: [Didn't you hear what I just said? About how people were saying we inspired a will of hope in them?]

Komaru: [That's a good thing, right? We should be proud!]

Toko: [Well...I guess.]

Toko: [Thinking about it now, with our methods, there's no way anyone could link the domino effect back to us, right?]

Makoto: [Actually...about that...]

Toko: [Huh?]

Makoto: [The new PhanSite thing is cool and all, but that's actually not the thing I wanted to bring up.]

Makoto: [I just had a talk with Kyoko Kirigiri from our class.]

Komaru: [Kyoko Kirigiri?]

Komaru: [Oh! That really stoic and super hot girl with the gloves, right?]

Makoto: [Yes, the Ultimate Detective.]

Toko: [Ugh! Her...]

Komaru: [What's wrong? She seems cool?]

Toko: [She's cool, sure, but she's also a huge pain in the ass.]

Toko: [Anyway, whatever it is, hurry up and spill!]

Komaru: [Hey! Be patient!]

Toko: [Stop ordering me around!]

Makoto: [Can you two PLEASE stop bickering for like...2 seconds!?]

Komaru: [Yes.]

Toko: [No.]

Komaru: [Ok, just go on Makoto. What's this about Kyoko-chan?]

Makoto: [I'll be blunt...]

Makoto: [She knows about us...]

Komaru: [Well, yeah, why wouldn't she? She's your classmate?]

Makoto: [No, doofus! I mean she knows we're the Phantom Thieves!]

Komaru: [SAY WHAT!?]

Toko: [Oh no...]

Makoto: [Ok, to be more accurate, she knows that I'M a Phantom Thief.]

Makoto: [She's definitely suspicious of Toko, and I'm not sure if she's made the connection that Komaru is as well, but I wouldn't put it past her.]

Toko: [How did she even figure it out!?]

Makoto: [No clue. But right after class ended, she confronted me.]

Makoto: [And look, I know we subconsciously agreed that we needed to keep all this stuff hidden...but I told her...]

Toko: [Makoto COME ON!]

Makoto: [I'm sorry.]

Makoto: [But what do you want me to do!?]

Makoto: [I can't lie to that girl!]

Makoto: [Not for any personal attachment, but that she can see right through every single word that comes out of my mouth!]

Toko: [UUUUUUUUUUGGGGGHH!]

Toko: [Alright, fine...I guess it's unfair to blame you for it.]

Komaru: [The real question is how did she react?]

Komaru: [Isn't she working for the police?]

Makoto: [Actually, she's working for both the police AND the academy staff.]

Makoto: [So, basically, the two groups of people who want to find us the most.]

Komaru: [Crap.]

Toko: [But I'm assuming that since you're still texting us, things either turned out ok, or they let you keep your phone in jail for some reason?]

Makoto: [Believe me, if I was in jail, you would have known sooner.]

Makoto: [Honestly her reaction was the most interesting part of the whole thing.]

Makoto: [She's actually agreed that she won't sell us out to either party.]

Komaru: [Wait, REALLY!?]

Makoto: [On one condition.]

Komaru: [Oh-]

Toko: [What does Miss Prissy Princess want with us?]

Makoto: [In her own words, she wants us to prove to her that we're not the potentially dangerous criminals that the Steering Committee thinks we are.]

Makoto: [I'm expecting to get a message from her later with the name of a target for us. But she wants us to go into the Metaverse and change someone's heart for her.]

Komaru: [Who!?]

Makoto: [Someone who's been threatening her grandfather's agency. They haven't been able to catch him.]

Toko: [Aren't they supposed to be a prestigious detective agency?]

Toko: [And they can't catch one little griefer?]

Makoto: [Maybe they just think he's beneath them.]

Makoto: [She did mention that they're letting a newbie handle this task.]

Makoto: [In any case, if you two are free this afternoon, I'd like to meet up with you guys if you can make it.]

Makoto: [We need to discuss this more in person.]

Komaru: [Just for the record, what did Kyoko-chan say she would do if we failed?]

Makoto: [She didn't...]

Makoto: [I don't think it needed saying to be honest.]

Toko: [This is blackmail, even though no one else will admit it.]

Komaru: [In that case, I guess we don't have a choice.]

Komaru: [This is kind of exciting though! We've been getting target requests on the PhanSite too!]

Komaru: [No harm if this just so happens to be our first one, right!?]

Toko: [Always the optimist...]

Makoto: [She's got a good point though.]

Makoto: [We're already an established group.]

Makoto: [We can't let the Phantom Thieves be a one-hit-wonder.]

Toko: [I know. I'm just saying.]

Toko: [Anyway, let me put the finishing touches on my latest chapter, and I'll meet you guys at the park like before.]

----------------------------------------------

"Hm...This may be a good opportunity actually..." Monomi commented as she read the chat message over Makoto's shoulder, "the park is a perfect place to meet. And I suppose it's high time..."

"What are you mumbling about?" he asked. Monomi merely giggled.

"Let's just say that I have something...or rather SOMEWHERE...to show you~" she teased.

Before Makoto could ask what she meant by that, he suddenly heard another notification on his phone. He looked at his messenger to see that it was from an unknown number...

----------------------------------------------

Unknown Number

???: [Hello?]

???: [Am I speaking to Makoto Naegi?]

Makoto: Who is this?

???: [Ah, sorry to text out of the blue.]

???: [I'm a new intern at the Kirigiri Detective Agency, and Mr Fuhito Kirigiri's current pupil.]

???: [I'm also the Ultimate Detective and your first-year kouhai at Hope's Peak.]

???: [My name is Shuichi Saihara.]

Makoto: [Oh! I see!]

Makoto: [You must be the person that Kyoko mentioned to me?]

Makoto: [The one who was pursuing the current case.]

???: [That's right.]

???: Kirigiri-senpai approached me today and asked me about the case. Then told me to contact you.]

???: [Though I'm quite surprised she told me to come to you of all people. Are you perhaps a private investigator yourself, Naegi-senpai?]

Makoto: [Something like that.]

Makoto: [Let's just say that Kyoko and her grandfather need help, and they've asked me to lend a hand.]

???: [Very well. I won't pry.]

???: [In any case, she told me to report my findings to you. So far, I've been able to identify our perpetrator, but I've been unable to find conclusive enough evidence to corner him.]

???: [As I'm sure you know, he's been victimizing members of the KDA before I even joined.]

Makoto: [Yes. I heard about the harassment and assault charges.]

Makoto: [First and foremost, mind telling me our guy's name?]

???: [Of course.]

???: [His full name is Toshiro Uzawa.]

Makoto: [Can you think of any reason why he would be targeting the agency specifically?]

???: [As a matter of fact, I can.]

???: [Our culprit is actually an ex-detective himself.]

???: [He used to be a member of the agency and a high-ranking member at that, before he was let go.]

Makoto: [Woah.]

Makoto: [So it's a revenge story?]

???: [Most likely.]

Makoto: [Why was he let go?]

???: [I'm not too sure of the details.]

???: [But apparently, there was a detective's code in the agency that he chose not to adhere to.]

???: [One of utmost importance, which is why he was given the boot.

???: [But he lost his job as a detective and failed at opening his own private investigative agency afterward. He likely holds the Kirigiri's responsible, and victimizes anyone associated with them.]

Makoto: [Sounds rough...]

???: [Anyway, I can send you his home address or any other information I have if it helps?]

----------------------------------------------

"It would be helpful if he could give us this Uzawa's keyword, but I doubt he'd get it," Makoto said, "at least his home address will help us find this guy's Palace."

"Actually, about that," Monomi interrupted, "we don't need that. Shuichi has already given us his name, and that's all we need for now."

"Wait, really?" Makoto asked, "what about-"

"Just trust me for now." she cut him off. Makoto was still suspicious and confused but did as he was told and replied.

----------------------------------------------

Makoto: [No need. The name is enough.]

???: [Really?]

Makoto: [Yeah.]

Makoto: [Thanks for the info. I hope you enjoy your internship.

Makoto: [And your time at Hope's Peak.]

???: [Thank you, Naegi-senpai.]

----------------------------------------------

Underground Trial - Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc

"Huh...Seems like a pretty eager kid. I'm happy for him." Komaru commented when Makoto informed her and Toko of the situation.

"By the way Komaru, did you have a closer look at w-what some of the people on that website were asking?" Toko inquired, "you said that people were leaving requests, right?"

"Yeah, but there's no real good ones. Just people complaining about small things like whining about their ex-boyfriend or stuff like that," she admitted, "it's honestly a pretty good thing that Kyoko-chan came to us about this, or else we might not have found a good target."

"I don't know how to feel about that, since we ARE still being blackmailed, but fine," Toko turned to the rabbit, "Monomi? How do we get to this guy's Palace?"

"You told me that we only needed a name this time, right?" Makoto asked, "are you absolutely sure?"

"Just follow my instructions. First, would one of you please boot up the Metaverse Navigator?"

"Yep, got it. Now what?" Komaru asked, taking out her phone and complying with Monomi's instructions.

"Now, all you have to do is enter "Mementos" into the keyword. Then enter. That's it!"

"Mementos?" Komaru parroted.

However, as she did, the Meta-Nav registered her words and entered them into the keyword section. No sooner did it do so that it suddenly started speaking.

[KEYWORD ACCEPTED. BEGINNING NAVIGATION.]

The group looked around in surprise as their environment suddenly shifted, and as if by magic, all the people around them walking suddenly vanished into thin air!

"What the hell!?" Toko instantly lurched to her feet, "what happened!? Where did everyone go!?"

"This...atmosphere..." Makoto frowned, "did we just enter the Metaverse?"

"Just as planned~" Monomi whistled, "now follow me, everyone! Stick with your teacher!"

"Hey! Monomi! Wait up!" Komaru called out.

Monomi led the group all the way out of the park and towards the station square. The group watched as she bunny-hopped down the stairs to the underground and they all frantically gave chase.

By the time they finally caught up with her, they were out of breath.

"Jeez Monomi!" Makoto panted, "couldn't you have slowed down for a sec-Wait, WHAT!?"

His exclamation was warranted, as all of a sudden, he looked back at his cottontail teacher to see that she was no longer in her fluffy bunny form. She was now wearing her Metaverse attire and was standing on her hind legs, clutching her magic stick!

"You...You changed!?" Toko cried.

"Yeah, and so did we! Look!" Komaru added.

Sure enough, upon taking a look at themselves, Makoto, Toko and Komaru had changed into their Phantom Thief attires without even realizing it. Makoto in his green suit, Komaru in her outlaw attire, and Toko in her assassin clothes.

"What's going on Monomi-Uh! Usami? Where are we right now?" Makoto remembered that since they were in the Metaverse, they should be referring to one another by their code names, "is this Uzawa's Palace?"

"Well, the simple answer is yes...but also no..." she explained cryptically, "we ARE inside a Palace, but this one is a tad different to how it was with Towa's."

"How so?" Komaru inquired. Usami proudly put her hands on her hips and puffed out her bunny chest.

"This, dear boys and girls, is Mementos. This is EVERYONE'S Palace."

"Wait...huh?" Razor asked, swiftly following the bunny girl as she hopped, skipped, and jumped down an inactive escalator, "what do you mean by that?"

As the thieves followed Usami down the steps, she explained to them.

"As I mentioned to you before, anyone with a distorted enough desire can have their own Palace. As was the case with Haiji Towa, whose desire was so distorted, strong, and extraordinary, that it created a realm in his head that he could rule over," she said, "other people with much weaker desires don't have this. Instead, they can be found here in Mementos, one massive, unified Palace that the masses share."

"By "unified" do you mean that all those people's desires are stuck together?" Highwayman asked as they got to the bottom of the escalator, "even though they're all just total strangers?"

"Yes indeedy!" Usami beamed, hopping up onto a railing in front of a long, dark tunnel that lead to who knows where "I call it the "Collective Unconscious!""

"I'm not sure I completely understand..." Makoto admitted, "but does this mean that coming here will allow us to change the hearts of people even if they DON'T have a Palace?"

"The steps to do so are slightly different, but yes, that is correct!" the rabbit smiled, "it all comes down to looking through Mementos and finding Toshiro Uzawa's Shadow. We can then change his heart from there."

"Ok...just one question..." Toko peered down the very dark tunnel, "maybe it's just my shit eyesight, but that tunnel looks like it weaves and winds for a long while..."

"No, it's not just you," Komaru told her, "they look like they go on...FOREVER!? Don't tell me we're really gonna explore this place on foot!?"

Monomi simply responded to this by giggling like a cheeky little girl.

"Would you little one's like to see a magic trick?" she asked.

Before any of them had a chance to answer, however, Usami hopped onto the tracks and started to wave her magic stick around, chanting strange words.

"Bibbidee-bibbidee, bobbidee-bobbidee, BOO! Turn into a VROOM VROOM!"

Ms. Monomi's Practice Lesson - Danganronpa 2: Goodbye Despair

Before any of the thieves could ask what she was doing, Usami suddenly leaped in the air after her chant and burst into light, which nearly blinded them! When they looked back, however, THAT was what shocked them.

In place of their chibi bunny companion was now a full-functioning convertible minibus! Much like Usami, it was duel-colored; pink on one side and white on the other, with red-tinted headlights!

"Alright kids!" the bus suddenly called out, "make sure you put your seatbelts on!"

"Ah!? Is...Is that YOU USAMI!?" Makoto cried.

"What did-!? How did-!? WHAAAAAAAHAAAAAAAAAAATT!?" Toko shrieked.

"No WAY!" Komaru hollered, "how did you DO that!?"

"Well, it's because I'm a teacher of course!" she explained, "why wouldn't I have the power to turn into a school bus? It's not so different from the way that you transform when you come in here."

"First of all, that doesn't make any sense, and second of all YES IT IS! Us changing outfits and you turning into a FUCKING BUS are NOT THE SAME THING!" Razor screamed.

"Alright, relax!" Highwayman grabbed her shoulder reassuringly, "it's not like this is the weirdest thing we've seen! Besides, it helps us, right? Now we don't have to waste time bumbling our way through these tunnels until we find our guy, right?"

"I don't know...I'm still really confused..." Leprechaun said, "but I guess you have a point. Come on Razor, let's just get in and go."

"I...Ugh...Fine, I guess I will..." she groaned, "but this had better be like a normal drive!"

Still very cautious, the three of them climbed one by one into the Usami Bus. Even though it looked like a bus and had a bus interior, it was still a lot smaller than expected. It was more like driving a fairly large car with more seats than normal if anything else.

"Alright, we're in!" Komaru pumped her arms excitedly, "let's go!"

There was a pause after she said this, no one moving and no sounds being made. All that remained was an air of confusion.

"Um...I said...LET'S GO!" Highwayman repeated, louder this time.

"Um...I can't..." Usami could be heard sobbing quietly as she said this, "I don't have a driver..."

"Wait, you can't drive yourself!?" Razor snapped, "I thought you were supposed to be a magic school bus!?"

"So uh...do either of you know how to drive?" Highwayman turned towards Razor and Leprechaun, "I've only ever driven in games before..."

"Well, I don't have a license?" was the only response that Makoto could think of.

"Why would I have ever needed to drive?" Razor asked, "I don't go anywhere with anyone, and when I do, I either walk or take my bike."

"Welp!" the cowgirl threw up her arms, "THIS is a doozy! Makoto, you're the leader, YOU be the designated driver!"

"Ugh, fine! I'll give it a shot!" Leprechaun stood up and shuffled to the front. He sat in the driver's seat and looked at the control panel in front of him, "everyone just sit tight and be careful."

Mementos - Persona 5

As it turned out, driving the "Usamobile" as he had chosen to dub it, wasn't as difficult to drive as he originally thought. The controls were very simple, much simpler than they were in a normal car, and Usami could guide him should he need help with anything.

That said, driving over the train tracks was the furthest thing from a pleasant ride. As Usami guided him through the tunnels, he constantly had to block out Razor and Highwayman's complaints in the back.

"Gah! Go slower, will you!? Ow ow OW!" Toko whined, "this really hurts my ass!"

"I just hope that a train doesn't come down here..." Komaru's face was sweating, "and it's so dark here too...!"

"Sshh! Settle down, class!" Usami suddenly hissed, "if we make too much noise, we might upset the Shadows!"

"W-Wait!? There are Shadows in here!?" Leprechaun suddenly panicked, "where!?"

"THERE!" Highwayman screamed, pointing forwards! The thieves suddenly flew into a collective panic, as Leprechaun turned the wheel and just barely managed to avoid running into a weird, black amalgamation with several distorted faces over its body!

The bus screeched around the corner, and Leprechaun honestly thought they were going to topple over, but luckily, Usami remained upright. He quickly looked back, seeing both the distraught and panicked faces of Razor and Highwayman, and the Shadow they passed that continued to mind its own business through the rear window.

"Why didn't you tell me there would be Shadows here!?" Makoto exclaimed, smacking the dashboard out of spite.

"Why wouldn't there be!?" Usami cried back, "I told you this place was a Palace, right!? Where there's a Palace, there's Shadows!"

"I mean...she does have a point..." Highwayman adjusted her hat until it was straight again.

"I don't wanna be in here any longer than I should!" Razor whimpered, "how much longer will this take!?"

"Do not worry Razor! We are almost there!" Usami assured her, "Leprechaun, dear boy! Take a left just here, and there should be a strange wormhole-looking scene at the end of the tunnel."

Makoto did as he was told and steered the bus left, and sure enough, there did appear to be a strange portal surrounded by tracks at the far end of the tunnel. As he drove towards it, he could feel the vehicle slowly getting sucked in.

"Don't be alarmed! All we must do now is drive into that portal," Usami told him, "if my nose is right, we should find Uzawa on the other side!"

"We're really gonna drive into that thing!?" Razor squealed.

"Cool down! It's gonna be fine!" Highwayman smacked her back, "alright Leprechaun! Full speed ahead!"

Leprechaun didn't need to be told twice. He put his foot on the pedal and drove forwards. The bus jumped into the air and got sucked into the hole, and then suddenly spat out on the other side! The thieves inside the vehicle clutched onto the wheel and seats as hard as they could, their stomachs going topsy-turvy, but then Monomi landed on the ground, completely fine.

After making sure everyone was ok, Leprechaun raised his head and looked through the front window, and that's when he spotted something. There was a figure with a dark, ominous aura swirling around them. Clearly, they hadn't been expecting the sudden arrival of a weird school bus into the domain they dwelled in.

Leprechaun, Highwayman and Razor exited the bus, the latter of whom would have fallen over and thrown up if Highwayman hadn't supported them. As they did, the bus suddenly glowed with the same light as before, and Usami transformed back into her original, Phantom Thief form. She grasped her magic stick and stared down the tunnel at the ominous figure.

"There he is," she hushed, "that's the Shadow of Toshiro Uzawa, our target!"

"So, just for refreshers purposes, this dude has been harassing members of the Kirigiri Agency, right?" Highwayman clarified, "because he got fired a while ago?"

"Yes. According to Kyoko, he's been damaging property and committing violent crimes against detectives and police officers that follow the KDA," Leprechaun explained, "our own personal reasons for taking him down aside, if we don't stop him he might end up killing someone."

"Alright...Let's do this..." Razor tugged on her gloves to make sure she was primed and ready for a fight, and the group approached Shadow Uzawa, who just glared at them with grit teeth.

Wiping All Out - Persona 3 Portable

"Who the hell are you supposed to be?" he snarled in his distorted voice, "why have you come here?"

"Hey! You're the dude who's been attacking all those detectives, right?" Highwayman pointed forward with an accusatory finger, "if you really think you can get away with attacking people just because you feel like it, think again!"

"Feh! Anyone who chooses to follow that disgusting old dickwad is in for a fate far worse than I'm giving them!" Uzawa snapped, "one way or another, those who sign up for the KDA get hurt! Whether it's by me, or the dirtbags that run it! Not that it matters...anyone who allies with that man is my enemy, and I will DESTROY ALL my enemies!"

"Disgusting old...you mean Fuhito Kirigiri?" Leprechaun frowned.

"Oh shut your face!" Razor spat, "you can't go assaulting people just because you got a big head and got fired! So either you change your ways, or we will MAKE you!"

"Fired!? FIRED!? AHAHAHAHAHAHAAAAH! Shows what YOU know!" Uzawa glowered, his body suddenly starting to contort into something strange, "I wasn't just fired! My entire life ended all because of Kirigiri! I was given the boot for no reason and I could never achieve my dream of becoming a great detective like him! SO HOW COME YOU'RE GOING AFTER ME WHILE HE GETS OFF SCOT-FREEEEEE!?"

"Woah, hold on a second!" Makoto exclaimed, "what are you talking about!? What did Kirigiri DO to you!?"

"SHUT YOUR MOUTHS!" Uzawa started to salivate with rage, his body bending into unnatural shapes, "DON'T IGNORE THE REAL PROBLEMS AND COME TALK DOWN TO ME! I'LL KILL YOOOUU!"

With this scream, Uzawa's transformation was complete. He had taken the form of a weird goblin-looking shadow with horns, long bangs, and big hands. He started to do a shuffling dance, then lunged at the thieves!

"Watch out dear boys and girls! Here he comes!"

With Usami's shout, the thieves dodged out of the way of the lunge, and Highwayman was the first person to retaliate!

"Persona!" she shouted, summoning Parker to her side, which then aimed at Uzawa and shot a rocket at him! The rocket crashed into the Shadow and blasted him backwards!

However, Uzawa's shadow flexed, and those bullets suddenly flew out of a strange spiral in his stomach! The bullets flew towards Komaru and smacked into her! Fortunately, she was able to hold up her arms and block the damage just in time! Razor decided to rush in and also summoned her own Persona, thrusting an arm toward their foe!

"Zio!" she exclaimed, with Barrow crouching down and launching a bolt of lightning straight at the demon! The bolt landed, and the shock was great enough that Uzawa suddenly collapsed on the ground!

"Good job!" Usami exclaimed, "it looks like you've hit a weak spot!"

"Hah! Way to go me!" Razor smirked.

"In that case...! Razor, pass to me!" Leprechaun cried.

Razor scurried back away from their opponent, and hi-fived Leprechaun, passing the turn over to him. Leprechaun swiped his arm across his face and summoned his own Persona.

"Pixie!" he cried, "Zio!"

The lightning blasted from Makoto's Persona and again, crashed straight into Uzawa's demonic form!

"GAAGH!" he shrieked, "you...you bastards...!"

"Alright, Usami!" Leprechaun called back, passing the baton to his rabbit companion, "take him down!"

"You got it!" she called out, "Mr. A!"

Usami blasted some psychic energy that flew toward Uzawa and swept him out from under his feet. Crippled and left lying on the ground, the thieves took him out by swarming around him in an All-Out Attack!

Heartless Journey - Danganronpa V3: Killing Harmony

Uzawa's monstrous form collapsed to the ground, and within but a few moments, his body morphed back into its human shape.

"Hmph! Too easy!" Highwayman rubbed her nose.

"That's how it feels," Leprechaun glowered, "now you know what it is you put those poor detectives through! Doesn't feel good to be put up against someone who you can't fight back against, huh!?"

"I...I'm sorry...It's just...after Kirigiri threw me out, I had nowhere else to turn to...I resented him, and did whatever I could to get back at him!" he grunted, catching his breath, "I-I'll do anything you ask...Just don't kill me!"

"Don't be ridiculous. We're here to prove our justice to society, and killing you doesn't help in any way," Makoto told him, "go back to reality and reunite with your true self. Then spend your time atoning for the things you've done!"

"Yes...Yes, I will!" Uzawa pleaded, "thank you...I'm sorry..."

As Towa had done in his own Palace, Uzawa started to glow with light until he vanished. All that remained was a strange pale cloud of smoke.

Leprechaun approached the cloud then reached out and touched it. As he did, something dropped into the palm of his hand.

The other thieves gathered around to look at it. Upon closer inspection, it appeared to be a worn-down detective's badge.

"What's this?" Highwayman asked, "is this his treasure?"

"Yes! Or rather, it's merely the bud of one," Usami explained, "had we left it unchecked, chances are it could have blossomed into a Palace. We should take it as our reward as we did with Towa's treasure."

"Seriously," Razor commented as Leprechaun slipped the badge into his pocket, "are all treasures badges or something?"

"Well, I doubt it," Leprechaun replied, "Usami said that treasures are the source of one's desire. With that logic, they could very well end up being anything."

"Hm...Good point," she acknowledged, "well, what now? We've stolen the treasure, so Uzawa probably had a change of heart by now, right? Does that mean we can just bail?"

"Wow, you REALLY don't like this place, do you?" Highwayman remarked, "you do realize that we're gonna have to come back here if we want to change more people's hearts in the future, right?"

"I know, I know..." Toko grimaced, "I'll get used to it eventually. I'm just asking for information purposes."

"Yes, our business here is indeed done," Usami told them, "but there's one last thing I would like to check before we leave. If you don't mind."

"What's that?" Highwayman asked.

"You'll see when we get there; it's a little further down" the bunny explained.

"Actually, I was kind of hoping to stick around a little bit more too," Makoto admitted, "there's something I'd like to do too."

"Oh yeah?" Razor inquired, "what's that?"

"When I talked with Pixie in Towa's Palace, it convinced her to come to our side and she became my new Persona," he recalled, "perhaps if I try to do so again, I can expand my repertoire of powers?"

"Very good idea, Makoto!" Monomi cheered him on, "that power is something special! You should make use of it while you can!"

Usami glowed with light and once again transformed into her school bus form. With a couple of disgruntled groans from Toko, they all boarded yet again, and leaped out the way they came in.

Talk - Persona 5

"Hm...Me not can see your true intentions because mask cover face...What you thinking now?"

It turned out that Usami's bus form gave the team a much more unique way of ambushing shadows. Running them down like roadkill was a good way to catch them by surprise and take them out swiftly.

However, the goal, as established before, wasn't to kill. It was to convince them to join the team. So when the Shadows transformed into a strange green horse with only the front of its body and no back, and the team swiftly took them down with some lightning, Makoto stood over them, pointing his gun at it, and asked it to talk.

"Well, I do have homework tonight," he responded casually, "should be able to get it done by the morning, but this whole Phantom Thief stuff really does put pressure on my daily life."

"Hah! Humans really pitiful...always bound by other humans' expectations..." the horse scoffed, "make me wonder why you decide to talk to me in first place...You expect something from me?"

"I mean...if it's not too much to ask...Could I touch your hoofs? I wanna know how they feel."

"Huh? M-Me not know what you mean by that...me somewhat...threatened?"

"Oh! S-Sorry, I didn't mean that...!"

"Is ok...you not know any...better?"

The horse suddenly drifted up into the air, glowing a bright light.

"It weird...Me not sure why, but me feel like you not a stranger...Something coming back to me!" it gasped, "me am not a Shadow that belong here! Me exist in the sea of human souls!"

The shadow, satisfied, shifted into a mask shape, just as the others had done before.

"Me am Kelpie," it said, "my power is your power...use it how you want..."

The glowing mask flew towards Makoto, and he absorbed it into his own. He shook his head, a new fatigue overcoming him.

Mementos - Persona 5

"Gah...Th-That never gets easier...!" he grumbled. This was the fourth time he had done this now, having already established contracts with three other Shadows before now. Jack-O-Lantern, Bicorn, and Silkie.

This had, as he had suggested before, expanded his abilities. By switching his Persona, he could now deal powerful fire and ice attacks to his foes, and Bicorn allowed him to deal super heavy physical hits as well.

"The more we explore down this place, the more I like it," Komaru whistled, supporting her brother, "training against Shadow down here seems like a good use of time. It'll really help us when we're preparing for our next target."

"It's also nice that we now have the power to help some of the people who leave requests online," Toko added, "we're definitely gonna keep ourselves busy, that's for sure. Anyway, how much further Usami?"

After returning to her bus form post-fight, and once everyone had climbed in, Usami replied when they started moving.

"Just past this area and downwards. We're not too far now."

As Usami said, the team reached another platform after crawling their way down the dark tunnels, then made their way down another escalator. This time, they came to a much larger platform. Usami very quickly scuttled to the other end of the platform and towards a strangely patterned wall on the other side.

As the other three approached her, Leprechaun suddenly felt a vibration in his pocket. He reached in and pulled out his phone, which had the Metaverse Navigator on it.

[NEW AREA DETECTED.] the speaker read aloud [UPDATING GUIDANCE INFORMATION.]

As soon as the app said this, the group gasped in surprise as the wall suddenly started to shift. Pieces of it folded inwards, revealing another escalator, which went even further downwards.

"Yippee!" Usami cheered, "I KNEW this would work!"

"What is this?" Leprechaun asked, "we can go even FURTHER downwards?"

"Indeed!" Usami cleared her throat and addressed the team, "when I came here before by myself, this was as far as I got. The wall must have opened because we made a name for ourselves, thanks to the Haiji Towa case. I theorized beforehand that if the cognition of the masses changed, we would be allowed to go even deeper into Mementos."

"That's...honestly kind of freaky," Highwayman admitted, "how deep does this place go?"

"I'm going to be honest...I really don't know," Usami told them, "all I know is that it does stop eventually...and wherever it stops may be the key to finding my missing memories..."

These words caused Makoto to stop in his tracks, and he turned towards his bunny friend, looking at her with a concerned and worried expression.

"What do you mean "missing memories?"" he asked, "Usami...do you have amnesia...!?"

As soon as he said this, Toko and Komaru looked at her with the same expression. The pink and white rabbit couldn't bring herself to look her students in the eyes.

"I suppose you could call it that, dear boy," she admitted, "the truth is I don't know who, or even what, I am. I know I take the form of a bunny in the real world, but I was born in the Metaverse...which means I must be something else..."

"Really? Genocide Jack and I don't share memories, so whenever I wake up, I don't remember what I spent the last few hours doing," Toko admitted, "it sucks...I feel for you."

"Thank you, dear girl. That's very nice of you to say," Usami acknowledged, "honestly, if not for my missing memories, I doubt I would have even had the chance to meet any of you."

"What do you mean?" Highwayman asked.

"Well, while I was trying to solve the mystery of my missing memories, I ended up straying into Towa's Palace..." she explained...

"And he ended up capturing you?" Leprechaun finished her sentence. Usami nodded.

"Mementos is not only everyone's Palace, but it is also the source of all people's own Palace," she elaborated, "if I can solve the mystery of this place, then perhaps I can rediscover what I once was, or where I came from...? Perhaps that's just wishful thinking though..."

She finally turned around to look her allies in the eyes.

"Hence why I was looking for an opportunity to bring you all here. Even if it does end up being wishful thinking, I can't do this alone, so..."

"You don't even have to ask," Leprechaun cut her off, smiling and crouching down next to her, "of course we'll help you!"

"Sure thing!" Razor smirked.

"Bring it on!" Highwayman pounded her fists together.

Usami looked like she was on the verge of tears of joy, but she held them in.

"Th-Thank you," she sobbed, "you really are complete gems, all of you."

"In that case, I have a few proposals I need to run by you guys," Leprechaun spoke up, "ever since I got voted as leader of the team, I'm been thinking about it."

"Alright, and what might those be?" Razor asked as she Usami, and Highwayman all turned toward him.

"First of all, if Usami believes that getting our name out there will increase how far we can go down this place, then we should prioritize big-shot criminals and scumbags from now," he explained, "there's nothing wrong with coming down here and changing the hearts of people who get requested, but we'll never get anywhere if we don't look for people who are distorted enough to have their own Palaces. Those in favor, say I!"

"I!" the girls cried at once.

"Second!," Makoto continued, "to make sure we don't stray from the path, we won't target anyone without the unanimous consent of every team member. It's as we said before, we can't do anything if we don't do it together as a team. Those in agreement, say I!"

"I!" they called out yet again.

"Ok, that's all I have for now," he said, "glad to be working with you all!"

Makoto stuck his hand out, and once again, the team put their hands in.

The Phantom Thieves of Hope were now in business!

Butterfly Kiss - Persona 5

"Oh...You're back."

Makoto and Toko returned to the dorms that evening, with Monomi still inside Makoto's bag. Kyoko Kirigiri was sitting on a chair in the lobby, reading her notebook.

Toko shot her a scowl as she walked past her toward the rooms, but Makoto decided to loiter around and have a private conversation with her. He waved goodnight to Toko, then took a seat next to the detective girl, being careful not to spill the coffee she had next to her.

Kyoko casually took a sip, not taking her eyes away from her notes as Makoto sat next to her.

"I just got a message from my grandfather," she told him, catching his attention, "just a few hours ago, Toshiro Uzawa was apprehended by the police."

"Oh, really?" he tilted his head. Kyoko nodded.

"Yes...apparently he arrived at the agency and confessed everything to a large crowd of people, many of whom worked there. I assume you had something to do with that?" she asked, finally lifting her head. Makoto simply nodded.

"I told you," he said, "we didn't hurt him in any way, shape or form. We're not villains."

"Yes, I can see that now," she acknowledged, "don't worry. I'm nothing if not a woman of my word. The police and Steering Committee won't hear a word of this."

"What are you going to tell them instead?" Makoto asked, "after all, they're expecting results, right?"

"I'll decide that on my own, thank you," she told him coldly, "in any case, I hope you don't mind that the police and agency take credit for his arrest, even though you're the one who did all the hard work."

"I'm not doing this for fame." Makoto told her straightforwardly. However, Kyoko then proposed a rather interesting question.

"Then what ARE you doing it for?"

Makoto actually had to stop and give this some serious thought. In all honesty, now that he considered it, fame and recognition WAS part of the goal. After all, as Monomi had said, getting recognized by the masses was the only way to open up the path to the depths of Mementos.

But Makoto had never really been in the limelight before Hope's Peak, and it wasn't something he strove for. When it came down to it, he was just a teenage boy with too much power in him.

But even with all this, the fact at hand was that people like Towa and Uzawa WERE dangerous, and were causing problems.

SOMEONE had to do something about them...

HE had to do something...

So at this moment, he took a deep breath and replied.

"I can tell you," he said, "but if I'm being honest, I don't think you'll like my answer."

"I still want to hear it." she told him. So Makoto continued...

"Whether you openly admit this or not, there's a limit to what sources like the police and public security can do for the world," he explained, "people like Towa run rampant and claim victims and law enforcement don't do anything about it. And you know why that is? It's because he's rich and powerful, and they wouldn't snuff out something that could benefit them in the long run."

"So...you're blatantly accusing law enforcement of corruption, right to my face?" Kyoko wryly smirked.

"I did warn you that you might not like my answer, but to be honest, it does go deeper than that," he reminded her, "I gained the power to make a change. A REAL change. One that has the potential to benefit society and get rid of corruption! I can't just NOT use it!"

He suddenly stood up to emphasize his point.

"Think for a moment. What do you think would have happened if Towa hadn't had a change of heart? Those kids tried to KILL THEMSELVES because they couldn't take it anymore! If we hadn't done anything about it, they might have lost their lives and the bright futures that lay in store for them...And..."

He paused to catch his breath.

"And I would have lived my whole life from then on knowing that it would have been MY fault...That's how Komaru felt when she couldn't save Utsugi-chan from her father, and I never want to feel that way...ever..."

Kyoko suddenly put down her notebook and coffee.

"So...you want to be a hero?" she asked, "one that looks after the little guy that even the law overlooks."

"I guess you could put it that way..." he shrugged, sitting back down again.

"If I'm being honest, there is some truth to what you say," Kyoko admitted, "detectives and private eyes stand on such unsteady footing these days. My grandfather has tried his best to fix that, but even he has his limits."

She took one final swig of her coffee, then gently placed it down on the table.

"In a vacuum, we have no real worth. The thing that gives a detective clarity and recognition is when posed with a case that only they can solve. And perhaps even an arch-rival to bring that case about."

She stood up, not clarifying further, and took her stuff; beginning to make her leave.

"From your end of things, Naegi-kun," she smiled softly at him, "I would suggest surrounding yourself with as many confidants as you can find. Lest you become someone's arch-rival..."

With no other words, Kyoko Kirigiri vanished into the night, leaving Makoto Naegi with a lot to think about.

Chapter End Notes

Mementos has been found, and the Thieves are safe...for now.
It's still unclear what Kyoko really wants out of the thieves, but she's keeping their secret for the time being. However, the fact that she now knows is going to loom over their heads; so how do they plan to deal with it?
Thanks as always for reading! I love to get feedback from my readers, so feel free to leave a comment, and some kudos if you feel up to it!
Also, you can read the story on WattPad, so check me out there too for some other Danganronpa goodies - https://www.wattpad.com/1355861588-phantom-thieves-of-hope-a-danganronpa-x-persona-5

Ties That Bind

Chapter Summary

Makoto starts to form contracts with the people close to him at the request of the Velvet Room attendants.

Chapter Notes

See the end of the chapter for notes

"Student...?"

...

"Stuuuuudeent?"

"Huh?"

Makoto, laying in his bed, forced open his dreary eyes. He looked over at his clock, which read 7:00 am.

Makoto usually set his alarm for 9 am, so initially, he wondered what it was that had woken him until he turned his tired head a few degrees to the right.

"Ah, hmhm~ You finally awoke? I was beginning to get worried."

THIS woke him up!

"WAAAGH!?" he screamed, lurching up in his bed in a panic, "Agatha!? When did YOU get here!?"

Sure enough, standing right next to his bedframe, leering down at him was the mysterious woman in blue, Agatha. Who had somehow left the confines of his head and was now standing in his dorm room, a fully corporeal figure.

Makoto was starting to wonder if this was a dream and went to pinch his arm, but Agatha stopped him.

"This is not a dream," she stated bluntly as if she could read his mind, "my master and I have business with you, and I decided it would be a good opportunity to show you something."

Makoto was acutely aware that he was still in his star-patterned onesie, and he didn't exactly feel like going anywhere this late at night without getting properly dressed first...But at the same time, Agatha clearly wasn't intent on waiting around, and he sure wasn't about to get changed in front of her. However, what surprised him most was that Agatha didn't seem to be leaving his dorm room. Instead, she wandered over to his bathroom door and examined it.

"Hm...Yes, this should do nicely...It's out of the way and won't be a bother to you," she said, "young one, please, I ask you to follow me."

"Into...the bathroom?" Makoto clarified.

Agatha didn't answer. Instead, she opened the door to the bathroom and stepped inside.

"Hey! Agatha, wait!" Makoto scurried after her, "I don't know what you're...doing...!?"

His breath was taken away as he stepped through the door. To his utmost astonishment, stepping through the door did not take him into his bathroom...but instead, into the familiar azure gleam of the Velvet Room!

"Wait...my BATHROOM is the VELVET ROOM!?" he frantically tried to remember the last time he had used his dorm room bathroom, almost immediately realizing how dumb this conclusion was as he most certainly remembered walking through the door into an ACTUAL bathroom, and NOT into a mysterious blue classroom, just recently.

Nevertheless, he certainly HAD this time around. He couldn't find any words in his mouth, as Agatha took him by the hand and guided him to his seat.

As soon as Makoto sat down, Igor appeared at the teacher's desk again. However, Agatha chose not to take his side this time.

"I'm confused..." Makoto opened with this, "I thought I had to be asleep in the real world in order to come to this place?"

"Yes, that has been the case so far...But it would not be ideal if you could only come and visit while in your time of rest, is it not?" Igor asked, "especially given what new opportunities we would like to present to you today. Therefore, we have decided to create a doorway for you so you can come and go at your leisure..."

"In...my bathroom..." Makoto frowned.

"All you need to do is envision the doorway as the Velvet Door in your mind. That will make it appear," Igor explained, "then all you need to do is step through it, and we shall be here to greet you."

"You really are a very diligent student," Agatha commented, "already making use of your new power, without us having to say anything. Good boy~"

"Oh, right! I've been meaning to ask about that!" Makoto realized he was getting off-topic, but felt the need to ask anyway, "I assume you're referring to my special ability? The one that allowed me to turn Shadows into Personas?"

"How observant of you," Igor smirked, "yes...there are many things that we wish to discuss with you today, but we can certainly begin by explaining the power of the Wild Card."

"The Wild Card...?" Makoto parroted. Agatha took over the explanation.

"Do you know what the Major Arcana are, young master Naegi?"

"Yeah, we learned about it in class once, plus my classmate Hagakure told me all about it," he told her, "the one's shown on tarot cards, right?"

"Indeed. And those Major Arcana are an integral part of both Human and Shadow lives, more than most realize themselves," Agatha continued, "it just so happens that YOUR Arcana, is Arcana 0 - the Fool."

"Oh..." Makoto didn't like what this implied, "is that...a good thing?"

"Do not let the name deceive you," Agatha said, yet again seeming to read his mind, "the number 0 is a circle; no start and no end, an infinite cycle if you will. It thus represents infinite possibilities, such as the one's that you possess. As for the meaning of the card itself, it represents an open, willing energy and the power to embrace all that lies ahead of you without worry."

"Sounds familiar, does it not?" Igor commented.

Makoto's mind immediately flashed back once again to when he first awakened his Persona in the jail cell.

"If I may be honest with you, young man; you are not the first guest the Velvet Room has seen," the long-nosed man continued, "and most who come here also possess the power of the Wild Card and bare the Fool Arcana. As for the Wild Card itself, it is the ability to form a contract allowing one to access and summon multiple Personas and switch between them in battle. It is also the ability to change bonds into strength."

Makoto had come to this conclusion himself, but this last part caught his attention.

"I'm sorry..." he spoke up, "what was this stuff about bonds?"

Agatha laughed quietly as she responded.

"Have you not heard it?" she asked, "you have not been doing so consciously, but you have already established contracts among those around you, correct? Your teammates in particular..."

"Wait! You mean-!?" Makoto gasped, "that thing that happens when I hear a voice in my head!? Then again, I guess that doesn't narrow it down..."

"Exactly," Agatha nodded, "though you have clearly not understood the meaning yourself, you have already established a few contracts on your journey so far..."

Agatha started to walk around Makoto's desk and take pages out of the notebook she carried. She dropped the page onto the floor, and as it landed, it started to glow and change; materializing into a glowing, silhouetted figure of someone that Makoto could recognize at a glance.

"First of all, the mysterious being whom you met within the Metaverse jail. One who took it upon herself to be your guide and teacher in that realm...Monomi," she began to explain, "this being represents Arcana I - The Magician. Commonly associated with action, initiative, self-confidence; skills that your Lagomorph associate possesses in bulk."

She dropped another two pages, this time transforming into silhouettes of Makoto's other two teammates - his classmate and his sister.

"Your friend Toko Fukawa represents Arcana IX, also known as the Hermit. The Hermit is associated with wisdom, introspection, solitude, retreat, and philosophical searches. Fukawa herself has a drastically different outlook and perspective on life than you do, one that you can most assuredly learn from," Agatha continued to educate, "then, there's your own flesh and blood, Komaru Naegi. She represents the Strength Arcana, Number XI. It goes beyond the idea of "Beauty and the Beast" and is associated with the morality of the stronger power of self-control, gentleness, courage, and virtue over brute force. Though I don't doubt your sister is full of physical ability, it's her emotional strength that defies the current society that applies her to this."

Agatha dropped one final page. This one transformed into the image of yet another one of Makoto's classmates; one that he wasn't expecting to see.

"Your last contract is the one you established most recently. Arcana Number VIII - Justice. As you may have guessed, this one is represented by your classmate, Kyoko Kirigiri," she told him, "the Justice Arcana symbolizes a strict allegory of objectivity, rationality, analysis, and...well...justice!"

Agatha shut her book. As the pages slammed shut, the glowing silhouettes all vanished into thin air. The pages disappeared too.

"I see...All these relationships are based on contracts I subconsciously formed with each of them...Like how Monomi swore to guide me as a Phantom Thief and how Kyoko agreed not to sell me out," he considered, "but...why are you telling me this? How important are these contracts to my goal of..."graduation" or whatever you called it?"

"Graduation is not the goal. Thwarting the fated ruin through graduation is," Igor clarified, "but as I'm sure you would agree yourself, this is not a trial you can hope to combat alone. Involving yourself with others is an important part of your academic life.

Igor leaned against his desk and drummed it with his fingers.

"And of course, I do not refer to mere superficial relationships based purely on agreements and contracts. I advise you to create a ring of people around you who, by morals or faith, will lend you their strength."

"In other words, there are many people out there, Persona users or not, who have been robbed of places they belong, be it due to society's influence or someone else's. And understanding and establishing contracts with these people will, in turn, help you grow" Agatha explained, "Personas themselves represent the strength of a heart. The stronger the bonds that surround you, the more powerful the Personas you carry will be."

"So, to make a long story short," Makoto pondered, "I can get stronger powers and more skills as a Phantom Thief by...making friends?"

"Essentially" Agatha replied with a smirk.

"There are already people out and about that you have met that can aid you. I suggest furthering your relationship with people who you've already come to know," Igor instructed, "but that is all for now. Let us move on to the other topic of discussion. Agatha? If you will?"

Agatha, at Igor's command, suddenly placed a piece of paper down in front of Makoto on his desk. It looked like a test sheet of some kind.

Upon closer inspection, Makoto saw that it was closest to a math addition test, with several queries on it. But the odd part was that there were no numbers. In place of them were small images of Shadows and Personas that he had met along the way.

For example, the first question was "Mickey + Pixie = ???"

"I have a key here for you, as I realize this may be out of the realm of human understanding," Agatha told him, "before we move on, I require you to finish this paper. I will help you through it if you get stuck~"

"Oh boy..." he mumbled.

Thus, Makoto found himself spending the next 30 minutes completing a very odd and unusual math test. Which turned out to not be as difficult as he initially thought it would be. Once Agatha gave him the key, things were pretty simple.

"Alright, let's do a pop quiz, shall we?" Agatha asked soothingly, "without looking at the paper, what do you get when you combine Mandrake with Jack-O'-Lantern?"

"Bicorn." Makoto replied.

"Very good!" Agatha cheered, "and if I wanted to make Silkie, what is one way I could do that?"

"By combining...Bicorn with Incubus?"

"Correct! Good boy!" Agatha patted him on the head, which certainly did well to fluster the young man. Knowing that Agatha was good at reading his thoughts, he tried to keep them in check.

Igor chuckled.

"Seems you're gradually beginning to understand the process..." he observed.

"I mean...not really," Makoto admitted, "I still don't quite understand why I'm doing this..."

"I see...The honesty is appreciated," he continued to smile, "if that is the case though, why don't we put it into practice?"

"Huh? What do you mean...?"

Igor nodded to Agatha, who put down yet another sheet of paper in front of him. This one also had a calculation on it, but the difference was that this one was completely blank. Just "??? + ??? = ???."

"As we discussed when you first came in here, you possess the potential to wield the power of the Wild Card; an ability that allows you to wield more than one Persona," Igor began to explain, "the power itself holds infinite possibilities for you, and it falls to us to help nurture that ability. Thus today, we are here to educate you on the power of fusing two Personas together."

Makoto's head perked up.

"Did...Did you say fuse...?"

"Yes...That is the purpose of the test I just put you through," Agatha leaned down over his desk, "by discarding and combining two identities that exist within you, you can give birth to a new one. The Personas combine to create one, ideally stronger, Persona. One that will take you to even further pastures."

Agatha reached down and tapped the paper in front of him with a pen, then handed said pen to Makoto.

"Why don't we give it a go?" she asked, "all you have to do is write down the name of two Personas that currently reside within your mask in these boxes. Then, the result will automatically appear on this paper. Once you sign your name, the contract will be completed, and a new power will be yours."

Makoto liked the sound of new potential and power that could help him carry his friends through the Metaverse. The Wild Card was one thing, but THIS was something else entirely.

However, when he processed everything that he had just been told...something didn't feel right.

"Hold on a second..." Makoto piped up, turning towards the azure-clad educator, "in order to gain these powers, I have to combine two of my already existing Personas, right? What...happens to those Personas? Do they...disappear? Forever?"

"Personas are personalities that exist within you," she explained cryptically, "thus, you will only be discarding old personalities to have them reborn as new ones. Like giving away a personality in exchange for a new one..."

"I...don't know if I like the sound of that," Makoto admitted, "I mean...these guys are LITERALLY a part of me...I don't know what I would do without..."

"HAHAHA! Getting cold feet, are you lad!?"

Makoto was caught off-guard, as all of a sudden, the familiar stature of his Persona, Mickey, suddenly materialized in front of him.

"Ah! Mickey!" Agatha greeted the Persona with a smile, "fancy you showing up here."

"Of course. This place exists within the sea of human souls. Why would I not be able to appear here? Though you knew that of course," Mickey smirked, then turned towards Makoto, "there isn't anything to be afraid of, lad. After all, I am the true you that slumbers within. Even if I may disappear at this moment, our fates will forever be intertwined. I promise we will meet again when your story reaches its conclusion. Now pick up that pen and get to writing!"

With this, the gangly man vanished, leaving Makoto by himself.

He was right. Makoto knew this was the best course of action and it's not like it would be goodbye forever. If he denied that, what was the point of having this power in the first place?

With confidence in his heart, having swelled from the sight of his other self appearing before him, Makoto wrote down some names on the paper...

"Mickey + Pixie."

...then signed his name on the bottom of the sheet.

What happened next was miraculous, to say the least. Mickey and Pixie both appeared in front of him and then suddenly started to glow with a strange and mysterious light. The two lights then started to merge until they took shape into something entirely new.

Makoto covered his eyes as a burst of light dissipated from what was in front of him, and when he finally looked back, floating above him was an entirely new creature. He had seen this one before - a small blue goblin hiding in a floating jar.

"I'm Agathion!" it beamed, "I'm gonna be your new mask now! Use me, use me USE ME!"

Agathion, as the new Persona called itself, suddenly shapeshifted into the shape of Makoto's mask, then as they had done before, soared straight into his face. Makoto still didn't like the feeling that overcame him, but by now he had grown used to it.

He felt a burning in his soul from Agathion's sheer power compared to the other Personas that he had, but he also felt that it had filled a void left behind now that both Mickey and Pixie were gone.

"Impressive indeed," Igor sniggered, "as you can see, a stronger Persona has been born from the body and soul of the old. It shall be your new strength and power."

"You'll see its worth firsthand when you return to the field of battle." Agatha added.

"The task that we require of you is this," Igor explained, "gather Personas, bring them here, and fuse them to give birth to new and stronger powers. Developing your powers is the most integral part of preparing for the coming ruin and achieving graduation."

"Ok, seriously. I'm grateful for everything you've done for me and all, but...I still don't think I understand this whole "graduation" thing," Makoto admitted, "I feel like you've tried to explain it, but you're also not explaining the full scope of things...I don't really get it."

"Honest to a fault, as always," Igor chuckled, "I promise, I am not attempting to withhold information from you. The essence of the graduation we aim to guide you towards will become clear to you in due time. Once you encounter allies, and discover your place in this world, THAT is when we will explain everything to you."

"Speaking of which, there is something I would like to bestow upon you; in relation to our discussions today," Agatha said, "please, hold out your hand."

Makoto did as he was asked, but then as Agatha placed her hand over his, he suddenly heard that voice again...

I am thou...Thou art I...Thy hast acquired a new vow.

It shall become the wings of rebellion that breaketh thy chains of captivity.

With the birth of the Hierophant Persona, I have obtained the winds of blessing that shall lead to freedom and new power...

"Did...Did we just make a contract?" Makoto asked. Agatha smiled back at him.

"Consider this a contract on behalf of both me AND my master - an agreement to aid one another in the face of the coming ruin," she told him, "I have granted you the power of the Number V Arcana, - the Hierophant; a symbol of education, authority, conservatism, obedience to rules and relationship with the divine."

"I see...and what does this contract entail?" he asked, "what do you and I get out of this deal?"

"All I ask is that you do as the Master already instructed, and continue to educate yourself on the other world; as well as develop your powers through training and fusion of Personas," Agatha told him, "in exchange, I will provide more rituals for to choose in regards to expanding these powers. Some of them may not even require the sacrifices."

"I suppose if the goal is to strengthen my power, that sounds good." Makoto nodded.

"The path towards graduation is progressing smoothly. A good sign indeed," Igor chuckled, "may you continue to devote yourself to your educational crusade..."

With a snap of Igor's fingers, Makoto's eyes suddenly began to grow heavy, and he once again slipped into unconsciousness.

"Wait...so you're telling me that not only can you hold multiple Personas in you, but you c-can combine them to create new ones!?" Toko exclaimed quietly the next day, "how does that work!?"

"Hell if I know. I just found out I could do it when I had an epiphany last night," Makoto decided not to inform Toko of the existence of the Velvet Room any more than he already had, "the problem is that I tried it, and to do so, it requires sacrifice. I have a stronger Persona now, but I don't think I can use Mickey or Pixie anymore."

"So no more lightning and light?" she asked. Makoto shook his head.

"Not necessarily," he said, "my new Persona, Agathion, ended up taking on a few of their abilities. I think he should be able to use both at once, which is even better."

"Naegi! You're up!" the teacher blew her whistle.

"Oops...Looks like it's my turn," Makoto nodded to her, "be back in a jiff."

The following day, the 78th class had P.E. Today was one of those rough days where the teacher had chosen to make them do three runs around the aerobics track.

They were timed on their own individual scores, and it was all for testing purposes, but the class often liked to take advantage of the system and make a bit of fun of it; often having races to see who could beat who on the track.

The problem was there was a clear winner every time. Sakura and Hina could both run at the speed of a lightning bolt, and there was rarely a single time when they hadn't lapped every other person in the class when it came to track.

By this point in time, Hifumi and Chihiro had both already collapsed. Neither of them was particularly fit for gym class.

And in addition, Celeste and Junko had done some saunterly jogs and left it at that. For their own personal reasons, they both despised getting sweaty.

Makoto, as of now, had unfortunately gotten some unlucky picks for opponents. Sakura hadn't been picked for this round, but he was up against Hina, Mondo, and Leon, all three arguably within the top 5 of the most athletic in his class.

Makoto himself was much closer to the bottom end of the barrel. However, he didn't really care about the race part today. He would just go at a leisurely pace and not pay attention to his classmates.

The P.E. Teacher blew her whistle and they took off at once, Hina immediately bolting ahead of him. It was a good thing that Makoto chose not to focus, as his mind was somewhere else. Mainly in regards to what Igor and Agatha had told him about finding people to make bonds with, and developing the power of each Major Arcana. Fortunately, he already had a few candidates in mind and had already planned out his schedule for the day.

Step 1 was to find Seiko Kimura and report back the results of her medicine. Then, he would ask her if she could supply him with more. He fully expected he would have to pay for it to get the proper stuff if Seiko even AGREED to let him have more. He wasn't expecting it to be an easy step by any means.

Step 2 was to go back to the Taboo Pawn Shop and sell Uzawa's treasure. Then, he might have to ask Spike, or Fuyuhiko if he was available, to supply him with more top-grade guns so they would be better prepared for stronger Shadows. How he was actually going to fabricate a story on it was another thing, so he considered maybe bringing Komaru along for backup.

Step 3 was to return to the dorms for the evening and make more infiltration tools. Monomi had promised she would teach him more tricks of the trade, and they had even found some locked chests within Mementos the previous day that they couldn't open due to not having any on hand. The layout of every Mementos floor changed every time you entered, and if you didn't grab the loot then, you missed your chance until another chest appeared.

"Naegi!"

And Step 4, or rather something that he had to place on the back-burner for the day was looking for a potential new big target; someone who had a lot of public importance, so they could match, or possibly even exceed the impact that Towa's confession had on the public.

"Naegi!"

But there was something that was still tugging on his brain even after everything...What Uzawa had said about how Kirigiri had ruined his life. In truth, Makoto realized that he never quite figured out WHY Uzawa was fired. Not that he would believe the words of someone like Uzawa so openly, but still, there were definitely some unanswered questions there...

"NAEGI!"

The P.E. Teacher's shout finally snapped the Lucky Student back to reality, and he panickily turned his head towards her and his classmates, all of who stared at him with wide eyes and confused expressions.

Love is Survival - Danganronpa 2: Goodbye Despair

"You can stop running now!" the P.E Teacher scoffed, "running an extra 100 meters doesn't give you extra credit, you know?"

"Oh! Sorry!" he exclaimed, realizing that he did indeed continue running even after reaching the stop line "I was just...too deep in thought, I guess?"

The Teacher rolled her eyes and gestured to him to sit back down while she went over the scores. As Makoto approached his class, their bewildered expressions remained. Even Toko looked shocked.

"What!?" he noticed and started to sweat, "is there something on my face!?"

"Makoto-kun..." Sayaka was the first to speak up, "how did you DO that...?"

"How did I do what? Run without thinking?" he asked, "I'm sorry, I'm just a little scatterbrained right now..."

"Do you...even realize what you've just done...?" even the ever-abrasive Celeste seemed surprised. The more his classmates awed him, the more tense he became.

"What!? What did I do!?" he exclaimed, "just spit it out, if I did something wrong, tell me so I can apologize!"

"You just raced against three of the fastest people in our class..." Byakuya fiddled with his glasses, "and you outran two of them..."

This time, it was Makoto's turn to widen his eyes in surprise.

"You really didn't notice, did you?" Mukuro asked, "you were so fast, you very nearly lapped Mondo and Leon."

"I...I did...!?" he gasped, "wow um...I'm sorry?"

"What're you apologizing for!?" Mondo smacked Makoto on the back, harder than he probably meant to because it hurt a lot, "you were awesome dude!"

"How the hell did you out-speed me!?" Leon seemed to be lost, "I run around the bases lightning fast, but you've barely exercised outside of P.E. lessons!?"

"He probably practices more than you do Leon," Junko jived, "you try to skip whenever you can."

"It just goes to show that Naegi-kun appreciates the value of effort!" Taka also grabbed Makoto's shoulder and shook him firmly, "clearly he's been practicing in his own time! You could all stand to learn something from that!"

It didn't take a genius to figure out where this newfound agility and speed had come from. Clearly, the training Makoto had done in the Metaverse had some sort of impact on his actual bodily strength and skill. It made sense that he would have gained some adrenaline after spending most of his time running down long hallways and dodging, diving, and ducking his way around and through enemy Shadows.

But still, the effect was greater than even he had anticipated. On a normal day, he would have started to feel exhausted after the first lap, and would trudge his way breathlessly through his second. But not only did he now have so much stamina that he had mindlessly run half of an extra lap without realizing it, but he STILL wasn't tired!

The Metaverse really was something!

The teacher noted down everyone's scores for that day, and everyone got to compare them. Out of seemingly nowhere, Makoto Naegi had become the third fastest person in the class in athletics.

It was nice and all, but it sucked to be noticed so much. Clearly, he had already attracted the suspicion of some of his classmates.

However, he had also succeeded in attracting the admiration of one girl in particular.

I'm sorry..." he said, "you want me to join you for a run?"

The Ultimate Swimming Pro, Aoi Asahina, one of the only two people in the class who still were above Makoto in terms of athletics and speed, approached him after P.E. was done and everyone had gotten changed back into their regular uniforms. Her eyes sparkled excitedly and her face was filled with an expression of longing and anticipation.

"Yep yep!" she told him, "what you did today REALLY surprised me! And you seemed so casual about it! I wanna see what happens when you get SERIOUS!"

"Th-That's nice and all, but...it's really not that big a deal," he said, "I just put in a little bit of extra training."

"That's exactly it!" Hina enthused, "I wanna see what your standards of "a little bit" are! You were on an ATHLETE level, Naegi-kun!"

"Oh come on, that's exaggerating a little bit, isn't it?"

"Not a chance! You're amazing!"

Makoto felt himself blushing at not only her array of compliments but also how close she was getting to him. She was obviously completely unaware of this.

"A-Alright, fine...but only a little run," he told her, "I had some things I needed to do today, ok?"

"Good enough for me!" she cracked her knuckles, "meet me at the track after lunch starts! We'll go grab donuts after we're done!"

"You and your donuts..." Makoto chuckled, shaking his head.

So...

It fucking sucked.

Not as in Hina made bad company, but clearly what remaining stamina Makoto had from P.E. that morning had been used up in this now cross-country-level sprint that he and Hina did together.

And clearly, it was on an athlete's level of run, because even Hina herself was panting like an overheated dog when they stopped. Makoto lost the feeling in his legs and collapsed onto his ass, and Hina was nice enough to chuck him a full bottle of cold water, which he basically downed instantly.

"M-Man...!" she wheezed, "you really are something Naegi-kun! I was revved up and...everything! Knew it would be...a good idea to have...our own race...!"

"Wait, that was a RACE!?" Makoto spluttered, "you could have told me beforehand! I...huh...thought you just wanted...hah...to see me run!?"

"Why wouldn't I...want to race you!?" Hina exclaimed, "after the stunt you pulled today, I got excited by the prospect of a new rival!"

"RIVAL!?" Makoto spat, "maybe I am a LITTLE faster than before, but there's NO WAY I can ever reach your level! Especially since you always seem to have energy to spare!"

"Huh? Are you making fun of me!?" she snapped.

"What? No! Of course Im not! I'm' just being realistic is all," he admitted, "you know how much I've always been impressed by you."

"Really?" she scowled, clearly suspicious, "I used to know this one guy, he was always like, "Hina, you're like, a super spaz!""

"A...what?" Makoto asked.

"Yeah! Like, he'd see me wearing shorts in winter, and he'd say stuff like that," she explained, sitting down next to him to save him from looking up at her, "but if you lose to the cold like that, it just means you weren't dedicated enough!"

"Oh yeah, you mentioned that before," Makoto recalled, "I should've known that you would be the competitive sort..."

"Oh, I'm just getting started!" Hina pumped her arms, "hey, Naegi-kun? How about we make a deal?"

"A deal?" he raised his head to look at her eager face, her words setting off a chime in his ear, "what about?"

"Now that I know what you're capable of, I know that if you train enough, you might be able to match me!" she beamed, "and the prospect of another good rival isn't one I can pass up, so I can help you with sports training until you become fast enough to match me! Then, we can have a good and proper race, just the two of us! How's that sound?"

This deal at face value was clearly better for Hina than it was for Makoto. She wasn't the selfish or arrogant type, so it was more than likely she was saying this without really realizing how conceited she sounded.

But in reality, when Makoto gave it some thought, he realized that it may actually help him out in the long run. Training with an Ultimate with a sports talent had the potential to increase Makoto's stamina even further. This could then mean that he'd have more skill and strength to work with as a Phantom Thief, and who knows? Maybe it would decrease the likelihood of him being so damn exhausted after he left the Palace?

So he swiftly gave a response.

"Alright, but just for this," he said, "I have no intention of aiming for any world stages or the like. Just some casual competition between us that will help you develop your own skills, as well as my own."

"Awesome!" she squealed, "it's a deal! You'd better promise to keep up your training, ok!? I'll get mad if you don't!"

"Haha...I won't..." Makoto nodded, smiling. As he did, however, once again, he felt his soul stir and the voice in his head speak. Unknowingly, another contract had been formed.

I am thou...Thou art I...Thy hast acquired a new vow.

It shall become the wings of rebellion that breaketh thy chains of captivity.

With the birth of the Chariot Persona, I have obtained the winds of blessing that shall lead to freedom and new power...

After his encounter with Igor and Agatha the night before, Makoto had done some research into the 22 Major Arcana. He briefly recalled that the Chariot Arcana was Number VII, and served as a symbol of victory, conquest, self-assertion, self-confidence, control, war, and command.

This contract and this Arcana had been established purely by accident and coincidence...But it was certainly a step in the right direction.

With himself, Toko, Komaru, Monomi, Kyoko, Agatha, and now Hina under his belt, that was now 7 confidants representing 7 of the Arcana.

15 left.

Melancholy Touch - Danganronpa 3: The End of Hope's Peak Academy

Makoto waddled on sore legs through the hallways after school towards the science labs. The training with Hina had knocked every ounce of strength out of him, and his side was killing him right now.

But the good news was that he was about to pay a visit to one of the top medical experts in the school, and she undoubtedly had something to help.

But damn if she wasn't freaked the hell out when Makoto slumped into the nurse's office.

"NAEGI!?" she shrieked upon seeing him, "what happened!? Are you alright!?"

"Huh? Oh, I'm totally fine!" he lied, "I just came to talk to you about something...You know that medicine?"

"Did the medicine do this!?" she squealed, "oh no, I'm so sorry! Th-This wasn't supposed to-!"

"NO! I mean...no!" Makoto interjected before she could go on a tirade of self-doubt and loathing, "I'm just exhausted because I've run what is basically 3 cross-countries within the space of an hour. I'm here because I was wondering if you had anything to help with that?"

"R...Really?" she stuttered.

"Really!" Makoto enthused, "plus, I wanted to talk more to you about the medicine you gave me a few days ago. I used it up and I wanted to share my thoughts."

"You...used it up...!?" Seiko's eyes widened (though her eyes were naturally wide with some sort of panic, so it was hard to tell) "with what exactly? I had expected it would last more than a week at most."

"Ahaha...Yeah, well, stuff happened and..." Makoto tried his best to find a good excuse, but couldn't, "anyway, I jotted down my feedback on this paper here in my bag. Can I get an examination, and then I'll hand it over? Does that sound good?"

"Hm...W-Well, Tsumiki-chan or the head nurse is usually the ones who induct the examinations," Seiko pondered, "but I am granted permission to hold one by the school, so I suppose I can? "

She thought about it for a moment, then decided to comply with his wish.

"Very well..." she sighed, "I can at least make sure that my medicine didn't have any negative effects on your body this way. Just come over to this bed and take off your clothes for me, please."

"O-Oh...right...I guess I have to take off my clothes for a proper examination..." Makoto almost forgot about this part. Seiko seemed to blush under her mask.

"D-Don't worry! I'm a good practitioner, even though I'm not a professional one like Tsumiki-chan," she assured him, "besides, you just need to take off your shirt. Everything else I can work with!"

Makoto wasn't that reluctant to leave himself in the hands of Seiko Kimura, but examinations done by the nurses of the school never failed to bring him discomfort. It's not that Tsumiki-senpai was a pervert but...

Ok, in retrospect, maybe Tsumiki-senpai was a LITTLE dirty, but the examinations she conducted were legitimate. She just got very touchy-feely with her subjects, usually without realizing it.

Makoto stripped himself of his shirt and jacket, then lay down on the examination table. He tried his best to relax, and let Seiko go about her work, using the equipment and machinery around the room to check Makoto's vitals, blood flow, and everything else. Eventually, he felt the gentle prodding and poking stop, then opened his eyes.

"Alright, that should do," she said, "feel free to get dressed again."

Makoto started to put his uniform back on while Seiko read the results on the computer; and started to explain them to him.

"Your pulse and blood pressure are fine, and your blood tests came out clear too. You're not exactly an athlete, but you are average health for a teenage boy," she told him, "the biggest concern is...the bruises."

She turned to him, worry in her eyes.

"You're not caught up in something...shady...are you?"

"Well, not exactly...I've just been trying to be more athletic lately," he used the same excuse he had used on his classmates earlier, "clearly it's new ground for me and I'm not used to it."

"Hmmm..." Seiko scowled under her mask, clearly taking this reason with a grain of salt, "I suppose it's not my place to pry...just...be careful, alright?"

She put away all the machinery and equipment she had used for the examination while Makoto finished dressing.

"In any case, it seems you really were just exhausted. Your energy levels have returned to normal now that you've had a chance to lie down and have a rest," she explained, "and I'd like to thank you for returning the results of the medicine...Even if you did use them up more quickly than expected."

"Um...actually, about that...?" Makoto decided now was the time to strike, "sorry if this seems rude to ask, but...is there a chance you could supply me with MORE?"

Seiko dropped her pen.

"Wh-What!?" she squeaked.

"Huh!? What!? What's wrong!?" Makoto panicked in turn.

"You...You want MORE!?" she trembled, clutching her hair, "n-no, this can't be! I made sure to remove any substances that might cause addiction! S-Sure there's no possibility of an overd-dose but...no...wait, if the addiction was inaccurate...!? Oh no! OH NO!"

"Senpai, PLEASE, get a hold of yourself!" Makoto instinctively grasped her firm by her shoulders, "I'm NOT addicted! I'm just saying your medicine came more in handy for me than I was expecting it to! It's not like I was downing it every waking hour of every day!"

"But I-"

"Surely if there were any signs of addiction, you would have noticed it in my examination just now, right?"

Seiko paused for a moment as she considered this. He certainly did have a point.

"But if this isn't the route of addiction...Are you absolutely sure?" she asked, "why would you of all people be so invested in my medicine? To be honest, if you were trying to get more active, a balanced diet and regular exercise would do the trick, yes?"

She suddenly leaned forward, the look in her eyes piercing into Makoto's soul suspiciously.

"What are you up to...?" she growled.

Makoto hesitated as he tried to think of yet another excuse, but trying to weave his way around and lie constantly got real exhausted real fast. So in the end, after a big pause, he merely said this.

"Look...It's difficult to explain my reasons, but the thing is I NEED your medicine to retain my focus and reduce fatigue. Only you can make concoctions so effective; no other place will do."

"Makoto, even if that excuse worked for me, it won't work for Hope's Peak," she said, "I almost failed my last practical exam, so I can't take any more risks! And handing out an unofficial, unregistered concoction without academic permission is a BIG RISK! The only samples I was allowed to distribute were the one's that you received, and should anyone find out, I could be expelled!"

"Then what if I buy it off you!?" Makoto exclaimed, "that way, it's a legal transaction!"

"I can't SELL drugs on school property! Illicit or not!" Seiko glowered, "you know how strict drug laws are in Japan! Besides, the estimated commercial cost of this kind of drug is 800,000 yen, and that's in its unfinished state!"

"800,000!?" Makoto shrieked, "what the hell is this inflation!?"

"Do you get it now?" Seiko asked, "under no circumstances can I supply this to you. Especially not without good reason. I appreciate your enthusiasm, but it's not going to happen."

But then, like an angel came down from above and whispered sweet words into his ear, a thought bubble popped in Makoto's mind. Remembering that part of the reason he came here was to establish a contract with the doctor, his face lit up as he proposed his new idea.

"Wait!" he called out, his eagerness clearly starting to annoy Seiko now, "I've got an idea! One that if we were to propose it to the academy, will allow us to make the medicine trade without either of us getting in trouble!"

"Oh yeah?" she harumphed, "and what is that?"

However, Makoto's response cut through her sourness immediately, as his response caught her way off guard.

"What if I was to become your main test subject?" he suggested excitedly, "Hope's Peak allowed you to distribute the samples originally for testing purposes to consenting students. So if we make the trade under the pretense of you studying the effects of your medicine, I'm sure the academy will allow it!"

Seiko stopped to consider this point. It's true that so long as the subject applied to strengthen and develop your Ultimate Talent, the academy would more than likely allow it. Plus, since Makoto was the one even suggesting this, it more than made him a consenting subject.

"Maybe you and I can make a deal? As you said, I'm no athlete by any sense of the word, but I do have a healthy body and a fair bit of stamina, so I'm the perfect picture of average health!" he proposed, "I'll be your personal test subject for clinical trials and experiments, and in exchange, you supply me with more of your special medicine for my own uses. How does that sound?"

"Hm...Well, giving it some patient thought...this arrangement does mean that I can get some good date overtime...plus, it saves me having to go and ask random people for it..." she mumbled just loud enough for Makoto to hear her, "ugh...You are annoyingly persuasive."

"I'll take that as a compliment," Makoto smiled, "does this mean we have a deal?"

"I have a few conditions. Firstly, you are not to disclose any details of my medicines to anyone else. And I'm willing to sell you the medicine for a reduced price, but you must come to me directly for it," she told him, "I'm the one who sets the conditions, ok? I have every right to pull out of this if I feel it gets too risky."

"Yes ma'am!" Makoto saluted with a smile. Seiko giggled and shook her head.

"You're lucky you're one of few people here with a completely average body type," she said, with Makoto not knowing if this was a compliment or an insult, "it would be hard for me to pass you up when you offer yourself to me as a test subject. But yes, I suppose we have a deal..."

And as Makoto expected, the words drifted through his head once more.

I am thou...Thou art I...Thy hast acquired a new vow.

It shall become the wings of rebellion that breaketh thy chains of captivity.

With the birth of the Devil Persona, I have obtained the winds of blessing that shall lead to freedom and new power...

Makoto couldn't help but be concerned about this contract. The Devil Arcana was number XV, and it represented the urge to do selfish, impulsive, violent things, and being a slave to one's own impulses and feelings. The fact that someone like Seiko Kimura, the timid, shy, and nervous bean that she was, had THIS arcana, worried him.

At the same time though, Makoto recalled that the arcana carried positive aspects too. Such as representing a healthy bond or commitment.

He supposed, now that the deal had been made, all he needed was to see this through.

Wonderful Dead 002 - Danganronpa Another Episode: Ultra Despair Girls

"So, you agreed to be her lab rat, and in exchange, she's gonna give us the medicine?" Komaru inquired, "I don't know HOW you pull these things off, you lucky bastard..."

"Honestly, that might just be it...I'm just lucky," he told her, "but it's not that simple. She specifically told me before I left that I had to buy it from her."

"Whaat? She can't give it to you for free?"

"Of course not! It's still drugs Komaru! Prescription meds or not, just handing that kind of thing out can get you in real trouble in this country! And the last thing we need is to drag Kimura-senpai down with us."

"True...I guess that was rude of me...But at the same time, you DO realize that we're basically on our way to buy guns and weapons, right?"

"Fake ones."

"Well, whatever! Fake ones or not, they're real in our business!"

School had gotten out for the day, and Makoto had decided to go and meet his sister at the usual park meetup spot. As mentioned before, he decided to get her to tag along with him to the pawn shop.

After all, not only were they about to pawn off their new treasure, but they also needed to ask the store if they could use their money to purchase new weapons.

"I'm pretty alright with my megaphone," Komaru twirled it, "you sure we need to waste money on all that stuff?"

"I mean, it doesn't hurt to try..." Makoto told her, "after all, from this distance, I can clearly tell that's a megaphone and not a gun. We got lucky with Towa's Palace, but who's to say that thing will work in the next one we decide to tackle."

"I mean...I guess...But should all else fail, I DO have my Persona, you know?"

"Using which takes up your energy," Makoto reminded her, "remember Komaru, it IS just the four of us for now. We're gonna need you, so if you go getting tired on us-"

"Ok, alright! I get it!" she shot him down, "let's just go already!"

"Huh...I was wonderin' why I recognized that voice," someone suddenly rounded the corner, "it's you guys again?"

"Oh! Kuzuryu-kun!" Komaru greeted him, "fancy seeing you here! We just keep running into each other!"

"You know when I first showed you this joint, I didn't expect it would become one of your favorite haunts," he eyed them suspiciously, "so what's in store this time? Selling? Buying?"

"A bit of both actually," Makoto admitted, "sorry if we're getting annoying, there's just no other shop that takes this junk within the area."

"Feh...Ain't my problem," he spat, "listen though. Spike's out on business today, so I popped by to check up on the store while he's gone..."

"Oh...he's not in?" Makoto asked, a little dismayed, "crud...I guess we'll have to come back later then..."

"Sorry to bother you..." Komaru bowed, but before they could leave, Fuyuhiko called out to them.

"Hey now!" he said, "you could always sell it to me? I'll open up for ya, just this once."

"For real!?" Komaru gasped, "thanks so much!"

"Eh, don't mention it," Fuyuhiko suddenly leaned in to whisper, "in exchange, can you guys do me a favor?"

"What's that?" Makoto asked as he approached the door and unlocked it.

"I'm gonna be real with you both," he said, "there's some guys hot on my tail. Public inspectors who are looking for dirt on the Kuzuryu Clan. I need you both to act natural, like we're just meeting up and talking as classmates and friends."

"Wait, seriously...!?" Komaru raised her head, only for Makoto to drag her back down again. He realized the severity of the situation and quickly hustled both himself and his sister into the store.

Fuyuhiko immediately took his place behind the counter, while Makoto and Komaru awaited further instructions.

"Alright, listen to me," he said to them, "far corner of the store, third shelf, three left from the end. There's a gun there I need you to buy and smuggle out of here for me. You do this, and I give you whatever you want off the shelves, free of charge."

"That's nice and all, but what are you making us complicit in?" Makoto began to sweat. Fuyuhiko shook his head.

"Sorry, times up. They're here," he growled, "just hurry the fuck up, ok? Don't fuck this up for me!"

"Come on Makoto! If you fail the Yakuza, they chop off your fingers!" Komaru grimaced, hurrying to the shelf that Fuyuhiko indicated.

Makoto swiftly followed as the door to Taboo opened, and two men wearing glasses and suits stepped inside.

"Oh man...!" Komaru's face looked both nervous and excited, "they're proper Men in Black, huh!?"

"Quiet!" Makoto hissed, quickly grabbing the required gun off the shelf, as well as another for safe measure. While he pretended to examine the shelf, he overheard the conversation between the two men.

"I thought you said the store would be empty today...!" one of the two investigators snapped, "and we don't even have a search warrant for this place. What are you doing?"

"I told you to relax, didn't I?" the other one said, "Mr Kirigiri will cover for us."

*Kirigiri?*

These words perked Makoto up, and he had to quickly act casual after catching himself turning his head towards them. The first investigator just shook his head.

"You really think breaking into a store with not a scrap of evidence, hoping you'll turn something up is gonna make Mr Kirigiri accept you as one of the elite?" he spat, "you're lucky you don't get fired."

"I think you mean WE. You're going down with me if this doesn't work out!"

"Am not!"

"Sorry gents?" Fuyuhiko slid his way into their conversation, "anything I can do for you, or are you just here to cause a stir? In case it ain't obvious, I've got customers."

The inspectors both turned towards him. The one with the bad attitude crossed his arms and glared at him.

"Who the hell are you?" he growled, "you with the Yakuza?"

"What's it to you if I am?" Fuyuhiko smirked back, "I'm just a kid."

"Yes...you are..." the more calm inspector of the two mumbled, "and yet despite that, you're here watching the store?"

"The store shouldn't even be open today," the grouchy inspector spat, "aren't you supposed to be in school, buddy?"

"Yeah, I guess so...Speaking of school, do you wanna know something I learned in school the other day?" his face grew smarmier by the minute, "according to constitutional law, police officers and inspectors need search warrants in order to conduct proper, legal investigations. If you don't have one, you could lose your jobs or even go to federal prison."

"CUT THE SHIT!" the grouchy officer slammed the table, "tell me right now, where is Shinji Hashimoto!?"

"Um...e-excuse me?" Komaru stammered as she and Makoto approached the counter with their "package" "m-may we just...?"

"'Scuse me for one second," Fuyuhiko blew the investigators off, "sure thing. What're you buying?"

"I'm talking here!" the investigator snapped!

"Yeah, but you ain't a customer, are you?" Fuyuhiko snarled, "look, you're free to check the place out at your leisure, but if you ain't buying, don't expect me to play nice. This is a legitimate business, you know. And I ain't gonna be there to corroborate you when Kirigiri finds out you went behind his back."

Fuyuhiko took the packages off of Komaru and Makoto, then scanned them and calculated the price while he continued talking.

"I'm an upstanding guy," he told them, "I can cooperate with the cops, even when they're rude like you bastards..."

"Alright, this is a waste of time," the slightly meeker inspector turned to his friend as Makoto and Komaru tried to hustle their way out of the store, "that lead of yours clearly wasn't legitimate. Hashimoto isn't even here for questioning, so what the hell is your plan!?"

"No...I ain't done yet!" the other one snapped, "you! What's in that bag!?"

"H-Huh!?" Makoto panicked, "why do you want to know!"

"GIVE IT!" the inspector stormed over to try and snatch the bag from Makoto, but Fuyuhiko suddenly slammed the table and grabbed his attention.

"Leave my customers alone!" he spat, "you wanna see what he bought, go over to the corner and look! Plus, you can check the tapes if you don't believe him." Fuyuhiko nodded to Makoto in a "get the fuck out of here" kind of way. Makoto grabbed Komaru and the two scuttled nervously away from the store.

However, they decided to remain nearby to try and listen in on the conversation inside. Though the voices were now muffled, they were still able to make out the words.

"You were outta line. I knew something like this would happen, which is why I tagged along...But you even picked a fight with innocent customers!"

"They weren't customers! They had to be in on this, they HAD to!"

"Jesus...You call yourself a detective?"

"You little shit! Mark my words, I will find proof! This place HAS to be in league with the Kuzuryu Clan!"

"Wait...seriously? THAT'S what you came to investigate? Of course this place is clan property! The KDA already KNOWS that!"

"W-Wait...what...!?"

"Mr Kirigiri himself is fully aware that this place is owned by backers of the Kuzuryu Clan...But it has NOTHING to do with their main business. So he's perfectly fine leaving the store as is..."

"You're...you've gotta be kidding!?"

"Oh, and I'm also a close acquaintance of his granddaughter, Kyoko. Now, I wonder what would happen if I was to let him or her know that you came in here just to harass me and my customers?"

"What the fuck have you put us into! We're gonna lose everything at this rate!"

"H-Hey! It was an honest mistake! C-Calm down!"

"Calm down!? CALM DOWN!? You fucking moron! You just made us the next Shuichi!"

"Hey, hey! Let's make a deal, why don't we? I won't report you guys, but in exchange, you gotta promise not to come by here again, at least not without a search warrant, m'kay?"

"You...!"

"Aw, shut it! You've caused enough issues as is! Apologies for my coworker young man. We won't bother you again!"

Makoto and Komaru quickly hid behind a corner as the two investigators burst out of the store; one basically dragging the other by his ear. As soon as they both made sure they were out of sight and out of earshot, they quickly hurried back inside the store and reunited with Fuyuhiko.

"Jesus wept..." was the first thing that came out of the short-stacked Yakuza's mouth when they returned, "Spike sent me a phone call warning me about those two...They've gotta be new to the business if they think they can just show up and cause problems..."

"Well, I guess that big-headedness is natural for newbies" Makoto thought aloud. Fuyuhiko just laughed.

"That excuse doesn't work for Kirigiri," he told him, "the man's a perfectionist, and he won't let anyone give the KDA a bad name. If he finds out, those guys are done for."

"So in other words," Komaru considered, "their lives are in your hands?"

"Feels good, doesn't it?" he smirked.

Makoto didn't know how to respond to this oddly sadistic side of Fuyuhiko, so he promptly changed the subject.

"So why was it that you wanted us to get this weapon in particular out of here?" he asked, "what makes it any different from the others on the shelf?"

"Spike put it there so we could figure out where to put the supplies and how to change the layout to accompany them," Fuyuhiko began to explain, "but the truth is we don't have a grant for the materials contained in that brand specifically. That's what he left to get today, but he forgot to hide that model in the back. If those investigators had shown up without him knowing, this shop would have been done for if they'd decided to check that brand."

"Ah, so you wanted us to take it out, just in case they forced a look?" Komaru asked, "damn, you're smart. I was honestly worried we were smuggling illegal substances for a second."

"Hah! I mean, you basically did!" Fuyuhiko scoffed, "but I owe you one. I'll uphold my promise. You each get one on the house."

Komaru nodded and went to go examine the other end of the store for anything that might be an upgrade for her lasso. Makoto however, remained where he was.

"Mind if I take a look at the gun?" he asked, "the one that you gave us?"

Fuyuhiko nodded, opening the box and taking it out. Makoto couldn't help but gasp in awe at the weapon. It was definitely a model revolver, but you wouldn't be able to tell that at a glance! In terms of quality and realism, it was MILES above the stuff he had bought from this place the last time he was here!

There really was something special about this place. And Makoto couldn't catch the next words that came out of his mouth.

"This one..."

"Huh?"

"I want THIS one..."

As Fuyuhiko stared at him in confusion, Komaru came over and smacked him on the arm.

"Makoto, did you NOT get a clue about how this is important to him!?" she snapped, "you can't just take it off his hands after all the effort he put us through to smuggle it out for him!"

"Oh! Right...sorry, I guess I couldn't help myself," he apologized, "it just...it looks so cool!"

"I mean...it does..." Komaru admitted.

"Well, if ya like it so much, it's yours~" Fuyuhiko smirked.

"Wait, SERIOUSLY!?" Makoto gasped, his sister equally as surprised, "it's really ok!?"

"Honestly, you'd be doing us a favor, getting it out of here in case any more lousy-ass inspectors decide to show up. We modify some of our newer guns to look as real as possible, and that was one of our first examples. It might be a while before we can make them available to the public though."

"Well...you've certainly caught my attention," Makoto told him, "say...is there any chance that you could sell me these guns of yours despite all that?"

Both Fuyuhiko and Komaru shot him a look. Fuyuhiko's look was more of confusion while Komaru's was more of anticipation.

"And why would I do that?" the Yakuza frowned.

"Well, I'm basically your accomplice now," he smirked, "and I am VERY interested in striking a deal with you."

"Damn, bro..." Komaru whistled, "you've got some balls on you..."

"Hm..."

Fuyuhiko seemed to ponder this for a moment, looking out the window to make sure no one else was coming in, then he turned back towards the brother and sister.

"Sorry to be rude, but would you mind stepping outside, little lady?" he asked, "I need to have a private talk with your brother, mano-e-mano."

"Huh? H-Huh!?" Komaru's eyes widened, "is that ok?"

"What do you think he's gonna do, mug me?" Makoto shook his head, "I'll be out in just a second. Trust me on this one, m'kay?"

Reluctantly, Komaru nodded and left the store with her own new weapon in a bag; leaving Fuyuhiko and Makoto as the only two in the store. Makoto felt a sweat roll down his face as Fuyuhiko walked around the counter and locked the door.

"Just to make sure that no one comes in while we're chattin'," he assured him, "I gotta ask...what the hell's going on with you? What's with the sudden interest in treasure and guns?"

"Can't really explain it myself," Makoto was getting exhausted with how many excuses he was forced to think up today, "guess I just really got into the whole costume and persona-building scene."

"Hmph..." Fuyuhiko clearly didn't take this answer at face value, but just shrugged it off, "well, consider yourself lucky..."

"Trust me, I have been a lot lately," Makoto assured him, "but for the record...what do you mean?"

"I'll be real with you. These guns that you want ain't cheap," Fuyuhiko explained, "I honor my promises, and you get this one on the house, but if you want more of this brand, it's gonna cost you. And the numbers shoot up into the millions depending on stock and value."

"R-Right..." Makoto felt the sweat start to run faster as Fuyuhiko kept talking.

"The KDA ain't the only branch of inspectors that like to sniff around these parts. So here's what we're gonna do," he said, "in exchange for you helping us out with "business"; such as smuggling materials and destroying any evidence that might give the local force a reason to be on our ass...I'll convince Spike to give you the special menu, and for a discount. How's that sound?"

"I...I appreciate it...but don't the Yakuza usually try not to get civilians involved in their criminal affairs?" Makoto asked, "plus, as much as I want these weapons, I'd rather not break the law to get them."

"Don't worry about that. I ain't dumb," Fuyuhiko smirked, "which is exactly why these conversations of ours are never gonna happen. You won't tell anyone about what I'm gonna ask you to do, and in exchange, I'll keep your name a secret from my family. Sound cool?"

"That's...not exactly reassuring..." Makoto admitted.

"Do you want the fucking goods or not?" Fuyuhiko glowered, "I'm not gonna make you a criminal or a yakuza, and I ain't gonna put you in any danger, m'kay? All I need you to be is my pawn for a lil' while. How's that sound?"

Makoto was still skeptical, but the fact was he NEEDED these weapons if he and his team were going to survive in the Metaverse. Plus, if he was going to continue making cash from this place, he needed to have at least a decent relationship with the owners.

Succumbing to the pressure he nodded.

"Alright fine, but you'd better hold true to that," he basically warned him, "I don't want to cause any trouble for my family, or my friends."

"Neither do I," Fuyuhiko reached out a hand, "but you wanted this deal, so let's shake on it."

Makoto took his hand and gave it a firm shake. Despite the risks, he was positive this was going to work out.

I am thou...Thou art I...Thy hast acquired a new vow.

It shall become the wings of rebellion that breaketh thy chains of captivity.

With the birth of the Hanged Man Persona, I have obtained the winds of blessing that shall lead to freedom and new power...

The Hanged Man Arcana was associated with self-sacrifice for the sake of enlightenment, the bindings that make one free, paradoxes, and hanging between heaven and earth.

Makoto didn't quite know what any of this meant, but he was glad to have one more contract on the roster.

However, he wasn't quite finished.

Ms Monomi's Practice Lesson - Danganronpa 2: Goodbye Despair

Though he wasn't expecting to form any more bonds or contracts for today, Makoto returned to his dorms after splitting off from his sister. Being the leader of the team, he'd taken her weapons off her hands and brought them to his dorms, entrusting himself with the responsibility of keeping it all safe and secure.

And also his parents would undoubtedly freak out if Komaru brought home a very real-looking chain whip, but that was beside the point!

Makoto had spent a lot of hours out that night, especially for a school night, and it had already gone past 10 pm when he returned to the dorms. Fortunately, the academy security were already preparing to make their rounds and he was able to slip in before they could block the gates for the evening, saving him the hassle of getting a lecture from Sakakura.

He had honestly expected that everyone would be in their beds by the time he got back, so it surprised him when he ran into one of his classmates pulling a late-nighter in the 78th Class's dorm lobby.

Chihiro Fujisaki sat on a sofa, wearing a pair of glasses and staring at the laptop screen in her lap, without even blinking once.

Wanting to make sure that she wasn't dead before he retired to his room, Makoto walked over and waved a hand in front of her mousy little face. Chihiro immediately looked up at him in surprise, clearly not having noticed his arrival before now.

Before Makoto could ask what she was doing, he suddenly noticed what was on her laptop screen. A digital clone of Chihiro herself was present, and it seemed to look up toward him, smiling and waving at him.

This was Chihiro's Alter Ego - an artificial intelligence that assumed the appearance of its creator. Chihiro had been working on this project ever since Makoto first got to know her, working on it as part of a contract with an unknown company. She wasn't allowed to tell him which one, since it went against the regulations of the NDA she signed.

The AI itself was fascinating though. Chihiro had described it as it being designed to think like a human and to process any mental task a human can, and the results had spoken for themselves.

"Still at it, even after all this time, huh?" Makoto asked. Chihiro nodded.

"I'm close to putting the final touches on this version," she explained, "all I need now is a good universal speech-input program that will work for all the text and intelligence inputs I've already made."

"Yeah, but you've already been working on this for a long time now," Makoto reasoned, "are you sure that it's worth losing sleep over?"

Chihiro shook her head.

"I created this program Naegi-kun," she said, "I'm pretty sure I have what it takes to handle it."

It was rare to get this kind of biting remark from the very timid Chihiro Fujisaki. Yep, she was tired alright.

"In all seriousness, I've been having far too many setbacks lately," she told him, "I even took a break at the start of the year to focus on other projects because this one was getting too stressful. Now I need to dedicate a lot more time to it."

"Alright, I already know that I won't be able to convince you, so I guess I'll turn in for the night," Makoto patted her on the shoulder, "don't stay up too late, ok?"

"Yeah, alright," Chihiro nodded, "I do feel like I'm forgetting to do something, so I guess I should turn in soon."

Makoto left her where she was and headed up to his room.

"Ah! You return!" Monomi hopped excitedly on his desk, "where have you been!? Don't you realize how late it is!?"

"Please, not now..." Makoto waved his hand in front of his face, "today has been more stressful and exhausting than I could ever expected it would be..."

Makoto suddenly took his bag and dumped everything he had inside it onto the desk. He then tossed his bag into the corner and flopped face-first onto his bed. Monomi leaped up onto it and sniffed at his burrowed head.

"U-Um...Makoto..." she tried to get his attention, "are you sure you want to leave your stuff just lying around? If someone was to walk in and see it..."

"s'fiine..." Makoto groaned, "i'll pudded way tomorroo..."

"Dear me..." Monomi grumbled, getting ready to hop off the desk and into her own rabbit home...However, despite his tiredness, Makoto basically shot up into the air in a panic, as someone suddenly opened his dorm room door and strode in casually.

Mr Monokuma After Class - Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc

"Naegi-kun! I remembered what it was that I'd forgotten!" the person who had come in was Chihiro, who was clutching a white paper bag, "Sayaka-chan bought a whole bunch of us some Chinese dim-sum for dinner, and we saved...you...some..."

He trailed off as he saw all the things on Makoto's desk. The weapons, guns, and Phantom Thief tools all sprawled out lazily. Even though it was too late, Makoto leaped in front of his desk to hide it. Monomi did the same, despite not covering much.

"What did I tell you!?" Monomi shrieked, "you should have been more careful!"

"N-Naegi-kun!?" Chihiro gasped, "what...IS that?"

"D-Don't panic, Fujisaki-san!" Makoto felt his heart beat a mile a minute, "I promise you it's not what you think!"

"A-Are those GUNS!?" she exclaimed.

"Th-They're fake! I bought them from a pawn shop!" he decided to tell her a half-truth.

Chihiro did indeed shuffle past him and check the guns and weapons at the table, feeling them for herself. She did indeed come to realize that the weapons were indeed fake and very not-harmful, but that's when the situation got even worse for Makoto.

Not realizing it himself until Chihiro noticed it and picked it up, but there was a blank version of the thieves calling card on his desk! As Chihiro examined it, a very blatant feeling of despair and dread washed over his face and body, despite trying to hide it!

"N-Naegi-kun...!" Chihiro examined the card and cupped her mouth with her hand in surprise.

"H-Hold on!" Makoto begged to be heard, "I promise, there is a VERY good explanation for all of this!"

"Of course...That's why you were asking so much about the Towa situation...!"

"No, please, j-just let me explain!"

"And all this equipment here...No doubt these are tools of the trade too...!"

"Fujisaki, please, just listen, it's not-!"

"Naegi-kun! Are you-!"

"Wait, PLEASE, just LISTEN!"

"ALSO a fan of the Phantom Thieves!?"

"No! Listen I-! Wait...what!?"

Beautiful Days - Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc

This response had caught Makoto off-guard, as he was expecting this to go somewhere else. The feeling of panic and dread remained in his heart, despite how visibly merry and pleased Chihiro looked at him. Her eyes were wide with excitement, and she was blushing with awe.

He hated the fact that she was so cute.

But still, there was something about what she said that caught his attention.

"H-Hold on...what do you mean "also?"" he asked.

"Oh, s-sorry! I guess I scared you for a second, huh?" Chihiro tried to force herself to calm down, "I'm just really glad to know that it wasn't just me!"

"What wasn't?" Makoto was still very confused.

"Ever since that calling card went out, and ever since Towa got exposed for all his crimes I...I fell in love with the Phantom Thieves that seemed to be responsible!" the programmer enthused, "they may be recognized as criminals, but to me, they're heroes! One's that I admire from the bottom of my heart!"

"O-Oh...Oh?" Makoto's feeling of nervousness quickly shifted into one of embarrassment. Chihiro using words like "love" so casually towards him certainly flustered him.

But it seemed that despite her brains, Chihiro somehow hadn't caught on that Makoto HIMSELF was a Phantom Thief. Not that he was about to let THAT spill after he dodged such a close-flying bullet.

He shot Monomi a look, who just glared back at him, clearly wanting him to follow up on his classmate's words and try and steer her into believing the misconception she had spun herself in.

"M-Man, you really are something," he forced a chuckle, "yeah, you're right! I'm a HUGE fan of the Phantom Thieves! So much so that I wanted to try and make my own Phantom Thief outfit but...I might have bought too much stuff...Honestly, I didn't think anyone else would really see them as the heroes though..."

"Of course!" Chihiro's eyes twinkled with joy, "has anyone even stopped to think just how many people they've saved with their actions!? Eliminating unseen evils and solving unsolved mysteries...They're the greatest! True champions of justice!"

At this moment, Chihiro seemed to realize just how nerdy she was sounding, and backed off, blushing profusely.

"O-Oh...I'm sorry...I got carried away..." she flushed, "but you know, I'm glad to meet another supporter in person for the first time...Most of the people I've talked about this come from my website."

"Oh well...hey, at least you can talk about it with me now-"

He froze in place, as did Monomi, as both suddenly processed her words once again. He could hear the noises of the cogs turning in his head.

The Ultimate Programmer...someone who famously used computers, programmed code, and made websites...was a fan of the Phantom Thieves...

And that's when it clicked.

"YOU made the PHANSITE!?" Monomi and Makoto screamed in unison.

Of course, only Makoto was heard. In Chihiro's ears, Monomi just squeaked a lot, but he alone was enough to now make Chihiro the incredibly flustered one.

"Y-Yes! But please, keep that a secret!" she admitted, "I made the site to show the Phantom Thieves that the things they did really mattered in the end, just in case they had any doubts about their actions. I want them to know who they helped and that they've done a good thing!"

"It's almost like she knows," Monomi smiled, "what a wonderful girl, always thinking of others! Not many people stop to consider what the heroes go through after all."

"There is another reason I made the site, of course. This one is...not so innocent," Chihiro admitted, "Haiji Towa isn't the only awful person in society who hides behind a false face. I've seen this firsthand. But if these Phantom Thieves really are out there, then I'm confident they can make it all right. So I made a blog to help in my own way. People can leave their stories and requests online, and if the Phantom Thieves should see it, maybe they can help out?"

Chihiro showed Makoto her phone, the internet browser already on the Phansite.

"In fact, I got a message on the main blog today," she explained, "someone left a request for a criminal named Toshiro Uzawa, and today they commented back saying that he'd confessed! Seems like the system works!"

"So you made it with even that in mind," Makoto realized, "you really are a good person, Fujisaki-chan."

"Oh, no, I'm just happy being a quiet enforcer. It's better to let the real strong people do the important work," she said, "that said, it does get very difficult for me...Seeing what these people are going through and just imagining it...It really frightens me..."

Hearing her say this, another thought bubble popped into Makoto's mind.

"If that's the case, why don't you talk to me about it every time a potential target comes up?" he suggested, "if you vent the details to me, it'll take some stress off your shoulders, I'm sure."

"Don't you think that might wear you down though?" Chihiro asked, "you really are impressive, Naegi-kun."

"I'm fine. I'm the only person who knows you're the site's mod, and to be honest, I'm curious too," he told her, "I've always wondered what kinds of people the Phantom Thieves go after, and I want to know what one's have caught your eye. So what do you say?"

"Hehe...Alright!" Chihiro gave him another adorable smile, "it's a deal!"

And as you no doubt expected, this was the signal for yet another established confidant. Makoto once again heard the words ring in his mind.

I am thou...Thou art I...Thy hast acquired a new vow.

It shall become the wings of rebellion that breaketh thy chains of captivity.

With the birth of the Moon Persona, I have obtained the winds of blessing that shall lead to freedom and new power...

The Moon Arcana - Arcana XVIII, associated with creativity, inspiration, dreams, and fantasy.

Very fitting.

"Oh! Look at the time!" she suddenly gasped at the clock on Makoto's wall, "I really do need to get to bed. Here, I'll leave your meal here and you can have it for breakfast or lunch tomorrow! I'd hate to see it go to waste."

"Thank you Fujisaki-chan," Makoto smiled, "and sorry for the freakout back there."

Chihiro bowed politely and quickly left, giving Monomi a brief rub behind the ears as she did. Once she closed the door behind her, Makoto made double sure to lock it to avoid any more trouble. As he did, Monomi started to speak to him.

"What was that about?" she asked, "why did you ask her to do that for you?"

"Fujisaki is the Phansite's creator and moderator," Makoto explained, "and clearly she thoroughly reads every post that gets added to it. So if I do this..."

"Ah...I understand! We'll receive requests for changes of heart a lot more easily this way! Fujisaki will know which leads are legitimate or not!" Monomi beamed, "you sure are smart Makoto!"

"Yeah, well..." Makoto rubbed the back of his head.

"Or at least I WOULD be saying that if it wasn't for you giving me a near panic attack!" the bunny suddenly growled, "seriously! What were you thinking!?"

"H-Hey! I said I'm sorry!" he cried.

"You did WHAT!?" Toko shrieked, "HONESTLY Makoto! I can't believe you sometimes! I don't care if you're tired; are you THAT much of an IDIOT or do you WANT us to get arrested!?"

"I already made like...7 heartfelt apologies to Monomi last night!" Makoto was about to get on his hands and knees and plead for forgiveness, "please, give me a break Toko!"

"Chill out Toko-chan, you're attracting too many people. If you're not careful YOU'LL be the one getting us arrested!" Komaru told her.

This was actually a fairly good point, so Toko forced herself to calm down.

"Besides, it worked out in the end, right?" Komaru recalled, "Fujisaki didn't catch on, and even if she did, she's clearly on our side. Now we have a system for finding targets and all's good in the world!"

"I admit, I think what happened was the best possible outcome," Monomi told them, "but still, we have to avoid any more close shaves like this in the future, correct?"

"Yes ma'am...sorry ma'am..." Makoto hung his head in shame.

It was Sunday, and the team finally had a chance to get together for a casual gathering to discuss potential targets and how they would move forward as the Phantom Thieves of Hope. This was especially important, as it was the first time the team would get to gather in a while.

After all, it was exam week. For both Hope's Peak Academy AND St. Koa Girls Academy.

Hope's Peak's exams weren't your typical system, even though that kind of thing would be preferable. The main course had its fair share of random lectures, but the exams came down to talent above everything else. As a result, the exam requirements differed from person to person.

The written exams were basic and didn't require much effort. It was the PRACTICAL exams that mattered.

As mentioned previously, Hope's Peak Academy students were allowed to cut classes so long as they developed their respective talents but to PROVE that, practical exams were held once during the middle of every semester, where the students were required to demonstrate their abilities. And the requirements were indeed strict, as you might imagine.

These practical exams were judged by dignitaries and experts and widely reported by the media in order to give hope in the future to the nation, and failure could mean expulsion. This is what Seiko had been talking to Makoto about previously. She had almost failed her final practical exam last year and almost lost her right to continue at the academy. The stakes were high and if she failed to meet the requirements, she would be kicked out of the school.

The exams were simple enough for the likes of Toko. All she had to do was demonstrate her creations in her field and showcase and explain her tool of trade. When they were first years, she always had a short novel prepped and ready to read for the examiners and a copy of her latest big work to hand to them free of charge. This time was no different. She had been dedicating all of her time outside of Phantom Thief exploits to her latest work, a romance novel called "Sharp Knife, Sharp Tongue" a romance novel involving a lady who falls madly in love with a masked thief that tries to take down her corrupt father.

Toko admitted that she had been inspired by the Phantom Thieves for this latest work, and figured it would serve to be relevant given the circumstances. This was a big deal, as most of Toko's work was based on her fantasy, rarely ever attributing themselves to her real-life experiences.

As for Makoto, his exams were different. Last year, he had to fully account for a time that he believed his Ultimate Luck had come into play. Due to the mysterious and uncontrollable circumstances of his "ability," Hope's Peak gave him a helping hand by consistently accounting for situations that could be attributed to it. All Makoto had to do was recount these events and not spare a single detail. Kind of like speaking an essay to the examiners.

Komaru, being an "ordinary" high school student, had basic high school exams, and her face was evidently very tired from how she had spent the previous evening staying up and cram studying. And she clearly wanted to talk about anything that WASN'T that.

"Anyway..." she led on, "I've only ever met Fujisaki-chan once before...She's...surprisingly intense when she's passionate about something..."

"Yeah, it's honestly kind of annoying..." Toko commented, "but...we really did get lucky there...Fujisaki may have figured out our identities if Makoto wasn't so innocent looking."

"I dodged several bullets yesterday if anything," he explained, "I tried to get us some confidants to help us with our work while trying to hide my identity. I managed to get a few people to help us out, like Kimura-senpai and Kuzuryu-senpai."

Toko didn't reply to this, just looking down at her feet awkwardly.

"Are you alright, Toko?" Monomi poked her head out of Makoto's jacket pocket, "you look bothered about something."

"Wh-What? Oh...It's nothing..." she said, "actually...I guess I'm just a bit paranoid..."

"About what?" Komaru asked.

"Well, I guess it's just that we haven't been as sneaky as I would have liked...I mean, the fact that Kirigiri found out so quickly..."

"Ture...knowing that she knows our identities is kind of stressful..." Makoto admitted, "but I trust her to keep her word."

"Is that your heart talking or your dick?" Toko remarked, pulling a skeevy face, "what kind of Phantom Thief catches feelings for a detective?"

"H-Hey!" Makoto exclaimed.

"Wait, you have a CRUSH ON HER!?" Komaru squealed excitedly.

"No, listen to me, I respect her and think she's-OOPH!"

As Makoto tried to make an excuse, he stopped looking where he was going and collided with someone walking down the same road as them in the other direction. He fell over on his ass and looked up to see a boy around his age with his head lowered.

The boy had been wearing a hat that had been knocked off with the collision. Makoto tried to reach out and hand it back, but the boy quickly swiped it and put it back on.

"I'm sorry!" Makoto was pulled to his feet by Komaru, then assisted the boy in getting up, "I wasn't looking where I was going."

"No, it's alright," he said, lowering the brim of his hat, not looking Makoto in the eye, "I didn't-"

He immediately cut himself off upon taking a closer look at Makoto and the others.

"Hm? Is everything alright? You didn't drop anything, did you?"

"No...it's just...are you Naegi-senpai?"

"Huh?"

Makoto was surprised to know the boy knew his name. Toko however, was a lot more skeptical.

"How do you know that? Who are you?"

"Oh...My apologies...I didn't mean to be so impolite." he said, dusting himself off and standing up straight.

The boy's hat was a black cap with three white stripes lining the back of it and a silver star pinned near the front. Underneath the cap, he had short dark blue hair. He also had very pale skin and a slim figure. Makoto couldn't really see his eyes from under the brim of the cap, but could just about make out some grey eyes with long eyelashes.

The boy placed a hand on his chest as he introduced himself.

"We chatted briefly over the phone about one assaulting the KDA previously. But it's nice to finally meet you in person, senpai," he said,

"my name is Shuichi. Shuichi Saihara."

Chapter End Notes

Ok so before I end today's chapter, even though today's chapter already sort of went over it, I want to do a quick recap of all the current Arcana Makoto has access to, as well as explain how it works.
Makoto can use Persona's of an Arcana he hasn't unlocked yet, but it is much trickier and he cannot use or fuse Persona's at a higher level until he has developed a bond with someone that harbors that Arcana. These are the one's he has so far.
Makoto himself represents Arcana 0: The Fool. The Fool represents innocence, divine inspiration, madness, freedom, spontaneity, inexperience, chaos, and creativity.
Toko, the first bond Makoto forged, represents the 9th Arcana: The Hermit, associated with wisdom, introspection, solitude, retreat, and philosophical searches.
Komaru represents Arcana 8, Strength. The Strength Arcana symbolizes imagery beyond the Beuty and the Beast and is associated with the morality about the stronger power of self-control, gentleness, courage, and virtue over brute force. In tarot readings, it can also represent creative or physical energy that needs to be or is about to be unleashed, sometimes out of a desire to be recognized. The card is also named Fortitude in some decks, further giving meanings revolving around courage.
Funnily enough, the Roman numeral on Toko's Arcana is IX while Komaru's is XI ;)
Monomi, like Morgana before her, represents the 1st Arcana, the Magician. In tarot readings, the Magician Arcana is commonly associated with action, initiative, and on the flipped side, self-confidence, immaturity, manipulation, and power.
Just as the detective in Persona 5 was the case, Kyoko Kirigiri, the first non-party confidant, represents Justice, the 11th Arcana. Portrayed as a woman holding a sword and balance, the Justice Arcana symbolizes a strict allegory of justice, objectivity, rationality and analysis. In tarot readings, it means that one will have to face a trial of their justice, so I wonder what that could mean for Kyoko in this story?
Agatha herself as a confidant represents the Hierophant - Number 5. The Hierophant is a symbol of education, authority, conservatism, obedience to rules, and relationship with the divine. The definition of a "hierophant" is a person who interprets sacred mysteries or esoteric principles, and the term was originally used to name ancient Greek priests who did so. This Arcana's original name, however, is the Pope, the male counterpart of the Priestess Arcana.
Aoi Asahina represents the Chariot Arcana, number 7. The Chariot Arcana is a symbol of victory, conquest, self-assertion, self-confidence, control, war and command.
Seiko Kimura represents the Devil Arcana, number 15. And it should be noted that Seiko in particular represents the positive aspects of the Arcana, as opposed to the typical meaning which is the urge to do selfish, impulsive, violent things, and being a slave to one's own impulses and feelings. The positive aspect, however, represents a healthy bond or commitment.
Fuyuhiko, like Iwai before him, represents the 12th Arcana, the Hanged Man; representing self-sacrifice for the sake of enlightenment, the bindings that make one free, paradoxes, and hanging between heaven and earth. In Tarot readings, this card's appearance can be seen as advice to take the time necessary to reflect on one's upcoming actions.
And lastly, Chihiro, our Mishima of the story, also represents the Moon Arcana. The Moon is associated with creativity, inspiration, dreams, and on the flip side, madness, illusions, fear, fantasy, the subconscious, and trickery. In tarot readings, it can also represent being attuned subconsciously to the world around someone, gaining the ability to sense things without being told about them, or without anyone else knowing.
And one last thing I would like to clarify about this chapter is that the entrance to the Velvet Room in the bathroom is basically how Makoto travels there from the real world. All he has to do is enter his dorm bathroom with the intention of going to the Velvet Room, and he will end up there.
Thanks as always for reading! I love to get feedback from my readers, so feel free to leave a comment, and some kudos if you feel up to it!
Also, you can read the story on WattPad, so check me out there too for some other Danganronpa goodies - https://www.wattpad.com/1356888303-phantom-thieves-of-hope-a-danganronpa-x-persona-5

Lil' Ultimate Heartbreak

Chapter Summary

In the wake of their exam period, the Naegi's, accompanied by Toko, welcome Kotoko Utsugi into their home.

Chapter Notes

NOTE: This chapter contains significantly more angst than the previous ones. Please keep this in mind going forward.

See the end of the chapter for more notes

"Shuichi?" Komaru parroted, "that name sounds...familiar..."

"Oh! I remember!" Makoto explained, "yeah, that was you! You look...different, from how I imagined."

"My apologies if I disappointed you..." the boy seemed quiet and somewhat meek. Even though he spoke with such formality, it seemed he couldn't bring himself to look Makoto or his friends in the eye.

"Hm...Yeah, but that's not just it..." Komaru pondered, "maybe I'm just imagining things."

"You're really an Ultimate in th-the first year?" Toko stammered, "you seem s-super shady!"

"Fukawa-san, don't be rude." Makoto snapped.

"No, it's ok," Shuichi assured them "my appearance does give that impression. Allow me to introduce myself more formally..."

Shuichi gently bowed in respect.

"My name is Shuichi Saihara. I'm a first-year student at Hope's Peak Academy, attending as the new Ultimate Detective. I currently live with my Uncle, the head detective of the Shuichi Detective Agency. Though I'm currently studying under Fuhito Kirigiri of the Kirigiri Detective Agency..."

"Oh! So you also grew up as a PI?" Makoto asked. Shuichi shook his head.

"Not quite. I don't nearly have as much experience in major cases as Kirigiri-sama..."

"Kirigiri-sama!?" Toko repeated, "are you talking about Kyoko...!?"

"Just my way of referring to her. You're in her class, yes? She's Kirigiri-sama and her grandfather is Kirigiri-sensei. It's how I differentiate the two," he explained, "and I admire her a lot so..."

"Well, why not Kirigiri-senpai?" Komaru asked. Shuichi shrugged.

"I just believe she deserves more respect than that?"

He suddenly became acutely aware of the situation, and his eyes widened in panic.

"Oh god! I-I'm sorry! You were probably on your way somewhere and I distracted you! M-My apologies!"

"N-No, don't worry!" Makoto assured him, "we were just on our way to hang out at the park. We're not in any rush!"

"Makoto's right. You don't have to be like that," Komaru gave him an affectionate thumbs up, "by the way, we forgot to do introductions ourselves. I'm Komaru Naegi, Makoto's little sister. And this is my best friend, Toko Fukawa."

"Yes...A pleasure to meet you, Naegi-san, Fukawa-senpai..." he nodded, "I really must apologize for being such a waste of space..."

"Man...he REALLY doesn't have good self-esteem, does he?" Toko remarked.

"You're one to talk, Toko..." Komaru made a good point, "seriously though, I'm telling you, you don't have to be so down on yourself. You really didn't do anything wrong."

"I'm afraid that kind of thing goes in through one ear and out the other for Shuichi," another voice joined their conversation, "believe me, I've tried to work him out, but he's thoroughly stuck in that mud."

Everyone looked over to see someone approaching them. The voice belonged to a middle-aged man with faded blue, spiky hair. He had tired, pale, slanted eyes, but a warm smile.

"Uncle!" Shuichi greeted him, clearly not expecting him to be there.

"Sorry. I just finished up. Turns out it took a lot less time to find them than I expected," the man said, "who might these people be?"

"These are the people who aided me with arresting Toshiro Uzawa," Shuichi explained, "Makoto Naegi and Toko Fukawa are my seniors at Hope's Peak, and the other girl is Naegi-senpai's sister, Komaru."

"Oh, so YOU guys are the ones who helped out my nephew? Well, nice to know that Shuichi's got good-hearted upperclassmen looking out for him," he said, reaching out his hand for a handshake, "the name's Shinichi. In case you didn't figure it out, I'm Shuichi's uncle, and I run my own detective agency."

"Can't say I've ever heard of the Shuichi Detective Agency..." Makoto told him, "did you just get off a case?"

"Yeah, you mentioned something about finding someone?" Komaru inquired. Shinichi laughed.

"Oh, nah, we were actually out grocery shopping. We're having a big pork roast this weekend since Shuichi finished his practical exams today and I wanted to celebrate," he explained, "and to be honest, I don't blame you for not being clued in. Ever since we started, we really haven't had many cases...Still, even if I'm a pretty crappy detective, I pride myself on being the uncle of one of the world's best!"

"Uncle please..." Shuichi lowered the brim of his cap to hide his blush, "you're embarrassing me..."

"Hey, my brain just popped a great idea!" Shinichi smirked, "why don't you lot come round and join us?"

"Huh!?" Toko panicked, "you're inviting us over!? But you just met us!?"

"Yeah, true, but I trust Shuichi, and if he trusts you, then so do I," Shinichi grinned mischievously, "besides, he told me he was looking for a way to repay you after you helped him out, so we are indebted to you. Consider this our thanks for your help."

"Uncle...detectives shouldn't rely so heavily on trust...We wouldn't catch any criminals in that way..." Shuichi remarked.

"Um...as nice as that is..." Komaru tried to speak up, but Shinichi raised a hand and cut her off.

"Don't worry about it if you've got plans or you don't wanna come," he told them, "it'd be nice if you could join us, but just let Shuichi know in advance. He can drop me a text and I can get things ready."

Shinichi turned around and started to walk away.

"I'm expecting a yes though!" he called back, taking off. Shuichi shook his head and sighed.

"I'm very sorry...My uncle is, as you can see, a lot more social-happy and headstrong than I am," he told them, "even so, I do agree with him. It would delight me if we could treat you to a meal for the evening. I really do owe you thanks."

"We'll think about it," Makoto told him, "in the meantime, you should be catching up with him, don't you think? He might start another random conversation with a homeless man on the way, right?"

"Haha! You really are good at reading people!" Shuichi giggled, "yes, I hope to see you again soon!"

The group watched as Shuichi scurried after his uncle. When he was out of sight, Monomi emerged from Makoto's bag.

Beautiful Days - Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc

"He was certainly polite," she commented, "Hope's Peak really does have so many good students!"

"Yeah...still, he kind of rubs me the wrong way...Him and his overly enthusiastic uncle..." Toko added, "what are we gonna do? Are we really gonna go have dinner with those two?"

"I mean...I'm definitely curious about their agency," Komaru told her friends, "plus, I just remembered what it was that was bugging me. Do you remember what happened yesterday when we went to the pawn shop?"

"Huh? Oh, yeah!" something immediately clicked in Makoto's mind, "those two investigators said something..."

"What the fuck have you put us into! We're gonna lose everything at this rate!"

"H-Hey! It was an honest mistake! C-Calm down!"

"Calm down!? CALM DOWN!? You fucking moron! You just made us the next Shuichi!"

""The next Shuichi?"" Monomi frowned, "could those investigators have been referring to those two?"

"But Shuichi is currently doing work with the KDA," Makoto said, "I'm curious...Why would he be working with the Kirigiris if his uncle already runs their own detective agency? Surely he'd be pitching in there instead?"

"Normally, I'd attribute it to the Kirigiri's being more well-known and famous, but that's not true," Komaru pondered, "honestly if you hadn't told me about where Kyoko-chan came from, I would never have heard of it."

"The KDA prides itself on being relatively unknown to the normal world...But they definitely have a presence in the world of PIs and detectives," Makoto added, "perhaps Shinichi thought that Shuichi could use his Ultimate Talents to move up in the world?"

"Tch...I like the fact that his uncle's supportive and all, but that kid seriously needs help," Toko snarked, "how is he ever gonna question people when that hat hides his eyes from view? You can't tell what he's thinking..."

"He doesn't seem to have a lot of self-confidence...or any at all for that matter," Makoto considered, "so, what do you guys think? Should we humor them?"

"Hmmm...Why don't we put this discussion on hold until the weekend rolls around?" Monomi asked, "after all, you all still have exams this week, and I, as your teacher, will not permit any of you to fail at your studies! Do you understand?"

"Yeah. As much as I'd like to talk about Phantom Thief crap and whatever social plans we make, th-the exams come first!" Toko exclaimed.

"Yes ma'am..." Komaru groaned.

"I swear to this, my dear lady...I WILL steal your father's treasury...But I will also steal something far more valuable..."

Theadora could feel her heart beat steadily within her chest, no sounds within the silent, cool night blocking it out.

"What is that?" she asked, her lips quivering.

In response, the thief took off his hat and bowed, looking her in the eyes submissively, but also with confidence and assurance,

"I will steal your heart..." he said...

And before Theadora could utter a word of a reply, the mysterious phantom thief leaped off the roof and disappeared.

With that, Toko put her book down and raised her head to speak to the people in front of her; several men sitting on a row of chairs, each holding their own copy of the same book in their hands, reading along with her.

"And that was the first two chapters of my upcoming novel," she told them, "a free early copy of this story is what you are currently holding. You have my permission to keep them free of charge, but the academy requests you don't talk about the story publicly until it has been released."

She stood up and bowed, all of the examiners giving her a round of applause with her exeunt. Before Toko could rejoin her classmates behind the stage, Chisa Yukizome stopped her and gave her a mini-applause of her own.

"Well done, Fukawa-chan!" she beamed, "I must say, your performance this time was far above anything you've shown so far!"

"What do you mean by that?" she asked.

"Normally, you can't help but stutter, or get stage fright when you read your novel to the examiners," Yukizome pointed out, "but this time, you didn't mumble a single word! You kept your head high and did amazingly! I'm impressed! Though I do wonder what brought about this change?"

"Heh...Lots of life changes happened to me since the start of term," Toko smirked, "I'll leave it at that."

Toko carried on her way and rejoined Makoto behind the stage. Their classmates were with them, a lot of them just chatting and minding their own business. By this point in time, the practical exams had already been over and done with. Makoto had also done his own performance.

The story he'd decided to recount to the examiners was one that happened to him recently. A week ago or so, he had been wandering the school grounds when someone threw an empty drink can out of the window, which had fallen and hit Makoto on the head. While initially chocking it up to bad luck, his exclamation of pain and surprise attracted the attention of one of the new first years, Korekiyo Shinguji. It turned out that Korekiyo had been looking for Makoto, as he had unknowingly dropped his wallet beforehand. The can hitting him had caused him to cry out, thus allowing the first year to find him and return his lost item.

Makoto himself couldn't exactly decide whether that situation was more lucky or unlucky, but regardless, the examiners seemed to be impressed by it.

"Gotta be honest," Toko smirked, "I'm glad you didn't talk to them about the extremely lucky situation of us finding the Metaverse. You'd pass the exam with flying colors."

"Yes, but I'd also get us all arrested," Makoto hushed, "maybe I have slipped up a few times, but I'm not that stupid!"

With Toko now done and out of the way, there were only one or two people left to finish their practical exams. A couple of the students in their group had already returned home after getting permission from Yukizome-sensei, but Makoto had decided to wait around so he could leave with Toko.

Plus, fan of the Ultimate Academy as he was, Makoto did enjoy hanging out behind the curtain and watching his classmates do their thing on the stage.

Hifumi, Sayaka, Chihiro, and Junko were in the same boat as Toko, showing off their creations in their fields of doujin, music and dance, programming and modeling respectively.

All the sports people, like Leon, Hina and Sakura would have to show their skills in baseball, swimming and fighting. Nekomaru Nidai, the Ultimate Team Manager, joined them often as part of his own practical exam; coaching them to show off his own abilities.

Mukuro would usually be required to defend herself and/or show her knowledge of weapons and tactics. This was usually done with the deployment of practice dummies created and provided by the school.

Yasuhiro...for lack of better phrasing, had to basically BS his way through, like getting lucky with a prediction. Usually, he could pass by showing knowledge in his field, but every time he tried to do a demonstration of an OOPart he had been scammed into buying, it made Makoto die inside.

Celeste usually had a lot of fun with her exam, as she was required to play a gambling game with the examiners themselves. She was also the one who decided the stakes, so Hope's Peak had to supervise to make sure that her requests were in moderation. Celeste wasn't the greedy sort, but she was indeed far more mischievous than her appearance let on.

The cases of Mondo and Taka were where things got a little more complex. They would be presented with certain, usually hypothetical, situations that corresponded with their skills. They would then have to solve these theoretical issues. It was done this way to showcase both of their individual leadership qualities, and the same exam applied to Fuyuhiko and Sonia in the class above theirs.

And lastly, Byakuya would be required to show his knowledge of business, economics, stocks, and critical thinking in any way he deemed fit for the examiners.

Assuming that the reason tied in with her family's express demand to keep her talent and influence out of the eyes of the public, Kyoko was the one member of the class, and hell, probably the only Ultimate in the school who didn't have to take the practical exams. She took regular exams like the Reserve Course students. Which was a shame, as Makoto did enjoy hearing Kyoko's methodical thinking...unless, of course, it was used against him, as it often was.

Still though, there was nothing to be done. The 78th Class exams were done and Makoto was a free man. He turned his head as he felt Toko tug on his sleeve.

"So...I got Kokichiru's text..." she said, "is it true that you want me to come round for dinner?"

"Yeah. Komaru is done with her exams today too, so she wants to meet up as soon as possible," Makoto told her, "plus..."

"Plus what?" Toko asked.

"No, it's nothing. You'll see soon enough," Makoto assured her, "anyway, are you free? If you don't want to come, that's fine."

"I n-never said that," Toko scoffed "like I could pass up the opportunity to pick on Kokichiru for her exam results."

"Sometimes, I really can't tell if you're best friends or if you hate each other's guts..." Makoto frowned.

Alright - Persona 5

Toko decided to accept the invitation, so she arrived at the Naegi Family home for dinner. Makoto's parents were pleasantly surprised to see her and Makoto both come home for a meal.

However, it became very obvious to Toko what the special occasion was, and it wasn't to do with Komaru's exams.

Komaru returned home, but she wasn't alone. She was accompanied by a young girl of around 12 years old with long pink hair and a headband with horns on it. She was wearing a very pretty dress but seemed to be shifting in place.

Toko immediately recognized her. It was Kotoko Utsugi, one of the victims of the Elementary School incident.

It seemed the Naegi family managed to receive permission to take her in after all.

"Oh! So are you Kotoko-chan!?" Makoto's mother seemed very excited about the chance to finally meet the little one, "welcome to our home!"

Kotoko immediately reacted by retreating behind the door. Makoto's mother sighed.

"No good, huh?"

"You don't have to worry about us hurting you, Kotoko-chan," Mr Naegi told her, "we'll be gen-"

"STOP!" Komaru suddenly cut him off massively, much to everyone's surprise. She turned around and knelt down to get to eye level with the little one. She nodded confidently at her, and with this, Kotoko emerged from behind the door. She stood in place and bowed to the family.

"M-My name is...Kotoko Utsugi..." she stammered "th-thank you f-for letting me...stay here..."

"You're very welcome," Makoto's mom smiled, "it's wonderful to finally meet you. Come in! Is there anything you would like to eat?"

"Mom makes the best hamburger steak, you know?" Makoto chimed in, "does that sound good?"

He noticed that the corner of Kotoko's mouth started to drool at the mention of this, but she quickly tried to hide it.

"I'll take that as a yes," Makoto's mom smiled, "hey, why don't you come and help me make it?"

"I...can come?" she muttered. Mrs Naegi nodded.

"Yes, of course! Things are always more fun when we do them together!"

She reached out a hand, intending to guide Kotoko to the kitchen, but Kotoko recoiled as she did. Makoto's mom looked guilty and retracted her hand, instead beckoning Kotoko with a small nod and a wave of the hand. This was enough, as Kotoko shuffled her way into the kitchen along with her. Makoto's dad turned to his kids and their friend, lowering his voice to make sure that Kotoko couldn't hear him.

"Did...Did I say something wrong?" he asked, his expression riddled with guilt. Komaru shook her head.

"I had a brief chance to speak to the Hope's Peak staff that handed her off to me. Apparently, telling her that you'll be "gentle" is a trigger word of some kind, and it sends her into a panic attack," Komaru explained, "but it's fine. You didn't know."

"I still feel terrible..." Makoto's dad clenched his fist and grit his teeth, "but just hearing that she had a trigger word...it makes me so ANGRY, thinking what her parents and the Towas might have put her through..."

"I hope you know that this means the world to us Dad," Makoto told him, "you letting her stay here, I mean. And I'm sure it means a lot to her too..."

"Well, given that you're rarely around anymore, we did kind of have a gap to fill in terms of mouths to feed," he joked, "but I really do hope that she doesn't feel intimidated by us...I was getting that vibe."

"No offense, Mr. Naegi, but you're one of the least intimidating adults I know," Toko stated bluntly, "I'm sure she'll warm up to you even with what she's been through. Believe me when I say that you start to doubt everyone's intentions when you've been kicked down so much...All it takes is to meet the right people..."

"Toko..." Makoto turned to her sadly, recalling that she had a long list of unfortunate and traumatic incidents in her past as well. Many of which Makoto hadn't even heard, and that she had only opened up to with Komaru. Toko waved her hand and brushed it off.

"Takao!" Makoto's mom called from the kitchen, "would you mind helping me? I'm trying to see if I can find that little brush that Makoto used as a kid!"

"Oh, right, I forgot that you kept that!" Makoto's dad called back, "hold on, I'll be right with you!"

"Hehe...Must be embarrassing, huh?" Toko snarked as he walked away. Makoto shook his head.

"Cut it out...We didn't invite you here so you could be a bully..."

"What's wrong with wanting to help out with chores? Honestly, more kids should have been like Makoto!" Monomi emerged from the inside of Makoto's hoodie and glared at Toko.

"Thank you Monomi!" Makoto beamed, "See? SHE gets it.

"Only because the both of you are a couple of goody-two-shoes," the spectacled author remarked, "but hey, before I forget, how was your final day of exams Koma-?"

"UH UH UH! Do NOT wanna talk about it!" Komaru waved her hand in front of Toko's face, "Kotoko's moved in, I'm free from test papers, and all's good in the world! Don't you DARE try and ruin my happiness right now!"

"Alright, f-fine, jeez!" Toko backed down almost immediately. Komaru smirked and stretched her arms in relief.

"So? What are we gonna do now that the end times have passed? We gonna go somewhere?" she asked, "or maybe you guys are in the mood for a little Phantom Thievery?~"

"You moron," Makoto grumbled, "please don't tell me you've had nothing but the Phantom Thieves on your mind while you've been doing these exams?"

"Hey! I actually did a fair bit of studying this time!" she exclaimed.

""This time"" Toko parroted.

"Oh, WHATEVER!" Komaru snapped, "I just wanted to bring it up! I won't bother next time!"

"I'm afraid I must agree that we need to lay low for a little while," Monomi chimed in, "not only have a few people already caught onto us, but we don't even have another target yet. You all need to focus on being good students in the meantime until we find an opportunity to seize."

"Yeah...Kirigiri already figured us out, and Fujisaki got close thanks to Makoto's sheer incompetence," Toko remarked, "if we make any more careless moves, our heads will be on the chopping block."

"I'm never gonna live that down, am I?" Makoto frowned, "but hey, there is something I wanted to bring up. What are we gonna do about the Shuichi's dinner invitation?"

"Oh, right! I nearly forgot..." Komaru recalled, "what was that guy's name again? Shinichi? He invited us over to thank us for helping Shuichi catch Uzawa, right?"

"But Shuichi barely even knows how we're involved," Toko added, "are you absolutely sure this is a good idea?"

"To be honest, I did think that maybe Shuichi or his uncle suspected us of being Phantom Thieves. If they have, accepting this invitation may mean we end up walking into a trap," Makoto explained, "but I thought about it some more, and I realized that turning him down for reasons we can't properly explain would be even more suspicious to him."

"For once, I actually agree," Toko grimaced, "that guy seemed like a total joke, but if he really is a detective, we need to watch ourselves."

"Honestly, I would very much like to go," Monomi said, "there are a few things I would like to learn from the Shuichis. Namely, I would like to find out what exactly their relationship with the KDA is..."

"Why that of all things?" Komaru inquired.

"I get it...It's honestly been bugging me too," Makoto answered for her, "when we battled Uzawa's Shadow in Mementos, he mentioned something about Kirigiri destroying his life."

"And if what you two said about those inspectors at Taboo is accurate, Shinichi clearly had some kind of relationship in the past with Fuhito, the Head Detective," Monomi pointed out, "and not a positive one, from what I can gather."

"If I had to take a guess, I'd say that Shinichi Shuichi and Toshiro Uzawa were...or ARE...in very similar situations," Makoto theorized, "my guess is that Shinichi himself used to be a detective in the KDA, but then Kirigiri gave him the boot. For what reason, I don't know, but he probably opened up his own agency after he was forced out of his old one."

"But if Fuhito kicked Shinichi out, how come he's allowing Shuichi to intern at his establishment?" Komaru asked.

"Perhaps he just doesn't believe the sins of the father...or rather the uncle in this case...should weigh on the son?" Toko asked, "I mean, we saw from simply having a chat with them that uncle and nephew are completely different people."

"True enough..." Komaru considered, "yeah, thinking about it now, maybe it is best that we ask the Shuichi's directly. It'd be way too risky asking someone like Kyoko-chan."

"You're right about that," Makoto nodded, "Kiri and I are under a deal where if we don't act out of line, she won't sell us out to her agency or the police. But if we poke our noses too deeply into her family business, she could very easily go back on it. And honestly, I wouldn't blame her."

"Regardless, we can think about this when the time comes," Monomi spoke up, "I think for now, we should focus on helping the little girl get comfortable."

"Yeah, you're right!" Komaru smiled, "number one priority is Kotoko-chan right now!"

New Beginning - Persona 5

"Wow...you really busted out a big meal this time Mom..." Makoto whistled as the food was lain out across the table.

"Of course!" Mrs Naegi cheered, "this is a very special day after all! Celebration for the end of exams, and celebrating Kotoko-chan moving in!"

"Wouldn't it be better to wait until after Komaru's results come back?" Mr Naegi asked.

"Dad! Shush!" Komaru shot him a glare, "a-ny-way...Kotoko-chan! Would you like some potatoes?"

"Huh? Oh s-sure..." she replied, watching as Komaru placed some potatoes onto her plate, "th-thank you, Naegi-chan..."

"Aw, come on now, there's no need to be so formal with me!" Komaru gave her a reassuring smile, "Komaru is fine!"

"You can call us by our first names too." Makoto told her.

"Oh...o-ok...thanks." Everyone was happy to see Kotoko smile back at him, even though it felt a little forced.

"Do you like carrots?" even Toko tried her best to be hospitable, "w-we've got plenty to go around, right?"

"Y-Yes...I like carrots, thank-OH!"

Kotoko jumped back in surprise. As Toko reached over to put some carrots on Kotoko's plate, Monomi suddenly bounded onto the table and started nibbling at them!

"Monomi!" Makoto snapped, "no, those aren't yours! C'mere!"

Everyone around the table, Kotoko included, laughed jovially as Makoto leaped up and started chasing Monomi. He chased her out of the dining area into the living room, until he cornered her behind the sofa and grabbed her.

"Man, that is one quirky rabbit!" Mr Naegi remarked.

"Sorry about that Kotoko-chan," Makoto sighed, "I'll put her somewhere upstairs, and I'll lend you some of my carrots."

"No, it's fine!" Kotoko beamed, "your bunny is super adorbs!"

""Super adorbs?" That's a new one..." Toko replied as Makoto quickly shuffled up the stairs.

"You did that on purpose, didn't you?" he raised an eyebrow. Monomi nodded, her expression almost smug.

"Of course! It's poor manners to eat someone else's food!" the bunny said, "I did that to try and see if I could get her to laugh!"

"Well, you definitely succeeded," Makoto opened his bedroom door, "good job. I'll save some carrots and lettuce for you after we finish eating. I'm just happy that she seems to be warming up to us."

He gently let Monomi down on his desk.

"There's nothing I love more in this world than seeing little one's getting along!" Monomi cheered, "I really hope this is a step in the right direction for her."

"I hope so too," Makoto began to leave, "anyway, you hang out here for a little bit while I deal with the family."

"Affirma-O-K!" Monomi squeaked, trying her best to salute with her little bunny body.

"Is that curry I smell!?"

Makoto returned downstairs, immediately feeling the familiar fragrance of his favorite meal waft up his nose.

"It's special this time," Mrs Naegi winked at him, "Fukawa-chan recommended some special ingredients from Kyoto. Kotoko-chan's already a fan!"

"It's so good!" she squealed, "so refined!"

"Wow! Didn't know you were so high-class, Toko-chan!" Komaru whistled, impressed. Toko just rolled her eyes.

"Compared to you? That's not exactly a crowning achievement..."

There was some laughter as Komaru shot Toko a glare. Makoto took a spoon and put a big mouthful of the curry in his mouth.

"Oh man, this really is good!" he squeamed with pleasure, "I'm definitely having seconds!"

"Not if I get them first!" Komaru leered, competitiveness in her eyes.

"Komaru, not in front of the guests!" Mrs Naegi snapped suddenly, "there's enough for both of you."

"Alright mom, chill...I was just kidding," Komaru shifted awkwardly, "so, sorry to change the subject, but...can I ask you something, Kotoko-chan? How would you feel about taking a bath with us later?"

"A-A bath?" Kotoko raised her head.

"Yeah...Sorry to get so heavy, but I get the feeling you're not completely comfortable with being touched yet...So I don't blame you if the answer's no," she told her, "I was just thinking it might be a good way for us to get to know each other a little bit better. Besides, I don't think you've had a chance to relax properly in weeks."

"I think that's a good idea," Mr Naegi chimed in, "but like she said, only if you're comfortable with it, Kotoko-chan."

"I...I don't need to be washed..." she pouted, "I can shower all by myself!"

"I'm sure you can! But that's not really my plan," Komaru had a mischievous look on her face, "I was actually asking if YOU could help me wash Toko-chan?"

"WHAT!?" Toko almost spat her meal out.

"See, she's not all that comfortable taking baths and showers by herself, so she tends to go a long time without them and it makes her reek!" Komaru jokingly waved her arm in front of her face, as if waving away a smell, "so if you could help me wash her, I'd really appreciate that."

"Is that really true?" Kotoko seemed surprised, "aren't you supposed to be an adult? That seems pretty lame..."

"She's got a point~" Makoto winked. Toko glared at him.

"Well, if Toko-chan can't wash herself properly, I guess I don't have a choice!" Kotoko placed her hands on her hips, "alright, I'm in!"

"Wh-Wh-What is this!?" she whimpered, "why are you all ganging up on me!?"

"Consider it karma for being a douche!" Komaru smirked, "come on. Let's finish up and head straight on in. You can borrow my favorite shampoo!"

"Really?" Kotoko beamed, "that's great!"

Everyone finished eating, then Komaru and Kotoko basically dragged the unwilling Toko up the stairs to the bathroom, leaving Makoto downstairs with his parents.

DSO_Beautiful Dead - Danganronpa Another Episode: Ultra Despair Girls

"I don't think I say it enough, but you guys really are great parents..." he told them.

"Woah! Where's this coming from?" Makoto's mother seemed surprised. Pleasantly surprised, but surprised nonetheless.

"I just want to thank you," he said, "I know how much of a hassle it is having a little girl around the house, but-"

"Makoto, we CHOSE to do this," his father said, "after everything that happened at that presentation, including when your sister stood up like that, we...we couldn't stop thinking about it..."

"And when Komaru told us what had actually happened to Kotoko-chan, we...we couldn't just ignore it..."

His parents shot each other a skeptical look; which the Lucky Student took quick notice of.

"What is it?" he asked. They both turned to him at once.

"Hey, Makoto?" his father spoke up, "we've just been wondering...Have you ever thought about dropping out of Hope's Peak?"

"What do you mean?" he asked.

"Well, thinking about it now, the people who run the academy must have known about that man's true nature," Mrs Naegi explained, "I don't know how to feel about you attending a school like that. Your principal is already getting lots of heat from the public."

*Jin isn't the one at fault,* Makoto tried to hide his dismay and frustration, *the Steering Committee is trying to get him and the staff to take the fall...!*

Makoto pushed these feelings aside and instead gave his mother his answer.

"I can't say I didn't consider it," he said, "but I wouldn't want to just leave all these important friends I've made behind. Like Toko, for instance. You guys know how much of a positive impact she's had on Komaru's life...And heck, mine too. It'd be weird if I was to drop out and we'd stop seeing her as often...and I don't think Komaru would like it. The same goes for my other friends too, like Maizono, Kirigiri, Fujisaki, Hagakure...You know?"

"True...I suppose the students aren't exactly to blame," his dad considered, "alright. Just asking. We were just talking about it."

"Yes, we weren't planning on forcing you out of the school. We just wanted to hear your opinion," his mother assured him, "but I want you to remember this Makoto."

"What's that?" he asked.

"If someone is suffering, it's only right to help them out, if at all possible," she said, "just keep doing what you know you have to do."

These words resonated with Makoto. This exact ideology was the very reason he agreed to continue being a Phantom Thief. Helping the weak victims and crushing the strong oppressors. He was skeptical about whether or not it was truly the heroic thing to do, but with these words, he became certain.

"I will Mom. I promise."

Makoto waited for the girls to finish their bath, then decided to give Kotoko a tour of the house once they all got dressed. He opened the door to his bedroom, to which Monomi immediately bounded off the desk and into his arms.

"This is my room. It's where we planned on letting you stay," he told her, lifting Monomi into his hood, "you're free to turn that offer down though. I understand it's not exactly the most girly or cutesy room..."

"No, it's fine," Kotoko smiled, "it's not that adorbs, but it's still kiddy enough for me!"

"I'll say..." Toko smirked, staring at the star stickers on the ceiling.

"I-I assure you," Makoto flustered, "my dorm room is VERY adult..."

"Do you have your own pajamas?" Komaru asked. Kotoko nodded.

"Yes...I bought all my clothes and stuff..." she said, "I uh...thank you for this..."

"There's nothing to thank us for, we're just doing our part," Komaru smiled enthusiastically, but that expression quickly faded, "and uh...while we're here, can I...say something?"

"Huh? Y-Yeah, sure..." Kotoko said. However, she was surprised when Komaru suddenly knelt down to her level and bowed in front of her.

DSO_Desire for Execution - Danganronpa Another Episode: Ultra Despair Girls

"I'm...I'm really sorry!" she exclaimed.

"H-Hey, Kokichiru? Where's this coming from?" Toko frowned. Komaru raised her head, her expression dour.

"You know, I've been meaning to say it for a while now..." she said, "we met after I saved you from that car, but...even after everything you told me, I sent you right back to that...horrible piece of crap that calls himself your father! And I've felt so horrible about it..."

She shook her head and began to cry.

"I felt like I wasn't any better...For not seeing just how much you were suffering...and then the next day you and your friends tried to..." she sobbed, "I guess this is all just my way of atoning...I'm sorry...Kotoko-chan..."

There was a sad silence for a short while before Kotoko gave her response.

"The truth is...after you did that, I couldn't really bring myself to trust anyone...And at the time, I did think you had forsaken me, just like anyone else...Which is why...when Monaca said we should..."

She reached over and took Komaru's hand.

"But...I was there when you spoke out against Monaca's brother, Mr Haiji...To be honest, all I ever wanted was for him to suffer for what he did...So when he was on the stage crying and saying he was gonna kill himself...it felt good," she admitted, clearly disgusted with herself for thinking that, "I wanted nothing but to see him hurt, but then you stood up...well, you know what you said..."

The crowd was silenced, as this piercing shriek from the further crowd silenced everyone and everything. Everyone turned their shocked heads to see an ordinary high school girl standing on her seat and glaring Towa down, megaphone in hand!

"K-Komaru!" Makoto's Dad tried to pull her back down to no avail, "p-please, don't-!?"

"Those kids, who tried to jump...and all your other supposed victims...!" Komaru continued, ignoring her father's please, "despite everything you've done, they're still going! Living lives full of regrets because of you, but they're still living! If you were really serious about atoning for your crimes, you wouldn't run away to the afterlife where no one can touch you anymore! YOU DON'T HAVE THE RIGHT!"

"Ah...I almost forgot I did that," Komaru wiped her eyes, "after everything that happened I just...really needed to speak my mind."

"You made me realize that even after everything that I suffered through; even after everything that made me want to die..." Kotoko told her, "that we still had a life to live, and a better future. Both you and Big Sis Junko."

"I'm...I'm glad to hear that..." Komaru replied. However, Kotoko didn't seem sure of this...

"Except...that's what I want to believe...But I'm not as naïve as people think I am," she said, "I accept that you want to fix things for me, and I'm so SO happy you've given me a home and food, but...this stuff is gonna stick with me forever, isn't it?"

"Well...probably..." Makoto spoke up, "this is what's known as "trauma" Kotoko. It's a pain that never really goes away. There's not really a surefire cure for it either..."

"Wow...Lay it on thick, why don't you?" Toko remarked.

"I'm just being honest," Makoto stated, "if we told her bald-faced lies to her face, we'd be not much better than the adults who hurt her..."

"I just don't get it..." Kotoko's face scrunched up like she was trying hard not to cry, "was I just...that horrible a child...?"

"No, that's wrong!" Makoto asserted, pointing a finger forward, "you aren't the problem Kotoko!"

"But I...I'm just a kid...they're the adults..." she began to cry, "so why...did they treat me so horribly? And not just me...M-Monaca...and Nagisa...a-and the others too...?"

Unexpectedly, Toko took a knee and spoke eye level with Kotoko.

"You wanna know a secret I haven't told many people?" she spoke softly, "I'm in the same situation as you. My parents were horrible people as well."

Kotoko lifted her head in surprise, as Toko continued.

"When I was born, another girl was born at exactly the same time as me. But had poor health and died not too long after. And as it turns out, both mothers had become pregnant thanks to the same man, and due to hospital errors, the doctors couldn't tell which of the two women the baby belonged to," the writer explained, "neither of the two wanted to do a blood test, since neither of them wanted to be straddled with the responsibility of raising a kid...so through whatever legal circumstances came into play, the remaining baby was forced to live with two mothers and a father...And that baby was me..."

She paused, taking a deep breath before she continued, clearly choking back a lot of...something...

"They hated me so much, just for existing...I interfered with their lifestyles...One time, they locked me in a closet and forced me to stay in there for three days without food...Another time, they burned my arms with scalding hot shower water...They just k-kept thinking of new and f-fun ways to torture me...!"

"Toko..." Monomi squeaked, "I...had no idea...!"

Both Makoto and Komaru had heard bits and pieces of this backstory, but never in full. Hearing Toko drop these repeating bombs stung their souls.

"For a long time, I thought the same way that you did. That all adults were terrible, horrible pieces of garbage, who only preyed on weak kids...And honestly, that's not completely untrue...There are many people out there, like you and me, who suffer because of the actions of their parents, or the adults around them," Toko continued, "I didn't have any friends for a long time, since I figured everyone either wanted something out of me, or hated me, and I just believed there was no such thing as a good person, and that everyone was an asshole...And I wish that anyone BUT Junya Utsugi was your father..."

She reached out and placed a hand on Kotoko's shoulder.

"But there's this little thing, you know? It's called Hope..." she said, "the Naegi's gave me a taste of that and...I never went back. I'm not going to say you're in the wrong for doubting all the adults around you, but at the very least, I can guarantee you that this family will fight the world to protect you. And if they can change the life view of a rotten girl like me, then...There's hope for you too..."

Kotoko cracked. Unable to choke back the tears anymore, she covered her face with her hands and rubbed her eyes with her sleeve.

"P-Please..." she whimpered "I...*sniff* I d-don't wanna be...hurt anymore...!"

Komaru also broke down. She collapsed onto her knees and pulled Kotoko into a tight and warming embrace. Toko stood up again, standing next to Makoto, refusing to look him in the eyes.

DSO_Welcome to Despair - Danganronpa Another Episode: Ultra Despair Girls

Half an hour passed, and Kotoko had basically cried herself to sleep. It was already fairly late, so she got changed into her pajamas, and Komaru tucked her into bed. She closed the door and let Kotoko have a blissful sleep, joining her fellow thieves in her own bedroom.

"I'm sorry," was the first thing that came out of Toko's mouth when they had a moment of privacy, "I really didn't mean to make her cry like that...or to make it all about me..."

"That's ok, Toko. You didn't do anything wrong," said Monomi, who was curled up comfortably on Komaru's bed, "you just don't want Kotoko-chan to turn out like you, right?"

"I wouldn't wish a fate like that on anyone," Toko chuckled, "the life I've lived was terrible...but if we hadn't done anything, her life would have been 10 times worse..."

Toko paused for a moment and hung her head.

"When you guys started talking about continuing as Phantom Thieves, I was skeptical...I didn't think someone like me had, or even deserved, the power to change hearts," she explained, "but after tonight, I'm more sure than ever. I want to keep doing this. Kids like Kotoko and I shouldn't have to suffer due to things that we can't possibly control, and the fact that there are more people out there like that...it hurts to think about...but it helps to know that you have the power to change it."

"Atta girl," Komaru pumped her fist, "I definitely don't regret bringing you round tonight."

"Thank you so much, Toko..." Makoto added, "the Phantom Thieves of Hope are lucky to have you."

"Thanks..." she smiled back quietly, "glad to be working with you..."

Neuroscience Wing - Danganronpa 0 UST - Various Projects

The Neurology Lab was on the third floor of the Biology Building in Hope's Peak Academy's eastern quarter. Even though it was already very late at night, there was still a living presence within the building.

Yasuke Matsuda, the third-year Ultimate Neurologist, used this place as a workplace, but oftentimes as a living space too. Not because he worked late hours, but because sometimes it was just easier to take naps in here than in his dorm room.

If anyone complained about the smell or how unkempt he appeared, that was their problem.

Ordinarily, around this time, Matsuda would be laying down on his desk, reading one of the thick volumes of manga he had stacked up on a shelf next to his research station. However, tonight was a busy night for him.

Yasuke was ordinarily a very apathetic person. He didn't really pay attention to anyone or anything around him and didn't care to even remember people's names or faces if he wasn't interested...which he rarely was.

On this occasion though, his attention was focused on something he considered to be VERY peculiar. Something that not even he could truly understand in full.

On his desk was his PC, and on the monitor was a YouTube video showing a news broadcast from TAT Television. Matsuda wasn't big on politics, terrorist attacks, scandals, or any other kind of news stories normally, but THIS one was different...

"I...have put innocent youths through horrible acts that they didn't deserve...I am arrogant and thoughtless and I should be ashamed of myself! If I must pay with my life for the horrible things I have done to not just these children, but many people, old and young, like them, then I WILL DO SO!"

The news story he was watching, in particular, was Haiji Towa's breakdown and confession in front of the hundreds of people that had gathered for the opening ceremony of the now-closed Elementary School.

No matter how you sliced it, Towa's actions at that moment were just NOT normal. For the past few days, he had reportedly been fine, and yet on the very day the school was opened, he exposed the ill goings-on behind the scenes himself, collapsing under the weight of his own guilt. The timing was too perfect...

However, Towa reportedly wasn't threatened by any other parties. People had been quick to point the finger towards these Phantom Thieves that everyone was talking about, but there was no evidence confirming that they had ever even encountered Towa before now.

Knowing that Junko Enoshima of the second years had been preparing a legal battle against Towa for the same reasons, he initially suspected her, but upon questioning her, he quickly concluded that she had nothing to do with it.

Junko could be very deceptive to others, but she never lied to him. Even if she had, he would have undoubtedly seen right through her.

However, the identity of these supposed "thieves" didn't concern him. What DID matter was their methods. No one knew what exactly had happened because there was nothing that could tie any third parties to this incident...

...at least that's what everyone thought.

In reality, Matsuda had a theory of his own. As the news report came to a close, he reached over to the shelf and pulled out a specific research document he had created and filed as part of his studies at the start of the previous year.

"COGNITIVE PSIENCE"

It should be noted that "psience" was spelled that way on purpose. Contrary to a lot of things that Matsuda delved into, this one stood out for one reason and one reason only...

This research diverted from the science and non-fiction and fell more into the realm of the supernatural.

Only a handful of people knew this document existed. The Steering Committee and Matsuda's closest associates and family. Not even the examiners, nor the general staff like the teachers, knew about his research into this medium. The reason being the academy itself had asked Matsuda to keep it a secret.

Matsuda opened the file and overviewed his notes.

Cognition referred to the concept of humans perceiving the world and viewing what they see as reality. When enough humans collectively perceive something, that concept becomes "real," influencing both the world and themselves.

It also referred to when a person is interpreted by other people or society, given form based on those perceptions. The apparent appearance may be identical, but the personality or the physical capabilities can be vastly different than the original.

THIS was what Matsuda had been thinking about. His studies had indicated that it was entirely possible to CHANGE someone's cognition. And if that happened, they could change into a completely different person than what they were before.

But the problem was this was all just theoretical studies. Even though a forced change in cognition was possible, a reasonable method of doing so was not. After all, it required physically entering the domain of a person's mind in order to achieve.

Nevertheless, the Phantom Thieves Calling Card had stated as much. That they were going to "steal away that which distorts him" and lo and behold, they had done it. Towa's distorted and evil desires had disappeared, leaving only the good...and the guilt...

So if these Phantom Thieves really had taken Towa down by changing his cognition and turning him into a different man...who were they? And more importantly...how had they done it?

Rise of the Ultimates - Danganronpa V3: Killing Harmony

"So, did you hear back from those friends of yours?"

"Hold on, let me check..."

Shuichi and Shinichi Shuichi had now returned to Shinichi's office in their own detective agency. Shinichi started putting all the food they had bought that day in the fridge in the corner, getting ready for their meal that weekend. Shuichi hung up their coats and picked up the mail that had fallen through the letterbox. While he was doing so, he took out his cell phone and checked his messages and emails.

"Oh! Naegi-senpai came back to me!" he exclaimed, "he said they've accepted the invitation and that they'll be heading around on Sunday!"

"That's great!" Shinichi beamed, "I hope they're prepared for an unforgettable meal!"

"Uncle, I hate to sound pessimistic, but let's be real. There's a limit to what the hob in the office can do..." Shuichi sighed.

However, his attention was suddenly grabbed when he saw in the pile of letters, there was one addressed to HIM directly; to Shuichi Saihara.

This was odd. Shuichi rarely ever got mail unless he bought something online. Most of the mail that fell through the letterbox were either tax notes or case requests, and this agency didn't get many of those as it was. So naturally, this caught his eye very quickly.

He placed what other letters he'd had on the coffee table in the middle of the office, then opened the envelope. He noted that the letter didn't have a stamp, which meant it must have been dropped into the mailbox directly. Not only that, but the sender's name was nowhere to be seen.

Shuichi took out the note from inside the envelope...but when he read it, he felt an overwhelming feeling of dread and horror wash over his body...

"Kid?" his uncle noticed his pale expression even from a short distance, "what's...going on?"

Shuichi couldn't form any words, his attention too focused on the large works sprawled in black ink across the paper...

"I know where you live...

Leave the KDA or I will burn your house down..."

Chapter End Notes

We're not officially moving into the next chapter of the story, and we have some new characters to help us do that.
Just a quick announcement before I end today, but I'm going to be going on holiday with direct family for the next week and a half, so FYI, the next chapter is going to be delayed from my ordinary schedule.
However, I wanted to leave you guys on this neat little plot twist before I did so. I promise I will be back with you guys as soon as possible.
Thanks as always for reading! I love to get feedback from my readers, so feel free to leave a comment, and some kudos if you feel up to it!
Also, you can read the story on WattPad, so check me out there too for some other Danganronpa goodies - https://www.wattpad.com/1358505064-phantom-thieves-of-hope-a-danganronpa-x-persona-5

Detective Done Dirty

Chapter Summary

A nice dinner with the Shuichi family doesn't end well, and the Phantom Thieves discover some bombshells following a subsequent investigation.

Chapter Notes

See the end of the chapter for notes

Nightmare in the Locker - Danganronpa V3: Killing Harmony

"So...This showed up at your uncle's office yesterday?" Kyoko asked.

It was Saturday, one day before the day that Shuichi's second-year senpai and his friends were going to be visiting him and his uncle for dinner. However, before any of that, he had been forced to take care of the rather notable issue that had slid its way through the agency's letterbox.

Deciding to report the matter to the KDA, Shuichi now stood in the head office, with both Kyoko and Fuhito Kirigiri. Kyoko read the letter and examined the envelope using all resources she had on hand, an evident look of concern on her face.

"Whoever did this is more cunning than I thought..." she admitted, "the handwriting is indistinguishable, and they haven't left any fingerprints. They were likely wearing gloves when they directly dropped the letter off."

She handed the note to her grandfather, who read over it himself.

"What do I do?" Shuichi asked, "this couldn't be from someone that Uzawa knew, right?"

"Unlikely," Kyoko said, "Uzawa confessed himself, and any detectives here at the KDA that was pursuing his case weren't publicly listed or credited. Even if one of his associates came at the KDA for revenge, they wouldn't target you specifically."

"Shuichi?" Fuhito put the note down on the table, "does your uncle know about this?"

"Unfortunately, I felt hiding the truth from him wouldn't do a lot of good, so...yes, I-I showed it to him," Shuichi stuttered, "h-he's the one who suggested I take it to you in the first place."

"Hm...He may no longer be with us, but I do owe a lot to Shinichi-kun...The least I can do is help you out," he said, "if you want my personal opinion...I think you should stop coming to work for a while."

"What!?" Shuichi exclaimed, "you mean stop coming to the agency!? I-I can't! I JUST started! I have to study hard now or else I won't be able to keep up!"

"Though I do see your point, I must agree with him," Kyoko told her grandfather, "he's worked very hard for this. Getting to intern here was the opportunity of a lifetime for someone like Shuichi. Even with this, you can't just take it from him."

"I know...Please, don't misunderstand my intentions," Fuhito assured them, "you're part of the team now, intern or not, but that means your life is important to me."

He gently patted Shuichi's shoulders, then turned around and sat down at his desk.

"I'll report this letter to my own private investigation team. They're the best we've got," the old man said, "we'll make sure the person who's behind this gets caught, so you need to stop coming to the agency for a while. Take on a few cases at your own agency in the meantime if you really want to keep going at it, but please, just leave this to me."

Shuichi clenched his fist and lowered his head, the brim of his hat covering his despair-ridden eyes. In the end, he simply nodded.

"Yes sir...Thank you sir..." and with that, he turned around and left with his head lowered.

Kyoko wanted to say something to him, but couldn't find words of comfort in her. She simply turned back to her grandfather, who held his head in his hands.

Everyday Days - Persona 5

"I'm sorry...run it by me again?"

The 3 of them dressed in smart clothes, Makoto, Komaru and Toko walked down the busy evening streets of Tokyo the next day, following the address that Shuichi gave them through Makoto's very normal navigation app. She hadn't been invited, but Makoto had decided to smuggle Monomi in a small fanny pack, not wanting her to miss out on the fun.

He'd have to carefully slip her some food without either of the Shuichi's noticing, or anyone else who might be there.

But his attention was focused less on the meal right about now, and more on what Komaru was telling them.

"After our talks the previous few nights, I tried doing a little more digging around Chihiro-chan's website. And I found something interesting..." she explained, taking out her phone, "it could just be me, but do you think this post might be referring to Kirigiri?"

"Who? Kyoko?" Toko frowned.

"No! Her grandfather, Fuhito! The guy who runs the KDA!" Komaru thrust her phone towards her friend, "read it yourself!"

Toko begrudgingly complied, and read the contents aloud as they finished crossing a road.

""The head detective of a private police agency hides away from the public eye and does a variety of illicit things behind the scenes,"" she read, ""rumors say that he treats his workers harshly and limits the passage of information to other police networks all for his own personal gain. Both people and mysteries are nothing more than puppets in shows to him, and anyone who dares speak out against him finds their lives ruined or brought to near destruction...""

"There wasn't a name, but since we were talking about Uzawa, I got real suspicious!" Komaru explained, "don't you guys think so too?"

"I...don't know..." Makoto said, "I've met Fuhito Kirigiri a few times before. He's a bit strict with people, but he is a kind man! And if he has Kyoko's unbridled respect, then I'm willing to treat him the same way."

"I agree with Makoto. These comments clearly state that these are just rumors; not facts," Toko added, "that said, if they WERE real, he'd make an amazing new target. The idea of someone controlling police information from the shadows being exposed to the public. It'll root out corruption in the force!"

"Think this through, young ones," Monomi poked her head out sternly, "while I do agree it would be a mighty fine catch, the more public attention we draw to ourselves, the more danger we put ourselves in. People might misconstrue our intentions if we target an agent of the law immediately after a man of the economy."

"But if he's corrupt, what the hell does it matter!?" Komaru snapped, "there's only ever one truth!"

"No, I agree with Monomi," Makoto said, "honestly, it's lucky we decided to go tonight. We might be able to get some information about Kirigiri out of the Shuichi's."

"Good idea," Toko nodded, "so, how far away are we from their house?"

"Um...It should be right around the corner..." Makoto told her, looking at the app, "but wait, we're..."

"Right around the corner?" Komaru repeated, "but...this is a commercial district. We're nowhere near any neighborhoods."

"But I definitely put the address in right! I had Monomi check!" Makoto told her, "according to the map, we should go this way, and then we're there."

Skeptical, Makoto and his friends rounded the corner as he'd said, and they came down to a very narrow, brick-lined street. Aside from a few apartments on the upper floors, there didn't appear to be houses of any kind.

"Are you sure this is the right place?" Toko frowned.

"Wait, look!" Komaru pointed over to one particular doorway, "there's a sign on that building! It says "Shuichi Detective Agency!""

"Wait, this is their detective's office!?" Makoto exclaimed, "I thought that Shinichi would give us their home address, but he gave us his office buildings!? Did he give me the wrong one accidentally?"

"No...I don't think so...He seemed like a smart man, if a little laid back," Monomi piped up, "I believe the more likely possibility is that the SDA office IS the Shuichi's house!"

"You mean they LIVE here!?" Komaru gasped, "I mean, it DOES look like your average street apartment. Maybe they have other rooms where they sleep?"

"Still though, what does that say about them?" Toko asked, "do you think they're poor or something?"

"Well, we won't know the reality unless we see for ourselves..." Makoto spoke haphazardly, approaching the door and ringing the intercom.

"''Ellope?" the familiar voice of the agency chief came through, "Shuichi Detective Agency, what can I do for you?"

"Um...Hello, Shinichi-san..." Makoto spoke back through, "we're here."

"I'll be right down!" he called back excitedly. From behind the door, Makoto could hear the noise of frantic patters of feet down a flight of stairs; the door suddenly swinging open, and the relieved face of Shinichi Shuichi, peeking out and beaming at them suddenly appearing.

"Welcome! I'm so glad you got here!" he flourished his arm excitedly, "please, come in, come in!"

Cautiously, the group made their way inside and up the stairs, Monomi ducking back inside the bag. At the top of the stairs was another door that lead into an apartment room, which was already unlocked and ajar. Shinichi shuffled his way past them and once again, courteously led them inside.

DX Training Plan - Danganronpa V3: Killing Harmony

"Sorry about whatever mess is in here. It's basically impossible for this place to stay tidy," he chuckled, "but the table's already set up, so feel free to take a seat! ...Wherever you can find one."

"Wait...so do you and Shuichi actually live in this place?" Komaru asked, "you don't have a house or separate living space or anything?"

"Nope! I guess there's not much point in hiding the truth from you kids, but...we're not exactly very well off..." he laughed, aware of how pathetic he looked, "in fact, a lot of people who live around here barely even remember this place exists."

"But you're a local police agency, right?" Makoto asked, "do you really not get that many customers?"

""Clients,"" Toko corrected, "it's an agency, not a cafe."

"Most people would rather go to the KDA than us. They're more reliable and have a better track history," Shinichi admitted, "as far as this place goes, it's basically just a dusty shelf. The only two detectives here are me and my nephew, and we mostly just do local small-time cases. Anything above and beyond us, people would rather rely on stronger forces."

"That's...kind of sad..." Toko stated bluntly.

"Yep, it sure is..." Shinichi sighed, "but hey, I have my family still here, so..."

All of a sudden, everyone heard a disturbance downstairs, like someone had just stepped through the door into the agency.

"Ah, perfect timing!" Shinichi clapped his hands together, "she certainly got back quick!"

"Who are you...?" Makoto started to ask, but his question was answered for him when someone suddenly stepped into the agency, carrying some big shopping bags. She had long, dark hair and a very petite face. Though her body definitely proved that she was an adult. She heaved a heavy sigh as she dumped the bags down.

"I had a feeling that the guests would arrive before I got back..." she whined, "oh, I shouldn't have chanced it! I'm sorry I wasn't here to greet you!"

"N-No, you don't have to be like that!" Komaru assured her as she repeatedly bowed, "who might you be?"

"Ah, l-let me introduce her!" Shinichi wrapped a comforting arm around the woman, who seemed to sob in his chest, "everyone. This is my wife, Tsubaki. As you can see, she thought she would do one last-minute run to the store to grab us some ginger for the meal."

"Well...that's a lot of bags for just some ginger..." Toko observed. Tsubaki scratched her head in embarrassment.

"I tend to get carried away when I have a lot of money to spend," she admitted, "honestly, with our income, it's a pretty bad thing...But spending money is my way to relieve stress, you know?"

"I have heard about that before," Makoto said, "but honestly? I feel like having less money would give me MORE stress...hehe..."

"Hahaha!" Tsubaki giggled, "you certainly have a more realistic approach to life than I do! Forgive me, but I failed to ask any of you for your names. Would you mind making introductions?"

"Sure thing! I'm Komaru Naegi!" Komaru started, "part-time cheerleader, full-time super-sister!"

"Way to oversell yourself, you're not THAT great..." Toko rolled her eyes, "I-I'm Toko F-Fukawa...N-Nice to meet you..."

"Well, at least I didn't flub my speech, huh Toko-chan...!?" Komaru faux gasped, shooting Toko a snide and unpleasant glare. She smirked back.

"I'm Makoto Naegi," Makoto finalized, "I'm Komaru's older brother and the second year's Ultimate Lucky Student. Fukawa-san here is my classmate."

"Ah, you're the one who Shuichi talked to about the Uzawa case, correct?" Tsubaki smiled, "it's a pleasure to finally meet you!"

"Same here!" Makoto smiled, "so you all live here together?"

"Yep, as you might imagine, it's cramped and not always the cleanest place," Shinichi confessed, "but it's still home. We've raised Shuichi here ever since he was a little kid, and I wouldn't trade it for anything else."

"Wait...you RAISED Shuichi here?" Komaru parroted.

"Mm-hm," Shinichi nodded, "I guess I never really brought this up before, but the truth is that Shuichi's been living with us ever since diapers. We've got those credits in baby photos and everything. You wanna see?"

"Well, since you offered~" Komaru grinned, "I can show you some of Makoto's baby pics in return!"

"Why do you even HAVE my baby pics!? And show your own, dammit!" Makoto flustered.

"I'm only kidding...for real though..." Komaru turned to the Shuichi's again, "what happened to Shuichi's parents? Did...something happen to them...?"

"Komaru!" Toko snapped, "think before you speak! Don't ask them a sensitive question like that!"

"Sh-She's right! I'm sorry..." Komaru bowed apologetically, "I-I didn't mean to pry..."

"No, it's ok! You don't have to worry," Shinichi assured her, "it's not the sad story you think it is. Shuichi's parents are alive and well, they're just often overseas for business. So we raised him in their stead."

"What are they doing over there?" Makoto inquired.

"Well, my sister, Shuichi's mother, is an actor. His father is a screenwriter who she met on one of her first-ever sets. They got hitched, had Shuichi, and that was that."

"A-An actor!? And a screenwriter!? Th-That's so cool!" Komaru beamed. Shinichi shrugged.

"Eh, it ain't all sunshine and rainbows...To me, they're still just my family and not much else," he said, "their approach to parenting their kid was very hands-off, so it's hard to look at them like celebrities or something..."

Shinichi was a very merry man, but his smile here seemed ever so slightly sour compared to his usual repertoire. Makoto couldn't help but wonder if Shuichi's parents jerked him and their son around a bit...

"So did Shuichi first become a detective because he started living with you?" Toko asked, "you probably asked him to help out on a bunch of cases before, right?"

"These days, yeah, I'm always happy to have his help," Shinichi explained as Tsubaki walked to the kitchen area and started to prepare the food she had brought in, "but I can't exactly take credit for his choice to become a detective. It kind of just...happened. The first ever case he solved was one that he kinda took on his own, not one that came in through to my office."

"Oh!" Tsubaki poked her head up, "you mean that one thing he did for his classmate in his first year of middle school? The one with the alligator!"

"ALLIGATOR!?" Monomi cried, "a middle school student was tasked with looking after an alligator!?"

"SHUSH!" Makoto hushed the moving sack, even though he and his friends were equally as surprised.

"It's not as bizarre as you might think," Shinichi explained, "one of Shuichi's female classmates who knew he was helping out here asked Shuichi to help find her missing pet. Our staff was a little bigger back in the day, but it still wasn't anything grandiose. So in those situations, I usually recommended a professional pet detective."

"I didn't know pet detectives were a thing...!" Komaru stated.

"Well, it's common for detectives to have their own logic, investigation styles, and specialties, you know?" Makoto reminded her, "like, you know, terrorism, kidnapping, gambling...Kyoko, for example, is a homicide detective."

"Kyoko? Oh, you mean Fuhito's granddaughter! She seems about as uptight as her granddad," Shinichi smiled, "anyway, Shuichi did accept the case, and he ended up finding an alligator. A small one you could keep as a pet, mind you, but it definitely wasn't the usual missing dog or cat or mouse..."

"It was a very troublesome time of our lives," Tsubaki told them, "the poor boy spent days researching alligator behavior and spent a long time preparing tools to capture it..."

"He even had to climb around mountains and swim up rivers...It was a lot of work for a first-year middle-schooler," Shinichi scratched his head, "I guess when you've struggled that much, an infidelity case that breaks out into an argument is nothing."

"Well, I'm glad to hear that he found it, and got back unscathed..." Komaru was struggling to process this whole story, "did he get some kind of reward?"

"Well, the girl did give him chocolates for Valentine's Day as a way of saying thanks..." Shinichi recalled.

"That's it!?" Toko snarled, "there's no way that's worth all the trouble he had to go through if that's what he got out of it!"

"It seemed reward enough for him, so I didn't say anything about it," Shinichi shrugged, "though I do kinda agree..."

Confession (Piano Version) - Persona 5

Shinichi waltzed over to his office desk and slumped himself down in the seat, his expression mixed.

"But you know...do me a favor and don't tell Shuichi I said this..." Shinichi whispered, "but if I'm being honest...I don't know if Shuichi is really cut out for this line of work in the long run..."

"What!? Even after all of that, you don't think he's up to snuff!?" Makoto exclaimed, "he's an ULTIMATE! Even Fuhito Kirigiri took an interest in him. How can you even SAY something like that?"

"Yeah! You've been gushing him up and saying how proud you are of him, and then you turn around and say something like THAT!?" Komaru frowned.

"No, you don't get it! I meant everything I said!" Shinichi assured them, "Shuichi is incredibly intelligent, observant, meticulous, and he's far braver and more tenacious than he appears! There's just...one thing that holds him back..."

"And that is?" Toko asked.

Shinichi paused, took a deep breath, and pinched the bridge of his nose in shame before he responded.

"He's...far too innocent and nice...for a job this unforgiving..."

Everyone took a moment to process his words.

"What do you mean by that?" Komaru asked.

"I get it..." Toko grimaced, "you're saying he's too sympathetic, right?"

"That's...a bad thing?" Makoto chimed in. Toko shook her head disapprovingly.

"I'm sure Kyoko would tell you the same thing if you were to ask her, but a detective's job first and foremost is to expose the truth," Toko explained, "the truth doesn't care about your feelings, and you'd have to act against your better judgment in order to make sure society's justice is upheld."

"That's..." Komaru wanted to say something, but couldn't find the words.

"Let me put it this way...Genocide Jack may have the excuse of living two lives who for a long time, have nothing to do with each other. I could be considered innocent, given that it technically wasn't me committing her crimes," Toko whispered in her ear to block Shinichi and his wife out of the conversation, "it doesn't change the fact that all those people's blood is on my hands, and if greater society found out the secret, I'd be arrested, no matter what excuse I have."

"That...really sucks..." Komaru felt like she was about to cry.

"Your friend's right. Detectives aren't defenders of justice and righteousness. They're defenders of the truth, nothing more, nothing less," Shinichi continued, "in this line of work, we can't overlook anything, and we must prioritize solving the case above all else. Emotions and personal judgments have no place in the law..."

"Say..." Tsubaki was finished in the kitchen, and now fully rejoined the conversation, "do any of you know WHY Shuichi was scouted for Hope's Peak Academy?"

"N-No, he never told us," Makoto admitted, "I like to check up on the new students with online forums, but there's nothing online that suggests reasons why certain people were scouted. The only thing I saw on Shuichi was that he had a track history of solving difficult cases."

"That's not necessarily true...In reality, he only ever solved one truly difficult case," Shinichi elaborated, "it was about a year ago now, but...it was his first and only ever homicide case...and it changed his life forever...Because of that case, Shuichi has begun to doubt whether finding the truth is really the best possible outcome for everyone in the end..."

"What...happened...?" Toko began to feel anxious with anticipation. Shinichi opened his mouth to speak, but no words came out.

"No...I've said enough," he sighed, "this crap is super personal to Shuichi. I've said enough behind his back as is. The least I can do as his uncle is keep the secrets that need to be kept..."

"It's fine...we understand..." Makoto frowned, "if it was that life-changing for him, it's far too important to just tell to anyone."

"Yeah..." Komaru bowed, "I'm...really sorry we pried in the first place."

"No, it's alright!" Shinichi assured them, "I was the one who decided to invite you around. You came here to eat, not to hear me trauma dump! Food's ready now, so maybe we should all gather around the table and eat our grievances away, yeah?"

"About that..." Toko piped up, "we've spent so long talking about him, but...where exactly IS your nephew? Is he here?"

"Shuichi's in his room. He's been studying ever since he woke up this morning..." Shinichi said.

"Studying? He's certainly diligent..." she replied, "what exactly is he doing?"

"Looking at a bunch of local cases the KDA hasn't solved yet...He's trying to take on more than he can handle, but I've failed to talk him out of it."

"Wait here! I'll go get him!" Tsubaki smiled and walked to the door next to the kitchen area and desk. Besides Shinichi getting up and taking it upon himself to lay out the table, the room fell quiet as everyone tried to listen in on the conversation between the young man and his aunt.

"Shuichi? Your schoolmates have arrived for dinner and we're getting ready to eat. Won't you please come out and entertain our guests?"

"Oh! S-Sorry Auntie! I thought Uncle was talking with a client...I almost forgot they were coming around today."

"That's because you've needlessly been stressing yourself out! You can take a break from these cases for at least a little while, right?"

"No, you don't understand! Now that I'm not going to the KDA, I have to work even harder on these cases to make up for it! I have to make sure I can keep up with Kirigiri-sama and the other detectives when they finally let me come back!"

"Wait...what is he talking about?" Makoto asked, "did something happen?"

"Did Shuichi lose his internship with the KDA...?" Komaru's face went pale.

"No, no! His internship is still in place, he's just been personally advised to keep his distance from the agency for...personal reasons," Shinichi explained "not that he's letting that stop him. As I said, he's tenacious."

All of a sudden, Shuichi emerged from the doorway with his aunt behind him. He was dressed well, but his hair and face looked extraordinarily disheveled. Even though he was on the other side of the room, Makoto could see the bags under his eyes. Or at least...what of his eyes he could see under his cap.

"Hey, kiddo!" Komaru waved, "been a bit!"

"Don't "kiddo" him, you're the same age..." Toko snarked.

"You're wearing that thing even in here?" Makoto gestured to the hat, "do you wear that even when you're sleeping or something?"

"I'd just rather not take it off," Shuichi chuckled sheepishly, "it's nice to see you all again."

Sing of a Hollow Truth - Danganronpa V3: Killing Harmony

Now that Shuichi had rejoined them, everyone sat down around the table while Tsubaki brought out the food. The table itself was rather small, clearly only designed to fit around 4 people, so it became a tad cramped when the 6 of them gathered around it.

The meal itself wasn't anything fancy or grandiose, but Shinichi had already admitted this was the best they could do on a budget. But they say that even meager meals taste better with friends and family, and that rang true here. Despite the limitations on food, the atmosphere was as jovial as any other get-together.

Now that the Phantom Thieves had better gotten to know the Shuichi family, they felt a little ashamed for ever doubting their intentions. They were just a small family doing what they could to get by in the harsh world they lived in.

"So my uncle was telling you about my first case, huh?" Shuichi asked once they all got to talking.

"Yep. That thing about the alligator and how much you busted your ass trying to get it back," Komaru crossed her arms disapprovingly, "honestly, I think you should've gotten a medal with how much trouble you went through, not some dumb friend chocolate for valentines..."

"You might be right, but it was reward enough for me," Shuichi smiled, "the knowledge it took to solve that case...became the foundation for my detective work. And...I was so happy to be of use to someone. I can still hear her "thank you" to this day."

Shuichi laughed bashfully. He seemed pretty satisfied with how everything turned out.

"You know, I'm curious," Makoto chimed in, "I know a little bit about the kinds of cases that Kyoko solves from my conversations with her, but...What kinds of things do YOU do most of the time?"

"Huh? Wh-What do I do?" he repeated. Makoto nodded.

"You and my classmate are both Ultimate Detectives, but you're so different. I'm curious to know just where the similarities and differences between you lie...After all, high school detectives aren't very common."

"They're actually more common than you think. Several detectives at the KDA are high-school students like me," Shuichi informed him, "but it is true that most detectives ARE adults."

"I'm curious too," Komaru professed, "Kyoko-chan never really talks about what kind of work she does for her grandfather, but you've been working around this office for a long time now, right? What kind of investigations do you usually do here?"

"Well, the agency isn't as popular as it used to be when I was a kid," he said, "but even back when it was buzzing, I didn't do much investigating, if any. Even now, at the Kirigiri agency, the bulk of it is left to people more experienced than I am."

"I guess that's what an internship would entail," Toko considered, "so what? You spend most of your time just doing nothing?"

"No, not exactly. The cases I do get are mostly small jobs," Shuichi told them, "like infidelity cases and background checks..."

"That sounds pretty...well..." Komaru trailed off.

"Routine?" Toko asked.

"I was gonna say "boring" but that works too." Komaru nodded.

"Those are two totally different things Komaru..." Makoto frowned.

Shuichi stopped talking for a moment as he cut open his cottage pie, dipped it in gravy, and put it in his mouth.

"You're a fan of manga and comics, right Naegi-chan?" he asked.

"Wha-!?" Komaru gasped, "how did you know that!?"

"Your purse has a pin of Sailor Mercury on it," he pointed towards the purse Komaru had slung around her chair, which was previously around her shoulder, "I saw lots of versions of those when I last went to Akihabara. I assumed that you were a manga fan from that alone."

"Wow! That's amazing! You really ARE an amazing detective!" Komaru gushed. Shuichi blushed, lowering the brim of his hat.

"Really, it was just an assumption. I could have easily been wrong," he said, "but the reason I pointed it out is because I was wondering if you've ever read any detective manga or seen any detective anime?"

"Hmm...I guess Bungalow Stray Cats is a good one..." Komaru asked, "it's a show where the main protagonist is a weretiger, and he teams up with others gifted with supernatural powers to accomplish different tasks including running a business, solving mysteries, and carrying out missions assigned by the agency!"

"Well, my point is, even with the supernatural elements aside, I doubt you'd ever come across anything as flashy as that in the real world," Shuichi explained, "you only see extreme and over-the-top detectives in movies, comics, and novels. Honestly, I think it's better that way. I'm pretty used to biding my time doing boring research."

"I respect that," Toko smiled, "you do come across as someone who dives into the deep end of their work. I'm the same way with my novels."

"Thank you, Fukawa-senpai..." Shuichi blushed again.

"Infidelity cases though...Woof..." Komaru shook her head, "they sound difficult for a totally different reason. You really put yourself through that?"

"It's part of the job. Someone's got to do it," Shinichi shrugged, "but you're right. There are times when it gets pretty hard."

"Poor boy...I despise it when people fight..." Monomi sobbed from within the bag, "he must have been through a lot..."

"Are you sure you're alright, Shuichi?" Komaru inquired, "you're not weirded out by romance or women, right?"

"Uh...no, I wouldn't say so..." he replied.

"Well, ok, if you're sure..." Komaru sighed, "just...don't follow by example, ok?"

"If you're implying that I might cheat on someone, I would never do something like that," Shuichi flustered "besides, I don't have a girlfriend..."

"Maybe if you showed off a little bit of that Shuichi Style, you would!" Shinichi teased, "if you didn't have your face hidden from people all the time and you actually tried to step out into the world, you'd be raking in chicks by now!"

"Uncle, please!" Shuichi looked like he was about to bury his face in his hat, "not now...!"

"Come on Komaru, give him a break, you should know he's not like that by now," Makoto scolded her, "that aside, what other kinds of cases do you get?"

"Hm...aside from what I've just told you, the other cases are just stuff like...finding runaways and stuff." he told them.

"Ooh! Runaways!" Komaru beamed, "those could be part of even bigger cases!"

"I'm afraid I must disappoint you again, but those sorts of cases are rarely ever connected to greater crimes," Shuichi sighed, "it's my job to find them before it comes to that. And it's after they're found that's the hard part."

"After they're found? What do you mean?" Makoto asked. Shuichi paused for a moment as he thought about what to say.

"Hm...how should I put this...?" he asked, "oh! Do you guys recall the scandal focused on Haiji Towa that occurred at our school recently? One of the victims was a girl named Kotoko Utsugi."

The mention of Kotoko's name immediately snapped the Phantom Thieves into stern attention.

"What about her?" Komaru asked, her frown dimming her face.

"H-Hey! He's just trying to explain," Shinichi waved a defensive hand, "no need to look so serious."

"I-I'm sorry...did I say something sensitive?" the young boy detective asked.

"Huh? Oh, no, sorry..." Komaru relaxed, "I just...don't like thinking about all that stuff. What were you going to say?"

"Well, reportedly, a day before the attempted suicide, Kotoko Utsugi attempted to escape from her rough situation by sneaking out of the school and off the grounds. That's a good example of a runaway," Shuichi reminded them, "but when he sent out a search party, Junya Utsugi brought in his own yes men, and put out a request to the student and staff bodies of the school, instead of going through the trouble of hiring a detective or the police. Do you know why?"

"Because it's cheaper that way?" Toko asked.

"That might be part of it, but there is another reason," Shuichi told them, "it's necessary to follow up with both the client and the runaway, to make sure all is well. If Utsugi knew that, he would realize that hiring a detective would risk his enterprises' crimes being exposed prematurely. That's not a risk he was willing to take."

"I...had no idea...!" Komaru gasped, "detectives really have to follow up with them too?"

"Well, perhaps not all detectives do that...but it's my uncle's policy here at the agency," Shuichi said, "and it's a policy I agree with. People have reasons for running away...so the case is only closed when all parties are happy."

"That's true..." Toko nodded, "if you don't take care of the problem, they'll obviously try to run away again...But honestly, with how stone-faced Kyoko Kirigiri is, I didn't know that detectives could be so considerate."

"Well, honestly, I think the way she conducts herself is far more ideal for a detective than me," Shuichi laughed apathetically, "I tend to let my emotions get the better of me in tough situations. Truthfully, I wish I could close myself off like she does when times get trying. I'm sure my uncle told you all that though..."

He really was smart. There was no way that was just an educated guess.

However, Makoto sighed, put down his cutlery, and turned towards Shuichi with a serious, yet warm expression.

Confession - Persona 5

"I disagree. I think you're an amazing detective, Shuichi."

"Pardon?"

"When you told me how you follow up with your clients...It never once occurred to me that detectives could show that kind of compassion," Makoto told him, "compassion makes people trust you. If you offer them your hand, they'll reach for it...The world needs more detectives like you. So...I hope you'll keep up the good work, ok?"

Shuichi fell silent, clearly not knowing how to respond to this.

"Sorry, I guess that was a weird thing to say out of nowhere..." Makoto realized his folly, "you don't have to take me seriously."

"No, I...th-thank you, Naegi-senpai. It's just...no one's ever said anything like that to me before..." Shuichi lowered his head, once again hiding his face under the brim of his hat, "these days, I'm not exactly sure which way my future is going, but...I'll never forget this moment. I'll be able to believe in myself and be proud of being a detective."

"Good to hear!" Makoto beamed, "it's the least you deserve!"

Makoto wasn't quite sure how Shuichi interpreted his words, and he certainly didn't want to make any assumptions about who he was as a person or what kinds of things had happened in his past.

But if his words helped him in any way, then that was good enough.

"Thank you so much for coming tonight," Tsubaki said as she walked down the stairs with the guests, "it's so wonderful knowing that Shuichi has friends his age."

The Shuichi family, Shuichi included, had decided to see them off. They walked down the stairs behind their guests, Toko and Komaru at the front and being the first two to step out into the late-night street.

"Keep an eye out for this one while at school for me, will ya?" Shinichi smirked, "I know he can take care of himself, but it'd be great if he could come to you for advice, you know?"

"I would appreciate that very much!" Shuichi enthused.

"Heh. Of course!" Makoto smiled, "if you ever need anything, never be afraid to a-"

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHH!?"

Makoto's blood ran cold as a familiar, shrill scream sounded from outside! He spun around rapidly in that direction and burst out of the door!

"Komaru!?" he shouted "what's wrong!? What did you-!? H...Huh!?"

"What the hell!?" Shinichi and his family also burst out "what's going on...here...!?"

The scene they came out into was shocking to say the least. Komaru was standing there, her legs shaking and her eyes wide with fear and horror; her face gone a very pale shade. Not only that, but Toko had completely collapsed on the ground, and was just lying there in a pile!

All Makoto had to do was turn his head a few degrees to the right to see what had caused this affair...On the side of the apartment building was a three-word message...

...painted in what looked to be blood...!

Makoto's suspicions were confirmed when he looked down and saw the dead bodies of two pigeons lying at the foot of the message. The message itself was clear, cut, and simple.

"DROP OUT. NOW."

"D-Darling...!?" Tsubaki looked like she was on the verge of throwing up their lovely meal, "could this be...!?"

"Shinichi!" Makoto rounded on the chief detective, "what the hell is going on here!?"

Makoto was unpleasantly surprised to see the sheer look of horror and panic on Shuichi's face. Clearly, he knew something that Makoto didn't.

Before he could question the boy, he suddenly heard a disturbance behind him. He turned again to see Toko rise to her feet in a strange, her disposition now remarkably different.

Makoto suddenly remembered that Toko was deathly afraid of blood, and the mere sight of it was enough to get her to pass out, regardless of what creature it came from! To make matters worse, this sort of thing was the exact thing required to trigger her switch into Genocide Jack!

And it appeared that was exactly what happened. Her motions were undeniably haphazard, and that was ignoring the physical contortions she had to go through. Toko stood up straight, her eyes rolled back in her head and her long tongue sticking out.

"W-Woah...hey...izzat blood...!?" she mumbled, "who...whoddediied?"

"Is...Is she alright?" Shinichi seemed concerned, "she didn't hit her head when she fainted, did she?"

"The world has a front and back! A top and a bottom inning! A sea of truth and a web of lies!" the purple-haired girl garbled, waving her long tongue about in front of her as she tried to shake off her fatigue.

"This is quite concerning..." Tsubaki tensed up, "I mean, she sounds very different from how she was for the rest of this night..."

"That's a good thing, right!? Kyahahahaha!" Toko cackled, "don't worry! I'm fine!"

"You're clearly not fine!" Shuichi panicked even more, "do I need to call a hospital!?"

"Oh, no, it's fine!" Komaru assured them, "just leave her to me!"

Komaru took Jill by the arm and whispered to Makoto.

"It'd suck if she fully transformed after the night we've just had, so I'll take her home," she hushed, "if you find out anything, text me!"

With that, Komaru and Toko took off, leaving Makoto alone with the Shuichi's. He turned around to look at them with an expression that was compassionate, but also stern and serious.

"I probably shouldn't be prying," he said, "but I helped Shuichi out before and I'm willing to do so again...But you need to tell me what's going on..."

The Shuichi's seemed hesitant. Shuichi himself just seemed...scared...

"I'm owed that much, right?" Makoto followed up, "it was lovely that you treated me to dinner, but now that I've seen this...I can't just ignore it."

Shinichi hesitantly stepped forward.

"Alright..." he began "it started yesterday evening..."

Beautiful Dead - Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc

----------------------------------------------

PTChat

Komaru: [So how did things go?]

Makoto: [You first.]

Makoto: [Is Toko ok?]

Komaru: [Yeah, she's totally fine.]

Komaru: [I decided to take her back to her personal apartment since it was closer.]

Komaru: [She'd already shifted into Genocide Jill by the time we got there, but I was able to convince her to lie down and stay put.]

Komaru: [She probably passed out from exhaustion by now.]

Komaru: [We should talk here so she can backread when she wakes up.]

Makoto: [Good idea.]

Makoto: [Anyway, on my end of things, Shinichi told me what happened.]

Makoto: [He said he didn't want us getting wrapped up in a personal matter, but apparently someone has been sending Shuichi anonymous threats since the past day.]

Makoto: [He received a letter yesterday telling him if he didn't quit the KDA, his house would be burned down.]

Komaru: [What the hell!?]

Makoto: [But things are worse now. The fact that they killed two birds this time proves we're dealing with one sick bastard.]

Makoto: [And it seems leaving the KDA isn't enough. Now they want him to drop out of Hope's Peak.]

Komaru: [But why? Who's behind this?]

Makoto: [How should I know?]

Makoto: [Anyway, Shuichi told me he reported the original letter to the Kirigiri's, and that Fuhito's already opened a case.]

Makoto: [But the reason why Shuichi's internship was halted was because of this note.]

Komaru: [That's not right though.]

Komaru: [He's basically complying with this person's wishes.]

Makoto: [He clearly cares a lot about his family. I know that if I was being threatened, I'd watch out for you as well.]

Komaru: [Makoto.]

Komaru: [We need to find out who's behind this and change their heart.]

Makoto: [I agree, but we're gonna need some leads first.]

Makoto: [And right now, there's only one place we can get them.]

Komaru: [Where?]

Makoto: [The KDA itself.]

Makoto: [My first thought is that the perpetrator of this crime is someone at the KDA who, for some reason, doesn't want Shuichi around, so they're threatening him to remove him.]

Makoto: [Originally, I was gonna see if I could get some details out of Kyoko, but my classmates told me she's going to be absent tomorrow.]

Makoto: [She's going directly to the KDA to follow up on the issue. Shinichi told Shuichi to go as well.]

Komaru: [So he'll be there too, huh?]

Komaru: [What do you need me to do? I can try and cut class if you need me to meet with you?]

Makoto: [No, don't.]

Makoto: [Just don't wait around after school and come straight to the building when you're done. Kyoko gave me the location a while ago.]

Makoto: [I'll send it your way.]

Makoto: [If any of your friends try and invite you out, come up with some kind of excuse.]

Komaru: [Cool.]

Komaru: [I'm seriously starting to see the struggles that the vigilante's in my comics and manga have to go through with living their double lives.]

Komaru: [I think Kanon-chan and Miruku-chan are starting to think I don't like them.]

Makoto: [Yeah, I feel the same way.]

Makoto: [Thanks for sticking with us even with all that.]

Komaru: [This is more important.]

Komaru: [Shuichi's a good kid, and his family has been through too much already.]

Komaru: [The fact that he got an internship with the Kirigiri's and a spot at Hope's Peak are two crowning achievements back to back.]

Komaru: [Now some bastard thinks he can force him to give it all up. I'm not gonna let that slide.]

Makoto: [That's my sister.]

Makoto: [Anyway, you know the plan. I'll see you tomorrow. For now, get some rest and get ready for then.]

Komaru: [Will do. Goodnight bro.]

----------------------------------------------

Makoto rested his head back and sighed. It was just one thing after another.

Monomi had already gone to sleep. The night's events had clearly been a lot for her too, even though she was rarely physically present. Makoto himself couldn't sleep, since his mind was still racking at all the things that he'd just uncovered.

He was no detective, but he had very swiftly formulated a theory of his own. Whoever was behind this was antagonizing and threatening Shuichi for a reason, and that reason was most likely jealousy. After all, he was the only other Ultimate working for the KDA, even if he was just an intern.

Therefore, the best place to start looking for suspects was the agency itself, and it was worth having the Kirigiri's look into it directly. That was Makoto's thought process at the time...

But pulling that off would likely be harder than it seemed.

Class Trial (Dawn Edition) - Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc

As planned, the next afternoon, Makoto and Toko immediately rushed from Hope's Peak straight to the KDA. Komaru was already waiting for them by the time they arrived, and once they reconvened, they swiftly entered.

Luck seemed to be on their side, because as soon as they entered the lobby, they saw both Kyoko and Shuichi standing there, talking to each other.

The bags under Shuichi's eyes looked even bigger than they did the last time the group had seen him. Clearly, he had lost a lot of sleep over this.

Shuichi almost instantly spotted them, and his dreary eyes opened wide with surprise as they approached. Kyoko, also not expecting them there, seemed equally as surprised.

"N-Naegi-senpai!?" Shuichi stammered, "why are YOU here!?"

"We're here to help," Makoto declared, "after what happened yesterday, we couldn't leave this alone."

"I...I told you already! This doesn't concern you!" Shuichi stammered, his exhaustion clearly screwing with his mouth.

"But we know what happened now!" Komaru chimed in, "if someone's threatening you and trying to get you to quit this place, we can't just ignore it! We want to help you!"

"No, Shuichi is right," Kyoko stood in the way, "this has become official KDA and police business. My grandfather has already opened a case and has his best people working on it. WE'RE the ones who don't need YOU interfering."

"Good to see you too, Kirigiri..." Toko growled, "we're NOT interfering. We're Shuichi's friends, who just want to help him. That had nothing to do with you."

"Is that true?" Kyoko turned towards him, "I wasn't aware you had become so close with them."

"Well, following Uzawa's case, my uncle invited them round to dinner, and we were able to talk," Shuichi explained, "so yes, I would say so, but..."

"We saw that blood-soaked message when we left yesterday night," Makoto told her, "it happened while we were at the scene! We're definitely involved in this, like it or not!"

"But you didn't see anything, did you?" she asked.

"Well...no..." Makoto admitted.

"Then you have no excuse," she leered, "you can't provide us any critical witness testimony. If you could, I would have called you sooner. As I said, these are official proceedings. If you interfere with my grandfather's investigation, he could have you arrested."

"Oh yeah!?" Toko glowered, "and what investigation has he done exactly!? Has he told you at all what he's uncovered!?"

Kyoko glared back at Toko.

DSO Despair Syndrome - Danganronpa Another Episode: Ultra Despair Girls.

"What are you implying?" she asked, "you think he lied to us when he said he would pursue a case?"

"She's asking if there's any confirmation that he has," Komaru interjected, "if we know that a case is proceeding and that evidence has been found, then we'll drop it! We just want Shuichi to be safe!"

Kyoko, understandably, seemed skeptical. She looked around at everyone nearby, then cleared her throat before responding.

"May I ask that I get a moment of privacy with Makoto?" she asked.

Makoto turned back towards Komaru and Toko and nodded, assuring them that they had nothing to fear. The girls instead went with Shuichi and started to speak privately with him over in the corner. When Kyoko turned to face Makoto, her expression remained stone-cold, but Makoto could feel the disapproval radiating off her.

"I know the REAL reason you're here," she sighed, "you're just hungry to set your sights on a new target. I have no reason to stop you, and I do intend to keep my promise of not exposing you...But I'm warning you...Stay away from my family."

Makoto didn't quite know how to respond to this.

It was true that the Phantom Thieves were looking for a new target, but really, Shuichi's safety was his top priority. How would he explain that to her though?

"The situation with Shuichi has continued. The culprit is starting to make a routine of his harassment, doing something else every day," she continued, "you're a little behind, so let me get you up to speed."

"Wait, what?" Makoto raised his head, "did something happen!?"

"This morning, Shinichi planned to drive Shuichi here to help him get here soon enough. This plan fell through when they found someone had stabbed nails into their car's tires," she explained, "and another note was with it. This one also demanded that he drop out of Hope's Peak Academy. I don't think I should say what they threatened to do this time. Just know it was much worse than before."

Makoto felt sick just hearing these words, and his chest began to churn with fury...!

"This is bullcrap!" he snapped, "what the hell is the goal here!?"

"Actually, I've already come up with my own theory," Kyoko explained, "whoever is behind this has demanded that Shuichi not only quits the KDA but also Hope's Peak Academy. Which means whoever the culprit is...is trying to stop Shuichi's career as a detective from flourishing."

"The culprit...wants Shuichi to stop being a detective?" Makoto clarified. Kyoko nodded.

"But the more threats this culprit leaves, the more evidence the agency has to work with. In time, they'll figure things out and catch them. I appreciate you trying to do the right thing, Makoto, but I'm warning you: stay...away..." she suddenly leaned dangerously close to him, "Shuichi is already getting help from us here. My grandfather cares about the youth and is doing everything he can to make sure that we learn to uphold the law. He wouldn't let Shuichi's life go downhill just like that, and he certainly won't let this anonymous harasser get away with it. What kind of detective would he be?"

"Kyoko, really, I wasn't trying to imply anything," Makoto assured her, "I was just...!"

"Kyoko? What's going on here?"

Kyoko, Makoto, Toko, Shuichi, and Komaru all stopped what they were doing and turned towards the direction of this new voice. Everyone was surprised to see the man himself, Detective Fuhito Kirigiri, standing there.

It had been a while since Makoto had last seen him face to face. Fuhito seemed to recognize him though, and smiled.

"Ah! It's your friends from school!" he acknowledged, "what a nice surprise. Still, what brings you all here?"

"We're here for Shuichi," Komaru explained, "we're trying to help figure out who's behind the harassment."

"And I was just explaining to Makoto that you're already on top of it," Kyoko spoke up, "and yet they insist on poking their noses into matters that don't concern them."

"Shut it!" Toko snapped, "we didn't come here to hear your opinion!"

"Ah, yes, the harassment..." Fuhito contemplated, "have there been any developments on your end?"

Everyone waited while Shuichi quickly and panickily explained to Fuhito the latest update on the incident.

"Sir...I'm...I'm scared...!" the detective boy sobbed, "what did we do to deserve this!?"

It was a heart-wrenching scene to watch. Shuichi may have been an impressive and capable young man, but he was still just a kid. And a very scared kid at that. Fuhito simply replied by approaching and placing his hands on the boy's shoulders, giving them a gentle squeeze to reassure him of his safety.

"I'm already mobilizing my investigators to check for any links to the bloody message. For now, I suggest you wash it off the building when you get the chance," the old man told him, "and I have to ask this as well...But do you think you could drop out of Hope's Peak too? At least, temporarily?"

"What the hell!?" Toko snapped, "you're basically telling him to do as the letter says!"

"It's for his own safety!" Fuhito grimaced, seemingly unsure of his own suggestion, "if this culprit really can stalk him down at school, not to mention in here, we're dealing with someone very dangerous! Both establishments have top-notch security after all..."

"Well, Shuichi?" Makoto asked, "do you want to quit Hope's Peak?"

"I....n-no, of course not..." he whimpered.

"Sir, please," Makoto stepped forward, turning his attention to Fuhito, "even if you can't let us help, let Shuichi speak to the investigators directly! I think it would help!"

"No. I cannot allow that." Fuhito said.

"Why not!?" Komaru cried.

"I've concluded that it's far too dangerous for Shuichi to make a move himself. If the culprit really is acting out of envy and spite, they could very well be one of the investigators here at the agency...though I loathe to admit that," he told them, "you should just leave everything to us adults."

"Kind of hard to when you've done nothing to help!" Toko snarled, "this boy is dealing with perpetual dread every waking hour of his life because of this! What if you don't find the culprit in time, huh!?"

Shuichi's body began to tremble even more violently with her words. Fuhito hung his head, refusing to look her in the eye.

"That's enough...!" Kyoko didn't raise her voice, but her tone became sharp, "you're not helping any of us by saying that. I don't wish for it to come to this, but the three of you need to leave before I get security to THROW you out...!"

"That's enough, Kyoko!"

Kyoko turned round in shock as her grandfather suddenly spat these words out. What was even more surprising to the group as a whole, was that Fuhito suddenly took a bow. Makoto couldn't see his face, but his actions suggested that he was doing so shamefully.

DSO Welcome to Despair - Danganronpa Another Episode: Ultra Despair Girls

"I owe every single one of you an apology," his face was dismayed when he finally stood up again, "to you Shuichi, to your friends...and to you, my dear granddaughter..."

"Grandfather..." Kyoko spoke quietly, "what are you...talking about?"

"In truth...You're all right...I didn't admit it because I didn't want Shuichi to be afraid, but...I'm not as useful as I pretend to be," Fuhito admitted, "I'm long past my prime, and even with my connections, there's a limit to what I can do here alone..."

He turned towards Toko and Komaru.

"Be honest with me," he said, "the reason you're so reluctant to trust me is because of the unwholesome rumors surrounding me and my code of conduct, correct?"

"You KNOW about those!?" Komaru exclaimed.

"W-Well...that's not...the ONLY reason..." Toko bit her thumb. Fuhito sighed.

"It's alright. I don't hold it against you," he explained "I can understand why such rumors would worry you, and why you would want to take matters into your own hands. With the line of work I manage, I can't expect everyone to like me..."

"But...grandfather...!" Kyoko flustered, which was rare for her. Fuhito held up a hand to halt her.

"I'm afraid I really can't get you in contact with my investigation team, else things go to legal matters," Fuhito said, "but if you wish to ask the detectives around the agency for any information, or if there's anyone else you'd like to question directly...then you may do so. Just don't try to get in the way of everyone's work and I'll permit you to investigate yourselves."

"Are you sure sir!?" Makoto exclaimed.

"Yes, of course. Just promise me you'll tell me if anything DOES come up," he smiled back, "the fact that I'm past my prime means I can't do much on my own, but it is also the reason why I want Shuichi to grow up and become an amazing detective, as well as overcome his own weaknesses. We need new blood, and he's exactly who this country needs. I wouldn't let anything happen to him, and I'm only so harsh towards him because I care."

"Kirigiri-sensei...!" Shuichi's tearful eyes sparkled with hope.

"I must say only one more thing," Fuhito sighed, "please forgive my granddaughter, and do not let my actions and my incompetence reflect upon her. She's the ideal detective, not me. Now I must speak with the investigation team."

Fuhito courteously bowed once more, then exeunted, leaving the students in an awkward silence.

"Well?" Kyoko asked, "do you still doubt him, even after that?"

"I...well..." Toko stammered. This wasn't the usual stammer from Toko though. This was the kind where she was seriously beginning to doubt whether she was in the right or not.

However, before any of them could say anything else, Kyoko suddenly bowed herself.

"He's right though. I'm sorry," she apologized, "it's very unlike me to lose my cool like that...I'll do as my grandfather asked and let you in so you can ask around."

"N-No worries Kyoko-chan! We're the ones at fault for barging in here!" Komaru chuckled awkwardly, "come on guys! Let's not overstay our welcome!"

Beautiful Dead - Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc

As per her grandfather's instructions, Kyoko allowed Makoto, Toko, and Komaru to enter the agency and ask several staff members and detectives questions. However, they didn't turn up much.

Shuichi, for his part, had decided to take refuge in Kyoko's own office. He still seemed unsure and nervous but had calmed down a lot following Fuhito's speech to him. After failing to gather any real information on a culprit, Makoto loitered outside of Kyoko's area.

"It's no good. None of them seem outwardly suspicious," Monomi whispered from inside Makoto's bag, "either they're innocent, or they're very good at hiding it."

"They're detectives Monomi," Makoto whispered back, "they'd be pretty bad at their jobs if they couldn't mask their emotions. It's like what Shinichi was saying yesterday."

Their conversation was interrupted as Kyoko suddenly stepped out of her study. Monomi hid back inside the bag and Makoto stood to attention as she approached.

"How's he holding up?" he asked. Kyoko shook her head.

"Better now that he's had something warm to drink," she said "I take it your investigation went poorly?"

"Thinking about it now, you probably already went around and questioned people," Makoto sighed, "I doubt there's anything we could turn up that you couldn't."

"You never know...You might think you'd have less luck given that you're an outsider with no experience in the detective field," Kyoko told him, "but the same is true for me. I doubt anyone can look at me with complete honesty and objectivity in this place."

"Really? But...aren't you the head detective's granddaughter?" Makoto was surprised to hear this. Kyoko's brow furrowed.

"Yes, I am..." she said, "but I'm also the daughter of a man who abandoned his legacy and his child, just to live a life he was comfortable with."

"You mean...Headmaster Jin?" Makoto asked. Kyoko nodded.

"The reason why I joined Hope's Peak Academy was to meet Jin Kirigiri. But not because I wanted a touching reunion with my father, even though I had to abandon our family pride myself to do so," she said, a barely noticeable hint of toxicity in her voice, "I'm sick and tired of being seen as the daughter of a bloodline traitor, so once I graduate next year, I plan to cut all ties with him, once and for all. Then, I can dedicate myself to my craft as a detective without any concerns or regrets. He can move on with his life too."

"You know, I knew bits and pieces of this story, but I don't think I've ever heard it in full," Makoto admitted, "did Jin really do something like that? Given how nice he is, I find it hard to believe..."

"I'm not saying I think he's a bad person. He wanted to live his own life, and there was no place for me in it. I accept that now," she breathed softly, "but that's why I'm so grateful to Fuhito Kirigiri, for raising me where he could not. I respect and admire him, not just as a parent, but as a teacher and mentor too. Everything I know was taught to me by that man."

"Kyoko..." Makoto ached, "really, I promise you, it wasn't my intention to slander him! We didn't-!"

"I know..." she smiled back at him, "I overreacted. It's my fault."

"No, it's fine, really!" Makoto assured her, "but...it is surprising...You don't openly show such care and consideration for people. I mean, I know you do, you just never show it like that..."

"I've known him ever since I was little," Kyoko said, "my early days are a blur, so I don't remember much of them, but I remember a kind old man raising me, training me, and helping me discover the person that I want to be. And it's my hope that he'll do the same for Shuichi and many detectives to come after him. Even when he gets too old, he'll have passed the torch onto so many people by then, who can take the truth and justice into their own hands and right the wrongs of this world."

She smiled again, this one more of confidence than compassion.

"I'm sure if he knew what I knew about the Phantom Thieves, he would feel the same way. Justice isn't black and white to him, and I know deep down, he would support you," she said, "so please, just leave this case to him and the agency. We'll protect Shuichi, I promise."

"I hope you're right..." Makoto pondered, "and...I can only promise to try..."

"Man...I feel really bad now..." Toko clutched her head once the group regrouped outside the agency, "I didn't think it was possible that someone like her could so openly care about someone like him..."

"Honestly, I think he might be the only one who Kyoko acts that way towards," Makoto explained, "and I don't blame her. Fuhito is less of a grandfather and more of...just a father to Kyoko. He's the one who raised her in Jin's stead."

"Yeah...Those rumors might not be true after all," Komaru added, "I'm still not completely satisfied with his conduct, but with how real he was with us...I think he's doubting himself as well...I've been there, and it sucks. He even bowed to us. To US! A bunch of no-good kids like us got a respectable ace detective to bow in apology...

"Either way, we need to do more investigating," Makoto asserted, "someone is harassing Shuichi, and we're gonna need to do a lot more legwork to find out who."

"But Fuhito Kirigiri is already going over the evidence," Toko grumbled, "and how many detectives do you think there are in the Kirigiri Detective Agency? I think we should just leave the investigation to them, then jump in once they turn up a few clues."

Makoto suddenly felt his notification go off in his pocket, so he quickly pulled out his phone to check.

"Yeah, that's a good idea," Komaru nodded, "we can always pry info out of Shuichi if we need to. For now, I think we should...Makoto? What's wrong?"

Komaru trailed off as she suddenly noticed the look of abject horror on her brother's face as he stared down at his phone screen.

"Makoto?" Toko exclaimed, "what's the matter!?"

Makoto didn't reply with words. Instead, he turned his phone around and showed them his screen. The screen was on the search page of the Metaverse Navigator, and a few of the words had already been filled in...!

NAME: Fuhito Kirigiri

LOCATION: Kirigiri Detective Agency

DISTORTION: ???

"The Meta-Nav activated while it was in my pocket...!" he spoke slowly and quietly, "Fuhito's name triggered it...!"

"WHAT!?" Komaru and Toko cried out in unison!

DRAE-Alice in the Children's Land (2-3) - Crypt of the Necrodancer

The girls immediately pulled their own phones out of their pockets and entered the information themselves. Sure enough, upon typing in Kirigiri's full name, the Nav reacted the same way Makoto's did!

"But wait...This means...!? THIS MEANS...!? Wh-What does this mean!?" Komaru panicked. Monomi suddenly jumped out of Makoto's bag, seriousness in her beady, bunny eyes.

"It means that Fuhito Kirigiri's desires are so warped and distorted..." she explained, "that he has a Palace of his own, just like Towa...!"

"Seriously!? That old geezer!?" Toko exclaimed, "there's no way that can be true! Not after all that, surely!?"

"I had a feeling..." Monomi turned to look back at the doors, "but, if this is accurate, then I must commend him for putting up such an airtight façade..."

"Wait...Monomi...you mean you KNEW...!?" Komaru gasped, "h-how did you figure it out!?"

"It was just a hunch, but something didn't seem right...about Kirigiri's actions I mean," she turned back to face her fellow thieves, "according to Shuichi and Kyoko-chan, Fuhito is very supportive of youths and has helped them out greatly ever since they've known him. But now he's suggesting that Shuichi drop out of both the agency AND Hope's Peak...Just like the letter said."

"I mean...he said he was doing that for Shuichi's own safety, right?" Komaru asked, "and...it checks out to me...?"

"It's not just that," she added, "Shuichi is the most critical witness in this case, so if Kirigiri really wanted to get to the bottom of it, he should be JUMPING at the chance to have Shuichi questioned. Not deny him outright. It's FAR too strange."

"You're right...!" Makoto realized, "Shuichi's the one who's BEING harassed, and it's not like he's a child anymore."

"Come to think of it...Thinking back to what he was telling Shuichi to do, something doesn't add up!" Toko gasped, "why would he instruct Shuichi to clean away the bloody message!? That's a crime scene! It should be PRESERVED if anything!"

"You don't think that...!?" a terrifying possibility crossed Makoto's mind, which, evident from their expressions, crossed Toko and Komaru's at the same time!

"I don't know if Kirigiri is the mastermind behind Shuichi's harassment. Or if he's even involved in it at all," Monomi explained, "but the fact that he has a Palace is all the more proof that he's hiding something from us."

"But it doesn't make any sense!" Komaru cried, "HE'S the one who brought Shuichi on! Why would HE be the one behind the harassment!?

"Well, there's only one way to find out...!" Makoto grit his teeth, "we've gotta get inside this Palace and see for ourselves who that man REALLY is...!"

"Right!" Toko nodded, "we already have the name and the location...all we need to do is figure out what Kirigiri sees this agency as."

"Like how Towa saw the Elementary School as a prison?" Komaru checked, "where do we even start?"

"Let's try throwing some words at it," Monomi suggested, "like...Hm...School!"

"School?" Makoto parroted.

[CONDITIONS HAVE NOT BEEN MET.] the Nav read aloud.

"I guess he is known for being strict..." Komaru acknowledged, "how about...a castle?"

[CONDITIONS HAVE NOT BEEN MET.] the Nav read again.

"Well, he's a detective, so maybe somewhere related to mysteries?" Toko asked, "how about...a maze? Or a Mystery Labyrinth?"

[CONDITIONS HAVE NOT BEEN MET.] the Nav said for the third time.

"What about...a mansion!? One filled with puzzles and traps!?" Makoto suggested.

[CONDITIONS HAVE NOT BEEN MET.]

"Jeez! This is hard!" Komaru whined, "escape room!"

[CONDITIONS HAVE NOT BEEN MET.]

"A church!"

"A casino!"

"A museum!"

"A café!"

"A cafe!?"

"Detectives go to cafes!"

[CONDITIONS HAVE NOT BEEN MET.]

The Thieves continued to throw random suggestions at the Navigator, to no real avail. No matter how much they denied it, they didn't nearly have enough information on Fuhito as they would have liked. Certainly not enough to narrow down a distortion.

"Ugh...How did you guys even find out that Towa saw the Elementary School as a prison?" Komaru groaned.

"Literally by complete accident," Toko pouted, "we didn't even know the Metaverse existed when we went in it for the first time..."

"So is that what it's gonna come down to?" Makoto cringed, "hurling random words at this phone until we just so happen to get it right?"

"But that's gonna take FORREVVEEEEER!" Komaru leaned back and moaned at the sky, "there's like, what, a million and three words in the dictionary? We don't have time for all that!"

"Quit being such a theater kid!" Toko smacked her arm, "do you want to get to the bottom of this or not-"

[RESULTS FOUND!]

"Wait! WE GOT IT!" Makoto cried, instantly catching the girl's attention.

"What!? How!? Did we just get it by accident!" Komaru cried.

"Wh-What!? What did we say!?" Toko exclaimed

"The place that Fuhito Kirigiri thinks the KDA is..." Makoto told them, "is a Theater...!"

"For real? A THEATER?" Komaru frowned, "why THAT of all things? That's got nothing to do with detectives at all!"

"Well, do you remember what that rumor mill said yesterday?" Makoto suddenly recalled, "it said "both people and mysteries are nothing more than puppets in shows to him." so the fact that it's a theater..."

"Who cares? We got it!" Toko snapped, "I'm sure we'll find out what's going on if we just go in ourselves!"

"You guys didn't have any plans today, right?" Makoto asked, "let's take a quick look now before the sun goes down!"

"I agree with Makoto," Monomi said, "it wouldn't hurt to scout the place out a bit now that we've found it."

"I still can't quite believe this is happening," Komaru clutched her aching head from how much thinking she was doing, "but whatever! I'm game! Let's get in there!"

"Then it's unanimous," Toko affirmed, "punch it Makoto!"

With an assured nod of the head, Makoto activated the Navigator.

[BEGINNING NAVIGATION] it said.

Chapter End Notes

We're back! Thanks for the wait!
And I hope it was worth it as we now delve into the depths of our second Palace.
With me taking on multiple projects now, updates to this story may come to be pretty slow, so I must as for patience if possible.
Thanks as always for reading! I love to get feedback from my readers, so feel free to leave a comment, and some kudos if you feel up to it!
Also, you can read the story on WattPad, so check me out there too for some other Danganronpa goodies - https://www.wattpad.com/1361456847-phantom-thieves-of-hope-a-danganronpa-x-persona-5

The Dollhouse of Authoritarianism

Chapter Summary

The Phantom Thieves dive into Fuhito Kirigiri's Palace and see the old man's true, twisted, nature. However, complications arise when they try to get Shuichi on their side. But when the thieves motives and ideals are brought into question, Makoto comes up with an idea...

Chapter Notes

See the end of the chapter for notes

Makoto still couldn't quite believe what he and his group had uncovered, but as much as he didn't want to believe it, the Metaverse Navigator did indeed take them into the Metaverse, right there and then, after punching Fuhito Kirigiri's name into it.

As the world started to shift and morph around them, Makoto saw himself gradually change into his Phantom Thief attire. He turned his attention up towards the Kirigiri Detective Agency and saw it change form as well.

The building was already big, but it exploded into something so much bigger once it finally took a proper form. Towering above Makoto and his fellow thieves was a huge theater, decorated with multicolored lights and flashy signs. The layout itself was organized and symmetrical, and the entrance to the building was an arch-shaped, pearly, almost heavenly-looking gate.

"Huh...It's a lot more...quaint...than I thought it would be," Razor commented, "big, but pretty tidy and clean for a place made with distortion."

"Yeah, but then again, since our last heist was a prison, anything is really an upgrade from that..." Highwayman considered. Monomi, now in her regular cartoony Usami form, heaved a sigh.

"A Palace is a Palace," she reminded them, "don't expect an infiltration here to go any differently than it did with Towa's. You'll need to be on your guard at all times, got it?"

"You got it teach..." Highwayman saluted, "but I'm still shocked this even happened. Of all people to have a Palace, why Fuhito Kirigiri?"

"Are we sure this is his place?" Razor gestured toward the Palace, "isn't this a little too flashy and exciting for such an old-fashioned geezer?"

"Palace's are delusions; mental images warped by desire," Leprechaun recalled, "in the eyes of Fuhito Kirigiri, this is just how his agency looks. The question is why is it a theater of all things?"

"Kirigiri's not exactly what I would call a "public figure." He and his kid had said before how they tend to stay out of the limelight," Highwayman said, "but he is still a big and important guy, so it makes sense he has a Palace. Maybe it represents his love for mysteries and the unknown?"

"I wouldn't be so sure of that..." Usami replied bluntly, "while yes, nothing suggests it has anything to do with the harassment, I'll say it yet again for good measure: We'll know for sure once we get inside and check it out for ourselves."

"Ok, so what do we do?" Leprechaun asked, "just...walk through the front door?"

"Don't be an idiot!" Razor snapped, "I bet anything I own that we take one foot into that building through the front, and we get surrounded by Shadows."

"Razor's right. It's not ideal, especially for Phantom Thieves," Usami clarified, "we'll have to find another way in. Let's start by scaling that wall over there and finding another way in."

"Alright," Highwayman readjusted her hat, "lead the way, Leprechaun!"

"Alright! We're gonna have to hopscotch our way over these," once they had scaled the nearby wall, Makoto indicated to a set of small pillars in a garden, leading by example by jumping and landing on one, "just follow me."

"It's impressive how proactive and determined you become when we're inside Palaces," his sister remarked, "sometimes I wonder if Makoto and Leprechaun are the same person."

"I know what you mean. But it's not the same thing as me switching into Genocide Jack," Razor added, "it's still very much Makoto."

"While I appreciate the compliment, can you save it for later?" he looked back and whispered to them, "if you fall off these pillars because you're too distracted admiring me, it's not gonna be on me, ok?"

The girls nodded, and they, along with Usami, quickly hopped after Leprechaun on top of the pillars. Even though Highwayman very nearly toppled at one point, using their improved acrobatic skills from their Metaverse powers, they successfully made it across the garden.

Trying not to make noise after noticing the guards patrolling the area below them, the thieves ran along the wall and climbed up some more until they reached the roof of the building.

This was only one roof, bear in mind. The Palace itself was gargantuan compared to the original agency. Climbing any higher would be exhausting, Metaverse or not.

As luck would have it, this roof has a skylight on it. Razor and Usami quickly scurried over to it and worked together to pry it open.

"Hey! We can get inside from over here!" she beckoned Highwayman and Leprechaun over, "doesn't look like there's any guards down there."

"That's a pretty far drop though," Highwayman peered down, lifting up her hat so she could see better, "sure, we can get in, but how are we gonna get out?"

"Well, I still have the grappling hook Usami gave me..." Leprechaun remembered.

"Not to worry dear boy, I came prepared!" Usami smiled, "I am our tool specialist, after all, so I procured us a rope!"

Sure enough, Usami reached behind her and pulled out a wrapped-up rope from her skirt. She handed it to Razor, who took one end and stuck it to the ground with a pair of scissors. After making double sure the rope wouldn't be spotted by anyone if it descended, she slowly let it fall into the building.

"Where were you even keeping that?" Leprechaun asked.

"That's a secret," she winked, "even teachers have a secret side to them that they don't want their students to know about~"

"I don't even want to think about what that means..." Razor glowered, "come on, let's just get down already!"

"Right!" Highwayman nodded, "go on Leader. You first."

Makoto nodded back to his sister, then slid down the rope into the Palace...

It was quiet in the Palace, uncannily so, but Usami affirmed the presence of Shadows around them when their feet touched the floor. The team found themselves in what appeared to be a staff area, so after Leprechaun poked his head out of the doorway, they sneakily made their way down the hallway outside.

"What the hell...!?" was the first remark that came out of Razor's mouth as soon as they saw where they were.

The reaction was warranted, as what they laid eyes upon when taking their first real look at the Palace's interior was just...not normal.

Lining the hallway were multiple small exhibits; and said exhibits featured a variety of small, wooden puppets and mannequins, all of them dancing around on strings like they were putting on a small show, albeit for a non-existent audience."

"Oh...I see...!" Leprechaun realized, "so it's a PUPPET theater...!"

"That doesn't explain anything!" Highwayman groaned, "and what the hell is going on!? How are they moving like that!? Is someone controlling them from behind the scenes?"

"Actually, I think they're just moving on their own," Razor considered, "but come on, it's a Palace, not real life. I don't think it's anything to wrack your brain over."

"Hm...It may be worth taking a closer look at some of these puppets," Usami contemplated, "since the Palace reflects the ruler's heart, we might find some clues."

"Got it," Leprechaun saluted, "let me just take a close look here...Hm?"

"What is it?" Highwayman asked, watching as her brother picked one of the puppets and examined a tiny paper tag attached to it.

"It says..."Ryusuke Tachibana - Age 42"" he read aloud, "maybe that's the puppet's name?"

"Pretty specific name for a puppet. I'd just name it..."Woodie" or something like that..." Highwayman touted.

"Normally I'd make a comment on how childish and narrowminded you are, but you actually have a point," Razor replied, "not only that, but why does the puppet have an age?"

"Maybe it's the name of the puppet's creator?" Leprechaun suggested, "but...that doesn't really get us anywhere..."

"Hm...Office B-1..." Usami chimed in.

"What? What are you talking about?" Leprechaun asked.

"That's what the show is called, look at this placard," Usami indicated to a bronze placard next to the small stage, "it says "Office B-1" on it."

"The show is called Office B-1?" Highwayman frowned, "what kind of name is that?"

"Hm...I think I'm already starting to formulate a theory on to what's going on here," Usami commented, "but until we find more evidence, I can't be certain."

With not much else to do, the Phantom Thieves continued to sneak their way through the theater, passing by several more puppet exhibits and plays. Much like the first one they had discovered, the shows and presentations themselves were referred to with a letter and a number, such as C-2 and G-4. Not only that, but the puppets all had tags just like the Tachibana one Makoto had studied earlier, featuring a name and an age.

"I can't see or sense any Shadows," Leprechaun said, relaxing, "I think we've gotten through most of the exhibits in this area by now."

"Just what is this place?" Highwayman was getting more and more confuddled with every passing minute, "why would Fuhito Kirigiri's consciousness create a place like this? I don't understand anything that's going on!"

"Wait a second! Guys, look!" Razor exclaimed, "that mannequin over there!"

Everyone followed Razor's finger as she pointed to a specific faceless mannequin in the corner.

And it didn't take a genius to figure out why Toko had chosen to point this one out in particular. The clothes were easily recognizable...especially the headwear.

Highwayman stealthily rushed over it to get a closer look.

Living in a Lazy Parallel World - Danganronpa V3: Killing Harmony

"Hey...isn't that Shuichi's hat?" she pointed out, "he never takes it off, so I definitely recognize it!"

"You're right!" Razor gasped, "w-what does the tag say?"

"It says "Shuichi Saihara - Age 15."" Usami examined it.

It was at this moment that clarity hit Makoto...which was swiftly followed by a moment of horrifying realization, as he finally figured out what was TRULY going on here.

"Ugh! I REALLY don't get this at all!" Komaru cried, "why does Fuhito have a mannequin of Shuichi here!?"

"It's not a mannequin...!" Makoto decided to voice his thoughts, "that IS Shuichi!"

Highwayman and the others turned towards him with expressions of shock and realization.

"Wait...! You mean this mannequin is...!?" Razor asked.

"It's Fuhito's cognitive version of Shuichi! In his mind, the poor boy is nothing more than an ornamental dummy!" Usami finished the thought, "and I'm willing to bet the same is true for the rest of the puppets we've come across so far! They must be the other detectives at the agency!"

"Seriously!? The puppets are the people who work at the KDA!?" Highwayman exclaimed, "then...the stages that were called Office B and Office C..."

"They must be where those detectives work at the agency," Razor observed, "is this REALLY what that "pristine agency" is to Kirigiri?"

"There's still too much we don't know about Kirigiri to say that, but one thing is for certain," Leprechaun said, "this...is so gross...!"

Little did he realize that it was about to get even grosser...

Despair Syndrome (1) - Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc

"What the HELL!?" Komaru shrieked.

Understandable, as the scene the group walked in on was a horrifying one.

After journeying a little ways more into the Palace, the Phantom Thieves noticed a pair of fancily pattered double doors with a large sign above them; reading "Le Cimetière"

Which Razor was quick to point out, was French for "graveyard" or "cemetery."

However, as Razor and Highwayman opened the doors together, and the group stepped into the room, the layout was less of a graveyard...and more like a gallows...!

The room was dark, lit by only a few small lights that surrounded the upper half of the room, illuminating the scene in front of them only sparingly, which only helped to add to the consternation of the room.

Several puppets, the same make and material as the one's from before dangled from the ceiling by strings that hung around their necks! The ceiling was too dark and too high up to see where they reached from, but it was worth noting that these noose-shaped strings were a lot more visible than the other puppets the team had seen before...Almost like they were PART of the spectacle.

"What in the goddamn shit is this!?" Razor ground her teeth together, "what the crap are we even LOOKING at!?"

"Hold on a moment...there's a placard there, let me read it!" Usami scuttled over to another bronze placard; much bigger this time, and illuminated by a solitary white light.

"What does it say?" Leprechaun asked. In response, Usami began to read the contents of the placard aloud.

"Le Cimetière - a presentation showing the incompetence of man and the folly of possessing dreams of one's own," the bunny quoted, "these individuals tried the impossible task of becoming real boys, attempting to discard their strings and abandon their creator, and failed. Thus, they end up here; a purgatory of their own making, forever shackled by strings that now hold ever tighter. For without their strings, a doll is nothing."

"What the hell does any of that mean!?" Leprechaun snapped, "what is Kirigiri even THINKING!?"

"Wait! Guys! Check this out!" Razor called out, "look what I just found!"

After catching everyone's attention, the thieves saw Toko take one of the puppets dangling above them in her hands. Like before, it had its own set of clothes and a tag with its name and age...

"Toshiro Uzawa - Age 34"

"Uzawa!?" Komaru gasped, "that's the dude we fought in Mementos, right!? The former detective who was assaulting people!"

"But why is HE here?" Toko asked, "I thought Uzawa was kicked out of the agency!? That's why he had beef with the Kirigiri's in the first place!"

"Well, it's not like we knew both sides of the story. We only heard that he was assaulting members of the agency out of revenge," Usami said, "now that we know Kirigiri has a Palace, it brings things into a different perspective. Perhaps there was more to Uzawa's motivation than just that."

"You're right...Uzawa got fired from the KDA, but we never figured out why," Toko remarked, "could Uzawa really have been the victim in all this?"

"Regardless, it seems that everyone in here is a former member of the KDA, who either got fired or left of their own accord," Komaru considered, "hey, Leprechaun? You're being WAY too quiet. What's your take on this?"

She looked over at her brother, who had his back turned to them. His body appeared to be physically shaking though...

"Makoto...!?" Razor panicked upon noticing this, "what's the matter!?"

Makoto responded by turning around and facing them with a disgruntled and hopeless expression. In his hand, he held another puppet that had previously been dangling above them, which he held up and showed to them.

"I noticed this while we were talking and got suspicious, so I examined it," he grumbled, "never have I wanted my thoughts and theories to be so wrong before...!"

"Wait! Th-That hair! And that coat!?" Highwayman's face went pale, "that's-!?"

"It's Shinichi Shuichi," Makoto bit his lip, "the tag confirms it too. It has his name and age."

"What the hell!?" Razor stammered, "wh-why the hell's THAT guy here!?"

"Hm...Perhaps Shinichi himself was also a member of the Kirigiri Agency at one point, before his nephew?" Usami considered, "we had theorized as much before, no?"

"Wait, you think so!?" Highwayman gasped.

"The placard said that the people in here tried to separate themselves from Kirigiri," Usami explained, "Shinichi runs his own detective agency now. If he was employed here previously, maybe that's why he's here?"

"But...aside from Shuichi interning at his agency, Shinichi and Fuhito don't have any connection!" Highwayman exclaimed.

"...That we KNOW of," Leprechaun added, "it's not like Shinichi would openly explain details like that to just anyone...Especially not a bunch of strangers like us."

"But if he really is here in Kirigiri's mind..." Razor observed, "what the hell is going on in real life to prompt something like this?"

Before Makoto or Komaru could respond, Monomi suddenly raised her ears and adopted a defensive stance.

Despair Syndrome (2) - Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc

"Shadows incoming!" she exclaimed, "we should hide!"

"What!? Hide where!?" Highwayman panicked as Leprechaun swiftly hung Shinichi's puppet back on the noose.

"This room is dark enough," he said, "let's hide in the corners and wait them out."

"Better than nothing! Split!" Razor exclaimed.

Razor and Usami took off in one direction while Leprechaun and Highwayman took off in another. The siblings pressed themselves into the corner of the room and watched as the double doors on the other side of the exhibit opened up. Two skeletal shadows; that looked like wooden mannequins that artists used for anatomy study; waddled into the room. Fortunately, the thieves had masked their presence so that neither Shadow noticed them.

They watched as the Shadows walked around the room and started examining all the dolls hanging from above. While they worked, they started to converse, and Makoto and the others made sure to listen in on their conversation.

"It seems they're all accounted for," the Shadow garbled, "some of them seem a little out-of-position, but it may just be my imagination."

"Good to hear. Dollmaker Kirigiri will be pleased," the other one replied, "speaking of which, you spoke to him earlier, correct? How did it go?"

"He was gloating about having so easily deceived those brats from earlier. The ones that came to the agency to have a meaningless sniff about. All sir had to do was bow his head and they took his apology hook, line, and sinker!"

"That's amazing! The Dollmaker truly is an icon! That's how you use your influence and grandeur! Puppets like us can only dream! Still, I can't help but wonder what those brats might think if they were to see this place..."

"What does it matter? Puppets cannot do anything unless they are controlled by their ventriloquists. All those kept in this room mistakenly believe themselves to be good enough to stand on their own two feet, but none of them are considered ideal by our lord, be it for defiance or for any other reason, they're nothing without their strings. In a way, the Dollmaker only keeps them on a leash because he cares about them."

"True. Take this fool Uzawa for instance. Not only taking control of a case he wasn't assigned to but wanting to be independent and leave the agency. How dumb could you be to try and take investigative matters into his own hands? He deserved the sack."

"And take Shuichi as well. Credit to him for being a little more professional than just slamming his letter of resignation on the table and booking. But he still forgot that he's Kirigiri's puppet, now and forever."

"But he still got a grant and legal backing to open his own agency, and he still runs his own business now, right? How come he got away with it?"

"Haha! You seriously don't know? Sure, Shuichi is allowed to take his own cases...but thanks to the contract our maker has him wrapped in, he's never gonna be squat!"

"Contract?"

"The Dollmaker had Shuichi sign a contract before he left. In exchange for having his own agency, three-quarters of the cases he receives a day must instead go to the KDA! With how few cases he actually solves, I'd imagine the poor fellow is still heavily in debt."

"Hah! Deserved! Lest he not dare forget where he comes from and who made him! Still, the Dollmaker is trying to put pressure on Shuichi until he quits, correct? Why take his nephew in the agency?"

"You mean that new blood, Shuichi? Hah! Just another genius strategy by our lord!"

"What do you mean?"

"The boy is most likely going to take over his Uncle's detective agency when he graduates. He's the only person his uncle can pass the torch down to...But the SDA don't deserve their independent detective careers, so our lord came up with a genius plan to snuff them out prematurely!"

"How?"

"By applying constant pressure to the boy, and having those threats sent to him, eventually he'll realize that the detective life is too much for him, and he'll quit! Then, the Shuichi's business will die with Shinichi!"

"Genius indeed! Lord Kirigiri is the best!"

Makoto could just about see in front of him, but he saw his sister's body tremble the more of this conversation they listened into. Seeing her shift and knowing what was coming next, he reached out and grabbed her arm, holding her back before she pounced at the two Shadows.

"Highwayman...!" he hushed, "don't!"

"But-!" she tried to bite back but instead chose to compose herself.

DSO_Distrust - Danganronpa Another Episode: Ultra Despair Girls

The Phantom Thieves waited for a moment while the Shadows finished whatever duties they had in the exhibit. Once they left, Usami suggested they should retreat for today, so after retracing their steps, the team found themselves outside of Kirigiri's Palace.

Makoto, still processing everything he had just overheard, looked up in dismay at the towering distorted building above him.

"Is...Is everyone alright...?" he turned around to face his team.

Monomi had a concerned and serious look on her face, clearly deep in thought about something. Toko crossed her arms and looked at her shoes, not saying anything. Komaru had her fist clenched and her teeth grit, still shaking with anger even now.

"No...I'm not alright...!" the far latter replied, turning around to kick the wall behind them, "I'm SO...ANGRY...right now...! We need to make that bastard PAY!"

"I agree...!" Razor raised her head, rage in her eyes as well, "we can't just look the other way while that shitface detective prays on these people!"

"Seconded. What we saw in there puts it all into perspective. Kirigiri sees the people who work for him, as well as other detectives not as people, but as property," Usami nodded, "he's so egotistical that he believes even the smallest slight gives him the right to take the livelihood of the people around him."

"Kirigiri will keep people in these theaters so long as they're useful to him, and so long as they continue to follow his idea of a detective...but the moment they don't..." Leprechaun bit his lip.

"Why are Shuichi and Kyoko keeping quiet about this!?" Highwayman snarled, "they've got no reason to cover this up!"

"True...It's pretty clear now that Fuhito was the mastermind behind Shuichi's harassment. I'm sure if Kyoko or Shuichi knew about it, they'd have some strong words for him," Razor acknowledged, "which means neither of them must know the truth..."

"But still! They're both really smart people!" Komaru spat, "surely they must have gotten suspicious by now! I mean...WE were able to see past his bullshit eventually!"

"I think the reality is that neither of them have a reason to doubt him. Shuichi is still certain Kirigiri is trying to help him and, ironically, he's the one man in the world that Kyoko trusts unconditionally," Makoto cringed, "the REAL issue...is with Shinichi..."

"Huh? What about him?" Toko asked.

"I get that the reason could be that it's personal, but Shinichi's career and livelihood are slowly being drained by Kirigiri! Why is he keeping quiet about that!? And why would he let Shuichi attend the agency even knowing all of that?" the Lucky Student exclaimed.

"Good point..." Toko thought.

"Does it matter man!?" Komaru cried, "we can solve all of this if we just change his heart, so let's do it!"

"Highwayman, calm down!" Usami scolded, "you're getting too worked up. Don't make me send you to the corner for time out!"

"Y-Yes ma'am..." Komaru hung her head shamefully, "sorry ma'am..."

"She's right though," Makoto chimed in, "Kirigiri's an awful man who's hurting a lot of people; young people at that. Isn't this enough to target him?"

"Think about who we'd be affecting by doing this without taking any precautions! "Hey, Kyoko-chan! So...kind of a funny story, but your granddaddy who you love oh so dearly is sorta...kinda...totally evil! Anyway, we're gonna steal his heart and fuck him up, so hope you're cool with that!"" Toko bit sarcastically.

"Ok, you don't have to say it like that!" Makoto scratched his head, "she's gonna find out eventually if we decide to do this, you know?"

Toko sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose.

"Yes, but that's all the more reason why we need to wait until we find solid evidence in reality. If we get Kyoko to decide which side to go for based on belief alone, she's gonna go with Fuhito, no question!" she glowered, "also, remember, she knows our identities. If she finds out the Phantom Thieves are targeting her grandfather, she might go back on her word and expose us to the public."

"Dammit!" Komaru clutched her aching head, "what the hell are we gonna do!?"

Rise of the Ultimates - Danganronpa V3: Killing Harmony

"As Razor said, we need evidence," Usami said, "and personally, I believe our best chance will come in the form of testimony from Shinichi-san."

"You're saying you want us to ask Shinichi about what we heard?" Makoto asked, "how do we even go about that?"

"I guess we just be upfront about it," Toko said, "his reaction alone might sell it for us."

"Alright, fine...I guess it's better than doing nothing..." Komaru glowered, "still...Damn that old man...!"

Makoto was of a similar frame of mind. The reality sunk in that Fuhito Kirigiri was no different than Haiji Towa. Someone who had a public face of kindness and morality, that only served to hide a sick and twisted inner self.

*"Protecting the youth" my ass...* he secretly thought to himself.

A day passed, and after school broke out the next day, the Phantom Thieves once again met up in reality, this time ready to infiltrate a different detective agency.

With Makoto in the lead, he walked over to the front door and pressed on the intercom. Within a few seconds, a voice spoke through it. However, it did not belong to Shinichi.

"Hello?" it spoke, "Shuichi Detective Agency?"

"It's us," Makoto spoke back, "can we come in please?"

"Naegi-senpai?" it spoke back, "hold on, I'll be right down!"

Makoto and the others waited for a moment, listening out for the sounds of quick steps down the stairs. The door opened, and as expected, the figure of the young Shuichi Saihara appeared in the doorway, wearing his cap as usual.

"Oh! You're all here!" he smiled, "it's good to see you!"

"You too," Komaru smiled, "how have things been since yesterday?"

"Well...there hasn't been any news on the harassment case," he admitted, "but I haven't received anything of note from whoever's behind the harassment since yesterday, so I've just been cooped up in here...Anyway, why are you here?"

Makoto shot his teammates a knowing glance before turning back to Shuichi and answering.

"Is your uncle here?" he asked, "we need to speak with him. It's important."

"Is it in regards to the case?" Shuichi asked, "what does he have to do with it?"

"Is he here or not?" Toko frowned. Shuichi hesitantly shook his head.

"No...He's out today and...I don't know when he'll be back..."

"Aw dammit..." Komaru pouted, "could our timing be any worse?"

"Shuichi, can we come in?" Makoto asked, "it's really important that we get this off our chests."

"I...sure..." Shuichi nodded, "come on in."

Everyone followed the dark-haired detective inside the agency. They walked up the stairs and entered Shinichi's office area. Shuichi beckoned them to take some seats, so Makoto and Komaru sat down on the sofa while Toko procured herself a stool.

"Sorry to show up so randomly after yesterday, but we have something to ask you and your uncle," Makoto opened, "Shuichi...did you know that your uncle used to work for the Kirigiri's?"

"Of course I did," he nodded, "h-how did YOU know that? Did he tell you?"

"No...We just did a little bit of digging and found out for ourselves," Komaru explained, "Shinichi was one of Fuhito's men, but then decided to go off on his own to be his own man and start his own agency. This was before you came into his custody though."

"Where are you going with this?" he asked, "what does my uncle and his attachment to the KDA have to do with anything?"

"Shuichi, this isn't gonna be easy to believe, but..." Komaru decided to come out and say it, "we believe that Fuhito Kirigiri himself might have a connection to your harassment case."

"Whether he's the perpetrator or not, he's intentionally withholding information from you," Makoto added, "he's definitely suspicious."

"Are...are you serious...!?" Shuichi's eyes widened.

There was a few seconds of silence, but with the air, it felt like several minutes...However, it ended in a way that the thieves were not expecting...

Shuichi suddenly burst out laughing...!

Nightmare in the Locker - Danganronpa V3: Killing Harmony

"D-Don't be RIDICULOUS!" he snapped, "you really want to ACCUSE the legendary detective Fuhito Kirigiri for crimes of harassment against a teenager!? I'm sorry senpai, but...that's about the most absurd and illogical thing I've ever heard!"

"Oh yeah?" Toko asked, "then let me ask you this. Why did Fuhito bring you into the KDA despite your uncle cutting ties with him?"

"Because he believes that I have potential, and whatever the relationship is between him and my uncle doesn't matter when it comes to me!" Shuichi exclaimed, "he's openly welcoming of young talent and students into his line of work. I can guarantee you there is absolutely no feasible way that he's guilty of any crimes against me!"

The air became awkward; the group had never seen Shuichi this angry before. Or even this emotional in general.

"I appreciate you looking out for me, really, I do..." he said, "but if this is related to those boorish rumors online, I believe Kirigiri-sensei already made his stance on it clear. He's already shown you gratitude and levity, and I don't think you should be wasteful with that! He's a good man!"

Toko crossed her arms and lowered her head, holding her tongue. Komaru tapped her foot as she tried to think of a response. Makoto could even feel Monomi shifting inside his bag.

However, everyone was caught by surprise, as Makoto stepped forward and put his foot down.

"You're lying Shuichi..." he stated.

"Wh-What...!?" the boy gasped.

"Don't tell me you don't think it was odd. I KNOW you're smarter than this," the Lucky Student frowned, "he's telling you not to speak with the investigators, even though you're the one being harassed! You're not a baby, you're perfectly capable of speaking to them as an adult!"

"That's...He's just trying to keep me safe...!" Shuichi exclaimed.

"Safe from what!? What harm would speaking to them do you!?" Komaru snapped, "you're STILL getting harassed, right!? Even after he supposedly opened a case! I'm willing to bet he hasn't said a word of your situation to ANYONE, much less his own investigation team!"

"She's got a point!" Toko interjected, "Shuichi if you've been denied a chance to speak with this investigation team, how do you even know they exist? Kirigiri claims they're the best he's got, but he's also claimed they don't know what's going on?"

"I..." Shuichi was struggling to find a retort to anything that he was hearing. Despite Toko and Komaru's franticness, Makoto continued to speak to him calmly.

"Shuichi. The truth is Fuhito Kirigiri is a messed up son of a bitch...!" he stated bluntly, "you, your uncle, and everyone else who works for him is nothing but puppets on strings to him. He doesn't give a damn about you or your feelings!"

"Then why...!?" tears were starting to form in the young man's eyes, "he was the one who INVITED me to intern at his agency! He was proud of my accomplishments and said I had potential! If what you say is true, then why would he even bother taking me under his wing!"

"You know full well why," Makoto frowned, "it's so he can do this without anyone suspecting him! Shuichi, he's threatening you into leaving the agency and quitting Hope's Peak so that he can destroy your future as a detective!"

"Fuhito didn't like it when your uncle went off to start his own agency since he still thinks he owns him as property," Toko added, "not only is he trying to cut off his legacy by bullying and threatening you, but with what he's been doing to your family..."

"Doing...what...to my family...?" Shuichi glowered.

"Think about it, man! Shinichi told us that most people would rather go to the KDA to have crimes solved, but that doesn't make any sense!" Komaru exclaimed.

"Right. This place is easily accessible to locals, and it's not exactly hidden. Plus, you and your uncle are good, genuine, respectable people, so why would they bother blowing you off to go to an agency as big as the KDA?" Toko asked, "I'll tell you why...it's because Kirigiri is forcing Shinichi to hand over cases."

"Forcing him to hand over...what...!?" Shuichi snarled.

"When Shinichi left the agency, Fuhito made it so that a majority of cases the SDA receives go to the KDA instead," Komaru explained, "not only is that discrediting your uncle's business, but it means he doesn't get a yen off solving them either! He's robbing you of your reputation AND your livelihood! He's the reason why your family is so poor!"

"But...you know that, don't you?" Makoto inquired, "you're just scared to admit it for fear of what might happen."

Shuichi didn't reply. He instead gripped his sleeve with one hand and lowered the brim of his hat with another.

"I knew it..." Makoto sighed, the detective's actions speaking louder than words, "Kirigiri is trying to force Shinichi into debt by taking away his source of income, and he's trying to break you down with constant threats so that you quit being a detective. Face it Shuichi, he's trying to RUIN you...!"

"You and your family are great people, and you don't deserve to be pressured like this," Komaru spoke softly, "if you just be honest with us, we can help-!"

"STOP! THAT'S ENOUGH!" Shuichi spat violently, catching the thieves off guard, "I...you're right about one thing...I DID know that the KDA was taking cases away from our agency at Kirigiri-sensei's request..."

He cast out his arm, a crazed expression in his barely visible eyes.

"But you know what ELSE I know!? That situation was indoctrinated under a CONTRACT, which means my uncle CONSENTS to it! Kirigiri doesn't take cases from us; we OFFER them to him!" he snapped, "besides, the Kirigiri's have been detectives for generations, but we're just a small-time detective agency with only two people in it! They're clearly far more capable than us! We're poor because we're not good, nor trustworthy enough! That's OUR problem!"

"You've been raised by your aunt and uncle ever since you were really young," Toko grimaced, "I REFUSE to believe that's how you really think of them!"

"Shinichi's not nearly as stupid to willingly sign his life away like that! He left the Kirigiri Agency to secure INDEPENDENCE, not to enter a contract that enslaves him like this!" Komaru snapped.

"Your uncle told us that you were afraid of finding the truth, and what the consequences would mean," Makoto said, "I didn't know what that meant until now...To turn your eyes away like this...I'm disappointed, to say the least..."

Shuichi suddenly lurched to his feet and pounded the table!

"THIS ISN'T ABOUT YOU!" he snapped, "YOU HAVE NO IDEA WHAT'S BEST FOR US!"

"Wha-Hey!" Makoto panicked, "calm down-!"

"There are no victims here! There never were any to begin with!" Shuichi snarled, "keep that self-righteous "justice" to yourselves and stop forcing your braindead ideas onto us!"

"What was that!?" Komaru snapped, "you can't tell me you really just-!"

"I've heard just about enough of these baseless, illogical accusations!" Shuichi growled "leave and don't come back, or I'll tell Kirigiri-sama everything you've accused her flesh and blood of! Final warning!"

"Are you...blackmailing us!?" Toko snapped!

"GET! OUT! OF! MY! HOOOOUUSSSEE!" Shuichi screamed!

Not just fearing what he might do if they kept pushing him, but also coming to the unfortunate realization that the boy was beyond reasoning with, Toko, Komaru, and Makoto quickly grabbed their things and bolted out of the door!

Shuichi stayed alone in the office, his body trembling for a long while even after they had left. He stood there for some time, until the door to the agency opened once again, and his uncle stepped in.

"Shuichi? What's going on!?" Shinichi exclaimed, "I-I just saw your friends from the other day running down the street. What happened!?"

Shuichi didn't reply. He lowered his cap down over his face to hide his tears, then retreated to his bedroom. He closed the door, laid on his sheets, and buried his face in his arms.

100 Mile Junk Food Dash - Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc

Makoto returned to his dorm room that evening. It was late at night, but the events of the day were still weighing on his mind and soul and he was struggling to get some sleep. Instead, he laid down on his side, snuggling close with Monomi on his bed, staring emotionlessly at his chat log.

----------------------------------------------

PTChat

Komaru: [Can I just say?]

Komaru: [This sucks.]

Komaru: [Everything about this just sucks.]

Toko: [I don't think we can talk to Shuichi anymore.]

Toko: [I doubt we can ask Shinichi about what's going on without rousing his anxiety either.]

Toko: [Kids these days are such a pain in the ass.]

Komaru: [Toko, you're a year older than him.]

Toko: [Shush.]

Komaru: [You're right though. Why does he have to be so stubborn?]

Komaru: [We're trying to help him, dammit!]

Toko: [Hey, Makoto. You're reading this, right?]

Toko: [I can see you're online.]

Makoto: [Yeah, sorry, I just didn't feel like saying anything.]

Makoto: [You guys kind of already voiced my feelings for me.]

Toko: [I have to wonder something.]

Toko: [We agreed to this so that victims like Kotoko and Shuichi wouldn't have to suffer anymore, right?]

Toko: [What are we gonna do if the victim doesn't want our help?]

Makoto: [I really don't know how to answer that.]

Makoto: [I want to save him, and Kirigiri's other victims...but...]

Makoto: [He said himself that he WASN'T a victim...]

Komaru: [I still don't get it though!]

Komaru: [Shuichi clearly knows that we have a point about Kirigiri, but he's just refusing to accept it!]

Komaru: [I don't know why though!]

Komaru: [His family is suffering! He's got no reason to hide the truth!]

Makoto: [I think it's just that he's struggling to accept it himself.]

Makoto: [Shuichi idolizes both Fuhito and his granddaughter. He thinks they're the ideal detectives.]

Makoto: [I mean, would you be able to accept it if Ise Kana turned out to be a horrible person?]

Komaru: [I guess that's a good point...]

Toko: [Who's Ise Kana?]

Makoto: [Her favorite anime voice actor.]

Komaru: [Still, that doesn't mean I'd just deny the truth!]

Komaru: [Especially if I was a detective! I know I'm not, but HE is!]

Toko: [Regardless, I think we're fresh out of leads.]

Toko: [Now that the Shuichis are off the table, there's no one else who we can ask about Kirigiri.]

Toko: [We don't know any of his other victims, at least none who would willingly speak out.]

----------------------------------------------

However, with Toko's final line, something clicked in Makoto's mind. He stopped and considered it for a moment, and then despite the darkness of his room, his eyes lit up!

"Makoto? Why do I get the feeling you've just got an idea?" Monomi smirked, clearly already seeing where this was going.

"I just thought! What Toko said just now wasn't actually true!" he smiled with excitement, "we DO know another victim of Kirigiri! And if we talk to him, I'm sure we'll find the truth!"

"Who?" Monomi asked.

"Uzawa!" Makoto exclaimed, "Toshiro Uzawa was also in that graveyard area in Kirigiri's Palace! Now that he's had his heart changed, I'm willing to bet he'll spill the beans to us about the Kirigiri's true nature!"

"Hm...You're right!" Monomi gasped, "but...wasn't Uzawa arrested after his confession? How are we going to contact him?"

"I know just who to ask." With a smile on his face, Makoto left the PTChat and instead started up a conversation with somebody else...

----------------------------------------------

Fujisaki-chan

[Hey, Fujisaki-chan?]

[I don't know if you're awake right now, but I have a question.]

[It's Phantom Thief related, so no rush.]

[Feel free to get back to me as soon as you can if you can't right now,]

[Don't worry Naegi-kun. I'm still awake.]

[Like I told you, with managing the PhanSite and doing my regular programming, I've been pulling some all-nighters.]

[Though I did already get a lecture from Tsumiki-senpai about how I shouldn't do that.]

[Anyway, what was your question?]

[You know that guy who got his heart changed by the Phantom Thieves? Toshiro Uzawa?]

[What happened to him after he was arrested?]

[Oh, it's funny you should mention that!]

[He was actually making posts on the PhanSite today!]

[Wait, he's on the PhanSite?]

[Yeah.]

[Uzawa was taken to court for his crimes, but due to certain circumstances, he was only incarcerated for a week.]

[The court ruled that he had to pay money to all parties affected by his actions, but it seems he managed to avoid any further jail time.]

[He made an account on the PhanSite and apologized to everyone there for his actions.]

[But it's not just that. Yesterday, he left a request of his own for a change of heart.]

[Really? Who?]

[He didn't say.]

[Apparently, it's someone very big and important, and he was worried about what might happen to him if he posted the name online.]

[It seems he's looking for an opportunity to meet the Phantom Thieves in person, or at least someone associated with them so he can deliver that information directly.]

----------------------------------------------

"I can't believe it!" Monomi's eyes widened, "the timing is perfect!"

Makoto frantically typed back.

----------------------------------------------

[Where does he plan on meeting them?]

[Well, he heard the Phantom Thieves originated at Hope's Peak Academy, so he plans on hanging out at the nearby station.]

[I don't know what he looks like though. I know I'm not a Phantom Thief, but I'm wondering if I should go to hear him out.]

[I'm a little nervous though.]

[No, don't do that.]

[If the Phantom Thieves really are allies of justice, they'll go and hear him out themselves.]

[You just keep doing what you're doing and leave it to them.]

[Alright, you're right.]

[By the way, why ask me this? Is that all you wanted to know?]

[Pretty much. Kyoko wasn't allowed to tell me the details of the case, so I thought I'd ask you.]

[That's all I wanted though. I'll let you rest now.]

[You're welcome then.]

[Goodnight Naegi-kun. And goodnight to Monomi as well.]

[Night.]

----------------------------------------------

DSO_Beautiful Dead - Danganronpa Another Episode: Ultra Despair Girls

[THE NEXT DAY]

Toshiro Uzawa rested his back against the ticket wall of the underground station. As he had mentioned previously, he had decided to wait out there in hopes that the Phantom Thieves would show up and speak to him.

Of course, given what he did, he was only there hoping. It wasn't likely the heroes would see him as a victim after what he did, and it was true he was still spending his time atoning for his misdeeds.

He opened up his phone and checked his bank balance, seeing how small it was and sighing in disappointment remembering how much money he still owed people.

It was his own fault of course. He knew this and knew he had no right to complain.

"Uzawa, correct?"

We Can't Change The World - Danganronpa Another Episode: Ultra Despair Girls

He raised his head at suddenly hearing his name be called. He looked up and was surprised by what he saw.

A high-school girl?

She was wearing her uniform under a grey hoodie, and she wore black sunglasses and a mask that hid her face from him. Without waiting for a response, she walked up to him and casually leaned against the wall next to him.

"I saw your post on the PhanSite," the girl said, "so you really were here, huh?"

Uzawa was surprised. Yes, he had revealed he planned on waiting at the station, but he hadn't given anyone any hints as to his appearance. After all, posting something like that online was already risky enough, and he had done whatever it took to mask his presence.

He assumed that if the Phantom Thieves saw the message, given that they had changed his heart previously, they would know what he looked like...So...did that mean...?

"Are you..." he whispered, looking around to make sure they weren't being listened in on, "are you a Phantom Thief?"

"Let's just say I'm an informant for now. You can call me Kurumi," the girl told him, "and you must swear not to tell anyone that this meeting happened from here on, understand?"

"Y-Yes..." he nodded. Fortunately, his knowledge as a former detective helped him play along more easily, as he didn't even look "Kurumi's" way from that point on.

"Let's get right down to business," she said, "this person who you want us to change the heart of...Who is it?"

Uzawa took a deep breath, steeling his stomach and wiping the sweat off his forehead before he answered.

"I doubt you would have heard of him...But he's the head detective of the agency that I used to work with," he said, "his name is Fuhito Kirigiri..."

"Kurumi" tried her hardest to not let any excitement leak from her covered face, but secretly pumped her fist in a "gotcha bitch!" kind of way.

"Go on?" she hushed. Uzawa continued.

"The man is too proud of his detective lineage and has this one-track idea of how detectives should ideally be. He forces that idea onto everyone who works in his agency, and doesn't tolerate even the slightest insubordination," he explained, "in fact, I myself-"

"You used to work for his agency until he fired you, correct? Apparently, you were let go due to acting out of line," "Kurumi" informed, "however...I'm curious. What was the REAL reason you were fired?"

"Even if I tell you...How do I expect you to believe me?" Uzawa's face scrunched up, "no one else did..."

"Because we are not biased, nor are we afraid of rotten figures in this society," "Kurumi" replied, "we will hear both sides of the story before we conclude who the victim is."

Uzawa nodded as if to thank them, then began to explain.

"To put simply, I solved a case that wasn't assigned to me. A homicide case where an entire family of wealthy entrepreneurs had been murdered. The detective who was assigned to the case originally was stumped, and wasn't able to turn up any clues or suggestions, and it was on the verge of becoming a cold case..."

"And?"

"I tried to convince Kirigiri to let me and my division take over the case, but he refused. Eventually, I did some investigating on my own regardless, and managed to turn up some clues; which then led me to the culprit. It turns out that the culprits were a small Korean family, who intended to pose as the entrepreneurs' relatives and take over their estate when they died. I outed their crime before it took place, and they were arrested and charged."

"To uncover a conspiracy like that...You deserve a reward."

"But all I got was the boot. Kirigiri claimed that I had tried to play the hero, and that I had relieved the other inspector of credit for their case. Despite the fact that I had delivered the justice the agency prided itself on, he decreed my actions as unruly and sent me on my way."

"What happened after that?"

"Well, I tried to go independent. I raised enough money and decided to open my own agency. A small one, bear in mind, but one that would still allow me to continue being a detective like I always dreamed of being...But then..."

Uzawa paused. He looked like he was on the verge of tears.

"...Kirigiri did everything he could to crush me and my dreams. He stole clients and employees from me, discredited whatever cases I was able to solve, and had his own people spread horrible and nasty rumors about me...! He even publicly stated that I was sacked from the KDA due to insubordination and that I was no different than the violent and unruly sacks of shit that detectives are made to take down!"

"That's horrible..." "Kurumi" lowered her head. Uzawa began to shudder.

"Eventually, I was forced to close my doors and give up my dreams. I didn't know where to go or what to do but...Kirigiri's actions ignited this...burning...violent...raging fire in me and...and..."

"That's why you started assaulting members of the agency, right?" "Kurumi" asked, "it sounds to me like Kirigiri committed the exact crimes that he claimed he fired you for?"

"That's exactly it! The hypocrisy makes me so furious!" Uzawa snapped, "we...are detectives...We're not the "good guys" but we are supposed to be on the side of JUSTICE...! That man just forces his no-good ideals onto everyone around him, and if they don't pass muster in his eyes, they're like the gum he scraped off his shoe!"

Uzawa palmed his face, taking some deep breaths and forcing himself to calm down.

"From what I have heard, I am not the only person that this has happened to. Apparently, Kirigiri has pressured many other private detective agencies into submission. Even now, there is one agency not too far from here that suffers from his actions."

"The Shuichi Detective Agency, correct?" inquired "Kurumi." Uzawa subtly nodded.

"So you know about it...yes, that's the one I refer to," he explained, "that agency is run by a man and his nephew, and Kirigiri is trying to rip their lives away from them and destroy everything they stand for, all because he just doesn't agree with it! I don't want what happened to me to happen to anyone else!"

"So you want the Phantom Thieves to change Kirigiri's heart for that reason?" "Kurumi" asked. Uzawa nodded.

"You have absolutely no right to accept this request from me, given what I did," he acknowledged, "but this isn't just about me. If you expose Kirigiri's sins, you will literally be saving that young Shuichi boy's life. Please...I beg of you...!"

Despite not turning their way, Uzawa stood up straight and bowed forward, clearly in a state of begging. "Kurumi" sighed.

"Thank you for showing up today," she smiled under the mask, "I'll pass this information along. For now, I suggest you focus on the things you can change yourself."

"Yes...Thank you..." Uzawa quietly whispered as the informant quietly made her exit.

Abnormality on the Girls Front Line - Danganronpa Another Episode: Ultra Despair Girls

The disguised high-school girl climbed the stairs of the underground, and then made her way through the park towards the usual meeting spot. Makoto Naegi and Toko Fukawa, along with their cottontail companion Monomi, sat on the bench with warm drinks in hand, expecting her arrival.

As she sat down in the middle of them, Komaru Naegi removed her disguise and sighed. She reached into her skirt pocket and pulled out her mobile phone, hanging it up.

"You guys got all that, right?" she asked. They nodded.

"Gotta give credit where it's due," Toko smirked, "you're not a bad actor Kokichiru~"

"Yes, she is quite dependable!" Monomi smiled, "though we did only hear little bits through the phone. How was Uzawa?"

"Seems like a decent guy," Komaru explained, "definitely not the type who'd go around attacking people willy-nilly. Guess, if nothing else, we now know the change of heart worked at least."

"Honestly, we're just lucky that Makoto thought of this and equally as lucky we were able to get the information from Chihiro-chan," Monomi nodded, "now, we've been asked to act against Kirigiri directly on behalf of one of his victims. Good job Leprechaun!"

"I can't take all the credit. All that matters to me is that we no longer need to deliberate whether or not we should change Kirigiri's heart," Makoto asserted, "the consequences don't matter. Shuichi needs our help."

"Yeah...That settles it, huh?" Komaru punched her open palm with her fist.

"No objections from me...!" Toko grumbled.

"All for one, one for all," Monomi cheered, "it's a unanimous vote!"

Watching as the sun started to set in the sky, Makoto, along with his friends, stood up with their hearts and souls steeled.

"Watch out Fuhito Kirigiri," Makoto smirked, "we're coming for you...!"

Chapter End Notes

Not really much to say that hasn't been said already. I just hope you enjoy the chapter.
Thanks as always for reading! I love to get feedback from my readers, so feel free to leave a comment, and some kudos if you feel up to it!
Also, you can read the story on WattPad, so check me out there too for some other Danganronpa goodies - https://www.wattpad.com/1361948556-phantom-thieves-of-hope-a-danganronpa-x-persona-5

What Other People Do Not Know...

Chapter Summary

Complications arise when the Phantom Thieves reach a barricade in Kirigiri's Palace that can only be opened from the outside. Makoto hatches a plan to get it open with...varying results.

Chapter Notes

See the end of the chapter for notes

Axe to Grind - Persona 5 Strikers

"Come...Agathion!" Leprechaun hollered, "strike them down!"

Makoto summoned his new Persona for the first time in front of his teammates and used it to fire bolts of lightning at two Night-Walking Warriors that were blocking their path. Highwayman had already weakened them using her wind attacks, so it fell to the leader to finish them off!

And finish them off he did. The bolts hit the Shadows and both of them disintegrated into blackness. Leprechaun recalled his Persona and exhaled a deep breath as his mask reformed on his face.

DRAE-Alice in the Children's Land (2-3) - Crypt of the Necrodancer

"So THAT'S the new Persona you mentioned?" Highwayman asked, "not too shabby!"

"It's strong right?" he smirked, "thanks for the compliment."

"Hey!" Razor snapped, whispering and waving her arm to call them over, "just get into cover before more of those assholes show up!"

They didn't need to be told twice. Leprechaun and Highwayman ducked behind the cover of a small puppet stage, just in time to avoid being spotted by more mannequin-shaped Shadows that burst into the room looking for them.

"Where did all these guys come from?" Highwayman grumbled quietly, "there were barely any when we infiltrated this place last time, now they're basically everywhere!"

"I know what you mean," Razor nodded, "I dread to imagine what security will be like once we actually send the calling card. It's bad enough as is...!"

"Well, look at it this way," Usami turned around with a confident smirk, "all this security means there must be a real amazing treasure in this Palace!"

"I like the way you think," Leprechaun grinned, "come on guys, let's move. The longer we stay here, the easier they'll find us."

"Roger that!" Highwayman saluted; and with that, once they made sure the guards had left, the thieves bolted.

*THUD!*

"No good..." Leprechaun shook his head as he slammed his shoulder into a large set of double doors, "it's shut tight..."

"Then just pick it open like you did last time?" Highwayman said, "you were practicing on those Mementos chests, right?"

"Yes, but we sort of came in here on a whim, so I don't have any on hand. They all broke from the other doors and chests I unlocked." he explained. Highwayman could only roll her eyes in response.

"We'll see if we can find another way around," Usami raised her voice, "Razor. You check that side of the room, I'll get this side."

"Got it." Razor saluted then did as she was instructed. Having no instructions received or to give, Leprechaun started to search the room himself.

Even if he didn't find a way through, a search would at least let him nab some treasure to pawn off for cash. It seemed Razor was attempting to do the same.

"Hey, bro?" she called out, "what's this thing supposed to be?"

Leprechaun followed his sister's voice and eventually came across what she had discovered. Hiding behind a black velour curtain was this odd device. It was fairly compact, with a conveyer belt that ran through a square-shaped hole with flashing lights on the inside. It was hooked up to a small control panel that had a few oddly shaped buttons on it. None of them were marked, so Leprechaun didn't know what they did.

"What do you think it's for?" Highwayman curiously stepped onto the conveyor belt and walked through the square, examining the machine up close.

"I don't know...Maybe I should try turning it on?" As he said this, he reached forward and pressed what looked to be the biggest button on the panel, assuming that it was the power button. His guess ended up being accurate, as the machine suddenly whirred to life.

Everyday Days - Persona 5

"OOF! Hey!"

However, the conveyor belt started up almost immediately, and having not been prepared for it; Highwayman slipped and landed on her back. Leprechaun then proceeded to panic, as Highwayman was carried through the flashing window; suddenly bursting into a bright light and disappearing right in front of him!

"Komaru!? KOMARU!?" Leprechaun exclaimed, so stressed he failed to use her codename, "what happened!? WHERE DID YOU GO!?"

"Hey!" he suddenly heard a voice, "what's the big idea, you jerk!?"

The voice definitely sounded like Komaru's, but now felt higher pitched and like it had an effect to it. The source was coming from underneath Makoto, so he stepped back and looked down...And thus, the situation became even weirder.

Standing at his feet was a tiny wooden, animated doll, staring up at him and tapping its foot disapprovingly. It was decked out in a top and pants, a bandana around its neck, a miniature Stetson hat, and a black domino mask! Just like...

"Komaru!?" Makoto almost immediately fell to his knees, "wh-what the hell happened to you!?"

"YOU happened, asshat!" the puppet squeaked, "I don't know what you did, but you fiddling with this doohicky you have just turned me into this! What gives!?"

"No, wait, hold on, I swear that was an accident!" he flustered, "how was I supposed to know it was gonna do that!?"

"A little warning would be nice! You could have told me to get off the machine before you turned it on!" she snapped, "now look at me! I'm two inches tall and only dogs can hear me now!"

"What the hell happened!?" Razor exclaimed as she and Usami hurried over, both of their eyes widening upon spotting the Mini-Maru.

"N-Nothing happened!" Leprechaun flustered.

"Oh yeah, sure looks like a whole lot of nothing!" Razor growled sarcastically, "then I guess there's nothing to say about Komaru becoming FUCKING PINOCCHIO!?"

"This is certainly strange...I've never seen a condition quite like this before..." Usami peered down at the doll girl before taking a few steps back and suddenly summoning her Persona, "Mr. A! Patra!"

A gentle light pulsed on Komaru's tiny wooden body, but she remained exactly the same. Monomi shook her head.

"Just as I thought. It seems this kind of condition is exclusive to this Palace and cannot be cured with any spells or items..." the bunny pondered aloud.

"What, so I'm STUCK LIKE THIS!?" Highwayman shrieked.

"Please, do not panic Komaru! From experience, instances like this wear off after a while. Even if they don't, you'll most certainly go back to normal once we leave the Palace," Usami assured her, "also, maybe reversing the process of whatever turned you into this will undo the transformation?"

"Guess it's worth a go..." Komaru nodded, "hey, Leprechaun! Put me back up on the conveyer and put me back the way I was!"

"I can only promise to try..." Makoto stammered, reaching down and letting Komaru jump into his open palm. He gently lifted her up and placed her down on the conveyer, returning to the control panel. After examining the buttons more carefully this time, he hesitantly pressed one and watched as the conveyor reversed. The lights burst on again, and thankfully, Komaru returned to her regular size and form, still in a crumpled and confused heap.

Beautiful Death - Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc

"Phew! Glad THAT'S over..." she quickly examined herself and breathed a sigh of relief, sitting comfortably on the end of the conveyer, "why does a machine like this even exist in this Palace?"

"Nothing here exists without good reason," Usami explained, "perhaps its use is something we merely don't understand yet?"

"Alright, well, at least we know how it works...somewhat," Leprechaun sighed, doing his best to reflect his sister's spiteful glares, "moving on, did the two of you find anything?"

"Actually, yes, we did...but there's a problem," Razor admitted, turning around and pointing upwards "the good news is that there's a window up there next to that scaffolding. We took a look, and Usami thinks she spotted a key for the door."

"Great!" Leprechaun smiled, "and the bad news?"

"The bad news is that there's no way to get into that room," Razor frowned, "there are no doors connected to it, and the only one we can see is on the other side of where we're trying to get to."

"Aw, you're kidding!" Highwayman groaned, "there's not even a vent or anything!?"

"Well...actually, there IS a vent. And I believe it does lead into that room," Usami explained, "but it's tiny. It's probably about 4cm in diameter, and there's no way any of us can fit through it, not even me!"

Leprechaun racked his brain for a moment, then his mind popped a great idea.

"4cm in diameter you say?" he clarified, "so you'd have to be super tiny to be able to get through?"

"Yes?" Monomi frowned in confusion. Komaru suddenly felt her stomach sink, as her brother turned back around to her and the machine with a menacing and mastermind-like smirk on his face; almost immediately realizing what he was plotting.

100 Mile Junk Food Dash - Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc

"Don't you dare-! NOOOOOOO-!" she screamed, failing to get up in time as Makoto pounded the button again! Highwayman was once again dragged over the conveyer and through the glowing window, bursting into light and once again transforming into a wooden doll. She fell off the end of the conveyor and landed face-first onto the carpet.

"How about that?" Leprechaun asked, "you think that'll be big enough?"

"Oh! That's actually perfect!" Usami beamed, "good thinking Leprechaun!"

"I HATE YOU SO MUCH!" Highwayman in a fit of rage rushed over to Leprechaun's ankle and started smacking him with her lasso. However, her weapon had shrunk with her and was now little more than a useless piece of string, meaning Leprechaun felt little more than a tickling sensation around his foot. Highwayman's efforts were halted when Razor reached down and picked her up by the back of her shirt.

"Alright Highwaymini," she teased, "remember, we're counting on you. Go get us that key and don't let us down."

"Oh, you're enjoying this WAY too much!" Highwayman snapped, "why can't one of YOU be the minifigure!?"

"Well, it's too late now," Leprechaun smirked, "do us proud Highwayman."

"You've got this Highwayman!" Usami added.

"You too Usami!?" Highwayman whined, "I...UGH! Fine! I'll buck up and do it! Can we just get this over with!?"

"Don't worry. I can communicate with you using my Persona. We can guide you if you get stuck anywhere." Usami assured her. However, this was little comfort to the tiny cowgirl.

"Ok Highwayman," Leprechaun whispered as they transmitted their words through Mr. A, "now all you have to do is get on top of that table and grab the key."

""Get on top of the table" he says...as if the damn thing isn't 7 times my height now..." Highwayman grumbled back.

"Oh, get over yourself," Razor tried her best to hold back her laughter as she watched the little doll wander around aimlessly through the window, "you're a Phantom Thief. Thief your way up there like you would anywhere else!"

It would be impossible to tell on Komaru's tiny puppet face, but she was bearing a constant look of discomfort the entire time she worked. She did as Toko suggested and started climbing up boxes and other obstacles in the room, balancing along a little ridge in the wall, and finally landed on the table. The key was hard to miss, given how big and bright it was.

"And so the Highwaymini came scuttling, scuttling, scuttling..." Razor snarked as she watched the tiny doll make her way across the desk. Her laugh was audible as she saw the doll throw her head back and groan.

"If we ever have to do this again, next time YOU'RE the one who'll be going through the doohicky, GOT IT!?" she spat.

There was a lethal poison in those last two words. As she picked up the key, she fastened it to her back with her lasso, then elegantly hopped off the table and hurried back towards the vent.

"Remember, you need to pull me...up..." the little cowgirl tried to say, but trailed off...And understandably so.

A pair of Shadow guards suddenly stepped into the hallway from the doorway, and despite Komaru's tiny size, they froze in place, noticing her immediately.

"Uh oh..." Usami remarked, "that's not good..."

"Um..." Highwayman stood in place for a moment, unsure of "hi guys!"

"Did she just say "hi guys!?"" Razor exclaimed.

"Oh brother..." Leprechaun pinched the bridge of his nose.

"Sister, actually!" Monomi smiled.

"You see, I'm sorry for dropping in and everything, but I just-AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHH!" Highwayman gave up on coming up with an excuse, and instead, just booked it!

Exisal Tribe - Danganronpa V3: Killing Harmony

The Shadows responded accordingly! They rushed after her, quickly gaining on her due to their much larger size! The tiny thief grabbed her gun and started firing at them, but as you might expect, it had shrunk with her, so she might as well have been throwing frozen peas at them.

The other thieves panicked and urged her on with shouts and voices through Mr. A, which to be frank, didn't help the situation any better. Just as the Shadow reached out to grab her, Komaru dived into the vent, managing to escape their clutches.

She scurried to the other side of the vent and was about to breathe a sigh of relief, but that breath was quickly channeled into a scream as a black liquid suddenly started to ooze its way through the vent!

"Shadows can shapeshift, remember!?" Usami squealed, "they'll just morph their way through the vent until they get you!"

"Then PULL ME UP!" Highwayman shrieked back, tugging on the rope she had descended down upon, "I'm WAITING!"

"You heard her!" Leprechaun cried, grabbing the other end from their vantage point, "pull!"

"Hold on tight Kokichiru!" Razor called.

From Highwayman's perspective, it was like being thrown through a wind tunnel at 400 miles per hour! Leprechaun and Razor pulled on the rope so hard and fast, that she was almost flung off it but managed to keep a tight enough hold until she was finally pulled out the other side of the winding tunnel, safely into her brother's hands.

However, her second attempt at breathing a sigh of relief was yet again halted as the Shadows that were chasing her morphed through the hole, still in hot pursuit! Leprechaun gingerly passed the tiny thief to Razor, who took a close and gentle hold on her!

As the Shadows burst through the vent and took their full shape again, Leprechaun cast out his grappling hook and propelled himself on top of one, grabbing it around the neck and trying to wrangle with it as it attempted to throw him off!

"Razor! Get Highwayman over to the machine and turn her back to normal! Usami, help me with these guys!" he demanded, clearly struggling.

"R-Right! Come on!" Razor called, hopping off the platform and madly dashing towards the machine! Usami jumped into the air and managed to jump on the head of the other Shadow, just as it was about to whack Makoto with a baton!

Leprechaun nodded to his cottontail companion, and in unison, they grabbed the Shadow's masks and tore them off their faces! They exploded and reformed into two different shapes. A "Pleasant Snowman" and a "Captivating Dancer."

Makoto didn't like the fact that the snowman was so cute. It made it harder to kill it.

Oh well...

"Jack-O-Lantern!" Leprechaun declared, summoning the pumpkin-headed pyromaniac to his side.

"Mr. A!" Usami hollered, doing the same with her own Persona.

While those two tackled the Shadows, Toko scrambled in a panic towards the strange device. She (rather roughly) dropped Komaru onto the other side and scrambled towards the control panel.

"Um...Ok, which button was it?" she called.

"It's...Uh...I don't know," Komaru shrugged, "I wasn't looking..."

"Seriously!?" Toko grouched, "he did it TWICE!"

"Yeah, I was too focused on being turned into a doll! Plus, he only turned me human again once!" Komaru snapped back, "just...hit something! Anything will do!?"

"But...wh-what if I turn you into even more of a doll!?" she panicked, "what if your soul gets sucked out and...and...!?"

"Toko-chan!" Komaru interrupted, "it's ok...! I know you won't do something like that to me. You've got this!"

"I...ok...!" the thief composed herself, then took a more careful look at the buttons "um...these two look right!"

She simultaneously pressed the large button in the upper middle, as well as a blue arrow button next to it that pointed left. The conveyer did end up moving and the window did light up...but there WAS an unexpected complication.

"WOAAGH!?" Komaru screeched, as the belt moved at twice it's previous speed! Toko panicked as the little figure suddenly rocketed through the window, then exploded into light!

However...Highwayman didn't come out the other side...Toko immediately began to panic and rushed to the other side of the machine, hoping she would be there!

"Komaru...!?" she cried, "KOMARU!?"

"WAAAAAAGH!"

"GAH! OOOF!"

*THUD!*

However, it seemed the transformation was a little bit delayed from how fast the conveyor had moved, so the window burst into light again, and this time, the full-sized and very human Highwayman came soaring right out the other side...

Crashing right into Razor who was waiting for her...The two became dizzy on impact but managed to shake off the fatigue in time to realize they were lying on top of each other, their faces very close to one another when they finally got their bearings.

"Um...hi..." Razor said, her mind drawing a blank...

"Hiiiii?" Highwayman responded similarly.

"I'm...happy you're ok...?"

"Yeah...Thanks..."

This was followed by silence as they just stared into each other's eyes.

"Could you uh...get off me now?" Razor asked after that ended, both of their faces turning slightly red from how close the other was, "it's pretty uncomfortable..."

"Actually, from where I'm standing, you both look PRETTY comfortable..."

The girls turned their heads to see Leprechaun looking down at them, his arms crossed and a smug look on his face. Monomi stood next to him, tilting her head as she curiously observed them.

From the way he stood there, it seemed they had made quick work of the Shadows.

The girls quickly scrambled off each other and got to their feet, putting some distance between one another. Highwayman approached Leprechaun and elbowed him in the chest, which he could only recoil and laugh at.

"I am NEVER doing that again...!" she pointed towards the machine.

"Unfortunately, you might have to if find any more of these machines and we need to be smaller..." Usami commented, "I think it was clever that we used it the way we did. We should keep it in mind in case there is a next time."

"Then SOMEONE ELSE does it "next time!"" she leered, making quotation marks with her fingers.

"Look, can we just move on..." Razor glowered, still blushing, "we got the key, didn't we?"

"Yeah, looks like this is it..." Usami picked it up, "it looks like it grew a bit in size when it went through the machine. I think it will fix the lock now."

"Great! Let's get moving..." Highwayman rolled her eyes, "I am already SO DONE with this place..."

"You find anything?"

"No. I found a Safe Room, but nothing much else. You?"

"Nope. Couldn't see a lever or switch or...anything like that."

"I checked the door itself. It didn't have a lock, so there's no key this time."

"Any luck up there Leprechaun!?"

"I don't think so! Nothing that looks like a mechanism or a trap or...anything else really."

The Phantom Thieves kept on trekking through the Palace and finally came into a rather large auditorium area, presumably for the more important shows or whatever happened in this place. Leprechaun was currently positioned on top of a catwalk suspended above the stage, acting as the eye in the sky while the rest of the thieves scoured the area.

The conundrum they currently faced was in the middle back of the stage was a very big, oddly patterned door, which, according to a map that Usami had snagged along the way, they needed to get through in order to proceed towards the treasure's location.

But considering this door didn't have a handle or knob, much less a keyhole, and no other obvious way to get it open, they were stuck. They had split up to look around but hadn't turned up with anything of note.

Leprechaun dropped off the catwalk and gracefully landed on the stage, standing in front of the door with his companions.

"So nothing then?" Highwayman threw her arms into the air, "perfect. What are we gonna do now?"

"Hold on one moment. Would you all mind if I investigated the door one last time? On my own, I mean?" Usami piped up.

"I mean, sure. No harm, right?" Razor gestured towards it. With little else to do, the Phantom Thieves watched as the rabbit set to work. She reached out towards the door and seemed to inspect it very closely and carefully. After a minute or two, she came back crossing her arms and nodding to herself.

"Got anything?" Leprechaun inquired. In response, she raised her head.

"Yes...It's just as I thought," she explained, "and I've concluded that there's not much we can do from here..."

"What does that mean?" Highwayman asked, "what did you find?"

"There's a rather heavy amount of distortion around this particular door. And usually, when that happens, it signifies something of importance to the Palace ruler," Usami educated, "therefore, I suspect that if we wish to proceed, it will require some tampering in the real world..."

"Oh, I think I get it!" Razor chimed in, "you're suggesting that in the real world, there's a door somewhere exactly like this one. And because Kirigiri firmly believes that it can't and never will be opened, that's how it is in the Palace...right?"

"Yes! You've learned very quickly Razor!" Usami beamed, "a gold star for you!"

"Then all we have to do is find the original door in reality, and open it!" Leprechaun pounded his palm, "great! That's our next move!"

"You say that like it's gonna be easy...!" Highwayman commented, "we know it's gotta be in the KDA, but we don't even know where. And even with that aside, how do you expect we're gonna get inside the agency anyway? We did kinda blacklist ourselves..."

"Highwayman's correct. Plus, it isn't nearly as simple as Leprechaun makes it sound," Usami clarified, "it's not simply a matter of getting the door open. Kirigiri also needs to SEE the door open. After all, if we don't do that, we won't change his cognition."

"So you're saying that in order to proceed further, we need to open this very specific, obviously suspicious, probably-hiding-some-deep-and-dark-secret door...right in front of the guy who's hiding the deep and dark secrets..." Razor summarized, sarcastically swinging her arm "our odds are fan-freaking-tastic!"

"Timing this is gonna be difficult..." Leprechaun contemplated, "and yeah, if we do this we'd effectively be taking on a station full of legal experts and police..."

He trailed off, facing his team.

"But I think I have an idea..."

[THE NEXT DAY...]

Writing a newspaper, let alone an article was difficult. Even if it was just a school newspaper, when it came to somewhere like Hope's Peak Academy, students were very thirsty for the latest stories and information.

This was a good thing. The purpose of the academy was to nourish talent and prepare to send the world's best into greater, adult society. It wouldn't do any of them any good if they just kept their eyes away from the public and ignored the whims of the world. Which is why the monthly article at Hope's Peak also included real-world news.

Thus we come to the article's writer and lead reporter, a third-year student at Hope's Peak named Mahiru Koizumi, invited to the academy as the Ultimate Photographer. And her current place of interest? The KDA.

Having gained a habit of taking pictures unexpectedly, Mahiru had this innate stealth ability that many gross paparazzi would envy inexplicably. Of course, she was above that, but she definitely thought it would help when trying to spy on a building filled with detectives.

The reason why she was here was because of the information she had gained from scoping out Chihiro's PhanSite. In truth, the previous month's paper had sold out 3 times over, and she and the staff who helped her had been drained of energy making copies over and over and over again. But despite that, there was no doubt this was an achievement in her department and something the academy would pay close attention to. In fact, it had helped her pass her practical exam with flying colors.

And she owed it all to the Towa scandal, and the supposed perpetrators behind it - The Hope's Peak Phantom Thieves.

So it was only natural that she and her club would follow their exploits in the hope of a new story. Of course, ever since Towa, they hadn't acted, but their website was the one solid way they could get leads.

Thus, Mahiru found herself here and now. Rumors had been circling around the site about how things were going on at the Kirigiri Detective Agency. Despite the secrecy of the organization, Mahiru had managed to pinpoint the building easily. And boy, was she excited to see the secret corruption of this place exposed.

"Hm...This place reeks of something alright...But I can't tell what..." she whispered under her breath, aiming her camera in full zoom towards the door, watching people go in and out.

However, as she did this, she suddenly spotted a familiar face enter the building.

"Wait a moment...Is that...Naegi-kun from Class 78...?" she whispered under her breath, lowering her camera to see through her own eyes.

"Koizumi-senpai?"

"YEEEEK!"

As Mahiru felt a sudden tap on her shoulder, she squealed and jumped to her feet, taking several steps back. It took her a moment to process the face of the one who had caught her. It was a girl in dark clothes and purple hair with big round glasses on her face. Next to her was another girl wearing a school uniform, with green eyes and short hair.

"F-Fukawa-san!? And you're...!?"

"What are you doing here?" Toko apathetically waved to her.

"Y-You scared me!" Mahiru snapped, "how did you do that!? I didn't notice you at all!"

"For real?" Komaru smirked, nudging Toko with her elbow, "guess you-know-what is rubbing off on us, huh?"

"Shut it, dumbass...!" Toko whisper shouted, nudging her back twice as hard, "don't give her any ideas...!"

"Sorry!" Komaru panicked, realizing she was right, "anyway, who's this?"

"This is Koizumi, our third-year senpai at Hope's Peak," Toko explained, "she's the Ultimate Photographer."

"I'm also the lead writer and reporter for our school's paper," Mahiru explained, "I guess there's no harm in telling you, but I'm here looking for a scoop on Fuhito Kirigiri!"

"Kyoko Kirigiri's grandfather?" Toko asked, playing dumb, "why?"

"Well, aside from the fact that he's rumored to be the Phantom Thieves' next target, there are all sorts of shady rumors about the guy up top. They've been circling around ever since the agency was publicly exposed last year after Kyoko-san joined Hope's Peak," Mahiru explained, "stuff like workplace abuse allegations and how he forcefully tries to mold people into his ideal perception of a detective. Hey, you guys wouldn't happen to know anything, would you?"

"Huh? Why would we know that?" Toko frowned.

"Seriously?" Mahiru put her hands on her hips in disappointment, "nothing? You're classmates with his granddaughter, aren't you?"

"Look lady, we're just passing through," Komaru shrugged, "you're barking up the wrong tree..."

"Oh, I don't believe that for a second!" the red-head frowned, "you two are fishy, no doubt about it."

"Wha-!? Pot calling the kettle black much!?" Komaru snapped, "we aren't the one's hiding in bushes and pointing cameras at the building!"

"I...! Uh...! A-Alright, touché..." she sighed, "well, in that case, if you two stick around and find out any impressive leads, make sure to contact me, ok? Now that I've been caught, there's not much point sticking around."

She grabbed her stuff and prepared to leave, but not before taking out a makeshift business card and handing it to Komaru.

"I look forward to it! See you around!"

"Well, that was weird..." Komaru deadpanned, "is she always like that?"

"This is the first time I've ever had a real conversation with her," Toko admitted, "she seemed to be among the more mature members of her class, but I guess she's eccentric in her own way..."

"Well, I've got her card, so I guess that's another thing crossed off my bucket list," Komaru shrugged again, putting the card in her skirt pocket, "anyway, you remember what we've got to do now, right?"

"Hmph. Of course," Toko smirked, "let's go, partner...!"

Nightmare in the Locker - Danganronpa V3: Killing Harmony

"Alright. I'm counting on you, partner...!" Makoto whispered inside the agency. After making sure that none of the people around were paying close attention, Makoto gently held Monomi up toward an air vent. The rabbit opened the vent, then slid her way inside the duct.

She reached up towards her long floppy ear to make sure that her earpiece was still there, then nodded and started to shuffle her way through the shafts. Her mission was to search the building and find the door the team was looking for, then let Makoto know over the earpiece.

Makoto's mission, on the other hand, was to keep the Kirigiri's distracted until she learned this information. But this was going to be difficult. After all, Kyoko was one of the most perceptive and hardest to fool people in the world, and if she learned that from her grandfather, it went doubly so for Fuhito.

Makoto did have a plan going forward, but the problem was that by going through with it, he risked making an enemy of one of his closest allies. And given that said ally knew he was a Phantom Thief and had dangled that fact over his head relentlessly, coupled with the fact that there was no guarantee this plan was going to work...

In retrospect, the number of risks was far too great. But it was too late to go back on them now.

Especially now that the detective girl herself had spotted him.

"Naegi-kun?" she raised her head and approached him, "what are you doing here? How did you even get in here?"

"The receptionist let me in. She recognized me after last time," Makoto told her, "listen. Can we talk? It's in regards to Shuichi's case."

Kyoko crossed her arms and frowned.

"Yesterday, I asked Shuichi for an update on the harassment case. He told me that he'd asked you to drop it," she said, "but you're still here?"

Makoto sighed.

"Clearly you don't remember what I told you before," he said, "Shuichi needs my help. Whether he wants it or not doesn't matter. Especially since this agency you love oh so much hasn't done squat to help him."

"Those are some brave words coming from you," she glowered, "fine. Come to my office. We can talk there."

Makoto, holding back his anxiety as best he could, followed her. Kyoko's office was small but clean. Definitely above the quality of most other desks in each office area.

Preferential treatment, without a doubt. He could see why so many of the detectives here talked behind her back. Then again, given how good of a detective she was, he supposed it was warranted regardless.

"So?" Kyoko asked when closing the door, "what's your update? Any suspects in mind?"

"Before I tell you that, I have a few things I need to ask you first, just so I'm sure," Makoto started, "and I need you to be patient with me because I don't think you're gonna like what I'm saying."

Kyoko didn't respond, simply furrowing her brow, but she nodded to let him continue.

"We've already talked about the rumors surrounding your grandfather," Makoto explained, "I need to hear it from you...are any of them true?"

This obviously caught her concern. She stopped crossing her arms and squared him down with a glare.

"Of course not. Did he not make that clear before?" she asked.

"Of course, I believed him at the time he said it, but upon reflection, I'm not so sure," Makoto frowned back, "but I know you, and I know you value the truth above all else. Detectives aren't supposed to let their emotions get the better of them, right?"

"That's right." Kyoko nodded.

"Then, if Fuhito Kirigiri ended up being guilty of some sort of crime, you would arrest him, right? Even after all he's done for you?" Makoto inquired.

"Naegi, I'm not quite sure what you're insinuating, but if it's got anything to do with my grandfather being a criminal, I don't have time for it...!" she snapped quietly, "he's an ace detective. One of the world's best. Why would he, of all people, commit a crime and besmirch that honor."

"Well, what if-"

"He raised me and trained me as a detective ever since I was a baby after my parents abandoned me!" Kyoko began to get unusually erratic, "if you really think he has something to do with Shuichi's harassment, why would he take him on!? There aren't many people in this world that I trust, but that man is an exception! He would never lie, nor obfuscate the truth! It goes against everything he believes in!"

"Oh is that right? Then can I ask you another question?" Makoto inquired, "why was Toshiro Uzawa fired again? Surely your grandfather told you that, right?"

Kyoko's eyes widened and she stayed silent.

"My point has thus been made," Makoto resisted the urge to act smug in front of her, "let me ask you a different question then. Who are the people Kirigiri has looking into Shuichi's case? You know their names, right?"

Once again, Kyoko remained silent.

"Still nothing, huh?" he shrugged, "Kyoko. The truth is that your grandfather doesn't trust you as much as you trust him. Even assuming he's NOT a crook, he's still hiding stuff from you."

"That's because..." Kyoko gripped her sleeve, "because he's at the top, and there are things that don't concern me. It's just how this agency works."

"You're a DETECTIVE! Solving mysteries is your JOB! What information could possibly be so important he would keep it from the best agent he's got!?" Makoto snapped, "or what, are you saying he was talking out of his ass when he called you and Shuichi the ideal detectives!? If he really thinks so highly of you, why doesn't he trust you enough to tell you more details!?"

"Now listen here-!" Kyoko tried to bite back, but their conversation was suddenly interrupted by something unpleasant.

"Kirigiri-sama! I-!"

Shuichi Saihara suddenly burst into the office, cutting straight through the heated conversation the two students were having. His face appeared panicked and distressed like he was at the limit of his mentality. He froze in place as he spotted Makoto standing there with her.

"Y-You're here as well...!?" he stressed.

"Forget about me!" Makoto frowned, "what happened!?"

"What's wrong Shuichi?" Kyoko asked, "what happened this time?"

Shuichi responded by holding up what he was carrying. It was one of his uniforms, dark with silver stripes on it. However, the thing to note was that someone had burned the clothes. Not only that, but the burn marks formed a message...

"DROP OUT OF SCHOOL, OR I'LL BURN DOWN YOUR HOUSE."

"It's not just this either! A-All our other clothes are the same way, with the same message...!" he started to cry, "why is this still happening to me!? I don't understand...!?"

"Don't worry Shuichi," Kyoko held his shoulders in an attempt to comfort him, "whoever's behind this probably did it when you hung your clothes out to dry. We can track them from-"

"That's the problem!" Shuichi cut her off, "we don't hang our clothes out to dry! We don't have a garden or anywhere around our home where we can dry our clothes, so we just tumble-dry everything!"

"Then...you mean...!?" Makoto gasped.

"Yes! Someone broke into our house!" he unveiled.

Even Kyoko seemed put off by this. This was getting more and more serious with every crime.

However, before Makoto could chime in with a response, he suddenly heard the earpiece in his ear crackle.

"Makoto...!" Monomi whispered, "I've located the door we're looking for. It's where I thought it was; in Kirigiri's office!"

"Good job," he whispered quietly, letting Kyoko and Shuichi distract themselves, "your timing is impeccable. I'll make my way over now."

"Wait! Try to buy me a little bit of time!" the rabbit hushed back, "the door appears to be locked, but I can open it from inside if I get in through the vents! It's going to be difficult to do with bunny paws though...!"

"I'll buy you as much time as I can, just get to work...!" he commanded, turning back to the detectives.

"Let's go talk to my grandfather for an update on the investigation," Kyoko suggested to the crying young man, "hopefully, there's been some progress since last time."

"I...*sniff* I hope so..." Shuichi sobbed, evidently at his wits end.

"Let me come too," Makoto suggested, "I know neither of you want me involved in this, but if I hear what he has to say, it may clear up some of my doubts."

"I sincerely hope it does," Kyoko nodded, "that's alright with you, yes Shuichi?"

Shuichi nodded, unable to utter a word of a reply.

"Thanks..." Makoto secretly smirked, "let's get going then..."

DRAE-Alice in the Children's Land (2-3) - Crypt of the Necrodancer

Meanwhile, inside the Palace, Toko and Komaru lounged about on the stage in front of the giant door. With nothing else to do other than wait, they kept a close eye out for enemies and stood in silence.

For some reason, it was difficult to begin a conversation. Every time one caught the other's eye, they both turned and pretended to mind their own business.

"Hm...Now that I think about it, this is the first time the two of us have been alone in the Metaverse together..." Highwayman commented.

"Y-Yeah, I guess so..." Razor replied.

"No one around to...interrupt us..."

"Nope..."

"Ah...Well, um..."

"What is it?"

"N-Nothing! Just...about...what happened yesterday?"

"Huh? Oh...Oh! You mean THAT? D-Don't worry about it. It was my fault anyway."

"No, no, I just...I forgot to tell you thanks."

"Huh?"

"Maybe it didn't go the way we expected, but at least you turned me back to normal. And I didn't even thank you for it. So...I'm telling you now."

"Hey, it's ok. Don't worry about it..."

"A-Alright..."

"..."

"So um...You uh...You doing alright?"

"To be honest...I'm a little bit anxious..."

Komaru finally turned around to face her friend, who indeed appeared to have an anxious look on her face.

"What's bugging you?" she asked.

"I just...Don't you think it would be a miracle if this works?" Razor asked, "not only is there no guarantee the door will open, but even if getting Kirigiri to see it open is what we need to do, how are Leprechaun and Usami going to go about that? Plus, what's stopping Kirigiri from just closing it again?"

"Well, that's what we're here for, isn't it?" Highwayman asked, "we're supposed to wait here while they work, then rush in and find a way to keep it open so they can rejoin us. That was the plan from the start, yeah?

"But still, the fact that we don't know-"

"Toko-chan..." Komaru, to Toko's surprise and embarrassment, suddenly grabbed her hand and gave it a reassuring squeeze, "it's gonna be ok. No one cares more about this mission than Makoto does. We just have to trust him."

"Y-Yeah..." Toko replied, "you're right...I guess I need to learn to have more faith in him..."

Heaven of Almost Hell - Danganronpa V3: Killing Harmony

"Kyoko? Shuichi? What's going on?"

Makoto, along with the two young detectives, stepped into Fuhito Kirigiri's office, and the man himself rose to his feet from his desk as they all trudged in.

Makoto did his best to hide his disdain, but out of the corner of his eye, he noticed it. It was slightly obscured by some cabinets, but in the corner of the room, he spotted a door that had a familiar look and shape...

*I see...So that auditorium must represent Kirigiri's office...* he thought, *makes sense. After all, it is an important room to him...*

"What are you all doing here?" the old man asked, "did something happen?"

Makoto waited, cautiously shuffling his way towards the door while he listened to Shuichi and Kyoko collectively explain the situation to Fuhito. As he drew closer, he could hear a scratching behind the door; most likely Monomi attempting to open it.

"How much more time do you need? I'm right outside..." he whispered through his earpiece.

"Sorry...!" she whispered back, clearly panicking and going as fast as she could, "I've almost got it!"

"He broke into our agency! I made sure we'd locked up the previous night!" Shuichi stressed, "they might really try and set our house on fire at this rate!"

"Who is doing this? And what for?" Kyoko asked, "your men still haven't found the culprit? Have they even said anything?"

Fuhito shook his head.

"They have no clue..." he explained, "and they've looked everywhere..."

"So...So what do I do...!?" Shuichi sobbed. Fuhito sighed.

"Shuichi...I know this is hard for you, but..." he spoke softly and gently, "I really think you should consider quitting your school. If you don't, this harassment is going to continue relentlessly, and until we find any more clues, we can't do anything to help you..."

"But I-" Shuichi tried to say something, but he was suddenly interrupted.

Disintegration - Persona 5

"That's a little strange..." Makoto Naegi raised his voice. Simultaneously, Fuhito, Shuichi, and Kyoko all turned to look at him.

"What is strange?" Fuhito inquired.

"If Shuichi complies with the letter's requests, then chances are the harassment will stop," Makoto explained, "if that happens, won't you lose the chance to find more evidence? The more the harassment happens, the more evidence you have, right? That's what you said, Kyoko."

"Yes, I did say that..." Kyoko nodded, "and yes, you're right about that, but even so, Shuichi's wellbeing is the top priority here."

"Correct," Fuhito added, "please don't misunderstand my intentions, Mr Naegi."

It was too late to back out now. With both Shuichi and Kyoko here, it was time to go in for the kill...though there was always the likelihood he'd miss his shot...

"Well, I've just been feeling it's weird is all," he stood up straight, carefully shuffling closer to the door, "you've always encouraged Shuichi, and you told us that you think he's got what it takes to be the ideal detective...But now you're telling him that he should keep away from the agency and that he should stop going to school. Despite all you claimed, you're taking Shuichi's shot at success away from him."

"Crushing his dreams is not my intention, I promise!" Fuhito urged, "I simply-!"

"Why don't you let Shuichi speak to the investigators?" Makoto inquired, "if you really wanted to help solve this case, you've done too many weird things so far. Telling him to stop coming to work, denying him the right to involve himself in this case, telling him to get rid of crime scenes that might serve as evidence...Maybe I don't understand, Fuhito-san. So help me understand, what exactly are you getting at here?"

"Naegi-senpai..." Shuichi glared "that's enough. Mr Kirigiri is doing everything he can-!"

"And what exactly is that?" Makoto interjected, "what exactly is "everything he can?" Kyoko just told me he never even went into specifics with HER, so what did he tell YOU?"

Shuichi struggled to find a response, but Makoto didn't care. He felt the static in his ear, followed by a click in his other.

"Makoto! It's open!" Monomi called.

Fuck it!

RUN! RUN! RUN! - Persona 5

To Kirigiri's shock and horror, Makoto suddenly spun around and grabbed the handle of the door! Fully expecting it to be locked, he gasped in terror as Makoto pulled it down all the way, then cracked open the door.

"NO!" he roared "DON'T GO IN THEEERREE!"

"NAEGI-SENPAI, WAIT-WAAGH!?"

Shuichi frantically reached out to try and stop Makoto on Fuhito's behalf, but was caught off guard as Makoto grabbed his arm in retaliation, and pulled him inside the room with him, slamming the door behind him!

"NOT IN THERE!" Fuhito screamed, "DON'T GO IN THERE!"

"Grandfather!?" Kyoko panicked, "what's going on!?"

"Wait...Do you hear something?" Highwayman inside the Palace suddenly stood up as she heard a strange mechanical sound. Hearing the same noise, Razor also got to her feet.

The girls turned around, and were pleasantly surprised as they saw the gigantic, immovable door slide itself open!

Daredevil - Persona 5 Strikers

"It's open!" Highwayman jumped for joy, "see!? I told you they would do it!"

"Yeah, seriously!" Razor pumped her arms, just as excited, "oh! But we should hurry! It might close again any second!"

"Yeah! Let's go!" Highwayman fastened her hat, then she and her fellow thief broke out into a sprint through the door!

The goal was to find a security room or some other place like it that would let them keep the door open before it closed up again. However, it was just Highwayman and Razor on their own for now, so if they ran into any trouble, it would be just the two of them to fend it off.

And regrettably, it didn't take long for trouble to find them. No sooner did they dive through the doorway that a lone security Shadow ran into the room to check on the disturbance. It was by itself, but its different shape and attire suggested it was a lot tougher than most other enemies the thieves had encountered in the Palace so far.

"You got past the door!? Impossible!" the Shadow growled, "you are trespassing on Dollmaker Kirigiri's territory! Turn back, or I'll turn you to dust!"

The girls watched as the Shadow turned into a weird goop, then reformed into a huge beast. It seemed to be an amalgamation of several different creatures. It had a beastly tiger's body, with human-like hands, ending with bear-like claws. It also possessed a long white mane and a black face, with beady red eyes and a mouth full of sharp teeth. It also had a snake for a tail, with a snake's head on the end with sharp, supposedly venomous fangs.

"Psh! We're not scared of you!" Highwayman spat, "you want a fight!? You've GOT one!"

"Yeah! Sorry, but we're coming through, whether you want us to or not!" Razor added, "now move, before we make you!"

The monster crouched down and prepared to lunge at them, and in unison, Razor and Highwayman summoned their own Personas!

"Barrow! SUKUKAJA!"

"Parker! TARUKAJA!"

Using their Personas, Razor felt herself gain a boost of speed and agility, while Highwayman felt a burst of power and force! As the chimera Shadow lunged at them, they grabbed their weapons and prepared to make it rue the day!

"This is bad, Naegi-senpai!" Shuichi whispered, "we shouldn't be in here!"

"I-Is there a light somewhere?" Makoto replied, "see if you can get them on; I can't see a thing."

"Hold on. I've got it," Monomi chuckled, "you're going to like this, Makoto!"

Living in a Lazy Parallel World - Danganronpa V3: Killing Harmony

The lights suddenly flickered on as Monomi bounded up and pulled the switch. When the room became illuminated, Makoto and Shuichi found themselves in some sort of study room. Books lined the walls, and in the back middle of the room was a desk with some open drawers, containing envelopes.

However, it didn't take either of the boys long to notice the elephant in the room...What was lying upon the desk.

"What...What is this...!?" Shuichi walked over to the desk, eyes scanning its top, "this can't be...!"

"Just as I thought..." Makoto growled. He suddenly felt his stomach sink, as a loud *CRASH!* burst behind him; Fuhito and Kyoko barging their way into the room after practically breaking the door down.

"GET OUT! Ah-!" Fuhito tried to command them, but his face turned pale as he saw the scene in front of him...

Standing behind him, Kyoko's eyes also widened in surprise and confusion, as they both watched Shuichi, holding items in both his hands, turn around to face them, his expression desperate and tears falling from his eyes. Makoto next to him, crossed his arms, his face sour and angry...

"Why...?" Shuichi whispered this single word. Kyoko stepped forward to better see what the two had discovered, and she raised her gloved hand and clasped her mouth in horror.

A set of envelopes, the same pad as the first threatening letter Shuichi had received...

A pair of plastic gloves with blood on them...Like the blood from the murdered pigeons...

Rusted nails; the same kind that was stabbed into the tires of the Shuichi's car...

And a lighter...Freshly used, even though her grandfather didn't smoke...

It couldn't be...!

"Kirigiri-sensei...! Hah...haha..." Shuichi laughed in a state of disbelief and hysteria, "what IS all this...!?"

"Shuichi...listen to me...!" Fuhito was sweating a mile a minute, desperately trying to regain control of the situation, "come outside, and I'll explain everything."

"No! You will tell me HERE!" Shuichi snapped, "WHAT IS THIS!? WHY DO YOU HAVE THIS!?"

"Dear boy...please..." Fuhito's eyes became sad, "this is all for the sake of helping you."

"Helping...me...?" he repeated slowly.

"I told you I would have my men investigate, correct?" Fuhito smiled at him, "this is just my personal study. I've been using it to store evidence of the crimes committed against you, and I've been analyzing it in my own time. Once I found any traces of a potential culprit, I was going to tell you."

He bowed his head apologetically.

"I'm truly sorry for not bringing it up sooner. There were many other things I had to deal with, after all."

Shuichi hesitated, lowering his arms for a moment, still holding the evidence. His lips quivered as he tried to respond, but he didn't need to...as Makoto stepped forward and responded in his place...

"Don't you dare lie to him..."

"What?" Fuhito raised his head, his brow furrowed.

"You literally JUST told him that the investigators had no leads, and now, you tell him you've been keeping this evidence safe for his sake!?" Makoto glowered, "your stories very obviously contradict each other! And even if they didn't, you had NO REASON to keep that a secret from Shuichi! All it's done is leave him in a state of anxiety and fear for the past week, and you expect that this makes it all ok!?"

"What do you know?" Fuhito spat, "you're not even a detective!"

"No, but HE is...and so is your granddaughter!" Makoto shot back, "so what do YOU both think of this?"

"I...He is correct," Kyoko swallowed her pride and stood up to her grandfather, "you aren't doing a very good job at explaining yourself, sir."

"If you've been examining the evidence here on your own, what of your investigation team!? Have they seen it!?" Shuichi demanded, " Kirigiri-sensei, just tell me what's going on! I can't live like this anymore!"

"Shuichi, please understand...!" Fuhito scrunched up his face, sweating bullets the whole time, "this case is far more complicated than I first thought, and I'm doing all I can!"

"Then please, let me speak to the investigators directly so we can get to the bottom of this!" Shuichi cried desperately, "there's nothing else to lose at this point!"

"I CAN'T!" Fuhito snapped!

"Why not!?" Shuichi snapped back!

"I'll tell you why not," Makoto cut in, "it's because there ARE no investigators to speak to."

"What!?" Shuichi shouted.

"Isn't that right, Kirigiri-san?" Makoto raised an eyebrow, deciding to throw caution to the wind, "you haven't really reported this incident to anyone, have you? And the reason...is because YOU'RE the one responsible for the crimes against Shuichi and the SDA, aren't you?"

"You dare throw such an accusation right in front of me?" Kirigiri trembled, "how dare you!"

Makoto shrugged.

"All you have to do is summon these investigators here and let us speak to them," he told him, "do that, and I'll happily take it back. Like Shuichi said, at this point in time, there's no reason not to. It helps Shuichi AND proves your loyalty."

"I...I have NOTHING to prove...!" Kirigiri glowered.

"Sir...Did you...Did you do all of it...!?" Shuichi's face went even paler than usual, "please, don't tell me you've been behind it all along...!"

"Impossible...You're the one who took Shuichi on in the first place...!" Kyoko glared, her emotions clearly all over the place, "you've been encouraging and comforting to no end up until now...! So how could you...!?"

"I said...I HAVE NOTHING TO PROVE!" Fuhito spat violently, which made Makoto, Shuichi, and Kyoko nearly jump out of their skins! Swiftly, he reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out a phone, hitting a few buttons.

"Wh-What are you doing!?" Makoto exclaimed.

"You brat...thinking you can just walk in here and point the finger at ME!?" the old man scowled, "I'm contacting my security firm! If you don't cease this baseless slander right now, I'm handing you both over to the police!"

"Me too!? Why!?" Shuichi cried, "I just want the truth!"

"YOU DON'T DESERVE THE TRUTH!" Fuhito cried! But just as he was about to send the message through to security, Monomi leaped off the shelf and smacked into Kirigiri's hand, knocking the phone onto the floor!

"RUN FOR IT!" she squeaked! Makoto certainly didn't need to be told twice! As Kirigiri crouched down to the floor in a desperate attempt to reclaim his phone, Makoto booked it past him, shoving past Kyoko and making a mad dash to escape from the building!

"Makoto-kun WAIT!" Kyoko called after him!

"NAEGI-SENPAI!" Shuichi also called, rushing past the Kirigiri's and chasing after Makoto, not sure of what to do!

"Don't be so naive!" Fuhito smirked evilly, "no matter how far you run, they'll be on you any moment!"

That was what he said, but fortunately, Makoto had a plan. He turned the corner and once he was out in an open area with few people around, he grabbed his phone and opened up the Metaverse Navigator.

Monomi hopped on his shoulder and the two prepared to jump into Fuhito's Palace!

...But then, something unexpected happened.

"Naegi-senpai! Wait a second!"

"Oh no...!" Makoto said under his breath, turning around in horror as the young detective Shuichi ran towards him, panting and out of breath, "NO! SHUICHI! DON'T COME NEAR ME!"

"What!?" Shuichi exclaimed, "why not!?"

Unfortunately...it was already too late...

[BEGINNING NAVIGATION]

Daredevil - Persona 5 Strikers

"Mazio!" Razor cried, several lightning bolts shooting out of her Persona towards the Night Chimera as she leaped in the air to dodge another one of its attacks!

"Triple Down, Parker!" It landed in the perfect position for a hail of bullets from Highwayman after that!

"And now...GIANT SLICE!" Razor and Barrow descended quickly towards the ground, with Barrow brandishing one its bladed arms and slicing straight through the Chimera's body!

Razor bounded off the creature's head and through the air, to which Highwayman caught her by her waist and twirled her around. Then, with their hands joined, they struck a pose together as the Shadow behind them burst into black dust!

"WOO! Teamwork baby!" instinctively, Highwayman pulled Razor into a tight hug, which flustered them both, so they quickly pulled away, "but jeez...That fight was tougher than I thought..."

"Well, I mean it WAS just the two of us," Razor reminded her, "it'd be a real pain if the door closed again or if we get spotted out here, so let's shut it down and get out as soon as we can."

"Righto! Lead the way!" Highwayman saluted. She followed Razor as she hurried into a rather obvious security room right behind the door, and waited as her fellow thief fiddled around with the main computer.

"Let's hope I get the button right this time~" she jokingly remarked, earning a chuckle from her friend. Fortunately, Razor took her time and carefully examined the computer, carefully reading the instructions on the monitor, and then clicking and pressing any buttons accordingly. Within a few moments, the entire system in the room shut down. Highwayman poked her head out the door, and sure enough, it had remained open.

"Yeah!" she raised her hand for a hi-five, which Razor swiftly returned, "so...now what?"

"Hey! Who's there!?" came a distorted and angry voice. The girls immediately went on guard.

"More of those assholes...!" Razor growled, "let's get out of here before they catch us!"

After making sure the area was clear, the girls hurried back through the large door into the auditorium, avoiding being caught by any incoming Shadows. However, only when they got out did they suddenly sense a strange disturbance.

"Hey...do you...hear something...?" Highwayman asked.

Before Razor could respond, all of a sudden, a large red hole suddenly opened up in the air in front of them!

"What's that!?" Razor exclaimed, but her question was answered for her as a figure suddenly dropped from the hole and came crashing onto the stage floor in front of them!

DX Growth Plan - Danganronpa V3: Killing Harmony

"Mako-UH Leprechaun!?" Highwayman exclaimed, "when and how did you get here!?"

"OW! Ooh...gaaagh..." the Lucky Student groaned as he crawled to his feet, "it's kind of a long stor-OOHOGH!"

Razor cringed and Highwayman sucked air through her teeth, as Usami came shooting down, crash landing right into Leprechaun's head and smacking him back into the stage again!

"Oh! I-I'm so sorry!" Usami, whose fall seemed to have been softened by her Makoto-shaped pillow, panicked and checked his head as he crawled back to his feet once again.

"Are you alright...?" Razor dared to ask. Leprechaun pushed through his pain and scrambled up.

"Forget about me! We've got bad news!" he panicked, "is he here!?"

"Is who here?" Highwayman asked. As if to answer, the girls suddenly heard something above them. Just as the hole disappeared, a third figure suddenly fell through it and fell towards the stage!

"GEEAAAAAAAAAGGH!*

"AAAAAGGH!*

*CRASH!*

Right on top of Makoto yet again...

"Owch..." Highwayman grit her teeth.

"Not agaaaaain..." Makoto groaned, shakily raising his arm, struggling to recover from the repeated bludgeoning.

Razor rolled her eyes and reached out a hand to pull Leprechaun to his feet, handing him a sample of Seiko's medicine for him to take should he need it. Their attention, however, swiftly turned to the newcomer.

"Shuichi!?" Komaru gasped, "why are YOU here!?"

"Huh?" Shuichi's vision was blurry, so he shook off his fatigue and looked up at the thieves. As soon as it came into focus though, he panicked! "AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGGH! WHO ARE YOU!? Wh-WHAT DO YOU WANT FROM ME!?"

"S-Shuichi, wait, calm down!" Makoto crouched down, "it's me! It's me...!"

"Huh? Wait...N-Naegi-senpai!?" the detective gasped as Makoto took off his mask to prove his identity, then turned his head towards the other two, "then, does that mean you two are...?"

"Yep, it's Toko and Komaru," Toko nodded, "wasn't expecting YOU to show up here of all places. What happened?"

"Kirigiri tried to call the police on us, so we jumped into the Palace to seek refuge," Usami explained, "but Shuichi caught up with us and...well, you can see what happened for yourself."

"Wh-What are you talking about?" Shuichi asked, "what's going on!? Where are we and...why are you all dressed like that?"

"Hoo boy...Well, it's a long story, but to sum it up, we're basically...inside Fuhito Kirigiri's mind," Komaru explained, reaching out a hand to pull Shuichi to his feet, "technically we're still inside the KDA, just how Kirigiri's cognition sees it."

"Kirigiri's....mind...? Cognition...? Have you gone quite mad...!?" Shuichi bewildered.

"It's all true," Makoto affirmed, "believe it or not, this is a world built from Fuhito Kirigiri's distorted cognitions and desires. It's symbolic of his true nature..."

"His...true nature...?" Shuichi struggled to process just what he was hearing, "why...why are we in a THEATER of all places?"

"As much as I would love to tell you, we don't have time!" Usami piped up, "our stunt in the real world raised the security level of the Palace through the roof! If we don't hurry, we'll find ourselves swarmed with enemies!"

"That's not good...!" Leprechaun and the other thieves dropped into defensive stances, almost expecting something to lunge out at them any moment now, "Shuichi, can you walk? We need to move!"

"Y-Yes...I'll be fine..." Shuichi grunted, "I'm sorry, my emotions are overwhelming me a little..."

"Keep a close eye on him. We can't let him get caught up in any battles," Usami stated, "we need to get him out of here!"

"Back to the entrance it is then," Highwayman nodded, "try not to fall behind, kid."

Shuichi couldn't quite believe what he was seeing as the thieves escorted him through the Palace. If what they were saying was true, they were currently inside a world viewed through the eyes of Fuhito Kirigiri.

So why had it taken the form of this abhorrent and shady theater, with mannequins and puppets all over the place, held up by wires or posts? He didn't say anything, but their clothes looked familiar to him.

He assumed it had something to do with his emotions overwhelming him, but he was currently suffering an ear-splitting headache as he tried to process everything that was going on.

"Do you recognize them?" Toko piped up suddenly. Shuichi turned towards her.

"You mean...these puppets?" he asked.

"Yeah...We were thinking they might be the people who work for him or something like that...Kirigiri, I mean..." she clarified.

"I...I assumed as much," Shuichi affirmed, "but...why are there puppets of them here? Did Kirigiri-sensei make them?"

"In reality, they're not actually puppets," Usami explained, "like we explained, everything you see here is formed from Fuhito Kirigiri's cognition, and the puppets you see here are how he sees his workers."

"Hey, we're almost out now," Makoto called out, "we've just got to go through here."

He indicated to the pair of doors with the sign of "Le Cimetière" on them. He opened them and the group trudged through. Shuichi was appalled upon seeing the dolls all dangling by their necks. But then, out of the corner of his eye, he saw something that made his heart sink.

"Uncle...!?" he gasped. The Phantom Thieves stopped and turned around as he waddled over to the hanging doll of Shinichi Shuichi, taking it in his hands and checking it, "no...wh-why is there a doll of my uncle here!?"

"You're uncle used to work for the KDA until he decided to go independent. Kirigiri saw that as a betrayal, and still tried to use him for his own selfish reasons," Razor explained, "all the people we see in this room are the same way. They tried to escape Kirigiri's control, but he continues to exploit them, tying even tighter strings around even tighter places."

"Like Toko said, Kirigiri sees all his agents as wooden objects he can bend to his will, so that's what they appear as in this world," Highwayman explained, "oh and uh...spoiler alert, but we found one of you as well."

Shuichi remained silent.

"We can discuss it later! For now, we need to-AAGH!"

"Usami!?"

New Classmates of the Dead - Danganronpa V3: Killing Harmony

As Usami attempted to open the other door, a group of Shadow guards suddenly burst through, blocking the escape! Usami rolled back, and was caught by Leprechaun, who helped her to her feet as the Shadows squared them down!

"It's an ambush!" Usami declared! But then, when it seemed things couldn't get worse, an eerie, familiar, distorted laughter echoed from behind them.

They swiftly turned around, and standing there, with two other Shadows by his side, was a crooked old man in a dark purple dress shirt, with a neatly folded collar, and a large black ribbon tied around one of the top buttons. Over the top of his shirt, he wore a brown jacket that was open around his chest and was tightened around his waist, possessing a black trim along its collar, and golden hoops with crossed laces going through them. On top of this, he wore a brown belt with a golden buckle, a pair of purple shorts with pockets, thigh-high black socks, and brown clogs. Lastly, upon his greying hair was a tiny black hat with a flower stuck to it.

Though the distorted expression and malicious golden eyes suggested otherwise, this figure was unmistakable...

"Kirigiri...!" Makoto growled.

"So, THAT'S the old man's Shadow...!?" Komaru gasped.

"Hmph...That's one hell of a fashion statement..." Toko remarked, "I'm having a hard time figuring out who between him and Towa is worse..."

"Well...Towa barely had any clothes on, save for his trousers and his hat...!" Usami reminded them.

"Not the time girls!" Makoto snapped.

"Mwahahaha! Leaving so soon, you fickle thieves!?" Kirigiri's Shadow chortled, "won't you at least stick around for the performance!? The show hasn't even begun yet!"

"K-Kirigiri-sensei...!?" Shuichi gasped helplessly, "wh-what is this...!? Is that really you!?"

"Ah...You're here too, Shuichi?" Shadow Kirigiri smirked, "an unexpected surprise but...not an unwelcome one...What do you think of my fair theater? Would you like to be part of the performance?"

"Back off, you old creep!" Razor stood in the way.

"P-Please...tell me this is all just a big joke...!" Shuichi gasped desperately.

"As for the rest of you, sorry to say this truly, but you all know too much for your own good," he retained the cocky smile, "regrettably, I cannot allow you to leave this place with your lives..."

"Some detective you are!" Leprechaun snarled, "you'd really kill us just so you can keep your own twisted little secrets!? Aren't you even a little ashamed!?"

"Don't get too full of yourself, you old fart!" Komaru jeered, "we're gonna take your treasure and expose your crimes, and we'll be damned if we're gonna let you stop us!"

"Gahahaha! Bold indeed! But equally as naïve!" he grinned evilly, "in the world of detectives, only I, as the current head of the Kirigiri bloodline, deserve the authority to rule over all! I control people and information as easily as I breathe! There is no crime in using my power for my produce! We Kirigiri's are the true power of the detective world! No one else can, or will, come close!"

He raised his head and turned towards Shuichi.

"Of course, that includes everything that happened with you, Shuichi..." he sneered, "my prowess and position made it very easy to bend the truth and hide from your suspecting eyes..."

"You bastard!" Leprechaun snapped, "so you really WERE behind Shuichi's harassment!"

"Not directly. I'm too old to go out of my way to do things like that myself," Fuhito stuck his nose up in the air proudly, "but there's so much you can do with a brilliant mind and the right kind of people under your thumb."

"I still don't understand...!" Shuichi sobbed desperately, "y-you can't be the one behind everything! It doesn't make sense! If you were behind the harassment, why would you give me an offer to join your agency in the first place!?"

"You FOOL! You really think I took you in because I saw potential in you!?" the old dollmaker snarled, "I took you on at the agency so I could DESTROY YOU!"

"D-Destroy...me...!?" Shuichi repeated slowly.

"You and that miserable uncle of yours. It seemed that taking Shinichi's cases and most of his livelihood away wasn't enough. No matter how much information and how many cases I forced him to give up, he refused to shut his agency down!" Kirigiri grimaced, "but I still had a chance...I just had to nip his successor in the bud, and I did so by threatening to destroy everything he ever cared for...! Fortunately for me, he was SO desperate to cling to me for help! That made it SO much easier for me! GAHAHAHAHA!"

"You threatened Shuichi into leaving the Kirigiri Agency, and then Hope's Peak Academy, because you were trying to force him to give up the career of a detective!" Leprechaun declared, "it's just as I thought...!"

"You're much older than the rest of us," Razor glowered, "but you've got the thought process of a child! You really did all of that just to spite Shinichi!? Even though he never did anything wrong to you!?"

"You're too narrow-minded to understand the reality we live in. There's more to it than simply getting back at Shinichi for thinking someone like him can achieve greatness without my approval...!" Kirigiri simpered, "when Kyoko first started attending Hope's Peak Academy, I was skeptical, and upset that she had exposed us to a public authority group...But the longer I had to dwell on it, I realized I was proud of her...The Ultimate Detective...a title someone of our bloodline deserves, and greatness that she has rightfully achieved..."

He raised a bony finger towards Shuichi, quivering with casual fury.

"But then YOU came along...! All you did was solve one shitty little homicide case by chance, and that was enough!? You....an utter DISGRACE to detectives...gained the same title as my granddaughter purely by CHANCE!? Unacceptable...! UNNACEPTABLE!"

"Wh-What...!?" Shuichi couldn't even process what he was hearing! It was THAT ridiculous!

"I will not allow any lowlife like yourself to be more successful than us Kirigiri's!" Fuhito leered, "me and my granddaughter, and whoever she births to continue our bloodline, are the only ones who deserve authority in this world! Not bottom-feeding, street trash like you and your uncle!"

"You tried to make Shuichi quit being a detective for such a stupid reason!?" Highwayman snapped, "from where I'm standing, it just sounds like you're jealous of him! It's no surprise your Palace ended up so creepy!"

"Shuichi? Are you alright?" Leprechaun asked, noticing that the boy was clutching at his jacket, his face horror-stricken.

"It's because of people like you and uncle that I even wanted to BE a detective...!" Shuichi spoke, his voice hoarse, "I chose this path because I ADMIRED detectives like you! Why would you forsake the path of truth to feed me all these horrible lies!?"

"Don't you DARE lecture me about truth! I won't hear it from a detective who's AFRAID of the damn truth!" Fuhito cast out his hand, "I've heard just about enough! Men! Shut them up right here and now!"

"Shuichi! Get back!" Makoto demanded, "let's do this guys!"

Shuichi did as he was told and retreated to the corner of the room! At once, the Shadows all exploded into a variety of different creatures! Most of them turned into Foolish-looking Winged Monks and Girls of the Hanging Trees, as well as a few creatures the party had already seen before, however, the one right by Kirigiri morphed into a huge, slender Bringer of Misfortune!

One of the flying shadows soared down towards him, attempting to strike at him, but Leprechaun dodged out of the way, then pulled his revolver out, blasting it in the back! He opened fire on a few others and got some good shots in, but only last minute did he become aware of a fairy shadow right behind him!

Before it could attack, Razor rushed in and ran her scissor blades straight through its chest, taking it down instantly!

"Thanks for the save!" Leprechaun applauded!

"Don't get cocky!" she called back, setting her sights on some other Shadows that were getting a bit too close to Shuichi!

Leprechaun suddenly felt a weight on his back as Usami hopped up onto his shoulder, watching his back for him! They both opened fire with their respective guns at any enemies above them that got too close!

He watched as Highwayman threw her lasso around a bunch of Shadows and flung them into the air, which Monomi followed up on and shot them all out of the sky with her party popper!

"Hey! We're doing good! Keep it up, everyone!" Monomi cheered.

"Ohoho...That's what YOU think..." Kirigiri snarled.

Suddenly, with a snap of his fingers, one of the hanging dolls from the ceiling of the cemetery fell to the ground! As soon as it landed, it burst into black sludge, and reformed into another Shadow! Several more fell after that, replacing the enemies that the thieves had already taken out!

"Dammit! There's no end to them!" Razor snarled, watching helplessly as more Shadows fell from the ceiling and continued to replace every enemy they took out!

"If only there was some way we could stop all these dolls!" Usami cried out!

"Guess we've just gotta strike at the heart of the problem!" Leprechaun declared. From where he was standing, he had a clear shot straight towards Kirigiri's Shadow! There was no guarantee taking him out would stop the Shadows from respawning, but it was worth a go!

He slotted his gun back into its hilt and beelined it straight for the twisted detective dollmaker, but just as he took a hefty swing with his gauntlets, the gigantic white Shadow stood in the way!

Makoto's fist collided with the Shadow...and didn't even dent it...!

"Uh-oh..." he said under his breath, and as you might expect, the Shadow took a swing with its large heavy hand and smacked him backwards! Makoto ran his fists into the ground to catch himself, then summoned his Persona, much to the astonishment of Shuichi who was still watching from the corner!

" he said under his breath, and as you might expect, the Shadow took a swing with it's large heavy hand and smacked him backwards! Makoto ran his fists into the ground to catch himself, then summoned his Persona, much to the astonishment of Shuich...

"Bicorn!" Makoto called, "Lunge!"

The two-horned beast followed his command and charged straight towards the Shadow, hitting it dead on. But even THAT didn't do anything!

"Leprechaun, hold on!" Highwayman shouted as she flung another Shadow back, "I'm coming to-GAAGH!"

"HIGHWAYMAN!" Leprechaun panicked as his sister suddenly got shot down by a bolt of lightning! But this distraction was enough for the large Shadow to rush up and smash him into the ground!

"Guys!" Razor cried out, hurrying towards them with Usami alongside her. However, right before they could reach the team, two more Shadows ran in and assaulted them! A Hunting Wolf Spirit blasted Usami with nuclear-like energy, knocking her down upon contact, and as Razor tried to grab her to recover, she tripped over, as a Jolly Snowman Shadow froze her feet!

"Ugh...They...got us good...!" Leprechaun desperately tried bashing his fists into the giant Shadow, but he didn't even scratch it.

"There's just...agh...too MANY of them...!" Highwayman groaned.

"And no matter how many we defeat, more of them just keep coming...!" Razor added!

Shuichi stayed in the corner, watching helplessly as these monsters surrounded his friends. Shuichi always knew one day he'd be forced to stare death in the face, but he didn't think it would be quite like this...!

But despite everything, his friends were still fighting...!

They had been kicked down, knocked out, chewed up, and spat out, but despite all the hardships, the struggles, and the pain...they were still going...

Even though it was bleak and useless.

How they looked now reminded him of how he felt...back then...Except back then, he was more than willing to give up and question why he was even seeking the truth in the first place...

But these guys? It was clear from the way they fought that these kinds of thoughts hadn't crossed their minds even once. They were going to achieve their goal...or die trying...!

As he stared towards the desperation and tragedy in front of him, his eyes wandered upwards to the dolls dangling by their necks above them. Those of his uncle, and according to Makoto and the others, all of Kirigiri's other victims.

There were so many of them...Shuichi couldn't even force himself to count.

Kirigiri was a hero to him...But how many people had he exploited...?

How many people's dreams had he crushed...?

How many people had suffered at the hands of this cretin, just like he had...?

Yet Kirigiri was right about one thing...He had chosen to turn his eyes away from the truth, telling himself all these lies just because he was afraid of anything changing.

He was a poor excuse for a detective, let alone an Ultimate one...

...But he was one issue...Kirigiri was another...

Kirigiri had destroyed and controlled people, including his own family, all for the sake of his own ego and nothing more...! He had trampled on so many lives, just because he thought himself above everyone else...!

Kirigiri...was unforgivable...!

"I...understand now...detectives like my uncle...and heroes like Naegi-senpai and the others...They're willing to give up anything to fight for the truth they believe in...!" he whispered under his breath, "but...I can't let them do that...! I can't just...turn away while they give up their lives...for me...!"

"And what are you going to do about it?"

Who's There? - Persona 4

Shuichi snapped to attention as he suddenly heard this deep sultry voice whisper in his ear...!

"Who...Who said that...!?" he gasped.

"Look at them...They may not be willing to give up, but it doesn't change the fact that they are helpless," the voice continued, "if you do not act...if you turn away and refuse to face the truth, they WILL be destroyed..."

The voice was right...Shuichi watched as several fairy Shadows gathered around the giant white one, which stood next to Kirigiri, defending him relentlessly and staying standing, as the Phantom Thieves kept getting back up, launching attack after attack after attack at it, but to no avail.

"Every show...must come to an end..." Kirigiri snapped his fingers, "turn them to ASH!"

The fairy shadows did as instructed, and started to charge up with a fiery energy focused directly on the collapsed thieves!

"Usami, come on!" Highwayman called, "you need to heal us!"

"I...I'm trying...!" Usami had little strength remaining, but still tried to stand to her feet in time to heal everyone before the fire came flying at them!

There would be no time...As Kirigiri cast out his hand, the wave of blazing heat soared forward! Right before Makoto and the others could be burned to a crisp, time seemed to move slower for Shuichi...!

"I ask you again...!" the voice whispered, "what...will...you...do...!?"

Shuichi finally decided to respond...With a scream of rage, he rushed forward, stood in front of his Lucky Student senpai, and held out his arms!

"I...I WILL FIGHT FOR THE TRUTH!" he cried, "I WON'T RUN AWAY! NOT AGAIN...NOT EVEERR!"

"SHUICHI!" Makoto screamed, "WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING!?"

Makoto's heart sunk in desperation, as the detective boy turned his head and finally...finally...looked him dead in the eye...

"I'm sorry Naegi-senpai..." he whispered, "for everything I said to you...I will atone...!"

*FWOOOOOOOOOMMM!!*

Makoto watched incapably, as Shuichi bore the full front of the blaze...! A blast of heat hit him in the face, and he could do little as the young detective was CONSUMED by fire...!

The room fell silent, save for the crackling of the flames...Leprechaun saw in that moment, silhouetted from the ember in front of him, a black and grey cap gently floated to the ground right in front of him...!

And without thinking about it, his heart paying little attention to his mind and body, Makoto found himself screaming...!

"Sh...SHUUUUUUUIIIIIIIIIIIIIICHIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII!!!!"

"Sh-Shuichi!" Monomi screamed in disbelief at what she had just seen!

"Oh shit...!" Toko's eyes widened in horror!

"No...! NNNNOOOOOOOOOOO!" Komaru screamed, lurching to her feet in a blind rage!

She ran past the ember and towards the Shadow and summoned Parker, which riddled the large white Shadow with bullets! Following suit, Makoto, fueled by anger and despair, started throwing desperate punches at it; Toko tried slashing it repeatedly with her scissors, and even Monomi, despite her exhaustion, blasted the Shadow with an array of psychic blasts, desperate to destroy it!

It was all for naught...The Shadow raised its hand and merely smacked the thieves backward, sending them all into a pile. As they tried to help each other to their feet, Fuhito Kirigiri's maniacal laughter drowned out every other sound in the room!

"GAAAAAAAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAGH! You foolish little brats! You still don't understand just how you stand when compared to me and my empire!" he jeered, "I will credit Shuichi for his nobility, sacrificing himself like that, but you'll find it amounts to NOTHING...I am a KIRIGIRI! If you truly think you can trump someone like me, then you're more ignorant than I thought!"

"You RAT BASTARD!" Komaru screamed, bawling her eyes out. She wasn't the only one. Tears were streaming down Monomi's face, and Makoto and Toko's eyes were welling up as well.

"You will never touch me, or my treasure...You're outmatched, and you always HAVE been," the detective dollmaker's grin stretched from one ear to the other, as he looked down upon them condescendingly, "your pathetic friend has paid the price, and now you should PREPARE TO SUFFER-!"

"KRRRRAAAAAAKKKOOOOOOOOOOOOOOMMM!*

The Army of Minotaur - Makai Symphony

Kirigiri's moment of triumph and his following dramatic speech was HEAVILY cut short as this noise almost blew the walls down! Leprechaun, Highwayman, Razor, and Usami all turned around in surprise!

The crimson, furious flames that had enveloped Shuichi were now burning an even brighter blue! And standing in the middle of them was the silhouette of a caped figure, slowly making his way towards them! Behind it was another figure, suspended in the air! Even with the flame casting a shadow on its figure, a sparkling smile could still be seen reflected in the light!

Kirigiri and the Shadows all trembled upon seeing this, the Palace ruler's eyes widening in terror of the unknown threat in front of him!

"Wh-What!?" he snarled, "another thief!?"

"Thief?" the figure responded, their golden glowing eyes narrowing, "you insult me..."

"Th-That voice...!" Leprechaun gasped, "Shuichi!?"

"SAIHARA!?" Kirigiri spat, shocked and appalled that the young man had survived his guards' attack!

"I'm more than just some petty thief..." the young man snarled, "I am someone who always stared injustice in the face, unable...no...REFUSING to do anything about it. I've lived life as a helpless whelp, who thought he could grin and bear it until everything worked out in the end..."

He reached down and grabbed his hat off the floor, raising it and placing it upon his head. As soon as it touched his scalp, it burst into an azure gleam; which once it dissipated, transformed the cap into an elegant, tall-standing, white top hat.

"No more...!" he growled, "you've caused too many people, including myself and those close to me, to suffer, all because you feel like you are a better man and have the right to do so! With my Persona by my side, I will shoot straight through you, both your truth AND your lies! And if it means I must defect from my just path to do so, then so be it...!"

As the flames died down, Shuichi in all his glory stood tall, with his flashy and smarmy Persona standing by his side. He held tightly onto the brim of his hat, and cast out his hand defiantly, challenging the threat in front of him!

He won't run away...He won't turn a blind eye...Not again...!

"Come, CASANOVA! We will PUT AN END TO THIS!"

Chapter End Notes

Akihiko Voice: I've been waiting for this!
Seriously though, Shuichi's awakening was one that I was really looking forward to. And he is easily one of my favorite members of the planned team.
He's just really cool!
Anyway, it's been a while since I've done this, but there are a few things to go over with the new party member.
Shuichi's Phantom Thief outfit takes a few inspirations from the designs of the attorneys in the Ace Attorney series, but the main fit is based on the character Kaito Kid from the Magic Kaito and Detective Conan series. Obviously, up til now, I've made a lot of references to this in Shuichi's overall character, like how his uncle shares a name with that series protagonist, Shinichi Kudo.
His Persona, Casanova, takes design inspiration from the suave protagonist of a Fanganronpa called Danganronpa: Deadication, one of my personal favs. As for its origin, Giovanni Giacomo Casanova was an Italian adventurer/spy who relied on his now legendary charisma to establish himself as the prince of Italian adventurers, and his romantic exploits made the name Casanova synonymous with “libertine.” His autobiography, which perhaps exaggerates some of his escapades, is a splendid description of 18th-century society in the capitals of Europe.
Shuichi's move set makes him effectively the Ann of the group. He has no physical or gun attacks and relies specifically on magic and status effects to deal with technical damage. Unlike Ann, however, his primary element is Ice, and his Arcana, though his confidant has not yet started, Is Judgement.
Thanks as always for reading! I love to get feedback from my readers, so feel free to leave a comment, and some kudos if you feel up to it!

Welcome to the Circus

Chapter Summary

The Phantom Thieves officially gain a new member, and while Makoto and the others prepare some equipment for Shuichi to help them storm the Palace and steal the treasure, Leprechaun has an interesting encounter with one of Shuichi's rather quirky classmates...

Chapter Notes

See the end of the chapter for notes

Class Trial Resurrection Edition - Danganronpa V3: Killing Harmony

As the flames simmered down, Makoto and the other thieves got a better look at Shuichi's brand-new attire. In contrast to his dark and gloomy uniform, the detective's Metaverse clothes were almost entirely white, including his hat, his suit jacket, and his slightly baggy pants. In stark contrast, his gloves, the belt of his hat, and the cravat around his neck were a dark navy blue. The underside of his cape was also the same blue, but the other side of the cape, as well as the shirt under the jacket and his boots were a deep black. This look was completed with a shiny golden belt that held up his pants.

His Persona on the other hand was the furthest thing anyone expected it to look like. Despite being a rather people-shy boy, Casanova had the look and smirk of a real ladies' man, with fancy combed hair, orange shades, and punkish jeans and hoodie.

"Hm...It seems the big one is immune to physical attacks...!" he thought aloud, paying little attention to the looks of shock and awe on the faces of the other Phantom Thieves, "in that case...!"

Before anyone could stop him, he rushed forward, flipped his cape over his shoulder, and cast a hand towards the giant white Shadow.

"Let's send them to the frozen void!" he declared "BUFU CASANOVA!"

What followed was, to say the least, miraculous. Casanova blasted its elemental force straight towards the titanic Shadow, and despite how it had no facial expressions, its body movements served as proof of its panic, as from the ground up, its body started to become encased in thick, freezing ice!

The ice crawled up the Shadow until it finally coated the monster in a thick white sheet!

"Now Naegi-senpai!" Shuichi exclaimed, "hit it where it counts!"

"You got it!" Leprechaun smirked, "BICORN!"

Makoto summoned Bicorn once again and had the horned beast once again ram straight into the large Shadow!

Only THIS TIME, it had a much greater effect! The horse crashed straight into the frozen Shadow, and the fierce impact shattered the creature into a million shards and pieces, all of them flying all over the place before they returned to Shadowy mush!

"Woah!" Highwayman beamed, "AWESOME!"

"Incredible...!" Usami gasped, "to have such capable handling of a Persona right after awakening...!"

"You...!" Kirigiri glowered, "you dare insult me in such a way!? I will have you burned at the stake, you swine! And I will NOT fail this time!"

"TRIPLE DOWN!"

However, as the red fairy shadows flew in to attack, they suddenly got gunned down by the deadly machine cannon of Highwayman's Persona, before they could get too close.

"I don't think so!" Highwayman snapped, "Razor! You got my back!?"

"Sure do!" Razor smirked, leaping into the air as the Foolish Monk Shadows surrounded them. With a smirk on her face, she flew upwards as the air around her started to crackle!

"MAZIO!" she declared, as several bolts of lightning fell down on the Tengu's. They all collapsed to the ground and shattered into ash.

As Razor landed, Usami downed a medicine, then finally got to her stubby little feet, summoning her Persona as well.

"Media, Mr. A!" she squeaked. All at once, the thieves, plus Shuichi, breathed a sigh of relief as the healing power of Usami's Persona filled their bodies and washed away their wounds.

Despite now being properly back on their feet thanks to Shuichi's interference, the number of Shadow's did not waver. Dolls kept dropping from the ceiling, and it seemed like the thieves would be far too worn out by the time they got through them all!

"Gah! We can't afford to waste time on this crap!" Razor spat, "isn't there anything we can do to prevent these things from spawning over and over again!?"

"I might have an idea..." Shuichi replied, "but whether or not it's going to work is the real question...!"

"Just go for it, dude!" Highwayman urged, "we don't exactly have a lot of options right now!"

"Alright..." Shuichi nodded. He turned and took a step forward, gazing up at the dolls above him. He shot one last glance towards the doll of his uncle and saw that it was about to drop and transform just like the others.

He inhaled a deep breath, the now frigid atmosphere of the room showing the heat in his breath, and with a desperate glare, he summoned his Persona by his side, and blasted a thick gust of frozen air straight upwards!

"MABUFU!" he shouted

The room had become so cold that even the thieves themselves started to shiver from it. But it didn't matter as the thieves saw what the young detective boy was planning. As Shinichi Shuichi's doll form fell off the string and returned to the ground, it shattered into pieces!

The same happened to a few other dolls that also fell, shattering before they had the chance to turn to Shadows.

Makoto smiled in satisfaction; he liked the way this kid thought! Yet it was clear that Shuichi alone didn't have the power to completely freeze this room, so Makoto figured he'd give him a bit of a hand!

Fortunately, through their escapades in the Palace, Makoto had gained a couple more Personas in his arsenal. Now it was time to put them to the test!

"JACK FROST!" he shouted, summoning the cheerful snow creature to his side. And with a Hee Ho, the Persona blasted an equally powerful blast of ice, putting the finishing touches on the perfect ice sculpture they had made. He couldn't help but laugh at Shuichi's bewildered expression, for he was seeing Makoto's special power for the first time.

No more dolls dropped from above, and those that were in the middle of dropping either boinked off the ground or shattered apart; none turning into any more Shadow enemies. And with Razor, Usami, and Highwayman continuing to fight in the back, what remaining enemies there were were swiftly destroyed!

This fight...was over...!

Nightmare in the Locker - Danganronpa V3: Killing Harmony

Shadow Kirigiri started to step backward in disbelief at what he was seeing...So many puppets at his disposal, and these pathetic kids had defeated all of them!?

It was that damn Shuichi's fault...!

Shadow Kirigiri's eyes fell upon Shuichi, who following the explosive ice spell looked very out of breath. His Persona had been recalled and had reshaped into a mask on his face. Shuichi's mask looked rather similar to Komaru's, except it had a fabric material and texture, and was white, like the majority of his outfit.

The young man glared at Kirigiri, and took a few lazy steps towards him, expended of energy, but still looking to pick a fight.

"K...Kiri...giri...!" he snarled.

"Hmph!" the dollmaker detective scoffed, "just as I thought. You're certainly impressive, but you're still just an amateur...I have no reason to be afraid of you!"

Before anyone could react, several puppet strings descended down from above, wrapping themselves around Kirigiri's arms and legs. Once they were secure, they gently carried him into the sky, out of harm's way.

"Mark my words...One day, I will utterly destroy you AND your uncle's lives! You will NEVER be a detective as great as me!" the old man gnashed his hideous maw at him before he disappeared into the darkness, "you will rue the day you dared to defy me!"

"G-Get BACK HERE!" Shuichi growled, reaching up almost as if he wanted to grab Kirigiri, pull him back down and beat the shit out of him.

However, his body was completely spent, and before he even realized it, his legs gave way, and he collapsed onto the floor...or he WOULD have if Makoto hadn't been there to catch him before he hit the ground.

"Hey! Calm down..." he stared into his eyes with determination, "you're totally drained; there's no way you can do anything against him right now."

"I...I guess you're right..." Shuichi grunted, "sorry...I must look so pathetic right now..."

"P-Pathetic!?" Komaru exclaimed, "dude, you just saved our freaking lives!? What about THAT is pathetic!?"

"She's right!" Toko assured him, walking over to him, wrapping one of his arms around her shoulder as Makoto did the sake with his other, "if you hadn't come to your senses, we would have all been fried pancakes right about now!"

"Besides, even if you did have the strength to fight right now, there's not much we can do to him at this point," Monomi explained, "even if we were to beat him here, it wouldn't solve the problem at hand."

"Maybe that's true..." Shuichi acknowledged, "but what am I supposed to do then?"

"Well, that's what we're here for," Highwayman clenched a gloved fist reassuringly, "like I said before, we're gonna steal that old bastard's treasure and change his heart!"

"Change...his heart...? Ah!" Shuichi's eyes widened, and then seemingly out of nowhere, he suddenly burst into an apathetic laugh, "a-ahahaha! Of course, how did I not see it before!? You guys are the Phantom Thieves!"

"Took you long enough," Toko chuckled, "honestly, we thought you might have been onto us since the beginning!"

"Yeah, I hate to admit it, but I don't think we were as discreet about this as we would have liked to be," Makoto laughed bashfully, "I guess there's no point hiding anything else. Let's get out of this place and I promise, we'll explain everything."

Moon on the Water - Danganronpa V3: Killing Harmony

With no more enemies to stop them, the Phantom Thieves and their new Persona-wielding companion escaped from Kirigiri's Palace and managed to return to the real world without any further issues. No sooner did they get out though that Shuichi collapsed again, the exhaustion and fatigue hitting him like a pile of bricks almost immediately.

Given what had happened at the agency earlier, it was a bad idea to loiter around, lest they risk Kyoko or Fuhito catching them. It was Komaru's suggestion that took them to where they were now.

"Miruku-chan's family are the ones who run this diner," she explained to them a short while after they'd taken their seats in a booth, "the cake here is to DIE for! Your order's on me by the way, Shuichi!"

"Th-Thank you, Naegi-san," the boy stammered, "but really, all I want is a drink...Then again, I guess if you're recommending the cake, I might as well give it a go."

"You know, maybe I should pay for everyone's order this time around?" Komaru asked, "ah screw it! This round's on me, everyone!"

"Do you even have the money to cover us all?" Makoto asked, "remember, Monomi's here too. She'll want something."

"Eh," she shrugged, "I get my allowance this week, so I can always put it on a tab. Now come on, let's grab us some drinks!"

"You seem to be in a pretty upbeat mood for someone who just survived a near-death experience..." Toko snidely remarked after the waitress came over to take their drink orders.

"That's exactly why I'm happy!" Komaru beamed, "I'm not dead! I think that's a cause worth celebrating!"

"Ok, I guess when you put it like that," Toko sighed, smiled, and shook her head, turning back to Shuichi, "that aside, how are you, kid? You holding up okay?"

Shuichi stared down at his hands, not responding for a moment.

"It's okay, we get it," Makoto assured him, "it's a lot to process at once, isn't it?"

"Heh...That's putting it lightly," Shuichi chuckled, "I still can't believe I did all that...I really turned on Fuhito Kirigiri of all people...Then again, in that situation, I suppose I didn't have a choice..."

"But you knew, didn't you?" Komaru asked, smiling at him sadly, "you yourself were already suspicious of Kirigiri's intentions. You just didn't want to admit it, right?"

"I'm not an idiot..." Shuichi shook his head sadly, "I knew that something didn't feel right. We're quite friendly with our neighbors, so it didn't make sense they would go elsewhere to have their cases solved as opposed to an agency they trusted...And many things that Kirigiri-sensei...that Kirigiri...said to me didn't make sense. Still, he's a pioneer among detectives, and many years mine and my uncle's senior...I couldn't admit to anyone that I thought he might be harassing me...not even myself..."

"You've suffered too much..." Toko lowered her head in disdain, "he's been treating you and your family like slaves or tools for no reason other than to fuel his own ego...It disgusts me...!"

"Why didn't you leave, Shuichi?" Makoto asked, "you still wanted to work at the KDA, even while suspecting Fuhito, right?"

Shuichi paused once again, looking like he was thinking about what to say before he came out and said it.

"The truth is there's one thing that Kirigiri...or, well, as you told me, Kirigiri's Shadow, said that was...accurate..." he admitted, "I'm not a good detective; especially not when compared to the Kirigiri's...But ever since about a year ago, I've studied hard and done all I can so that I can live up to my uncle's prowess. I thought by studying under Fuhito and Kyoko, I could learn to not be so scared of the truth...To toughen up and become a real detective who didn't let his emotions sway him..."

"What changed Shuichi?" Komaru asked, "you don't have to say it if it's too personal, but why are you so afraid of uncovering the truth?"

"Don't worry. You've already told me about your secrets, what with this "Metaverse" and everything else. The least I owe you is a little honesty myself," Shuichi told her, "do you know what it was that caught Hope's Peak's attention? And why they invited me to join the academy in the first place?"

"It was your first and only homicide case, wasn't it?" Makoto acknowledged, "Shinichi told us it happened around a year ago now..."

"So, my uncle already told you the story?" he asked.

"Not exactly," Toko confessed, "he eluded to it, but he didn't go into detail. He said that was for you to do, not him."

"Well, the truth is...I didn't really want to be a detective when I was younger," Shuichi admitted, "as you already know, back when we still had employees at our agency, I worked as an apprentice under my uncle who raised me. I told you before when you came round for dinner that we mostly just deal with infidelity and background checks, but...well..."

"It's ok...take your time..." Makoto rubbed his shoulder affectionately, letting him know they weren't going to judge him for whatever happened. Shuichi waited as the waitress returned with their ordered drinks, then, once she moved on, he gently blew on his tea and then continued.

"One day, while I was "on the job" shall we say, I stumbled across a rather serious murder case. I wasn't out looking for trouble; I came upon it completely by chance..." he explained, "I looked into it a little deeper, and I ended up solving the case before the police did. People started calling me the "boy detective" like I was some kind of hero...It was only one case, but that was enough for Hope's Peak to scout me as the next Ultimate Detective, like Kyoko Kirigiri before me."

"That's amazing though!" Monomi cautiously poked her head out of Makoto's hoodie so she could speak to him, "to solve a murder case by yourself at such a young age. I'd say your Ultimate Talent was more than earned, regardless of whether it was one case or not. The potential you hold is more than enough!"

Shuichi merely hung his head in response.

"But to this day...I always wonder..." he spoke softly and slowly, "was solving that case really the right thing to do?"

"Huh?" Toko tilted her head, "wh-what do you mean?" Shuichi sighed, holding the brim of his hat and lowering it over his eyes.

"I...can still remember the look on the culprit's face when the police caught him. It's been a long time, and it's still fresh in my mind like it was only yesterday," he said, "the look in his eyes...it was like he hated me more than he hated anything else in the world..."

He used the opportunity to take a quick sip of his drink and collect his emotions together at the same time so he didn't break down mid-explanation.

"Later on...I found out what his reason was for committing his crime. It turns out the victim was an abusive monster, who drove his closest relative to committing suicide," he explained, "a lot of people told me that...the culprit's motives were justified...and that the victim deserved to be put to the slaughter. But I led the police right to him...so it's only natural that he hated me...

"Shuichi..." Makoto whispered in a low breath.

"I mean...maybe I shouldn't be the one saying this after...y'know EVERYTHING, but murder is still murder, regardless of reason," Toko chimed in, "besides, it's not like you took sides. Like you said, detectives have to remain neutral in conflicts like this. All you did was uncover the truth."

"Yes...I did uncover the truth...but in my mind, I ended up feeling like it was all my fault," Shuichi explained, "and to this day, I'm still suffering the consequences. Ever since that one...stupid case...I've been so afraid of uncovering the truth...I've been so afraid of the consequences...Those eyes, full of pure, unbridled hatred...will sit with me forever...It's mainly for that reason that I struggle to look people in the eyes..."

"That explains the hat," Komaru sighed sadly, "wow...you've been through a hell of a lot, huh?"

"I...It's long overdue, but I really really have to apologize to each and every one of you. It's just as you say, I knew deep down that Kirigiri was suspicious, but I was so afraid of what might happen if I was to openly admit that," Shuichi lowered his head in a gentle bow for forgiveness, "I was so desperate to hide from that truth that I...ended up taking my frustrations out on you all...I plead your forgiveness."

"Come on..." Komaru rolled her eyes, "you're way too formal dude. Your politeness turns out to be your worst enemy in some ways."

"But with all of that said...I don't think I can bring myself to run away from the truth anymore..." the young detective raised his head, "my reluctance to uncover the truth is exactly what helped Fuhito Kirigiri to take advantage of me. I caused myself, my uncle, and all of you no end of stress, just because I was too afraid to voice my thoughts. So...in regards to that, I would like to make a rather selfish request of you..."

To Makoto's surprise, for the first time ever, he watched as Shuichi clasped the brim of his cap, and removed it, staring him straight in his eyes. This was the first time that Makoto had seen Shuichi without a hat, as he hadn't gotten a good look when it got blown off in the Palace. To have Shuichi remove it himself, however, felt more important.

"Please...for the sake of all the lives that Fuhito Kirigiri has ruined for the sake of maintaining his own arrogance," he raised his voice, though his body still shook, "p-please! Let me join the Phantom Thieves, and let me help change his heart!"

Break It Down - Persona 5

Makoto couldn't hold back his laughter.

"Yes, of course! Are you kidding me!?" he exclaimed, "I should be asking YOU that! With you by our side, nothing that twisted theater throws at us is gonna stop us!"

"Now we're talking!" Komaru rather brashly clinked her drink against Shuichi's, causing a little bit of spillage.

"I'm on board. After everything that happened, you deserve to get back at Kirigiri more than anyone," Toko smiled, "just don't slow us down."

"I will endeavor to do my best," Shuichi said, placing his cap back on his head with a smile, "there are still many things I don't understand, but I'm more than willing to learn as I go along with it. Thank you for this opportunity, Naegi-senpai. Fukawa-senpai. Naegi-san."

"Ok, cut that out," Komaru frowned, "Rule Number 1 of being a Phantom Thief - drop the formalities. Either call us by our given names, or don't call us anything at all."

"THAT'S Rule Number #1!?" Toko exclaimed, "you sure we've got our priorities straight guys!?"

"I wouldn't put it as strictly as that, but she is right," Makoto smiled, "we don't act so uptight around each other in this little club of ours. Just treat us the same way you would anyone else."

"Oh! Um...a-alright then...M-Makoto...senpai...Ugh! This is harder than I thought!" Shuichi groaned.

All 5 thieves around the table couldn't help but laugh at this. As they reveled in the bliss of having a new member of the team, the waitress returned to bring over their desserts. Of course, they wasted no time in digging in.

"Oh, and don't worry about feeling lost or anything," Makoto added after the fact, "if you have any questions, just ask Monomi. She'd be more than happy to educate you."

"Yes indeed!" Monomi giggled, "Monomi isn't going to turn down an opportunity to teach!"

"Well, since you bring it up, I do have ONE question I suppose..." Shuichi admitted.

"Oh yeah? What's that?" Komaru asked excitedly. With a rather perplexed look on his face, Shuichi turned towards Makoto, and the pink and white rabbit sat snugly in his hoodie.

"Why...can your rabbit speak?" he squinted, "I'm assuming I'm not the only one who hears her, right? Or am I just going crazy?"

"Oh, no, we can all hear her too," Toko explained, "once you hear Monomi in the Metaverse, you can hear her in the real world too. I think it's got something to do with a change in cognition."

"I'm surprised it took you this long to notice..." Komaru commeted.

"Oh, I noticed. It's kind of hard not to notice a talking rabbit. I just didn't bring it up until now since my mind was already all over the place after everything else that happened," Shuichi told her "but in the Palace, you turned into a strange cartoon animal. Plus, you're a rather irregular color for a rabbit of your species. What exactly ARE you? N-No offense."

"Hm...I don't know how I feel about being called a cartoon, but I suppose anything's better than a demon," Monomi shot Komaru a single-second glare, "to be honest, I'm trying to figure out what exactly I am and where exactly I came from myself. But don't think too hard about it, it's not worth the trouble."

"Oh, don't worry...You are by far the LEAST weird thing I've encountered today," Shuichi assured her "b-but...there is something else I've been meaning to ask...but...can I pet you...!?"

"Aah, and so another one falls for the floof," Makoto smirked, "you really should! She's so small and cuddly. Sometimes she falls asleep next to me and her fur is heavenly on your face."

"Uwawawa! I may be squeezably soft, but I'm not your stuffed toy!" Monomi stammered.

"Oh shoot! I almost forgot!" Komaru pounded her palm as they walked down the dimly lit street together after they had put their drink and dessert on a tab and left, "Code names! If Shuichi's joining the team, we've got to come up with one!"

"Code names?" Shuichi parroted, "ah...I do vaguely recall you referring to each other by aliases when you were fighting..."

"We refer to each other by code names while we're in the Metaverse to avoid any unnecessary complications that might reflect upon reality," Makoto explained, "I'm "Leprechaun", Komaru's "Highwayman", Toko's "Razor", and Monomi's "Usami"."

"You got any preferences?" Toko asked, "anything you want to be called?"

Shuichi hesitated for a moment, thinking up as many ideas as he could, then responded.

"Sherlock? Maybe...?"

"Nope." Komaru shut him down almost immediately.

"Why not!?" he gasped.

"Too obvious...and lame to boot," she sighed, "let me think...You've got that top hat and cape...and your outfit's predominantly white...Ah! I got it! How about Kaito Kid!?"

"Komaru, we're not naming him after an anime character..." Makoto frowned.

"Yes, I'm unfortunately unaware of who you're referring to," Shuichi chuckled half-heartedly, "besides, my best friend at school is named Kaito, so I feel like that'd get confusing very quickly."

"You have friends at school?" Komaru asked, suddenly realizing how surly that sounded, "uh, sorry, not what I meant! You just don't seem like the most social butterfly is all!"

"No, it's fine. I get your point," Shuichi respired embarrassingly, "how do you normally come up with these code names?"

"Toko's the one who came up with ours. We figured we'd put her literary talents to good use," Makoto explained, "speaking of which, what's your take on this Toko? Any ideas?"

"Yeah, I got one..." she smirked, "since you're a detective, how about..."Dick!?""

Komaru almost burst a blood vessel from laughing.

"NO!" Shuichi exclaimed, "do you honestly think we're going to get anything done properly if everyone else keeps saying "Hey Dick! Watch out for that trap!" or what have you!?"

This made Komaru laugh even more.

"Hah! I'm joking! It's just a joke! But in all seriousness, I haven't got any obvious ones," she admitted, "given that most of my ideas are derived from either the look of the outfit or our Ultimate Talents, I'm struggling to come up with anything that would work for a sleuth like Shuichi..."

"Huh? Then...why don't we just go with that?" Makoto proposed.

"Huh? Go with what?" Komaru asked.

"Sleuth!" Makoto stated, "it's easy to say and it's not as straightforward as most other ideas. I think it works nicely!"

"What say you "Sleuth?"" Monomi inquired.

"Hm...Yes...I think that will do nicely!" Shuichi looked pleased.

"Well there we go then!" Monomi beamed "Sleuth it is."

"Haha...Now that I think about it, there's something really surreal about all this," Komaru giggled, "an Ultimate Detective who is also a Phantom Thief..."

"Haha...I know. Ironic, isn't it?" Shuichi snickered.

"Actually, about that," the weight of the situation finally rested on Makoto, "Shuichi. I'm not going to try and deter you from helping us, and I know you more than anyone deserves to take down Kirigiri...But I want you to know that if you come with us, you'll technically be a criminal...I'm glad to have you, but I wouldn't-"

"Don't worry Naegi-sen-...Makoto..." Shuichi assured him, "I want to be a great detective just like my uncle. I'm determined to make Kirigiri pay for his crimes, and uphold my own justice and the law...even if that means I have to break both..."

After having a few more conversations with his team, Makoto parted ways with the thieves for the evening and he and Monomi finally returned to the dorm rooms. Toko, having little left to say, quietly returned to her own room.

As soon as Makoto got in, he hid away his thieving tools, (carefully this time so that no one walked in on him) and slumped down onto his head, exhausted after the day's events, and still waiting for his cake to digest.

However, he couldn't rest for the day yet. There was still one last thing he had to do before he turned in for the night. He picked it up and opened up the Phantom Thief chat group.

----------------------------------------------

PTChat

Makoto Naegi added Shuichi Saihara to the group.

Makoto: [Welcome to the circus, buddy.]

Shuichi: [Thank you! I'm happy to be here!]

Toko: [Greetings Shuichi.]

Toko: [Kokichiru's here too, she just told me she was grabbing a snack.]

Shuichi [Really? Even after the dessert we had earlier? I still feel bloated from that cake.]

Komaru: [Hey, I need snacks to focus, ok?]

Shuichi: [Oh, there you are!]

Komaru: [In the digital flesh~]

Makoto: [Ok, so Monomi can't type obviously, so I'm gonna have to do it for her, but we need to go over where we stand right now once more.]

Makoto: [We only briefly went over details on the functionality of the Metaverse and Palaces, and there's still a lot Shuichi doesn't know.]

Shuichi: [Actually, I did a bit of thinking on my way back home up until now, and I think I've got it figured out...At least I hope?]

Toko: [Oh really? Do tell?]

Shuichi: [So, as I understand it "changing one's heart" is a way of referring to a rewrite of one's cognition.]

Shuichi: [To achieve this, we are required to steal the root of our target's desires; which we refer to as a Treasure.]

Shuichi: [The Treasure is hidden in the target's Palace, a world that materializes based on the distorted and malicious aspects of their cognition. Everything you see in the world of the Palace is reflective of how the Palace Ruler, Kirigiri in this case, mentalizes things in the real world. The reason the staff are dolls and mannequins is because Kirigiri sees them as mindless objects he can control on a whim.]

Shuichi: [Stealing the treasure and causing the Palace to collapse will forcefully remove any and all distorted desires in Kirigiri's cognition, and with him being left with nothing but the guilt of his crimes, he'll be forced to confess his sins himself.]

Shuichi: [I surmised that was the process?]

Komaru: [Uh...]

Komaru: [Wow.]

Komaru: [You]

Komaru: [Just figured all that out yourself?]

Toko: [We barely told you anything, and you basically just explained it FOR us.]

Makoto: [That's the Ultimate Detective for you!]

Makoto: [Analyzing information and connecting loose ends is part of the job.]

Makoto: [I wouldn't be surprised if he'd already pieced everything together by now.]

Shuichi: [Apparently not quite.]

Shuichi: [There's still far too many things that continue to elude me.]

Shuichi: [For example, the method of transportation into this so-called "Metaverse" as you put it.]

Komaru: [Oh, we use this smartphone app on our phones!]

Komaru: [It's kind of like a Navigation App. We call it the Metaverse Navigator! Or MetaNav for short!]

Shuichi: [Does it by any chance, appear as a distorted red eye on the home screen?]

Makoto: [How do you know that?]

Shuichi: [Because an app like that appeared on my phone without me even realizing.]

Shuichi: [I tried to delete it, but it almost immediately came back again. I opened it and saw this navigation stuff for myself.]

Shuichi: [I haven't attempted it myself, so I'm not sure how it works.]

Makoto: [Good. Don't touch anything unless we're with you. You could accidentally drop into the Metaverse without realizing.]

Toko: [All you really have to do is fill in the requirements. You need a person's name, location, and distortion, and then you're in.]

Shuichi: [What do you mean by "location" and "distortion?"]

Toko: [The location is the place that the target feels they have absolute control, and the distortion is what they view that place as in their minds.]

Toko: [For example, in Kirigiri's case, the location would be the KDA, and the distortion would be he views it as a theater.]

Komaru: [For Towa, the location was the Elementary School, and because he was using it to chain down the Ultimate children and his sister, his Palace was a prison.]

Shuichi: [Interesting.]

Shuichi: [But if you don't know what the Palace is going to look like before you enter, how do you figure that out?]

Makoto: [Funny story! We don't...]

Makoto: [I kid you not when I tell you Toko and I walked into Towa's Palace completely by accident. She just so happened to say the right words, and we accidentally wandered in.]

Makoto: [It was similar when we first found out Kirigiri had a Palace. The MetaNav reacted to his name, then we basically had to guess what his distortion was going to look like.]

Komaru: [Essentially it's just a guessing game.]

Shuichi: [I see.]

Shuichi: [So, could I just use this app to enter anybody's mind if I wished to?]

Shuichi: [That feels like a lot of power, and an equal amount of responsibility...]

Makoto: [Monomi says it doesn't exactly work like that.]

Makoto: [She says everybody has their own cognition, but not everyone has a Palace. Only those who have very strong, and very distorted desires have them.]

Toko: [Id est, to possess a Palace, you have to be a rotten sack of a human being, like Towa and Kirigiri.]

Toko: [We'll explain more of it later in person, but there's also this thing called Mementos, which is basically one giant Palace that members of the GP all share.]

Toko: [That's how we got Uzawa. His desire wasn't distorted enough to give him his own Palace, so we sought him out and changed his heart that way.]

Makoto: [There's something else as well apparently.]

Makoto: [Even I didn't know this.]

Makoto: [But apparently, it's also impossible for those with Personas, like us, to have Palaces.]

Komaru: [Really?]

Komaru: [I mean, good, but how come?]

Makoto: [Apparently, according to Monomi, it's got something to do with accepting our true natures and our wills of rebellion.]

Makoto: [Our Personas are actually OUR Shadows, like the Shadow versions of Towa and Kirigiri.]

Makoto: [But because we accept those hidden parts of ourselves and don't hide them behind a mask of deceit; and have full control of our emotions and our sense of righteousness, our desires can't become distorted.]

Makoto: [At least that's how she put it.]

Shuichi: [I see. Very educational. Tell Monomi I said thank you.]

Makoto: [You can thank her yourself. She's reading this right now.]

Makoto: [Oh yeah, and while we're talking about it, there's one more thing we need to tell you Shuichi. It's very important.]

Shuichi: [I'm listening?]

Shuichi: [Or...READING I suppose?]

Makoto: [We need to be very careful when roaming the Palace and changing Kirigiri's heart.]

Makoto: [If we mess up, or accidentally kill Kirigiri's Shadow inside the Palace, he may have a mental shutdown, and COULD potentially die because of us.]

Komaru: [Oh shit, I forgot about that!]

Toko: [Last time went off without any issue. If we just repeat the process, I'm sure we'll be fine.]

Makoto: [I still think he should know, for safety purposes.]

Shuichi: [Truth be told, I was getting very worried about that.]

Shuichi: [All those dolls that shattered in the Palace when we froze them over, including the one of my uncle. Did anything bad happen in reality when they got destroyed?]

Shuichi: [My uncle seems fine, but I'm not so sure...]

Makoto: [According to Monomi, pulling stunts like that do have a slight effect on Kirigiri's mentality, but they last for only a little while if they're just small changes.]

Makoto: [She actually thinks by the time we return to the Palace, all of those puppets will be back in place like nothing happened.]

Toko: [Something similar happened in Towa's Palace.]

Toko: [There were cognitive versions of Utsugi and all the kids' parents in that prison, but Kokichiru ended up laying waste to them all after she awakened to her Persona.]

Toko: [But as far as we know, nothing happened to them in reality, so I think we're safe so long as we don't get all trigger-happy.]

Shuichi: [Understood.]

Komaru: [Any more questions rookie?]

Komaru: [Because if not, I've actually got one for you.]

Shuichi: [Fire away, Komaru-san.]

Komaru: [Have you heard anything back from the Kirigiris after what happened at the agency?]

Shuichi: [Oh yes. I meant to bring it up, but Kirigiri-sama]

Shuichi: [Well, I suppose I'll just call her Kyoko-sama for now so we don't get confused.]

Shuichi: [Either way, she contacted me to check my status. She gave me good news and bad news.]

Shuichi: [The good news is that she managed to convince her grandfather to let me off the hook. She claimed that I was confused and delirious in the situation and that I needed time to recover and get my head on straight.]

Shuichi: [She's also, despite his protests, opened her own private investigation into the case, and I'm sure he'll be far too preoccupied dealing with her over anything else. So she's managed to buy us some time.]

Shuichi: [The bad news is...she also told me that Fuhito is considering pressing charges against you, Makoto.]

Shuichi: [Even though you were invited into the agency by Kyoko-sama, he's going to try and frame you for breaking and entering, and obstruction of justice.]

Makoto: [I'm not even surprised.]

Makoto: [We basically caught him red-handed. I assumed he would do whatever it took to make sure his secrets remained hidden.]

Komaru: [Makoto, this is bad.]

Komaru: [Kyoko might have bought us some time, but if Kirigiri presses charges, it could affect Mom and Dad too.]

Komaru: [We might even lose custody of Kotoko-chan!]

Shuichi: [Kotoko-chan?]

Toko: [The Naegis are fostering Kotoko Utsugi, one of the Towa incident victims. Komaru's right in saying that charges could lead to her being passed on to a different home.]

Shuichi: [I had no idea...!]

Shuichi: [Oh god...I can't believe I said all those things about Utsugi-san at dinner to her FOSTER PARENTS!]

Shuichi: [I'm so sorry!]

Makoto: [Hey, it's ok! You didn't say anything bad, you were just making a point!]

Komaru: [Yeah, it's alright. No offense taken, I promise.]

Komaru: [More importantly, Kirigiri pressing charges would be bad for our family, no doubt about it. If he does, we won't be Kotoko-chan's foster parents for much longer.]

Shuichi: [Personally, I can't believe he would resort to such a thing.]

Shuichi: [It disgusts me how he prattles on about how the youth are essential to our future, then does everything he can to take those futures away should it suit him.]

Makoto: [How long would you say we have?]

Shuichi: [Two weeks, give or take.]

Makoto: [Then our only remaining option is to steal Kirigiri's heart by that deadline.]

Komaru: [Righto!]

Toko: [Got it!]

Shuichi: [Is that all to discuss for now?]

Makoto: [Just one more thing.]

Makoto: [During this time, now that we've got a new member, we need to prepare.]

Makoto: [We need to grab a few more supplies and make sure we're ready to secure our infiltration route to the treasure before we send Kirigiri our Calling Card.]

Makoto: [Namely...weapons!]

Shuichi: [Weapons?]

Toko: [I'm sure you figured it out pretty quickly, but using your Persona repeatedly sucks the life out of you like a motherfucker.]

Toko: [So to preserve energy while we explore the Palace, we have regular utensils and weaponry on hand too. Like my scissor blades for instance.]

Komaru: [Have you got anything lying around that might work as a good weapon, Sleuth?]

Shuichi: [Hm...]

Shuichi: [My uncle has a wooden baton lying around somewhere from his old police days.]

Shuichi: [Would that do?]

Toko: [Better than nothing. So long as you can wield it.]

Toko: [What about firearms? We use those too. I'm pretty sure you saw Makoto using his revolver in the Palace?]

Shuichi: [No. Our agency isn't licensed to allow the use of firearms. It would be a bad look to leave them lying around in front of a student as well.]

Makoto: [Don't worry about it. I can get you a gun. Do you have any preferences?]

Shuichi: [Please don't tell me you ACTUALLY carry guns around with you?]

Makoto: [Of course not! The weapons we use are just well-crafted toys.]

Shuichi: [But...you shot very real bullets from them?]

Komaru: [The cognition in the Palace turns fake weapons into the real deal!]

Komaru: [Something about the Shadow's seeing it as a real gun, therefore it becomes as such?]

Komaru: [I think that's how it worked.]

Makoto: [You can check our firearms for yourself next time we meet up if you don't believe me?]

Shuichi: [No, I believe you. I'm just making sure.]

Shuichi: [To answer your question though, I do have a rather particularized idea...]

Makoto: [And that is?]

Shuichi: [From what I can gather, my Persona lacks physical strength, and seems to derive most of its power from its magical and special ability over brute force.]

Shuichi: [If we were to unite against an array of enemies, I believe I would be more useful taking point and firing from the rear.]

Shuichi: [Choosing a weapon while thinking along those lines, how about something of the sniper variety?]

Komaru: [Does Taboo even sell sniper rifles? That might be a little difficult...]

Makoto: [Not to worry! I struck a deal with Fuyuhiko. He'll hit me up with the good stuff.]

Shuichi: [Senpai, forgive me, but the more you talk about this stuff, the more shady it sounds...]

Makoto: [Oh. Sorry...]

Toko: [We can all attest to the guns being fake.]

Toko: [Putting all that aside, we've got a plan now. Makoto will get you your weapon and probably a lot more crap like medical supplies and stuff we can use in the Palace. Once we're ready, we'll get back in together and secure a route to the treasure.]

Makoto: [It's on me by the way Shuichi, don't worry about paying me back.]

Shuichi: [If you're sure.]

Toko: [Yeah. So let's all get some much-needed rest for now.]

Komaru: [TTYL ya'll!]

Shuichi: [Goodnight everybody.]

Shuichi: [And...thank you once again for welcoming me to the team.]

----------------------------------------------

Despair Searching - Danganronpa V3: Killing Harmony

[THE NEXT DAY...]

Makoto had naturally delivered on this promise, and as he had expected, he had been given access to an exclusive item thanks to his deal with Fuyuhiko.

Shuichi's last period was P.E. so Makoto decided to meet with him after class to show off his new firearm, just to check if the specs were to his liking.

Of course, it would be bad if he was to just show off a full-blown sniper rifle to him in front of his classmates, so when his lesson got out, he decided to head over to the gym and loiter around a bit.

Shuichi's class was playing volleyball. And unfortunately, it seemed that the detective's team was at a tad disadvantage. One of the students on the other team was HUGE! Bigger and possibly even more muscular than even SAKURA!

Then again, he seemed to be playing rather gently despite his size. Makoto knew if the Ultimate Martial Artist was anything to go by, she could hit the ball hard enough to leave a dent in the gym floor!

Those who weren't playing volleyball were instead in the far corner of the room. While Makoto waited for Shuichi's class to get out, he found himself watching them with a keen eye. Some of them, particularly a thin girl with brown hair tied in a pair of scrunchies, and a tall slender girl with silver hair that fell over one eye, looked to be very athletic, as they scaled the climbing wall with ease.

"Enjoying the view, senpai?"

Makoto heard this familiar, cheeky voice behind him, and turned around to greet them.

"Kaede!" Makoto smiled, "hey, it's been a while."

"Sure has!" the blonde pianist smiled back, "what brings you here?"

"I had something I needed to talk about with your classmate, Shuichi," Makoto explained, "don't worry about that though. How have things been for you since we last spoke?"

"Well, it was pretty chaotic at first," Kaede admitted, "but I've had more than enough time to adapt, and...it's really fun! Everyone in class is really nice and I think I've done well making good friends with everyone!"

"Hey! Kaediot!" another student, a blonde girl in a custom-made pink P.E. uniform called out towards them, "get your flat tits over here and help me move this equipment!"

"Hm...Yes...very friendly..." Makoto rolled his eyes.

Kaede awkwardly glanced back at Makoto and shrugged.

"Don't mind Miu, that's how she shows affection," she assured him, "I'll be with you in a sec! I'm just talking to Naegi-senpai!"

"Get your ins in a second!" Miu yelled "you can raw dog Naegi-senpai all you want later! I need your help now!"

"UGH I'm NOT-!" Kaede tried to bite back but caught herself, "sorry senpai. She's not gonna shut up until I take care of this."

"It's fine. It was nice to catch up again, if only briefly," Makoto nodded, "good luck and have fun."

"Thanks!" Kaede beamed, heading off to help Miu with her problem. As he watched her head off, Makoto turned his head, his ears picking up a rather heated conversation nearby. Standing near the climbing wall were three students. Two of them were viciously bickering with one another while the third tried to mediate the situation.

He recognized one of them as Kaito Momota, the Ultimate Astronaut, a brash young man who had already made quite a name for himself. The other that he was arguing with, however, Makoto had never really seen before. He had an innocent look and a rather refined face; short in stature, a thin build, and very pale skin. He had purple eyes and moderately long, wavy blackish-purple hair, with the tips dyed a brighter purple.

The one in the center of them was Ryoma Hoshi, someone who had arrived at the school rather infamously on account of being a known criminal. He was the Ultimate Tennis Pro, and prior to his enrollment at Hope's Peak, had been arrested on the charge of mass homicide. The story was that he had crossed paths with a mafia organization, and had suffered as a result. In revenge, he had shot the entire organization through the head with his tennis skills and an iron ball.

Yeah, the story was pretty ridiculous in retrospect.

That said, it was clear Ryoma wasn't a bad person. In fact, Makoto had already crossed paths with him once and he'd been nothing but polite. Even now, he was acting as the middle man in this situation, though unfortunately, it was to little avail.

"Kaito, relax," he spoke in his unnaturally deep voice, "you know he's just trying to play you."

"Yeah, and it's working!" Kaito snapped, "do you know what kinda hellish training you gotta do to become an astronaut!? You're really trying to convince me a skinny prick like you can get up there faster than me?"

"If the shoe fits?" the short boy shrugged, a shit-eating smile on his face, "Maki already beat you and Kirumi-okāsan came close. Plus, Gonta could beat you if they tried."

"That's different! I don't mind losing to Maki-Roll!" Kaito bit back.

"How many times do I have to tell you to stop calling me that!?" the brown-haired girl with scrunchies shouted down at him from above. Presumably, she was this "Maki" the boy referred to.

It was quite a cute nickname, but Makoto kept that to himself.

"Oooh~You don't mind losing you say? Then how about a contest?" the boy leered with a mischievous smile, "first one to the top of the wall is the winner!"

"You're on!" Kaito snapped.

"Christ..." Ryoma lowered his oddly shaped hat over his eyes "he makes it look easy..."

"If you two are really doing this, I will be the umpire," the slender silver-haired girl hopped down from the wall and stood next to them, "both of you take your place at the bottom of the wall, and on my mark, you go."

The boys nodded and did as instructed.

"On your marks..." the girl said, "get set...GO!"

"Yeah! Here we-WHAT!?" Kaito was understandably flustered, as just as he leaped up onto the wall, the other boy suddenly shot upwards! Makoto felt his jaw drop as the boy pulled a bona fide grapple shot out of his pocket and launched himself on the hook! He pulled himself to the top of the wall in a few seconds flat, and comfortably perched himself there, letting his feet dangle off the side.

"What the hell...?" Maki frowned.

"Where did you even GET that?" Ryoma added.

"Nihihi!" the boy snickered, "a magician never reveals his secrets~"

"Hey!" a short girl with red hair and a tall pointy hat called out from nearby, "I'M the mage, not you!"

"No fair, dammit!" Kaito snarled, "that's cheating! You can't use a grappling hook!"

"Hey, I said the first one to the top of the wall is the winner! I didn't say anything about how we got up!" the boy stared down at his opponent with a Cheshire grin, "what's the point of putting in all the effort anyway? Tools like this were invented for a reason, you know? Anyway, thanks for helping me test it, Kaito!"

"You son of a bitch..." Kaito seemed more exasperated than angry, "you just wanted to screw with me...!"

"Kokichi!" the P.E. teacher suddenly shouted, "put that thing away! Whether it's related to your talent or not, you aren't permitted to use that here!"

To Makoto's surprise, the boy's eyes suddenly widened and started to well up with tears.

"E-Eh? B-But teach! I was just trying to h-have a bit of fun...! I've been waiting for ages to test this grappling hook!" he whimpered before practically exploding with tears, "WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHAHAAAGH! WHY ARE YOU SO MEAN!?"

Despite how the boy was bawling his eyes out uncontrollably, Makoto made note of the collective groan of all the other students in the gym. Clearly, this two-faced personality was something they had to put up with on a regular basis.

However, what got Makoto's attention more than anything was his tool of trade. He still hadn't managed to find a place that sold grappling hooks, and the more high vantage points they came across in the Palace, the more Komaru groaned about having to hold tightly to her brother just to reach them.

Where had this one managed to snag one?

DX Growth Plan - Danganronpa V3: Killing Harmony

After the gym class got out, Makoto swiftly pulled Shuichi to the side and handed him a long black case. Inside the case was the sniper rifle supplied to him from Taboo thanks to his connection with Fuyuhiko.

Fortunately, money wasn't much of an issue anymore, given that he could make a fair bit of cash from treasure in the Metaverse. While Shuichi was still skeptical, Makoto handed him the weapon, explained the rules, and then decided to ask him about his classmate.

"You mean Kokichi?" Shuichi asked, "what about him?"

"I'm wondering where it was he found that grappling hook of his," Makoto explained, "we did need extra but we couldn't find anywhere that sells them. Is there a chance that you can get me a chance to talk to him so I can ask for details?"

"Hm...I'm sure I can, yes...But I must warn you," Shuichi began to explain, "having a straightforward conversation with Kokichi is rather difficult."

"He did seem a little strange, but it's nothing out of the ordinary for Hope's Peak," Makoto considered, "you really think it's that hard?"

"I mean, isn't that to be expected?" a voice suddenly joined their conversation, "I AM the Ultimate Supreme Leader after all!"

Spirit, Praise, and Beauty - Danganronpa V3: Killing Harmony

Makoto and Shuichi jumped as they suddenly spotted a cheeky head poke from behind the corner. The stout and wavy-haired boy from before stepped out dramatically and joined them. Shuichi did his best to hide the large, long heavy case behind him.

"You were spying on us!?" Shuichi gasped.

"Aw, come on Shumai!" Kokichi smirked, ""spying" is a little much. What am I? A villain?"

"So you say..." Shuichi nodded.

"Wait a moment, slow down for a second," Makoto interjected, "supreme leader? Villain? What are you guys talking about?"

"That's his talent," Shuichi told him, "Makoto-senpai? Meet Kokichi Oma, the Ultimate Supreme Leader."

"That's me~" Kokichi winked.

Makoto scratched his head. When looking over the lineup of new students online, not one of them had been registered with the title of "Ultimate Supreme Leader." Of course, it wasn't uncommon for students' identities to go unpublished, since a few of his classmates, Mukuro and Kyoko in particular, weren't publicly exposed due to personal reasons and circumstances.

But all it did in this case was leave Makoto wondering...

"What does being the "Ultimate Supreme Leader" even entail?" he decided to just come out and ask.

"Oh, well, you see senpai, it's quite simple," Kokichi winked, "I'm just the supreme leader of an evil secret organization. That's all~!"

It took Makoto a minute to process this response.

"I'm sorry...what...?"

"I gotta say, it's pretty impressive," the supposed "Supreme Leader" sniggered, "my organization has over 10,000 members! Isn't that cool!?"

"S-Slow down!" Makoto flustered, looking back and forth between Shuichi and Kokichi, "the supreme leader of a secret, evil organization!? Is that really true!?"

"W-Well, the thing is...I wouldn't really be able to tell you for sure," Shuichi stammered, "you see, Kokichi here is known for being...how do I put it...?"

"A huge liar," Kokichi sneered, "right?"

"I wouldn't put it quite so bluntly..." the detective sighed.

"Huh? Wait, so...were you lying just now then?" Makoto frowned.

"Well, I am the supreme leader of an evil secret organization!" Kokichi held out his arms, "THAT part was true!"

"So...were you lying or not?" the Lucky Student asked.

"Nihihi!" the boy guffawed, "I'm not telliiiing~"

"Personally, I had never heard of such a large organization before I met him. I don't even know its name," Shuichi explained, "so I really couldn't tell you if it's real or not, but given that he was invited to be a student here...It has to mean something, right?"

"Well, it IS a secret organization, so I can't tell you its real name. Usually, we just change it every so often to throw people off," Kokichi explained, "our most recent title was the Hope's Peak Phantom Thieves!"

"Wait, excuse me!?" Shuichi and Makoto exclaimed in unison.

"Surprised?" Kokichi smirked, "would you believe me if I told you we were the ones behind Towa's confession? Just don't go telling everyone, ok?"

"Don't kid around," Makoto glowered, "I know that's a lie..."

"And why are you so sure?" Kokichi's expression suddenly deadpanned, immediately dropping the playful act and creating a serious mood, "do you know something that I don't?"

"Um...What do you mean?" Makoto broke out into a cold sweat, realizing he was on the verge of being rumbled.

"Look, forget all that," Shuichi interjected, "listen, Kokichi, senpai here was hoping to ask you something. Where did you get that grappling hook?"

"Don't worry about it Shuichi," Makoto stopped him, "I don't know if I can expect an honest answer or not..."

"Aw, so mean senpai! I was actually going to be honest with you this time!" Kokichi sobbed, "well, what you do with my answer is up to you, but truth be told...I made it!"

"You...made it?" Makoto parroted.

"Well, ok, I had a BIT of help from some of our classmates, Miu and Keebo, but I'm the one who came up with the original design," he explained, "if you don't believe me, I have the blueprints, and you can always ask one of them. They're both much more honest...a little TOO honest as a matter of fact..."

"The fact that he's suggesting someone can corroborate his words means he's likely not lying about it," Shuichi considered, "still, you designed a custom-made grappling hook? What for?"

"The lulz!" Kokichi stated bluntly, "and hey, if we ever feel like the Phantom Thieves are getting too big for their boots, we can pull off our own heists to one-up them, right?"

"So let me get this straight?" Makoto raised an eyebrow, "you see the Phantom Thieves as...rivals?"

"Psh, yeah! Whether or not the Phantom Thieves are evil or not isn't for me to say, but if they're really an organization that exists, they're definitely giving our group a run for their money when it comes to secrecy," Kokichi remarked, "that aside, why are you asking about it? You want one yourself?"

"Well, I was wondering where you got it from, because I was looking for a place to get them myself," Makoto explained, "I didn't even consider that you made it yourself..."

"What for?" Kokichi asked.

"None of your business." Makoto spat back.

"Aw, what!?" Kokichi pouted, "you're not even gonna lie to me!?"

"If there's something I don't want you to know, I'd prefer to just state the truth."

"Good! I'm glad to hear it!"

"You are?"

"Yeah! I hate it when people lie, you know?"

"But...you said you were a liar yourself!"

"Doesn't mean I approve of other people doing it! Lies are bad you know!"

Just talking to this kid was giving Makoto a headache, but he was caught by surprise as the Supreme Leader moseyed on up to him and slung his arm around his shoulder.

"Tell ya what, senpai," he smirked, "I'd actually be willing to make some more grapple shots and teach you how to use them if you want. BUT...YOU'VE gotta do something for ME first. So howzabout we make a deal?"

"A deal?" Makoto frowned, "with you? How do I know you won't stab me in the back?"

"With what knife!?" Kokichi faux gasped, "you and I are just students as far as I'm concerned! And what's so wrong with wanting a couple of grappling hooks of your own!? It's not like we're dealing drugs or weapons like the one in that case you just gave to Shumai?"

"How did you-!?" Makoto was cut off before he could get this question out.

"Don't worry, I know it's fake. I won't tell anyone if you don't. I just recognized it, since I'm also a regular at Taboo," Kokichi waved a hand, "I'm just gonna need you to do me a favor or two, and then my skills and ideas are all yours~"

"Forgive me if I'm not too enthused about signing any contracts with a liar like you," Makoto told him, "I have a bad feeling about this, but I suppose there's no harm in at least hearing you out."

"Yes! That's what I'm talking about senpai!" the boy pumped his fist, then used the same hand to fiddle with the spike on Makoto's hair, "don't you worry your spiky little head. I wouldn't ask you to do something crazy, like kill someone!"

"Kokichi..." Shuichi groaned, "some things are better left unsaid, you know?"

"Anyway, I'll get right to the point, since you've been so kind," Kokichi released Makoto, then pointed at him, "I want to make use of your talent!"

"My talent?" Makoto recited.

"Yes! Ultimate Luck is too great a tool for me not to take advantage of!" Kokichi cackled, "that's why I'd like for you to become an auxiliary member of my evil organization!"

"Are you serious?" Makoto didn't know whether to be surprised by this or not. The way he spoke was so playful, it was hard to take anything he said seriously.

"Think of the possibilities senpai!" Kokichi enthused, "think of the things we can do with that kind of power! We could rob banks without being caught! Find targets and other great and important spots for crimes just by stumbling across them! We could avoid capture easily, just by having you around!"

"I think you're letting your imagination run wild a bit," Makoto remarked, "that's not really how it works..."

"But it's "Ultimate" for a reason right? I just know it'll do us a LOT of good! So, Makoto-senpai, let's make a deal!" the Supreme Leader stuck out a hand, "join my organization, and together we'll do as we please to all the stupid plebs in this world! Let's sit on top of the world and look down on everyone else...And if we just wanna watch the world burn? That's fine, too! We'll light the whole thing up!"

Makoto, understandably, did not stretch out a hand. Instead, he just stared at Kokichi in contempt.

"No dice, huh?" Kokichi retracted his hand and hung his arms behind his head, "I can tell by your face."

"I'm not a monster who would ever do anything to harm others. That's not my justice," he told him with a dead serious look in his eyes, "you claim to be the supreme leader of some evil organization, but that's just a lie, isn't it? I mean, does this organization of yours even exist? What would I be signing up for in that case?"

"Nihihihi! True, I am a liar..." Kokichi grinned, "but you've fallen for my lies plenty of times. Why are you so certain this is another lie?"

"Because it's common sense, that's why," Makoto glowered, "there's no way your evil organization exists, and it's crazy to think you're some evil titan."

Kokichi's expression shifted again.

"Common sense, huh? Common sense, le sens commun, el sentido comun, joshiki...So many words that mean "common sense"...but who decides which one is right?" he asked suddenly, "why are you so sure that your idea of common sense is the right one? And why are you so certain that your "justice" as you call it, is right? That's not how I saw it..."

"What...are you implying?" Makoto hesitated.

"Nothing in particular...Hope's Peak Academy chose me to receive the title of Ultimate Supreme Leader," Kokichi reminded him, "I'm the real deal, hand-picked by the school. But you don't believe what I'm saying because that's, in your words, "common sense." Is your common sense really so similar to everyone else's common sense? Is what you believe to be right based on your common sense also right for everyone else?"

These words struck a chord in Makoto's soul and not the good kind. Without really saying it straight up, Kokichi was doing a great job making Makoto question whether or not changing a person's heart and hiding and administering justice from the shadows was the right thing.

He hadn't been ignorant of how he may hurt just as many people as he'd saved by changing Towa and eventually Kirigiri's heart...It just wasn't something he wanted to think about.

Could it be possible that Kokichi had already figured out his identity? With this boy's two-faced and unreadable expressions, it was impossible to tell.

"I...I'm sorry, but I won't be joining your organization," Makoto told him, "maybe you've got a point, and that what I've decided to do isn't the best choice...But I think it's the right path for me, so I'm going to stick to it. No matter what."

"Makoto..." his words had clearly resonated with Shuichi at least.

"Is that so?" Kokichi asked, "bummer...Guess I've got no choice. Let's change the terms a little bit!"

"Wait, what?" Makoto stammered, raising his head in confusion.

"It sucks that I couldn't score you, but as they say, "que sera sera"..." he sighed, "if you think the terms of the agreement are too strict, then I'll change them so we may reach an understanding with one another~!"

"You don't sound too upset in the end," Shuichi sighed, "just how far are you willing to go to mess with him?"

"So what are your terms now?" Makoto asked.

"Ooh, still interested? You must REALLY want these grapple hooks," Kokichi smiled, "if you want them so much, I'll give them to you. Free of charge."

"Really?" Makoto exclaimed, "you're not lying about this are you?"

"Cross my heart and hope to die! Though, as I said, I do need YOU to do some stuff for me," he explained, "to put simply...I want you to come and talk to me again!"

"Wait...That's it?" Makoto asked.

"That's it!" Kokichi beamed, "we can hang out, play games, and debate the path of righteousness and truth! I had a lot of fun playing today, so no way I want things to end here! We should do this again sometimes!"

"And that's all it would take for you to provide me my own grappling hooks?" Makoto allured.

"I'd even be willing to teach you a few tricks of my trade as a Supreme Leader," he winked and snapped his fingers, "all in exchange for a bit of your time."

This sounded a little too good to be true, especially given who Makoto was dealing with. But hey, Kokichi didn't seem remotely dangerous despite his vernacular, so what did he have left to lose?

"Fine...You're lucky I really need these," Makoto sighed, "it's a deal."

"Awesome!" Kokichi's eyes sparkled, "you're the best, senpai!"

I am thou...Thou art I...Thy hast acquired a new vow.

It shall become the wings of rebellion that breaketh thy chains of captivity.

With the birth of the Tower Persona, I have obtained the winds of blessing that shall lead to freedom and new power...

"Welp, now that I've had my fun, I'm gonna make like a tree and get out of your hair," Kokichi winked one final time before he turned with a flourish and skipped away, "see ya senpai! You better hold true to your promise!"

As soon as Kokichi was out of sight, Makoto bent over and let out a huge, exasperated sigh.

"As you can see, talking with him gets...exhausting..." Shuichi, who had remained fairly reserved the whole time, piped up, "how are you feeling?"

"I don't know what I feel," Makoto explained, "I just don't understand him. Half the time he seems like just a playful kid who gets off on messing with me, but the rest of the time, there's something underneath that smile that feels sinister and all-knowing. I feel like I need to watch what I say, or else he'll see right through all my acts."

"So, are you going to follow through on your deal with him?" the detective asked.

"I kind of have to. Not only am I worried about what he might try to pull to get my attention, but it's a sacrifice I'm willing to make for the Phantom Thieves," Makoto said, "speaking of which, try to get as much rest tonight as you can, and make sure you get all your things ready. After school tomorrow, we're heading into the Palace to locate the treasure and secure our route there."

"You got it, sir!" Shuichi saluted.

Chapter End Notes

And we have our new team member officially, and a new confidant to go with him!
Be honest, were you expecting anyone else to be the Tower?
Anyway, as always, thanks as always for reading! I love to get feedback from my readers, so feel free to leave a comment, and some kudos if you feel up to it!

The Flaw in the Plan

Chapter Summary

The Phantom Thieves brainstorm an operation to steal Kirigiri's treasure right out from under his nose and collapse his Palace. However, they get caught unpleasantly off-guard...

Last Surprise - Persona 5

"So let me get this straight..." Highwayman asked, blasting her way through several incoming enemies, "Shuichi's classmate is willing to provide you with grappling hooks in exchange...for what exactly?"

"To be honest, I don't actually know...He didn't go into details at the time, but he did hand over the grappling hooks as discussed. I didn't even have to pay for them. HAAH!" Leprechaun replied, running his fist through another Shadow.

The team had returned to Kirigiri's Palace the following afternoon. It was the first chance that they had to meet up since the previous day, and as Makoto had told Shuichi, they were going to head right in as soon as they did. Now inside another auditorium and fighting an array of enemy Shadow guards, Makoto was only now telling his sister and his other teammates the story.

"Seriously though Leprechaun," she spoke, while not breaking focus from whipping the enemies in front of her with her lasso, "how do you even meet these people? And how come you can just become friends with them despite everything?"

"I'm a second year at Hope's Peak, sis," Leprechaun reminded her, "I think I'm pretty used to living among lions by now. Also, friend? Making a LOT of assumptions right now..."

"Highwayman! Shadow on your six!" Razor suddenly exclaimed.

Highwayman spun around to see a Hua Po right in her face, ready to blast her with a flaming attack!

*POW!*

However, before it had a chance, it was suddenly obliterated as a speeding bullet smashed through its head!

Highwayman turned in the direction the bullet came from and saw their new teammate perched comfortably on top of the stage's catwalk, aiming his sniper rifle.

"Thanks for that Sleuth!" she called out, giving him a thumbs up, "keep watching my back, will ya!?"

"If I may be so bold, Highwayman, I believe it would be best for you to target the Mokoi's and the Hua Po's," he said, reloading his weapon, "your Persona has control over wind attacks, which the former doesn't seem to deal with well. Flying enemies are typically weak to gunfire since you clip their wings with the bullets. So try and use your moves sparingly."

"You hear that, Highwayman?" Toko smirked, "the newbie's telling you how to do your job!"

"I'm not telling her how to do anything!" Shuichi flustered, "I-I'm just offering some advice for her so that she doesn't die!"

"Psh...She's just messing with us, dude!" Highwayman explained.

"Alright, that's enough of that," Usami interjected, "we should be lucky to have Sleuth and his analytical ability. It'll help us tackle Shadow's much easier!"

*POW!*

"Thank you very much, Usami-sensei," Shuichi nodded, firing another bullet straight through the head of another enemy, killing it instantly, "I promise that I'll continue to make use of myself!"

"I told you to drop the formalities, buddy," Highwayman called out, "but man, you're REALLY good with that!"

"I told you I would perform much better from the rear," Sleuth smiled down at her, "although I did bring that baton, as requested, just in case."

"Well, good, because you might have to use it!" Leprechaun shouted, "incoming Shadow on your left!"

Sleuth lurched to his feet as he saw the incoming Corpse Bird Shadow fly towards him. It soared in and spat a burst of violent flames towards him, to which he backflipped to avoid it. As the Bird soared in for seconds, he grabbed his baton and smacked it around the face, knocking it back!

"Casanova!" he shouted, summoning his Persona, which finished the Shadow off with a blast of ice! The Shadow froze over, fell onto the stage, and shattered apart!

"Woah..." he smirked, "this Metaverse really is something..."

"It's good, right?" Komaru also smirked, "Leprechaun, you get that last one!"

"You got it!" Leprechaun rushed towards the final Shadow and swiped his mask for the finisher, "Andras! EIHA!"

Makoto summoned a Persona with the body of a man, but the face and wings of an owl. A whirlwind of bleak, dark energy rose up from the ground and enveloped the last Shadow standing, causing it to collapse to the floor.

"They're all knocked down!" Usami exclaimed, "we can end this right now!"

"Hey, Sleuth!" Leprechaun called up towards the catwalk, "you wanna help us finish them off!?" The young detective strapped his weapon to his back and cackled jovially.

"Hah! With pleasure!"

With extravagance, Sleuth gently let himself fall off the catwalk backwards and soared down to aid his fellow thieves in the All-Out Attack. He swarmed over the enemies and wiped them all in one go, finishing with a roll and grabbing the brim of his top hat, glancing snidely back at what remained of his foes.

He swarmed over the enemies and wiped them all in one go, finishing with a roll and grabbing the brim of his top hat, glancing snidely back at what remained of his foes

"I'll reveal the truth...!" he spat.

DRAE-Alice in the Children's Land (2-3) - Crypt of the Necrodancer

"Alright...This should be the final key we need in order to get to the Treasure's location, at least if that map is anything to go by..." Leprechaun held the key above his head.

Usami had already called it coming. As the thieves progressed through the Palace toward their location of interest, they came across more of the strange devices that they had used previously to turn Komaru into a little wooden doll. Naturally, they had been required to use them in order to fit through a few other small spaces.

Right now, the entire team; Leprechaun, Usami, Highwayman, Razor, and Sleuth, had ALL transformed into dolls. The last key they needed was hidden inside a dollhouse, and in order to get inside, they had all used the machine on themselves to turn smaller to fit through the door. While only one person was really needed, it was ideal to have the whole squad go so they could split up and search the house if necessary.

Regardless, Leprechaun found the key to the door underneath the doll's bed.

"Ugh...Good!" Highwayman groaned as they walked back through the dollhouse to leave, "the sooner we get turned back into humans, the better."

"I must say, of all things I expected there to be in this place, a machine that turns you into dolls wasn't on the list," Sleuth commented, "this place really is amazing. It keeps surprising me at every turn."

"Forgive me Sleuth, but I don't think that's a good thing," Razor remarked, "the scariest things are the things we don't understand, after all."

"I suppose as a detective, I just naturally WANT to understand," Sleuth replied, "the Metaverse may be a realm of fantasy, but it's created from lines of basic logic. That paradox alone, I find is magical."

"Personally speaking, I like being a doll," Usami chimed in, "the worst part about it is our weapons become useless and we can't fight Shadows, but other than that..."

"You really like this?" Highwayman would have frowned if her doll form had eyebrows, so instead she just turned back to glare at the bunny with a blank expression that exuded disgust instead of actually showing it, "I don't know if I've ever been through anything worse than this."

"Don't you think it's just enlightening seeing things from such a small perspective?" Usami inquired, "plus we look ADORABLE!"

"I guess I agree with her there..." Leprechaun admitted, bashfully scratching his wooden nose.

"Well, okay, I understand, but I think I'm gonna have to agree with Highwayman on this one," Razor sighed as she opened the door, "it's weird and pointless and I hate it."

"As they say, to each their own!" Usami squeaked, "anyway, now that we have the key, should we head back to the machine and get back to normal?"

"Yes please...!" Highwayman groaned, "this place is SO much worse than Towa's Palace, I HATE it..."

"Hold your horses," Leprechaun took point and halted them as they trundled down the hall, "we've got company."

The other Phantom Thieves peered over his shoulder to look at what he spotted.

"Is that..." Razor's button black eyes widened, "a DOG!?"

"No. It's a Shadow, like the other guards we've come across. But it takes the shape of a dog instead," Usami explained, "this isn't good..."

"Oh, yeah, I guess it makes sense for a rabbit to be afraid of dogs..." Highwayman considered, "let's hope this doesn't turn out like Watership Down...ooh..."

She visibly shuddered as she said this. Usami tilted her head.

"What's Watership Down?" she asked.

"It's an old novel about bunnies getting-MMPH!" Highwayman was cut off as Leprechaun hurried over to her and covered her mouth.

"Don't ask Usami...It's better for you not to know..." he dowered.

"Um...I don't really get it...but I'm not saying that because I'm afraid of dogs," Usami explained, "if the Shadow adopts the mannerisms of a dog, it might be harder for us to hide from it. It could sniff us out and hear us from a long distance away."

Exisal Tribe - Danganronpa V3: Killing Harmony

"Like RIGHT NOW! OH GOD!" Razor suddenly screamed. And understandably so, as the dog-shaped Shadow suddenly rushed towards them! Mid-sprint, it morphed into it's true form; a two-headed hound with greasy yellow fur and a long, skeletal tail!

It was too fast, but the thieves made a run for it anyway!

"SLEUTH!" Highwayman screamed to the detective boy in the rear, "is there any-...Wait...HUH!?"

She suddenly skidded to a halt, as did the other three, as they turned around in alarm; watching Sleuth's tiny doll body take the Shadow head-on!

"Persona!" Shuichi shouted, jumping into the air and ripping off his miniscule mask.

And to the surprise of the other thieves, Casanova was summoned full size! The dog was immediately blasted with ice, striking its weak point and collapsing. As soon as it was down, Sleuth turned around and ran before it could recover. He rejoined his other thieves, and they all dived into an air vent to escape.

LaLaLa Goodbye Personality! - Persona Q2 New Cinema Labyrinth

"Looks like my hypothesis was correct," the tiny detective readjusted his gloves and hat once they were safe, "we may not be able to use our weapons or fight the Shadows ourselves in doll form, but our Personas seem to be just fine."

"But how did you know?" Leprechaun asked, "that was pretty risky, you know?"

"I apologize, but sometimes you have to test your theories before you make any conclusions," Sleuth explained, "you explained to me before that a Persona is the power of someone's will. Though our bodies have shrunken, our souls and wills have not. Thus, it wouldn't make any sense to me if we couldn't summon our Personas, even as dolls. And it looks like I was correct."

He turned to Highwayman.

"It was quite a straightforward line of thinking. I'm surprised the thought never struck you."

"Oh, lay off!" Highwayman snapped, "it hurts more when you insult me without trying to!"

"There's no need for any animosity," Usami raised her voice, "look on the bright side. Sleuth has discovered we've still got our Personas to fight if any Shadows desire dolly for lunch."

"It would still be ideal to avoid combat as dolls anyhow," Sleuth added, "after all, using our Personas does take up energy, no matter what form we take. Having to focus on it will wear us down very quickly if we're not careful."

"Then here's an idea," Razor grumbled, "let's turn back into HUMANS and that won't be a problem."

"Yeah, let's get back to the machine and get through the last door," Leprechaun asserted, "that treasure isn't going to steal itself."

"This stage has a different vibe than the others we've seen so far..." Usami commented "and if my nose is anything to go by, we might find the Treasure here..."

The thieves came into yet another auditorium, yet as Usami pointed out, it was significantly bigger and fancier than any of the other stages they had encountered in the Palace previously. They stepped through a doorway and found themselves on a balcony with several rows of very fancy-looking seats surrounding them.

Far below them were more seats, those of which were almost completely filled by a Shadow and cognitive audience.

"Hey...Could that be it down there?"

Sleuth pointed towards the stage far below them. The other thieves took a glance, and sure enough, the strange white cloud that they had already seen once before in Towa's Palace hovered above it.

"Awesome!" Leprechaun pumped his fist, "we found it!"

"I guess with that, our infiltration route is secure!" Razor smirked.

"Wait, so that really is the Treasure?" Sleuth inquired, "it doesn't look anything like how I imagined in..."

"That's because it hasn't materialized yet," Leprechaun explained, "you know how I was telling you that our main objective was securing a route to the Treasure? We need to send the calling card before the next step."

"Calling card? Oh, you mean like the ones you posted over the bulletin board at the entrance to the academy. I didn't realize it was a necessary step," Sleuth brought his hand to his chin as he voiced his thoughts, "I think I get it. The Treasure can only be made manifest by changing the target's cognition that their desires are in danger. A rather bold, yet simple strategy if I may say..."

"You know Sleuth?" Leprechaun frowned, "it's honestly kind of scary how quick on the uptake you are..."

"Are you sure? I think it's pretty simple, right? Basic logic!" Highwayman's mouth started twitching.

"No, I'm half convinced you still don't get it..." Razor pointed an accusatory finger toward her. However, this idle discussion was brought to a halt as Sleuth suddenly grasped Leprechaun by the sleeve.

"Look...!" he whispered, "it's Kirigiri...!"

Makoto and the others turned their heads down towards the stage, and sure enough, the manipulative detective's Shadow self. They watched as he climbed the steps to the stage, as a few Shadows took seats in the rows far below them in front of the stage.

He stood on center stage, raised his hands, and clapped them together. As soon as he did, several dolls wearing different clothes cascaded down from above the stage. Gradually, their limbs began to move, contorting themselves into different poses, while Kirigiri and his Shadow entourage watched.

"What are they doing?" Leprechaun pondered.

"If I had to take a guess, I'd say they're preparing for a rehearsal," Sleuth hypothesized, "this is a stage after all, and presumably,

"Well, we'd better back out before he spots us," Razor interjected, "we know where the treasure is now, so-Usami!? Highwayman!? What are you doing!?"

Razor's exclamation was derived from how both the plucky rabbit and high-school girl had gotten themselves snug and comfy in the seats, staring down at the stage with anticipation.

"Come on, so long as we don't make too much noise, what's the problem?" Komaru asked, "if they're about to perform, we might as well watch, right?"

"Yes...Besides, we might learn a little bit more about Kirigiri if wait and watch," Usami nodded excitedly, "educational crusades such as this are not to be passed up!"

"Oh get real!" Razor snapped, "you just wanna watch a show!"

"Fine, we can watch for a bit," Leprechaun sighed, "but if we get busted and killed because you two want to get your kicks, I'll never forgive you in hell, okay?"

Reluctantly, Razor, Leprechaun, and Sleuth took their seats next to their teammates. The lights dimmed and spotlights shone down on the stage. The audience clapped their hands together as Kirigiri raised his hands and the show began...

The puppets on stage started to dance around...or more accurately, they were dragged around by the strings they were attached to. Makoto couldn't help but feel tense. The movements of the performance were so fast, that he was quite worried that the doll's arms would be ripped right off from how hard the strings tugged on them.

He supposed, in hindsight, Kirigiri didn't give a damn. As the dolls started to sing as a choir, he opened his ears to the lyrics.

♫I tread these streets with a regal grace♫
Surrounded by jealous souls and their disgraced
With a crown on my head, I radiate powerful vibes
♫No one dares to challenge, they all know better than to try♫

♫Oh, don't you see? I'm the royalty unseen♫
Everyone is beneath me, a truth that can't be questioned
I'm ruling this game, I'm the master of my domain
♫Above the rest, with an air of unquestioned reign♫

♫They whisper secrets but I know it all♫
Their petty lives, their little rises and falls
I look down upon them from my ivory throne
♫Their struggles and ambitions, a mere pestilence known!♫

"These lyrics are repulsive..." Sleuth glowered, "though I suppose if nothing else, they are befitting of Kirigiri's ideology."

"As a writer myself, I'm offended, but I also can't truly complain," Razor remarked, "lyrics and words are a way of expressing yourself; it's an art form. I just wish he expressed something a little less..."

"Asshole-ish?" Highwayman asked.

"That's not a word," Razor replied, "but yeah, let's go with that."

"I can only imagine how Kyoko were to react if she were to see this," Leprechaun closed his eyes shamefully, "I don't know if I can watch anymore."

"Well we don't have to," Highwayman assured him, "the Treasure is there on the back of the stage. Now that we've found it, should we bail?"

"Actually, I don't think that's wise. I don't believe we've truly secured a route to the Treasure just yet," Sleuth chimed in, "think about it. Before we even came in, there were Shadows and cognitive beings in the audience. How are we going to steal the Treasure when all their eyes are upon it at all times."

"He's got a point," Razor bit her thumb, "from the looks of things, there's no way we can get close without being spotted."

"Seriously!?" Highwayman gasped, "ugh...Now what!?"

"Calm down guys," Leprechaun hushed, "there's gotta be some way...What do you think Usami?"

Usami didn't respond. Leprechaun noted that her beady bunny eyes were focused on the dolls and the stage.

"Hm...I wonder..." the corners of her mouth turned up, "where do you suppose those strings are connected to?"

"Huh? Why do you ask?" Highwayman queried. Usami didn't reply, only choosing to stand on her seat and puff out her chest proudly.

"Let's take a look around this auditorium," she said, "I think I've got a plan."

DSO_Beautiful Dead - Danganronpa Another Episode: Ultra Despair Girls

After exploring a little more, Usami gradually became more and more confident in her scheme. Once they were finished, the Phantom Thieves returned to reality, headed towards their usual hangout spot in the park, and the bunny explained the full depth of her scheme to them.

"I see...It incorporates a lot of aspects of the Palace that we can use in our favor," Shuichi pondered, "it's certainly not what I would call foolproof, but I can see why you're confident in it."

"Yeah, it'll work for sure!" Komaru punched her open palm confidently.

"Not like we have many other options," Toko added, "so now what? Should I write the calling card like I did before? We can use the photocopier at my place this time if you want?"

"Actually, before you do that, I wanted to check," Makoto chimed in, "is there anything in particular you want to write on the calling card Shuichi? This affects you more than it affects anyone else after all."

"I definitely have a few choice words," Shuichi said, "but I'll leave the majority of the creative process to Toko-senpai."

"So Toko and Shuichi will write the calling card, and I'll photocopy more designs," Komaru gave a thumbs up, "so, are we golden?"

"Actually, there's one thing I wanted to do before we send the card," Makoto's expression became dour, "I-"

"So you really were here..."

The thieves immediately went into panic mode upon recognizing this voice. The lavender-haired Ultimate Detective, Kyoko Kirigiri, calmly and casually approached their bench.

"I caught word that you were using this park as a meeting point from people I'd asked around," she said, her expression ever so slightly dismayed, "I suppose I was right..."

Given all the stress the Ultimate Detective had put them through, the Phantom Thieves were on edge as she stood there. However, she herself looked like she wanted to say something, but words failed to leave her mouth.

"C-Can we help you, Kirigiri-sama?" Shuichi inquired.

"Yes...Sorry for showing up out of nowhere and interrupting," she nodded apologetically, "I wanted to speak to you all...It's about my grandfather."

Toko suddenly stood up.

"Oh yeah?" she crossed her arms and glared at her, "here to preach to the choir again, are you? Well, we're n-not having it!"

Kyoko crossed her arms and sighed.

"You were right..."

"Look, as hard as it is to admit it, your granddad isn't who you think he is, Kirigiri! Like we told you, he's not a righteous detective, he's just a no-good crook!"

"You were right..."

"He hired people to do all those bad things that happened to Shuichi. He only brought him on so he could ruin him! He's trying to take the SDA down because he doesn't like Shuichi's uncle!"

"You were right..."

"Oh, and not just that! Several detectives have lost their careers because of him! He puts you and the rest of his family on an unreachable pedestal, and as soon as someone acts against his wishes, he throws them to the-"

"TOKO!" Makoto snapped, cutting her off, "just-! Let her speak...! LISTEN to what she's saying."

Toko finally stopped her tirade of slander and she and the other thieves looked towards Kyoko, who tugged on her own sleeve, shame in her eyes.

New World Order - Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc

"You were right...About all of it," she told them, "those slanderous rumors, and your theories about him being involved in all this...They were all true..."

"W-Wait...you...agree with us...!?" Toko gasped. Kyoko responded by reaching into her jacket and pulling out some papers. She handed them over to Makoto, who was still sitting down. Makoto took the papers and started to read them.

"What are these?" Komaru asked, peeking over her brother's shoulder at the papers.

"I coaxed them out of some of my grandfather's closest associates at the agency. He doesn't know I have them, or that I'm here showing them to you," Kyoko explained, "they're invoices he tried to keep secret from me...Invoices detailing the plans and schemes that Shuichi experienced...This evidence combined with what you found in his study room...he really did mastermind...everything..."

There was an unfamiliar sadness in the girls' eyes.

"W-Well..." Toko harumphed, crossing her arms and turning her head, "at least you understand!"

"Lay off Toko-chan..." Komaru gently smacked Toko's arm, "can't you see this is a big deal for her? Would you be able to readily admit that someone you care about was responsible for harassment and blackmail?"

"I..." Toko didn't quite know how to respond to this...

"It's alright. I'm a detective, Komaru-san," Kyoko assured her, "it's bad practice for me to let my emotions and personal feelings get to me. It's unbecoming of an investigator. I haven't been shy about how I owe my grandfather for taking me in and raising me into the proud detective that I've become, but if uncovering the truth requires me to twist the knife on him...then I'll do it, without hesitation."

"Kiri...!" Makoto's eyes widened, "are you sure?"

"Trust me when I say this isn't a first for me," she started to fidget with her gloves, "many other people whom I considered close associates and friends have turned on me, hid things from me, and betrayed my trust in the past...I suppose I was just waiting for him to turn out the same..."

"Don't say that, Kirigiri-sama," Shuichi suddenly stood up and faced her, "I'm positive that Fuhito Kirigiri was the man you believed him to be at one point. I'm certain that he was!"

"What makes you say that?" she asked, "do you have anything to prove that?"

Shuichi shrugged.

"Not really," he admitted, "it's just what I believe."

"Hah...Did you hear a word I just said," Kyoko played with her hair, "something such as belief has no place in the world of detectives and investigators. Especially not to anyone with the Kirigiri's..."

"Well, I'm not a Kirigiri. And I never want to be," Shuichi told her, "It's true; having faith and believing in people isn't what being a detective is about. You're supposed to think logically and you can't let your feelings into it...It's an absurdity, total absurdity..."

He gently reached for the cap on his head and slowly removed it, holding it gingerly in his hands.

"But then again...that absurdity is what saved me. Even after I shouted in Naegi-senpai's face and turned my back on him, he never stopped believing in me. Now that I know the truth, I'm glad he didn't. And if I can trust my logic...maybe I should trust his feelings, too."

"Shuichi..." Kyoko spoke his name softly.

"In the end...I haven't really changed. I'm still scared of revealing the truth because it means that your grandfather, a man whom I have endlessly respected up until now, will have to suffer," he continued, "but Makoto, Toko, and Komaru...They were scared, too...They didn't let that stop them. Because of them, I faced the truth and doubted it, and kept thinking, and kept going...This is where it led me. And I won't turn away from it."

Kyoko smiled.

"I'll take that as a sign that he knows then?" she raised an eyebrow towards Makoto. The Lucky Student nodded and also stood up, handing the invoices back to her.

"I was actually hoping to talk to you before all of this, Kyoko, but we're planning on taking Fuhito's heart. If we do, your grandfather is going to be a changed man," he told her, "he might even go back to being the respectable father figure you praised him as, but either way, there won't be any way to revert it once we do this. Are you alright with that?"

Kyoko continued fiddling with her hair, unable to properly look him in the eyes.

"Given how little of this I understand, I can't claim that I'm "alright with it", but I'm not going to stop you," she told him, "though I loathe to admit it, I carefully thought it over before I approached you today. He had committed crimes that have disgraced the Kirigiri family name, praying on other detective's lives and destroying countless talents...and for that, he must pay his dues."

The team were caught off guard, as she stood up straight, and courteously bowed at them.

"If anything...I'm here to request you do so," she said, "and I'm sorry for everything I said to you. You have no right to meet this request of mine but...I just want my grandfather back."

"Don't be sorry Kyoko-chan!" Komaru exclaimed, "we understand, really! He matters a lot to you!"

"Like I said, while everyone else was working on the calling card, I was planning to come and speak to you privately. But you saved me the trouble by coming here," Makoto told her, "we've already got everything we need to steal Fuhito's heart, but I didn't want to do it if you were opposed to it, Kiri."

"Still, if you're going out of your way to come to us," Toko pushed her glasses up onto her face, "then there's nothing more for us to say. In fact, we could actually really use your help."

"My help?" Kyoko raised her eyebrows.

"It's integral that your grandfather sees our calling card, otherwise, we can't change his heart," Toko explained, "do you think you could help us deliver it to him?"

"I'm not going to say no, but are you sure it will work?" Kyoko asked, "he and I have both received our fair share of defamatory letters before."

"Don't worry about that," Monomi chimed in, "Kirigiri will know what we're talking about once he reads the card. There's no way this won't work."

"It'll work," Makoto paraphrased her words to Kyoko, who could not hear them, "trust us."

"Alright...I suppose I'll give this "belief" thing of Shuichi's a go..." she smirked, to which Shuichi beamed back at her, "how do you want me to go about this?"

"Funny you should say that..." Makoto smirked, "Shuichi? Kyoko?"

"Yes?" they both turned to him in response. It was hard to hold back his mischievous and plotting grin.

"How would you two detectives feel about dabbling in a little bit of crime for once?"

[THE NEXT MORNING.]

"Have you seen or heard anything from Shuichi since last time?"

"He hasn't returned to the agency Mr Kirigiri. We've received no word that he's dropped out of Hope's Peak, but he hasn't shown up here for the past few days."

"Good, good...I suppose it's only a matter of time then..."

Fuhito Kirigiri sat in his office, drumming his fingers on his desk as he talked to two of his close consorts. While he had been on edge the past few days following his private study being exposed to not only his victim but to his granddaughter as well, he was anticipating dreadful times coming.

But things had been going in his favor for now. Kyoko hadn't said a word about the incident, and Shuichi had stopped showing up at the agency. No one had reported him, and as far as he knew, only the agents he'd hired to commit his deeds for him were aware of the truth.

That Shuichi boy really was an idiot. How could he have been so paranoid? Now all that was left was to press charges against Kyoko's intruding classmate, and the whole incident would be over and done with.

As he continued to talk to his agents about business matters, he heard a knock at his door.

"Yes? Enter?"

The door opened, and Kyoko Kirigiri stepped inside, her face worried, stressed, and anxious.

"Kyoko, my dear!" he smiled at her, "are you alright? Why do you look so tense? Did something happen?"

"Sorry to drop in while you're so busy, sir, but it's highly important," she said, "look..."

Fuhito, as well as his agents, widened their eyes as Kyoko reached out and placed a green patterned card down in the center of his desk. Fuhito frowned as he saw the jagged symbol in the center, then turned the card around and stared at the words on the back.

Kyoko, who had already read and memorized the card, read the contents aloud for him...

To Fuhito Kirigiri, a grave transgressor who hides behind a mask of Pride.

You are a cretin who claims to uphold the values of your long-standing family traditions and detective methodology, but you yourself, are a disgrace to all private eyes.

You care more about your authority than your pursuit of the truth, and you abuse said authority to destroy the lives of anybody you find disagreeable.

We will not allow these misdemeanors to continue any longer, therefore we will be stealing your distorted desires, and make you confess your sins with your own mouth. We will expose your agency for the corrupted cesspool that it truly is, and take you down with it.

From

The Phantom Thieves of Hope~

Fuhito slammed his desk, lurched to his feet, and ripped the calling card apart.

"What the hell is this!?" he glowered, sweating buckets.

"Sir. This card bears the same symbol as the ones that were posted at my school," Kyoko told him, "it's very likely the perpetrators are the same people responsible for the Towa scandal."

"Th-Then...are they going to come for Kirigiri-sensei next!?" one of the agents in the office gasped.

"Don't be ridiculous!" the other agent snapped, "this has to be a prank. It's no different than any of the slanderous letters the agency typically receives, right?"

"Unfortunately, the problem doesn't end there," Kyoko continued, "copies of this card have been stuck all around the agency, both inside and outside. Many agents here have reported they found a copy stuck to their desks, and there are crowds gathered outside as we speak..."

Fuhito went into full panic, slamming his desk again and pointing a shaking finger toward his agents.

"You! Look through the security footage and find who's responsible!" he snapped, "and you! Get these blasted cards removed at once!"

"YES SIR!" they both shrieked, terrified of the outraged oldbag. Kyoko quietly watched as her grandfather shook his head and walked to the window, glaring out at the people below.

Meanwhile, unbeknownst to her, the Fuhito inside the Metaverse was in a similar state of panic.

"Are those brats from before behind all this?" he snarled, "hmph...What could THEY possibly do...I'll crush them just like I crushed all the others...!"

"I will take my leave for now," Kyoko told him quietly, "I'll aid the agents in dispersing the public."

Fuhito didn't reply with words. He just nodded his head, and Kyoko quietly and calmly left his office. As soon as she put a fair bit of distance from the office door, she reached into her pocket and pulled out her phone, dialing a number...

"Hello?" Makoto Naegi's voice replied through the speaker.

"The calling card has been delivered," she unveiled, "his reaction was about what you expected it to be."

"Good. That means it worked," Makoto laughed, "we now have everything we need to steal his desire. Thanks for this, Kyoko."

"No Makoto," Kyoko sighed, "thank YOU."

Not wanting to draw suspicion to herself, she hung up.

"Card sent and delivered!" Makoto pocketed his phone, turning to Komaru, Toko, Monomi, and Shuichi, all of whom were waiting anxiously for the call.

"Oh, thank god!" Komaru breathed a sigh of relief, "ever since we set Shuichi and Kyoko out to deface the agency with the cards, I've been worried sick."

"The Treasure has no doubt materialized by now," Monomi announced, "remember everybody, we only get one shot at this. If we don't steal Kirigiri's desires in a day's time, we miss our chance to steal them at all."

"Then let's do it. You ready for this rookie?" Toko asked.

"More ready than anything I've ever been for in my entire life!" Shuichi smiled confidently.

"That's what I like to hear!" Makoto pounded his knuckles together, "right team! MOVE OUT!"

DSO_Shore-scented Dead End - Danganronpa Another Episode: Ultra Despair Girls

Fuhito's Treasure materialized inside his Palace, and as some of the thieves had already suspected, it took the form of a performing doll on the stage. By the time they arrived at the Treasure's auditorium, Kirigiri was already in the middle of conducting a musical performance.

The seats, both high and low, were filled with an audience. Credit had to be given here. With the Treasure on center stage, everybody's eyes were on it at all times. There was no way the thieves who were coming for the treasure would be able to steal it with so many people watching...

...Or WOULD they...?

"Alright, so here's my strategy," Monomi explained to her companions after they got out of the Palace the previous day, "with where the Treasure is placed, we won't be able to steal it without someone spotting us. Not only will there be people and Shadows in the audience, but once we send the calling card, there will be plenty of guards in, out, and all around the stage when we arrive to steal it."

"Not to mention there may be more members of the audience on the day of," Toko considered, "plus, if today's anything to go by, Shadow Kirigiri himself might be there watching with a keen eye."

"Yes, I'm betting on that," Monomi affirmed, "thus, I believe I have the perfect strategy in mind to pull this heist off."

"And that is?" Komaru inquired.

"Simply put, we hide in plain sight," the cottontail caper explained, "remember what we found in the area behind the stage after our excavation?"

"It was one of those machines that turn us into dolls," Makoto recalled, "are you suggesting that?"

"Yes indeed! One of us will have to turn into a doll. Then, we'll take whoever becomes the doll to the catwalk above the stage, where those strange arms man the puppets," Monomi continued, "we'll descend them down on strings and hide them amongst the other performing dolls, and have them steal the treasure from there!"

"Sounds good. But...who's gonna be the doll?" Toko asked, "Komaru again?"

"That's 10 pounds of "NO" in a 5-pound bag!" Komaru snapped. Suddenly, Shuichi raised his hand.

"I volunteer myself. Aside from my own personal desire to steal Kirigiri's most treasured belonging, I also believe I would be the safest option," the detective said, "after all, a doll of me already exists in the Palace. If we take the doll's clothes and dress me up in them, Kirigiri won't be any the wiser if I join the performance."

"That's the genius mind of a detective at work!" Komaru pumped her arms excitedly, "you got this Shuichi!"

"Your confidence is much appreciated." Shuichi smiled back.

"Alright, is he ready?" Leprechaun asked.

"Yes...He's right here." Usami replied. She reached out, holding the tiny detective in her stubby hands. Sleuth waved up at him.

"Ready to go, Leprechaun," he raised a hand, "hook me up!"

"Alright, calm down Firestarter," Leprechaun giggled, "I'm glad you're having fun, but let's focus on the mission, alright?"

"Sorry...You're right though," Shuichi smirked, "I have to admit, I'm very excited."

"Alright, I'm heading off," Usami told them "you'll be ok from here on, yes?"

"Yeah, we're good," Leprechaun gave her a thumbs up, "come on Sleuth. Let's get you strung up."

"We'll need someone to hide on the catwalk and control Shuichi like the hand machines do," Monomi continued her explanation, "I'd do it myself, but I sadly don't have fingers that would allow me to masterfully control the puppet body's limbs."

"Then leave it to me," Makoto volunteered, "I won't claim to be a master ventriloquist, but I should be able to handle it."

"In that case, I am in your care, senpai." Shuichi nodded.

"Ok, the show's about to start," Leprechaun saw the lights dim, "good luck."

"I'll be counting on you, Leprechaun," Sleuth turned back and nodded to him one final time. Slowly, he gently descended the pint-sized detective down onto the stage with the other puppets.

Sleuth felt his feet touch the wooden floor of the stage, as the dramatic, operatic music rose in volume. Then the lyrics began, and as guided by Fuhito's hand, the puppets began their sick dance.

♫In the face of every challenge,♫
I rise up, I stand tall!
No matter what life brings my way,
♫I'll never fear, and crush them all!♫

♫I will never be defeated, no, not me.♫
Stronger than the storm, I will always be.
With resilience and bravery, I'll overcome.
♫My spirit shines, like a rising sun.♫

From above, as the mechanical hands moved the other puppets, Leprechaun moved Sleuth into whatever pose he felt was right.

Sleuth couldn't help but feel uncomfortable with how his limbs were being yanked everywhere, but he supposed it was needed to sell the guise. Plus, he could still move his limbs by himself to grab the Treasure.

But he couldn't do it yet. Not with so many people watching and with spotlights shining down on him. Now, all he had to do was wait for his teammates to make a move.

"Hold on though. As cool as this plan sounds, isn't there a huge problem?" Toko pointed out, "even if we hide Shuichi amongst the other actors on stage, it doesn't change the fact that loads of people are gonna be watching him. How is he going to grab the Treasure and steal it with a whole audience, plus Kirigiri himself, watching him? Would there even be a point in the disguise in that case?"

"She has a point..." Shuichi realized, "unless we have a way to divert the attention of the entire audience, this plan is still very risky."

"Why would we need to divert their attention?" Komaru chimed in, "all we've got to do is hide you and the rest of the stage from sight, right?"

"What do you mean?" Shuichi turned towards her.

"The stage has a curtain," Komaru reminded him, "how about during the performance, we find a way to close the curtain and hide you from everyone watching? Then, when the curtain's closed, you can hoist the treasure up the catwalk and make your escape from there?"

"That's...actually a very good plan Komaru!" Toko exclaimed.

"Yes, I was thinking of something along the same lines," Monomi affirmed, "whether we close the curtains or turn off all the lights, we'll need to do so via the control room we found at the far back of the auditorium. The entire stage is controlled from that area."

"Me, Shuichi, and Monomi will be on the catwalk," Makoto said, "so we'll leave the stage operation to you two, Komaru and Toko."

"Psh, easy for HIM to say," Razor remarked quietly as she and Highwayman hid behind the door, "look how many guards there are in there! Even we can't take them all alone!"

Sure enough inside the control room were a multitude of Shadow guards, including some of the dog-shaped ones from earlier. There was no way past them towards the stage controls.

"Well, the good news is I've got a plan," Komaru looked towards her, "the bad news is you're not gonna like it."

"I don't like most of your plans," Toko snarked, "but...whatever you've gotta do, do it. The others are counting on us."

"Thanks Toko-chan," Komaru smiled, "in that case, you'd better hide."

"Wait, why do I-?"

*POW!* *POW!* *POW!*

"OMARU!?"

Razor was caught by surprise as Highwayman suddenly grabbed her gun and started shooting through the glass door, sending the Shadows into a state of panic! She stopped firing, and took a quick opportunity to stick her tongue out at them mockingly before she turned heel and booked it!

"INTRUDER!" the Shadow shrieked, "AFTER HER!"

All of the Shadows in the control room poured out of the door, rushing down the hallway and chasing after the hat-wearing Highwayman. Even once they all turned the corner and were out of sight, Razor could still hear the sound of gunfire echoing down the hallway. After ensuring everybody had left, she emerged from her hiding place and entered the now-empty control room.

"I swear to god Komaru," she said quietly to herself, "you'd better come back alive or else I'll kill you...!"

As she stood in front of the stage control panel, Razor peered through the window. From where she stood, she could see Sleuth down on the stage, dancing around with the music, keeping close to the Treasure so he could grab it at a moment's notice.

♫Through every setback and struggle,♫
I find the strength to carry on.
I'll keep pushing, keep fighting,
♫Against odds that may seem so strong.♫

♫I will never be defeated, no, not me.♫
Stronger than the storm, I will always be.
With resilience and bravery, I'll overcome.
♫My spirit shines, like a rising sun.♫

"This coming from a guy who makes people do his dirty work for him..." she hissed.

She turned her attention down towards the control panel in front of her and saw a big red sign indicating a lever for the curtains. She gulped down her fears, then firmly grasped the lever.

"Ready or not...Here we GO!" she yanked it!

As soon as she did, the curtains to the stage swiftly drew closed, much to the surprise, and annoyance, of the audience. Shadow Kirigiri's eyes also widened in surprise, and he started to panic, with the Treasure now being hidden from his sight!

"SLEUTH! NOW!" Leprechaun exclaimed.

Sleuth didn't waste any time! He dashed over to the Treasure and wrapped one of his arms around it! He then pulled on the string to let Leprechaun know he was ready, and the green-clad Phantom Thief promptly hoisted him right up to the catwalk again!

♫Though the journey may be tough,♫
And the road ahead may seem long,
I'm fueled by determination,
♫I'll prove them all wrong!♫

"What are you doing!?" Fuhito glared at his consorts, "hurry and get the curtains open!"

"Yes sir!" one of the Shadows exclaimed, "we're remotely reopening them now!"

One of the Shadows held a remote control in his hands which he used to almost immediately reopen the curtains, even after Razor had closed them.

♫I will never be defeated, no, not me.♫
Stronger than the storm, I will always be.
With resilience and bravery, I'll overcome.
♫My spirit shines, like a rising sun.♫

♫With a heart that's full of fire,♫
I'll soar above any fear.
I'll conquer all that stands in my way,
♫For I will never be defeated here.♫

"D-Dollmaker Kirigiri!" one of the Shadow guards exclaimed, "the lead actor! They're gone!"

Shadow Kirigiri spun around back towards the stage angrily, and as the Shadow had already said, the lead actor in the center of the stage was gone. Naturally, the audience was upset over this, and there were groans of complaints amongst the crowd.

Kirigiri clenched his teeth so tightly he may have broken his own jaw...

"Lock down the entire auditorium! Don't let a single living soul enter or exit!" he snarled, "do NOT let those thieves get out alive!"

"Hmph..." Monomi smirked from the catwalk above, "too late, old timer~!"

"The last stage of the plan is up to me," Monomi finalized her explanation, "it's likely that once Kirigiri realizes the Treasure has been stolen, he'll lock the auditorium down to prevent us from escaping."

"How are we even gonna get out?" Makoto asked, "if they lock all the doors, what left do we have?"

"Like I said," Monomi smirked, "leave that to me."

"LET'S GO!" the pink and white mascot hollered, "Jump down here!"

Prior to the operation, Usami had broken open a window near the catwalk to serve as an emergency exit. Leprechaun, with Sleuth and the Treasure snugly packed into his pocket, stared down at the building below him. It had a skylight, like the one they had used to enter the Palace, and Usami herself had made her way to the roof beforehand and opened it. She waved one of her paws, egging Leprechaun to make a jump for it.

"Hold on tight Shuichi!" he called out, fastening his grappling hook to his wrist, "this is gonna get dizzy!"

Sleuth tucked himself and the Treasure into Leprechaun's pocket and held onto it tightly, as Leprechaun cast his grappling hook forward and swung quickly down towards the skylight. His aim was on point and he dived right through the open window, landing safely on the fancy carpet.

"Hurry, hurry!" Usami urged him towards one of the doll machines in the room. Sleuth hopped out of the pocket and jumped onto the conveyor belt. With a simple button press from Leprechaun, he returned to his normal size and appearance. With a playful smile, Sleuth bounded off the conveyer and discarded his mannequin's clothes, returning to his Phantom Thief attire, replacing his black cap with his white top hat.

"We should be right outside the main stage now," he commented, "we shouldn't hang around for long, else Kirigiri might catch us."

"Hold on though," Leprechaun interjected, "we need to wait for Razor and Highwayman. We're not leaving either of them behind."

No sooner did he say that, than another figure dropped in through the skylight. While worrying it was an enemy, Leprechaun, Sleuth and Usami spun around, but relaxed their guards as they saw Razor stand up straight.

"Sorry for the wait," she fiddled with her scissors, "wait...where's Komaru?"

"I...thought she was with you...?" Leprechaun mentioned.

However, once again, just as they talked about it, yet another figure dropped through the skylight, right next to Razor. Highwayman stood up and fastened her hat to her head.

"Hey, jerk!" Razor smacked her arm, "I was worried about you!"

"Sorry, sorry," she smiled embarrassingly, "it took me a while to get all those guys off my trail. Anyway, I'm assuming you guys got the treasure?"

"Sure did!" Leprechaun reached into his pocket and pulled it out, "it's right...here...!?"

Leprechaun's victorious tone quickly trailed off, as once he pulled the puppet treasure out of his pocket, his face turned pale...For the doll itself had shattered apart...!

"You BROKE IT!?" Razor shrieked!

"WHATDOWEDO!? WHATDOWEDO!?" Highwayman panicked!

"But the Treasure is a physical manifestation of desire!?" Usami squealed, "it shouldn't break so easily!"

"Wait a moment," Sleuth approached Leprechaun, silencing everybody with his movements, "Leprechaun, may I please take a look at that?"

With not much else to do, Leprechaun held out the Treasure to Sleuth, who carefully examined its pieces and joints. He then examined the doll's clothing. Then once he was done, he raised his head, concern in his eyes.

"Something's not right about this...This doll is very poorly put together. I think it fell apart on its own; nothing to do with us," he explained, "additionally, these clothes don't look familiar to me. There's no one Kirigiri is associated with that wears such a standard style. It doesn't even have hair, just a hat..."

"Wait a second..." Toko's eyes widened with realization, "then does that mean...!?"

*FWWOOOOOOOOOOOOMMMMMMM!*

"WATCH OUT!"

Fortunately, Leprechaun's shout reached his companions in time! He, Usami, Sleuth, Highwayman, and Razor all flipped back out of the way of an incoming blast of fire! The flames crash-landed near where they were standing, burning the Treasure doll to cinders and creating a giant cloud of ash!

As that cloud settled, three figures emerged; two of them typical Shadow guards that stood by the side of the one in the middle, recognizable from his small hat and malefic grin...!

"I don't know why I was so afraid of you thieves! I can't believe you really fell for the oldest trick in the book!" Kirigiri squawked, "didn't you know? Many actors have doubles to help them with certain scenes...and my did the double help me THIS time..."

"As I suspected! That doll was a fake treasure you set as a trap!" Sleuth glowered, "how careless of me not to notice until now..."

"Dammit!" Razor spat, "when will the lies end, Kirigiri!?"

"They won't end until we take him down ourselves," Leprechaun cast out his hand, "you may think you've got us backed into a corner, but we're not down and out yet!"

"I have to admit, I'm rather impressed you were able to do such a number on my dollhouse without me even realizing," Kirigiri chortled, "in honor of your reckless courage, there's something I wish to show you...Is THIS what you're looking for?"

Kirigiri precipitously reached into his baggy sleeve, and once his hand emerged, it was grasping a wooden frame with strings attached to it. Dangling from the frame was an elegantly crafted, pristine puppet with long hair and tidy clothes, its features matching most of the other puppets, but more defined and carefully crafted.

"This is the hidden Treasure you were after this whole time," Fuhito explained, "my prized possession; the source of power and influence!"

"So THAT'S the real Treasure?" Highwayman clenched her fist, "you mean you had it on you this whole time!?"

"If you truly value something as much as you value your life, you wouldn't leave it in a place where lunatic larcenists like yourselves could take it! I'm not an idiot!" Shadow Kirigiri glared at them, still playing with the puppet, "well? What do you think of her splendor? Only someone this elegant, creative, and skillful has the right to be the prized star of this theater! None of these other pieces of firewood come close, not in the least YOU, Shuichi...!"

Fuhito, impressively, spat Shuichi's name out so slimily, that he made it sound like a slur.

"Wait..." Sleuth's eyes widened, as the culmination of what Kirigiri was saying finally settled into him, "are you telling me that that doll is...It's...!?"

"Kyoko...!?" Leprechaun gasped, coming to the same realization.

Usami, Razor, and Highwayman stared wide-eyed at the doll, the boy's observations letting them see the resemblance! The lavender hair, the single braid, the pale color of wood, the black short skirt, heeled knee-high black boots, and of course, the black studded gloves.

There was no doubt...!

"Exactly," Kirigiri cackled, "this doll is modeled after my dear, darling granddaughter! I have carried the Kirigiri's legends in the past, and now she will be the one who will walk the path to our equally legendary future! It is her DESTINY! If that's not a tale of drama, beauty, and glory, then what is!?"

"You PRICK!" Highwayman gnarled, "even your own GRANDDAUGHTER is nothing more than a PUPPET to you!?"

"You never loved her at all, did you...!" Leprechaun felt his body tremble with rage, "all you ever saw her for was her talents! You only wanted her to be a great detective; you didn't care about who she wanted to be as a person!"

"Well of course not! The greatest detectives don't show kindness, or compassion, or let anyone glean their true personality!" Kirigiri beamed maliciously, "as soon as she was born, I knew she could do what my arrogant son could not! To carry on our family legacy, as the Ultimate Detective; there is no greater role to fill in life!"

"You keep rambling on and on about how great you detectives are! I'm starting to think you've forgotten what it actually means to BE one!" Razor spat, "basically, what you're saying is you modeled your own family into being the perfect plaything, just like you did to that puppet!"

"I would much prefer to say...I trained her to become what she was always meant to be. I failed to craft my son Jin into the perfect detective, so I wasn't keen on making that mistake again," the Dollmaker leered, "Kyoko was the most perfect, overwhelming beauty I had ever seen in my life...I just needed to add a few final touches to her, and she became...perfect...!"

He took a menacing step forward.

"Not to mention this is payback to Jin for trying to hide her away from me...! I will not let that impertinent brat and his hopeless dreams destroy our lineage! Nor will I let YOU do so!" he snarled.

"So what? You're just gonna dispose of us and hide the truth like usual!?" Leprechaun snapped, "what kind of detective are you!? I can't believe Kyoko EVER looked up to you!"

"Kyoko, her father, Shuichi...all of them are MY puppets! I made them, so I have the right to control them! That goes for all the other puppets, and of course, you too, Shuichi..." Fuhito pointed forward, "I will make you submit to your strings, and if not, I'll just toss you in the incinerator and let you burn to ash! Along with these miserable, no-good friends of yours...!"

"Pft! Like we'll go down that easily after all that!" Razor spat, "if this is gonna come to a fight, we're happy to oblige!"

"Hell yeah!" Highwayman added, "how dare you treat both your child and grandchild like they're objects! We'll kick your ass for that!"

Fuhito simply raised his head and cackled in response. However, Shuichi suddenly took a step forward.

"Did I...just hear you right...?" he growled, speaking slowly, "what did you just say...?"

"Hm? What did I say?" Fuhito glowered. Shuichi raised his head and glared at the pride-stained detective, dead in his evil, yellow eyes.

"Kyoko-sama and everyone else told us that Jin Kirigiri abandoned her when she was a baby, and left you to raise her instead," he recalled, "what do you mean Jin "tried to hide her away from you?""

Blooming Villain - Persona 5

Makoto, Toko, Monomi and Komaru's hearts skipped a beat upon hearing his words. He was right...! It didn't add up...!

"Hmph! So, my mouth slipped..." Fuhito sighed, "though I suppose since you're about to die, there's no point keeping any more secrets from you..."

"What happened!? What REALLY happened with Jin and Kyoko!?" Shuichi, with a flourish, pointed his finger accusatorily towards Fuhito, "tell me NOW!"

Fuhito took a deep breath as he began to explain.

"Kyoko, and everyone else in the agency, believes that Jin left of his own accord after he and I had many disagreements in regards to his path in life. He never wanted to be a detective; he had a complete lack of interest. However, the truth is he left because I kicked him out!" he spat, "this happened BEFORE Kyoko was even born..."

He turned his eyes to the sky in deep reflection before he continued.

"I searched high and low for a worthy successor to the Kirigiri name, but I quickly realized...No one aside from our bloodline can truly be considered "worthy" to hold the name of the greatest detectives in all of history! I was low on hope, but that's when I found her...!"

He raised his arms above his head and started to laugh maniacally and wickedly!

"I learned that my son Jin had born a child with the mistress of the esteemed Uzuchi family! As I said, I knew she held greatness upon first laying eyes on her, even as a young girl! That's why I HAD to ask them to return...So I could craft her into the perfect Kirigiri Detective!" he declared.

"And Jin...!?" even under his mask, Shuichi's face of disgust and rage was clearly visible, "what about him!?"

Fuhito's grin crawled across his old wrinkly face...

"I was considering turning over a new leaf with him, but then I realized that as her father, he would have had more influence over the young girl than I did. But then one day, Kyoko's mother took ill...and I had a brilliant idea..." he smirked, "we were abroad solving a case when it happened, and I refused to lend him any aid or let Kyoko return to Japan to see her dying mother...I doubt she even remembers her face even now..."

"No...!" Usami reactively clasped her paw over her snout, "you mean...she died...!? And you didn't even let Kyoko see her in her last moments!?"

"Of course not!" Fuhito scoffed, "NOTHING was more important than crafting Kyoko into the perfect detective! NOTHING! And with Jin leaving the family in rage, it was all too easy to convince Kyoko to turn on him! All I had to do was convince her he used her death as an excuse to pursue his own dreams, and henceforth, she was ALL MINE!"

"You've gotta be fucking kidding me!?" Highwayman barked, "you gaslit her into hating her own father for no real reason!? What is WRONG with you!?"

"You've been lying to and manipulating her through her whole life...!" Razor choked, "you FREAK!"

"Jin never abandoned Kyoko...! It was all a lie...!" Leprechaun trembled in unbridled rage, "you STOLE HER FROM HIM, YOU ROTTEN SON OF A BITCH!"

"Stole!? She's MY granddaughter! MY CREATION! She was always meant to be!" Kirigiri crossed his arms, "I don't care if you know the truth now. As I've said, I'll dispose of you myself, here and now, before you have the chance to run your mouths to anybody!"

"Think again, you old tomfool! We are going to make you pay...!" Usami growled.

Sleuth lowered his head, stood perfectly still, and grasped the brim of his hat.

"Shuichi?" Highwayman looked over at him worryingly, "what's wrong? Are you alright?"

"Alright? Heh...of course I'm alright..." he raised his head, a flash of determination and boldness in his eyes, "after all...I just lost the one excuse I had to hold back against this cretin...!"

"Excuse you?" Kirigiri frowned.

"I always looked down on myself...I HATED myself...because I thought I was the poorest excuse for a detective..." he said, "I was afraid of what consequences might come from revealing the truth, and detested myself because of it...all while looking up to the likes of you, Kyoko and my uncle...Because you were heroes in my eyes...being able to solve crimes and do what I could never bring myself to do...!"

His look of determination, in an instant, became a look of indignation and animosity!

"But now I see the truth, and see you for what you really are, Fuhito Kirigiri! I may have been reluctant to find the truth and expose the lies, but I have NEVER manipulated and hid it for my own selfish interests!" he thrust out one pointed finger towards Kirigiri, and the other swiped his hat off his head, holding it tightly in his fingers, "you AREN'T a detective! You NEVER WERE! You are NOTHING MORE than narcissistic, egotistical, old, frail, RAT!"

"Shut your fussy little mouth, you no-good goodie-two-shoes!" Kirigiri spat back, "I am the DOLLMAKER! None of these puppets can do their jobs without me holding them up by their strings!"

"Watch out everybody!" Usami raised her voice as the atmosphere around them started to darken with an evil energy, "he's about to charge us!"

Kirigiri's Shadow then began a horrible transformation as his body slowly started to rise in the air. His face stretched out and his eyes whited out and grew big and bulbous. His arms and legs became more skeletal, and his skin morphed into a strange, disgusting purple. His fingernails began to stretch out into the shapes of claws, and tender, mystical strings started to be drawn out from the tips. The small hat on his head also changed shape, now standing very tall and thick on his head. The teeth in his horrible maw stuck out of his mouth like blades and arachnid-like appendages stuck out on both sides of his head. His transformation finished with a second pair of bony, creepy arms bursting out from each side of his torso, the fingers wriggling like insects.

"Here he comes!" Leprechaun patted Sleuth on the shoulder firmly, "are you ready for this!?"

"Senpai," Sleuth confidently placed his hat back in his head and squared down the distorted monster, "I've never been more ready for anything in my life...!"

"In the world of detectives, we Kirigiri's are destined to stand above all!" Fuhito growled, his voice distorted from the transformation, "I am the one who makes the rules! I am the supreme authority!"

"I! AM! GOD!"

The Dollmaker of Pride

Chapter Summary

With some new terrifying discoveries having been made about the Kirigiri family, the Phantom Thieves face off against Fuhito Kirigiri's Shadow, with the goal of enacting some sweet justice and vengeance...!

Chapter Notes

See the end of the chapter for notes

Before either side could throw so much as a punch, Shadow Kirigiri hovered above the Phantom Thieves and snapped two of his 20, boney fingers.

To the thieves' surprise, the walls and floor of the room they were in suddenly fell down and disappeared, and the lights above them were turned into multiple colored spotlights, shining down on themselves and Kirigiri. After taking a moment to process their new surroundings, they found themselves in the middle of a large stage, squaring the puppeteer down.

The situation got even more surprising when an audience of Shadows suddenly arose from seats surrounding said stage, cheering and waving and applauding the spectacle in front of them.

"Are you surprised? Don't be," Shadow Kirigiri smirked, holding out his arms as if giving a demonstration, "this is a theater and I'm the master. Why wouldn't I want to make your miraculous deaths a spectacular performance of its own?"

"Fine by me...!" Makoto cracked his knuckles, "it'll be all the more embarrassing for you when we defeat you in front of your adoring fans!"

"You got that right!" Komaru added, "now stop wasting time, and let's get to it already!

"Au contraire, you brainless bronco," Kirigiri shook his head and waved his finger, "the show has only just begun! And the audience desires to see you DANCE IN THE FIRES OF HELL!"

True to his claim, Kirigiri clapped all four of his hands together, creating a burst of flame in between them, which he then threw in a wave at the thieves, with the audience looking on and applauding. The 5 of them all leaped back to avoid it, but Sleuth slid back near the edge of the wooden platform they stood above and looked into the abyss below.

"There's no footing beneath this stage!" he called out to his teammates, "we have more than enough space to fight, but be careful! Don't get too close to the edge!"

"Not good with fire, are you?" Kirigiri jerked, "then how about I use some of THIS to COOL YOU OFF!?"

Following this wisecrack, two of his hands launched glowing orbs at the ground in front of him, which then exploded into a burst of freezing cold ice that almost blew the thieves away!

""Cool us off?" Really!? That's the best you've got!?" Razor shook the frost off her arms and rushed in, "BARROW!"

Shadow Kirigiri grunted as Razor launched herself up towards him and elbowed him in the face! She then used the impact as leverage to fling herself above the creature and let Barrow land an array of cuts and slashes into him with claws and blades!

"YEAGH! Get off me, you simpleton!" Kirigiri snarled, backhanding Barrow. The Persona took the attack, which was reflected back on its user, but Razor did not succumb to the pain! She landed on her feet, and looked up in time to see Kirigiri aiming one of his palms at her, and firing a ball of crimson fire directly at her!

"Bufu!" Sleuth yelled, summoning his own Persona and launching a blast of ice, which intercepted the fireball and stopped the attack in its tracks! Razor used the subsequent mist that formed from the clash of fire and ice as cover to get in close without being spotted.

She managed to get behind him, and as she jumped up and thrust a pair of scissors into his back, Sleuth ran up and smacked him around the face with his baton! Kirigiri screamed in agony, and spun around, flinging the both of them off!

However, while he was focused on these two, Highwayman and Leprechaun had used the opportunity to get in close themselves, and now the proverbial baton had been passed onto them.

"Aim for his arms!" Leprechaun pointed forward, swiping off his mask, "Maraukunda, Orobas!"

He summoned a Persona with the body and hands of a human man, but the legs and head of a horse. Orobas cast its hand forward and used a spell on Kirigiri's body, causing the Dollmaker to lose some of the feeling in his limbs, lowering his attack. Highwayman dashed forward, flipped through the air, and summoned forth her own power upon landing in front of Kirigiri.

"Triple Down, Parker!" she called. Parker was summoned and aimed its machine cannon arm at Kirigiri, blasting bullets all over his body! As he groaned in pain from being riddled, Makoto waved his hand across his face and changed Persona in a single motion!

"Ippon-Datara! SLEDGEHAMMER!"

This new Persona made a hell of an appearance by bouncing up on its singular leg and bonking Shadow Kirigiri over the head with its heavy steel hammer! Enraged, Kirigiri swiped at the Persona with his claws, but Ippon-Datara caught his hand using the pair of tongs it held in its other hand! Holding on tightly, it spun the twisted truth-seeker around and flung him towards Usami!

Usami grabbed her party popper and blasted it straight into Kirigiri's face as he flew at her! She then leaped into the air above him and summoned Mr. A for the follow-up!

"MAPSI!" she declared, launching a wave of psychic energy at the Shadow below her! Kirigiri clutched his head in pain as the power shot directly to his brain!

"He's down!" Leprechaun waved his hand, "everyone, rush him now!"

"KEHAHAHAHA! I don't THINK SO!" Kirigiri, still lacking strength, forced himself up as Leprechaun and Razor rushed in for a pincer attack! Using his rear arms, Kirigiri suddenly launched the red strings on the end of his fingertips, and sent them flying straight at them!

"WATCH OUT!"

Sensing the danger, Sleuth launched forward and tackled Leprechaun, bearing the brunt of the strings, which stuck through the backs of his hands and his ankles! Razor was also attacked by the same strings, doing the same to her!

The two of them clenched their jaws and sucked air through their teeth as a searing pain shot through their bodies from where the strings connected them to the beastly bloodhound!

"Agh! Grggh!" Sleuth groaned.

"Agh! Why is it ALWAYS ME!?" Razor complained, "first Towa's tongue, and now THIS bullshit!?"

"Razor! Hold on, I'm coming to help!" Highwayman unfastened her lasso and cracked it, ready to cut through the strings with it! However, she was caught unpleasantly by surprise when she approached!

"ZIO!"

"GAAGH!"

To the alarm of all the Phantom Thieves, Razor summoned Barrow and shot a bolt of lightning magic at Highwayman, who was hit directly by the blast and knocked to the ground!

"Highwayman!" Usami cried, rushing over to the downed thief and scrambling to help her up!

"H-Hey!? What's the big idea!?" Highwayman snapped, "I'm trying to help you!"

"Th-That's not me!" Razor screamed, "I...I can't control myself!"

"Gah...Leprechaun! Watch out, I'm about to...attack...!" Sleuth grunted, his mask flashing off his face and Casanova being summoned behind him!

"Well go on then!?" Leprechaun panicked!

"I mean I'm ATTACKING YOU!" he snapped, just in time for the emerald-clad leader to avoid a blast of ice fired straight at him from Shuichi's Persona!

"What's going on!?" Highwayman exclaimed, "why are you guys attacking us!?"

"Those strings are taking control of their bodies!" Leprechaun cried out, "they've become his own personal puppets, and he's using their powers against the rest of us!"

"A genius strategy, is it not!? How will you cretins have time to take me down when you're so busy fighting each other!? KEHAHAHAHAHAHAAAGH!"

"I get it...!" Usami glared, "his cognition tells him that he has authority over everyone, therefore Kirigiri believes he can control even his enemies!"

"Damn it!" Highwayman snapped, "what do we do!?"

"I'm afraid we don't have a choice!" Razor cringed, "you guys are gonna have to beat us out of it!"

"Are you sure!?" Leprechaun exclaimed, "we don't wanna hurt you guys!"

"Neither do we, but we're GONNA!" Razor rumbled, "so hit us before we hit you even harder!"

Barrow fired off a bolt of lightning towards Leprechaun, which he ducked under to avoid!

"She's right! Like it or not, we don't have a choice! We can't stop ourselves, so you'll need to take us out before we cause too much damage to you all!" Sleuth tried to resist, but still couldn't stop Casanova from blasting more ice towards his allies!

"It'll be fine!" Usami assured him, "I'll patch them up as soon as they're free! Just help them!"

"Fine..." Makoto grimaced, knocking his fisticuffs together, "Highwayman, you get Razor! I'll take care of Sleuth!"

"Alright!" she swiped her mask off her face and summoned Parker, "sorry about this, Toko-chan!"

Komaru wrapped her lasso around one of Parker's arms and had her Persona spin around rapidly in a circle! She built up a solid momentum before releasing her grip and flying straight at her best friend, smashing straight into her, legs first!

"GUHAGH!!" Toko spluttered as Komaru nailed her right in the stomach!

"Hey, I said I was sorry!" she reminded her.

Meanwhile, Leprechaun dodged, ducked, and weaved his way around an array of icicle blasts thrown at him by the controlled Sleuth! Unable to get an opening, he instead tried to make one by pulling out his revolver and shooting the detective in the knee! Shuichi groaned in pain as collapsed, and seizing the opportunity, Makoto dived straight towards him!

"EIHA!" he shouted, summoning Andras again, who blasted Shuichi with its dark and malicious energy! Shuichi grunted in pain as the darkness whipped at him, but he still remained standing and fighting against his will! Kirigiri began to cackle!

"It's admirable that you're afraid to hurt your own friends! You're holding back on purpose, aren't you!?" his jagged jaw curved into a grin, "this is why I kick down all those who oppose me! Compassion and understanding is naught more than a weakness! One that will be your Achilles heel!"

"Ugh...! God dammit!" Leprechaun glowered, "what do we even do!?"

"We can't get close to Kirigiri so long as he keeps using Razor and Sleuth as shields!" Highwayman flipped back to avoid being blasted by Barrow's lightning, "what are we gonna do!?"

"Weakness...Achilles heel..." Sleuth grumbled before his eyes shot open with an idea, "That's it! Leprechaun! Highwayman! Try targeting our weaknesses! If we make our bodies prone, Kirigiri won't be able to control us!"

"But if we do that...You guys might...!" Leprechaun trailed off as Razor cut in, spitting her words out violently.

"Oh just DO IT! We can take it!" she snarled, "Come on, you know we're better than that! Plus, getting knocked down by you guys beats getting controlled by this bastard any day of the week!"

"Alright, in that case...!" Leprechaun adopted a fighting stance and then made a beeline straight towards his controlled allies, "Highwayman! With me!"

"You got it!" she replied, jumping to attack and ripping off her mask. As both Naegi's lunged towards them, Sleuth and Razor prepared to take the attack dead on, in hopes that it would finally free them of Kirigiri's influence.

"Parker!" Highwayman shouted "MAGARU!"

"MARAGI!" Leprechaun added onto the gust of verdant wind with a burst of roaring flame from Orobas!

"MARAGI!" Leprechaun added to the gust of verdant wind with a burst of roaring flame from Orobas!

The gale swept Razor off her feet, and she screamed as it whipped against her! Sleuth yelled in agony as he bore the brunt of the fire, causing him to collapse as well! However, as they fell, the strings that bound them to Kirigiri snapped, causing the dollmaker himself to topple backward!

"WHAT!?" he snarled, "IMPOSSIBLE!"

"MEDIA!"

As she had promised, Usami wasted no time in getting the both of them back on their feet! Mr. A's healing light enveloped Sleuth and Razor, much to their relief.

"Now we're talking...!" Shuichi smirked, dusting himself off and rounding on Kirigiri, "MABUFU! FULL POWER!"

Shuichi practically summoned a blizzard to attack Kirigiri! Freezing cold wind and chunks of ice littered the Dollmaker and the surrounding area as the onlooking Shadows in the audience booed the thieves!

"Why you...UNRULY KNAVES!" Kirigiri screamed, "I'll RIP YOU TO SHREDS!"

The Shadow's arms still coated in frost, he stuck out his four appendages and suddenly started to spin around rapidly in a circle, brandishing his claws! Like a spinning top with knives stuck onto it, he swiftly moved while spinning straight towards his enemies!

"BEYBLADE!" Highwayman screamed, running to avoid being shredded by the puppeteer-turned-propeller "BEYBLAAAADE!"

"Everyone, get behind me!" Leprechaun shouted, prompting his teammates to gather around him as the monster closed in! Makoto once again swiped his mask and summoned yet another Persona with his wild card ability!

"SHIKI-OUJI!"

A tall, white Persona, similar to the Shadow they had fought when Shuichi awakened, appeared by Makoto's side and stood in the way of the attack, using itself as a shield! Kirigiri grinded his claws against the Persona, but didn't leave a scratch!

"Nice shielding Leprechaun," Usami slid through his legs and jumped into the air towards Kirigiri, summoning her Persona, "now it's my turn! LUCKY PUNCH!"

Mr. A charged up a fist, and flew at the Shadow! Kirigiri's glowing white eyes widened in horror as the fist approached him...but then, Mr. A seemed to trip on...nothing...and toppled over!

"What was THAT!?" Razor snapped, "how did you even manage to do that!?"

"W-Well, it's called Lucky Punch for a reason..." Usami rubbed her paws together in shame.

"Then DON'T use that as a FINISHING MOVE!" Highwayman snapped.

"Ke...KEHAHAHAHAHA! How naïve!" Kirigiri chortled as he rose up into the air again, "though I must thank you, foolish boy...! You've given me a WONDERFUL idea!"

Kirigiri held out all four of his arms, and at once, all the strings shot forward!

...straight at Makoto...!

"Leprechaun, he's aiming for you!" Usami shrieked, "GET AWAY!"

Makoto was too focused on dodging the grip of the strings, leaping into the air and looking down at where they were supposed to land on the ground, only to watch in horror as they changed direction right before and started to chase him in the air!

"What!?" he exclaimed, forcing himself to roll in the air so the strings didn't grab him! However, they changed direction again and started homing in! No matter which way he moved, the strings followed, like a bed of hungry parasitic worms clawing at him!

"Protect Leprechaun!" Sleuth summoned Casanova, "Don't let those strings get him!"

Casanova, Mr. A, Barrow, and Parker started shooting and slashing at the strings to give the speeding Lucky Student a chance to avoid being controlled, but their attacks didn't so much as slow the damn things down!

Leprechaun dared not turn back to look at how many of the strings were right on his tail! He just kept running, jumping, and doing whatever he could to avoid them! He felt a flash of panic as he caught a string approach from his left out of the corner of his eye, prompting him to duck underneath it!

Just when he thought he'd avoided the ensuing tragedy, his eyes shot open as he saw that another string had traveled all the way around and had gotten right in front of him! On habit, Makoto ground to a halt to avoid it snaring him, but this allowed all the other strings that were chasing him a single opportunity to snare him from behind!

And they took it!

Makoto found himself absolutely skewered with the red, controlling strings! He screamed in immense pain as they pierced his arms, his legs, the back of his head, and basically any other part of him they could touch!

"NO!" Highwayman cried!

"LEPRECHAUN!" Sleuth exclaimed!

Makoto continued screaming, even as he collapsed to the ground and, pulled up by Kirigiri's strings, glared desperately at his companions.

"And thus, I have crafted my perfect, unbeatable puppet," Kirigiri's grin was so wide, it was like half his face had been split open, "I will make use of this one's power, and kill all of you here!"

"More like you stole me...Just like you stole Kyoko from her father...!" Makoto spat, but was unable to fight back, even with his power!

"Give me back my brother, you asshat!" Highwayman glared, "TRIPLE DOWN!"

"SHIKI-OUJI!"

Though she had somewhat been expecting it, Highwayman was still appalled as her bullets were sunk into Shiki-Ouji's indestructible body!

"Worry not Leprechaun! No matter what, we will save you!" Usami took point and summoned her own Persona, "Mr. A! Maps-!"

"MAKAMI! FREI!"

Before Usami could even shoot off her incoming attack, Leprechaun switched Personas into a Hunting Wolf Spirit, which proceeded to blast the rabbit with a beam of nuclear energy, knocking her flying back!

"USAMI!" Highwayman spun around in a panic, desiring to see if their stout ally was alright!

"SHIISAA! MAZIO!"

She then, was subsequently knocked down as well, as Leprechaun changed Persona's yet again and blasted her dead on with a wild bolt of lightning, which also crashed down on Sleuth and Razor! Razor took the blast, while Sleuth made an effort to dodge it!

"You need...to run...!" Leprechaun groaned, trying his hardest, but failing to hold back, "AME-NO-UZUME! MAGARU!"

However, before she could drop her guard and dodge, Leprechaun used ANOTHER Persona to blast a swirl of emerald wind, once again whipping Razor off her feet and sending her tumbling to the ground! She landed on her head and her neck bent in a weird shape, prompting a groan from her.

Sleuth once again backflipped out of the way of the attack, now the only Phantom Thief left standing! Usami, lying down on her back next to him, forced herself to sit up straight.

"This is bad...! I wasn't expecting Kirigiri could take advantage of Leprechaun's power!" she moaned, "If he keeps changing, we won't be able to target any of his weaknesses! I thought we might be able to attack until we wear him down, but Kirigiri seems to be replenishing his energy through the strings!"

"The good news is that Kirigiri's focusing all of his strings into Leprechaun, so we don't need to worry about being controlled ourselves," Sleuth replied, "still, we can't cut the strings...and...if we can't target the weaknesses, I might have another idea."

"You do!?" Usami pulled herself to her feet, looking up at him.

"Yes...But I'm going to need your help to pull it off."

"Really? Well, I'm on board with whatever doesn't get all of us killed. What did you have in mind?"

"Do you remember what happened after I first awakened to my Persona?"

"What are you talking about specifically?"

"Back then, when we were fighting the Shiki-Ouji Shadow, none of the attacks that you were using on it were working, since it's immune to physical strikes. But then..."

Monomi tried to recall what had happened at that moment.

The ice crawled up the Shadow until it finally coated the monster in a thick white sheet!

"Now Naegi-senpai!" Shuichi exclaimed, "hit it where it counts!"

"You used your Persona to freeze the Shadow over, then had Leprechaun strike it! In that weakened and brittle slate, it shattered apart like it was made of glass, despite having a defensive body..." She slowly started to piece together this plan, "wait...You're not trying to do that again, are you!? You could KILL him!"

"I-I'm aware..." Sleuth assured her, "but even if he didn't get shattered apart, my ice attacks might not work with how he can change at will. I'm just saying my idea has the same principle is all."

"I...Alright..." Usami nodded, "what do you need me to do?"

"Just attack him with the strongest psychokinesis attack you have when I give the signal," Sleuth firmly grasped his hat, "and give me an opportunity to get him good!"

"Alright...I'll save my energy for the big attack!" Usami clenched her paws and nodded, "Razor! Highwayman! You got that!?"

"Sorry...W-Wasn't really listening..." Komaru got back up, still jittering from the shock.

"Y-Yeah, me neither...What's the plan?" Razor groaned, straightening out her neck.

"Just draw Leprechaun's fire!" Usami demanded, "Sleuth's got a plan, and we need to give him a good shot at him to pull it off!"

"Alright..." Highwayman stretched her back out, "but I'm running low...I think there's only a little more I can do before my legs give way..."

"Can you heal us?" Razor asked.

"No, not yet. I need to preserve my energy for my next attack!" she told them, "use the medicine we have on hand to replenish yourself! I trust Sleuth's intuition, so I really need us to pull this off."

She stepped towards Kirigiri, who was dragging Makoto around and preparing to attack again.

"It's fine if the two of you are down and out. You can retreat if you desire," she said, "what matters most is making sure we all make it back alive!"

"Heh...Do you have to say that like you're looking down on us?" Komaru forced a smile, fastening her hat to her head, "We've got this!"

"Yeah..." Razor flipped back some hair that had gotten in her face and turned towards Kirigiri and Leprechaun, "as entertaining as the idea of running away or laying down and dying sounds? I'm gonna have to pass."

"Glad to hear it!" Usami nodded, "Now go!"

Knowing what to do, Razor and Highwayman split and got along both sides of Leprechaun, with Kirigiri's eyes glaring at them both, looking back and forth between them.

"Whatever it is you're planning, it won't work," he glowered, "you are, always have been, and always will be, BENEATH ME!"

"Feh! Big words for a guy who has to use other people just to stand a chance at achieving anything!" Toko jeered, "even now, you can't take us down with your own power, so you're manipulating one of our own just to stand even a sliver of a chance!"

"Guys...You need...to get away...!" Makoto's limbs trembled as he tried to yank himself free of the strings, "don't you get it!? I could kill you!"

"That's fine!" Komaru pounded her chest, "hit us with everything you got bro!"

"What!?" he exclaimed in response, "are you stupid!?"

"You've lived with her your whole life and you're only questioning that now?" Razor shrugged, "but for once, she's right! Don't hold back!"

"It's not like...I have...a choice!" Kirigiri forced Leprechaun to summon Shiisaa, blasting both of them with lightning! Fortunately, they dodged in time, and slid back to back with each other!

"Hey, Razor? We need to give Sleuth an open, right? You think we should try out that thing we were talking about?"

"Huh? NOW!? You wanna do that on your BROTHER of all people?"

"It's not on my brother. It's on Kirigiri. I was honestly hoping we could bust this out against him exclusively, but right now, we're in a bit of a pickle."

"I mean...you're right, but how do we know this is even gonna help? Or work?"

"It will! I believe in us."

"I...Fine...Alright, but you're leading, ok?" Razor turned and smirked back at her partner. Highwayman grinned.

"Of course! That was the plan!" she cracked her lasso, "sorry about this Leprechaun! Get ready!"

"Ready for what!?" Makoto felt himself break out into a cold sweat. Whatever was coming...it was gonna hurt...!

"Get ready for...TOKOMARU THUNDERSTORM!" Highwayman lunged forward!

"Tokoma-WHAT!?"

But he need not ask. He was about to find out!

TOKOMARU THUNDERSTORM!

Highwayman cracks her lasso on the ground, flinging it forward towards her opponent and wrapping it around their waist! She ties it taut, then swings around and slams them on the ground! She spins again, dragging them on the ground like a ragdoll, before cracking the whip and flinging her enemy up into the air!

Razor follows up by jumping in the air and going to town on the enemy with her scissors, slashing their limbs and cackling maniacally all the while, having the time of her life! She finishes it off with a big slash, sending the enemy flying even higher into the sky, and her sliding along the ground!

She stands up straight next to her partner, both of them summoning their Personas at the same time and combining their powers of wind and lightning to send a tornado crackling with electricity crashing down on their foe, crashing THEM straight into the ground!

The final nail in the coffin takes the form of Highwayman pointing her megaphone-shaped gun at the prone enemy and charging up a final shot. Razor reaches over and syncs the end of her firearm up with hers, charging it with even more power.

Highwayman pulls the trigger, resulting in an atomic-level explosion that wipes out all in front of it!

If it hadn't been for Kirigiri's strings fueling him with power exponentially, the attack the girls pulled off might have killed Leprechaun! Clearly, they had accounted for that though, so he considered himself lucky. Even Kirigiri, who controlled him, seemed to almost break control from the sheer force.

But luckily, the combined attack had given Shuichi exactly what he needed! Both their attentions were focused on the assaulting duo, and they were unprepared for Sleuth to slide his way in and point a finger directly between Leprechaun's eyes!

While he widened his eyes in surprise, Sleuth used that single opportunity to execute his plan!

"Casanova...! MARIN KARIN!"

Dark Sun... (Spanish Electro Arrange) - Persona 5 The Animation

Leprechaun was immediately taken over by an overwhelming dizziness! His vision started to not only blur but split! His legs started to shake, and it seemed Kirigiri's strings were the only thing holding him up now!

The Dollmaker himself, however, seemed to be struggling.

"Wh-What the hell!? Why is this not working!?" he exclaimed, "you are my puppet! OBEY ME, DAMMIT! GAUGH!"

He was bushwhacked, as all of a sudden, Leprechaun summoned Ippon-Datara, and whacked him around the face!

"Who...What...Where is the enemy...!? WHO is the enemy...!?" Makoto spun around, almost toppling over, "guys...!? What's...going on!?"

"Shuichi..." Komaru approached, "what did you do...!?"

"Marin Karin...It's a spell that brainwashes the enemy and prevents them from telling friend from foe," Sleuth smirked, "now there's only one thing left to do...! USAMI!"

"PSI!"

Makoto cried in agony, as Monomi's psychic blast reacted with his brainwashing, causing a sudden jolt of pain to rush through his head! However, the brainwashing was booted from his system, and forced the strings to fly out of his body, slapping back like loose ropes and whipping the area around them! Leprechaun, free from his shackles, collapsed onto one knee, one knuckle pressed against the ground, and breathing heavily as he tried to recover.

"NO! NOOOOOOOO!" Kirigiri screamed, "My perfect scheme! COME BACK!"

"I don't think so!" Sleuth snarled, jumping forward and summoning Casanova, "MABUFU!"

Kirigiri was distressed as he reached out his hands, only for them to freeze over before he could release the strings!

"LEPRECHAUN!" he hollered "FINIIIISH IIIIIIIT!"

Kirigiri felt the sweat roll down his face by what he saw...Now free of the brainwashing and the strings, he turned around the face the monstrous detective...

And BOY was he ANGRY...!

"RAMPAAAAAAAAAAGGEE!"

Ippon-Datara appeared once again and absolutely WENT TO TOWN on Kirigiri's Shadow! It hammered, pinched, punched, kicked, and even headbutted the creature into submission! It went so hard that a cloud of dust was kicked up from the stage, triggering a gasp of shock in the audience!

The onslaught yielded the positive result of each and every one of Kirigiri's frozen-over fingers shattering, along with the strings that were tied on the end of them! No more controlling people for THIS Shadow!

"Nonono...! I'm the great Kirigiri!" he snarled, "I'm more than a match for pests like you! You CANNOT DEFY ME!"

"You still have the GALL to make such claims!?" Sleuth snarled, "It's over! SAY YOUR PRAYERS!"

"ALL-OUT ATTACK!" Leprechaun commanded, thirsty for blood and vengeance! He jumped first, and the others joined straight after, swarming Kirigiri's Shadow from all directions! The malicious investigator could do nothing against, much less process, the beating he was receiving!

Sleuth landed the final hit of the attack and kicked him in the face, sending him flying backward! However, it still wasn't enough to completely take him down!

"He's still not done!?" Highwayman groaned!

"We've got him on the ropes! We can finish him right here and now if we work together!" Leprechaun waved his arm, "follow my lead, Phantom Thieves!"

At their leaders' command, the thieves ran in for one final assault on the monstrous manipulator! With everything on the line, Kirigiri had no choice but to fight back as best as he could!

"So what you cut your strings!? YOU'RE IN OVER YOUR HEAD!" he screamed defiantly, blasting a beam of searing hot, blue energy at the Phantom Thieves leader! He flipped over it and pointed a finger at his enemy, swiping off his mask!

"ANDRAS! EIHA!"

The owl beast appeared and launched a wave of blackness at the Palace ruler. The dark energy pierced through Kirigiri, pinning him down and causing him immense pain!

"Doesn't feel so good, does it!?" Leprechaun jeered, "no matter how much you try to control me, I'll stop at nothing until I pull the thread and unravel all your lies and misdeeds!"

"You dare act so arrogant with me!?" Kirigiri snarled, "I'LL BURN YOU ALIVE!"

"RAZOR!" Leprechaun backflipped through the air to avoid the subsequent molten hot flames the Shadow flung at him! As he flew back, he smacked Razor's hand and passed the baton to her, allowing her to run in and stab Kirigiri in the chest with her scissors!

As Kirigiri swiped at her to get her off, she summoned her Persona!

"BARROW! ZIO!"

Kirigiri shrieked as the burning thunder pierced him! Razor, crouched on the floor, raised her head to glare at him.

"Nothing about you is special!" she snarled, "you're no different than the crooks detectives are made to take down! The only difference is someone gave you a big chair and all of a sudden, you're Johnny Big-Pants!"

"I am the one with the authority in both this theater and that agency!" Kirigiri flew at her, "what's wrong with me putting it to good use!?"

Though his claws had been taken from him, Kirigiri thought he still had a chance to pummel her to a paste! However, predicting he would act the same way, Razor stood up again and waited as she heard familiar footsteps approach from behind her.

"GO HIGHWAYMAN!"

Highwayman flipped in the air towards her! She stuck out her hands and once Highwayman smacked them, she flung her right into the air!

"PARKER! MAGARU!"

Kirigiri was halted in his tracks, held back by a tirade of biting wind that almost pulled his large, beady eyes out of their sockets!

"Call it what you want!" Highwayman glared, "when you boil it all down, you're basically just saying you like causing pain for others!"

"If the people underneath me don't want to be hurt, then I suggest they learn to FALL IN LINE!" Kirigiri suddenly changed his strategy, soaring straight upwards instead, and aiming his arms downwards "I'm in charge! I'M ALWAYS RIGHT!"

"WOAH!" Komaru exclaimed, as pillars of light suddenly erupted from the ground beneath them! She and Razor made a run for it, dodging the pillars like they were running through a minefield! "Alright, YOU'RE UP USAMI!"

In the middle of their mad dash, Highwayman reached out a hand and high-fived the plucky rodent! She launched up into the air and twirled around gracefully until she was level with Kirigiri, who just stared at her in confusion.

"MR. A! MAPSI!

Kirigiri clutched his head as Monomi's wave of psychic energy hit him, pounding in his head, causing him to drop out of the sky and fall down to the stage below!

"I disagree you know..." she told him, "I can say this for certain. Not even the teacher is always right...We learn, grow, and move through by sticking with each other! Not by forcing everyone beneath us!"

"ENOUGH! I am not going to let YOU brainless children undermine me!" Kirigiri snarled, clambering up and once again, soaring straight forward, "I AM THE GREATEST DETECTIVE OF ALL TIIIIIME!"

"SLEUTH!" Usami hurtled back towards the ground and perfectly synchronized her dive with the detective boy's jump! He spun upside down in the air, then aimed his sniper rifle, shooting Kirigiri directly in the eye! As he recoiled in pain, he swiped off his mask!

"CASANOVA! BUFU!"

The Persona manipulated a beam of ice that fired straight at the Shadow detective, piercing through his body and freezing him over!

"A fiend like you..." Sleuth lowered his hat over his eyes, "gives detectives like my uncle and your granddaughter a bad name...! You aren't worth their time...nor mine...!"

"How...DARE YOOOOUUUU!" he shrieked, "SAIHARAAAA! IF IT WASN'T FOR YOU, MY LIFE WOULD BE PERFECT! OUR LEGACY WOULD BE UNTOUCHED! YOU RUINED EVERYTHIIIIING!"

"You did that yourself, you egomaniac!" he spat back "now...I'll send you where you belong...!"

"TO THE FROZEN VOOOOIIIIDD!"

"JACK FROST!" Leprechaun summoned one of his Personas one final time to sync up with Sleuth's final attack!

The combined icy power of Jack Frost and Casanova froze Kirigiri's Shadowy body inside out, and he screamed in agony as the feeling through his body was removed entirely. Sleuth grabbed his rifle, and peered down the scope, aiming right at Kirigiri's chest...!

"This...is the end...!" he growled, pulling the trigger...!

The bullet flew fast at the Dollmaker and upon contact, shattered him apart...!

DSO_Death Wish - Danganronpa Another Episode: Ultra Despair Girls

The chunks of ice clattered to the ground and quickly melted, the pieces of Kirigiri inside turning into black mud. Along with this, the room quickly shifted back to normal. The stage disappeared and the audience vanished as well.

"Did...Did we get him?" Highwayman raised her head but stayed on guard.

"I hope that didn't kill him..." Razor remarked as Sleuth pocketed his firearm.

"It should be fine," Leprechaun told them, "remember, we took Towa down much the same way..."

Sure enough, the ooze formed back together and reformed into Kirigiri's usual Shadow appearance...He laid on the ground and slowly got to all fours, crawling forward, devoid of strength.

Kyoko's puppet form lay on the ground in front of him. Desperation in his eyes, he reached out to grab it, but then suddenly, a gloved hand at the end of a white sleeve grasped his wrist.

Kirigiri looked up to see the eyes of Shuichi, full of a mix of anger, as well as disappointment.

"P-Please...Shuichi..." Kirigiri begged, "don't do this...Don't...take her from me...!"

"She was never yours to begin with," Shuichi's grip tightened and he threw Kirigiri over, "don't you dare start begging for mercy after everything you did to me and to her..."

"Please, you must understand!" the Dollmaker exclaimed, sitting up "The Kirigiris are-!"

"A prestigious lineage of detectives, yes, I KNOW..." Sleuth groaned, "are you going to keep on about that, or do I have to freeze your mouth over to get you to shut up!?"

"No! L-Listen!" Kirigiri pleaded, "after Jin turned down the path of a detective, I didn't know what to do! I had to use Kyoko! As the leader of the family, I had to uphold a reputation; an influence! I didn't want to become the reason the Kirigiri bloodline ended! I didn't want things to end like this! NOT LIKE THIS!"

"So let me get this straight," Shuichi frowned, "instead of reflecting on any reason there might be as to why Jin left, or why you thought the family was waning...You took it out on everyone else, even your own FAMILY, instead of taking a look at YOURSELF?"

Kirigiri could only stutter in response.

"It sounds to me..." Usami crossed her arms, "that you, Fuhito Kirigiri, were hiding from the the truth..."

"N-No...! That's not true!" he cried, "being a detective is everything to me! I never wanted our family to lose this way of life!"

"You know who else, coincidentally, didn't want their detective careers to come to an end?" Shuichi reached over and grabbed Kirigiri by the scruff of his neck, "ME AND MY UNCLE! But thanks to YOU, we almost ended up on the STREETS! No amount of whining, begging, or grieving is going to make me see you as anything more than the NIHILIST that you truly are!"

Kirigiri's golden eyes darted in horror as the young man yelled in his face! He grunted as Sleuth shoved him to the ground! He turned his back, his cape floating in the breeze, and then he reached down and gingerly picked up the treasure.

"What you fear the most is about to come to fruition," he added, "everything you've strived for...your empire...this repulsive theater in the space of your mind...Every last piece of it will crumble to dust, right before your very eyes...!"

"N-No! PLEASE! DON'T DO THIS!" Kirigiri copped a plea, getting back on his hands and knees, "I'll do anything! ANYTHING YOU WANT!"

"All I want is for you to return to reality and confess every last crime you've committed against myself, your family, and every other person you made a victim of..." he turned back, still holding the puppet, "and you will tell your granddaughter the truth about her father...That is what I demand...Do so, and I will spare your life AND what little dignity remains in you..."

"But...if I do that...she might abandon the path of the Kirigiri detectives...!" Fuhito gasped, "and with me also gone, who will uphold our family legacy!?"

"To HELL with your "family legacy!" You DON'T DESERVE IT!" Shuichi snarled, causing Kirigiri to cower back, "your pride and your obsession with your family is what STARTED all this! Sorting yourself out and throwing that pride away is the only way we can FIX it!"

"Then tell me..." Kirigiri's eyes became sad, as he crouched down and rested his head on the ground, "What do I do...? What...CAN I do...!? I can't just let all this go so easily...! The world is cruel, and kicks down those anyone who looks into the light of a false hope! The only way we could survive is if I became the one kicking people down!"

"Even if that is true, and even if the hope you feel is nothing but an illusion...The pain in my heart, and the hearts of the people you've hurt, is real..." the young man stated, "the sadness I feel when the people I love are hurt is real! I won't forgive anyone that treats us like toys. And if this is what the world wants...Then I reject that world! I'll fight the world and the monsters like you that live in it, that inflict suffering for your own selfish wants and needs!"

Kirigiri was silent for a moment, looking up to look into Shuichi's eyes again. His anger and disappointment remained, but now it was joined by a third emotion...Determination.

"I see...so that is the truth you have reached, is it...?" he asked.

"It's the truth I believe in..." Sleuth replied, "and that's enough for me..."

With nothing else to say, Kirigiri started to glow with a holy light. And just like Haiji Towa and Toshiro Uzawa before him, his Shadow vanished into thin air...The only thing that remained was a single tear that fell from his eye.

Before Shuichi had time to say, do, or even think anything, he felt the ground beneath him start to shake. The other thieves, who up until now had decided to leave the two be for their discussion, also felt it.

"Crap!" Razor looked up as the ceiling started to crack, "not this again!"

"Sleuth! We gotta get out of here!" Leprechaun cried, "grab the treasure and let's go!"

Sleuth took one last look at the treasure in his hands, holding the Kyoko doll gently, before nodding back to his leader.

Usami swiftly transformed into her bus form, and the group made a daring getaway drive as the theater around them crumbled into nothing...

[A WEEK LATER...]

It had been a surprisingly uneventful week for Kyoko Kirigiri.

The day after she was asked to deliver the calling card to him, her grandfather had suddenly taken ill. She had called medical experts in for an examination, but they concluded it was nothing life-threatening. Which was a relief.

Rather oddly, once they were alone and she made an attempt to converse with him, he only muttered the same few words..."I'm sorry...Please, forgive me..."

Naturally, being a co-conspirator behind what she assumed was the change of heart in motion, she had contacted Makoto about it. He had responded and assured her things would be okay, but hadn't gotten back to her since then.

It was a wise idea to take a step away from the situation so that nobody would come to the immediate conclusion that he was involved. She had to give him credit where it was due.

However, this weekend had changed all of that. Kyoko had taken the last week off of school so she could stay at the KDA and look after her grandfather, managing the agency in his stead for the time being. But two things had happened that had cut the string on her very quiet seven days.

The first was that Fuhito had awoken, and had asked her and his agents to get in contact with TAT Television, who had already reached out to him for a statement on the calling card. It had hit the news fast, especially due to the links between the Towa case and this one, and everyone was surprised the old man was even giving them the time of day.

The other thing was she received a text message from Shuichi, whom she also hadn't been able to contact for a while, asking her to meet with her at the local café. Given that she didn't have any work on hand and that she couldn't accompany her grandfather to the TV station, she felt no reason to turn him down.

What she wasn't expecting, however, and what she found out as she spotted him and walked over to their table, was that they were accompanied by two other people, both middle-aged men.

One was Shuichi's uncle, Shinichi Shuichi, and the other...

"Hello Kyoko...It's...nice to see you..."

Was her father, Jin Kirigiri.

"What are...you doing here?" she asked, wide-eyed.

"Sheesh...Some "hello..."" Shinichi frowned, "you could be a little nicer to your old man, you know?"

"With all due respect, Shinichi-san, please stay out of this," Kyoko glared at him, "our relationship and interactions are none of your concern."

"Agreed...I only came here because Shuichi insisted that I do. I also only just now found out Kyoko would be coming as well," Jin added, "on that note, what exactly are we all doing here? You told me you needed my assistance with something?"

"Now that we're all here, I guess I should explain in full," Shuichi said, "on the same night that those calling cards were left at the KDA building, I received one as well...Though, it was more of a message than a callout. The Phantom Thieves logo was on the card they used though, so I've no doubt it was from them."

"The Phantom Thieves called you out!?" Shinichi gasped, "why are you only NOW telling me about this!?"

"Well, if what was on the note was anything to go by," Shuichi frowned back at him, then turned that same frown on Jin, "I'm not the only one who's been keeping secrets here..."

Both of them responded with quiet and confused grumbles. Shuichi continued.

"That aside, the message told me to gather all three of you here today, so we could watch the news on the TV in this place. I believe it has something to do with Fuhito Kirigiri and his appearance on TAT TV...though that's only a guess."

*He's a surprisingly pathological liar...* Kyoko hid a smirk, impressed with her detective kouhai.

"The TV?" Shinichi asked, "what about it? What's going toooo..."

He trailed off and raised his eyebrows upon seeing what was now on the screen. Jin and Kyoko turned the way he was facing and had basically the same reaction.

Fuhito Kirigiri sat on the guest sofa for the morning live TV breakfast show. Seeing him make a public appearance like this was nothing short of a miraculous event. Though he wasn't completely unknown, he preferred to keep himself and his agency out of the limelight. So seeing him on TV, much less a live show, was astounding.

The much younger man who sat on the other sofa was Taka Takahiro, an influential TV figure and TV personality, who had already done the introductions and was just introducing Fuhito to everyone watching through the screen.

Kyoko caught the sound of murmurs from other tables, allowing her to easily identify who was aware of the calling card and who wasn't. Herself, Shinichi, Jin, and Shuichi all remained quiet, watching in anticipation at what was about to happen.

"Thank you very much for agreeing to have me," Fuhito bowed respectfully, "I'm sorry it took me such a while to respond to your offer...I haven't been especially well these past few days..."

"No problem at all, Mr Kirigiri! We were the ones who invited you, after all!" Takahiro beamed, "and we're so overjoyed you actually accepted! We understand that in your line of work, you're constantly busy, and we wouldn't have blamed you if you'd refused."

"Of course, of course, I'm glad you understand," Fuhito smiled back, "but I'm sure you've also realized that this matter is of great importance to me. Ever since the news caught sight of the calling card the Phantom Thieves left for me, everyone has been eagerly awaiting my response. I was wondering if the excitement would die down by now, but that apparently has not been the case."

"Well, the general public is a thirsty lot. I'm sure if you feed them what they want, they'll get off your back," Takahiro nodded, "we have a wide variety of topics to discuss of course, but before anything else, why don't we just get that out of the way?"

"Yes, I very much agree. Thank you, young man," Fuhito nodded, "I suppose, for those who have not been following the story, these "Phantom Thieves" have accused me of crimes such as abusing those beneath my station, obfuscating the truth, and crimes against the youth; all severe offenses that would ruin the reputation of our prestigious detective lineage. I accepted the show's invitation today so I could make a public statement about these rumors..."

Fuhito paused, then lowered his head, exhaling a deep sigh...

"They are all true..."

Silence followed.

"I...I'm sorry, sir...What did you just say?" Takahiro asked nervously.

Fuhito replied by slowly standing up, refusing to make eye contact with anybody, and staring forward. Almost as if he was addressing the world at large.

"I have always lived to serve my family line...the Kirigiri family was everything to me, ever since I was a little boy...but my obsession with it, and my pride as the KDA's head, twisted me into becoming the very rotten criminal that detectives live to silence," Fuhito faced remained bold and stern; he was deathly serious about getting this off his chest, "I saw my family as the supreme authority. I believed every other detective was beneath us, and every time a new talent appeared, and tried to make a name for themselves...I...I did whatever it took...to snuff them out..."

Despite the professional setting of the show, the microphones and cameras were able to pick up some very audible murmurs of concern among the station staff.

"It goes beyond just simple authoritarianism...There are many victims...All of which I have kept a book on, and can name," Fuhito continued, "a lot of them are young people who are rising talents in the world of investigators...I previously claimed that the youth of our world was the most important thing to me, but that was nothing more than a lie I told everyone so I could easily avoid suspicion of the crimes I have committed..."

"M-Mr Kirigiri..." Takahiro got to his feet, "are you alright? D-Do we need to get you some help!?"

"I did many horrible things to these people, including, but not limited to; conning them into contracts so that the KDA had the right to steal many cases from them, blacklisting them from the community so that no one would seek their aid, masterminding stunts to force their individual agencies to close down and...even physical and mental harassment..." Fuhito didn't stop, despite the hosts' protests, "my most recent crime in fact, is against a young 15-year-old boy from the Shuichi Detective Agency...I invited him to join my line of work under the pretense of learning how to be a great detective, then pulled some strings and had my men perform multiple acts of harassment on him...including vandalism, criminal damage...and even arson...And the reason...the ONLY reason I did it all...was because I didn't like his uncle, who I had already been extorting for years at that point...I wanted to ruin any and all chances the SDA had at becoming as big as the KDA, so I tried to force this young boy into giving up his life as a detective through threats and abuse..."

"Arson!? Threats!? W-Wait...are you...Is this real...!?" Takahiro gasped.

"And there is one last thing I must admit to all of you...My crimes extend back many years and...my victims include my own flesh and blood. My granddaughter, like me, is a great detective. Someone I've always been proud of, and someone who has always looked up to me as a parental figure..." Fuhito's body began to tremble, "but the truth is I have been feeding her disgusting lies my whole life...! After her mother died, I convinced her and everybody else at my agency, that her father, my son Jin, who did not want to be a detective himself, had abandoned her...and used her mother's death as an excuse to leave the family for good..."

He finally turned towards the camera, Kyoko feeling a strange feeling in her heart; like her grandfather was looking her in the eyes.

"Every last part of this was a lie," his lip quivered, "Jin left the family because I didn't extend any aid to save his dying wife when I could have...and the reason was so I could spin this elaborate story, and groom my granddaughter into becoming...the perfect detective; to carry on the...Kirigiri bloodline...!"

He finally lost it. He collapsed to his knees, held his head in his hands, and broke down into tears. Takahiro remained in a state of panic and confusion, clearly out of his element and not knowing what the hell to do.

"H-Hey!" he called out, "someone DO something please!?"

Fuhito ungracefully wiped his eyes and nose with his sleeve, then looked back into the camera.

"Every crime I have admitted here today is true, and I have mountains of evidence stored away that I can use to prove it. I, Fuhito Kirigiri of the Kirigiri Detective Agency...have lied to, manipulated...and abused so many innocent people...I know I will never be forgiven, but I want all of those people to know that I am very, truly sorry for all that I have done to you..." he sobbed, "and to prove it, I will be submitting every last piece of evidence of my crimes to the authorities, stepping down from my position as the head detective, and...turn myself in to the police. This is all I can do to atone for the horrible things I have done to this country and the world of private eyes...I don't deserve you...I NEVER did..."

"Oh COME ON! What are you waiting for!?" Takahiro snapped, "CUT THE FEED! NOW!"

The cameramen and showrunners complied with his request, and the live footage immediately snapped to a no-signal feed. Those who were watching the broadcast erupted into chatters and exclamations of surprise.

However, the most notable set of reactions was the table of detectives (plus Jin) right in the middle...

"What...the fresh hell...!?" Shinichi stared at the empty screen for what felt like ages, dumbfounded by what he had just seen.

"F-Father..." Jin spoke softly,

Kyoko couldn't bring herself to say anything. Her brow furrowed with sadness as she processed everything she had just heard her beloved grandparent say...

Everything...Right from when she was a little girl...It was ALL a lie...!?

"Hey!" she snapped at her father suddenly, getting all their heads turned towards her, "what he said...was it true...?"

"Kyoko..." Jin held his forehead with his fingers

"Don't "Kyoko..." me! Was it true or NOT!" she snapped, surprisingly, tears forming at the corner of her eyes. Either she didn't notice them, or she refused to wipe them away.

"Kyoko-sama!" Shuichi snapped, "calm...down...!"

Kyoko stared at the young detective, realized she was getting overly emotional, then did as he requested.

"You owe her answers, Headmaster Kirigiri," Shuichi spoke on her behalf, "the revelation that she's been living a lie her whole life is not something she's going to take well. And the idea that you knew the truth and never told her is something that's going to bother her forever if you don't clear the air."

"Please..." Kyoko practically begged, "if this is true, you were just as much a victim in this as me, maybe even more! Why did you never tell me!?"

"I couldn't!" Jin snapped, "Fuhito already had a strong grip on you by then! You would never have believed me over him, plus I didn't know what Fuhito might do to you if you were to start questioning his authority! You might have ended up like his other victims!"

He pointed a finger straight between her eyes.

"I never wanted to be a detective myself, and I know I should never have left you with that god-forsaken cretin I call a father, but god damn it if I am not PROUD of you for the woman you've become!" tears started to form in his eyes as well, "and I know your mother would be as well...None of this changes the fact that I'm already a deadbeat father who left you with HIM...the last thing I wanted was to become the man who ruined all your hopes and dreams..."

"But...I..." Kyoko didn't know what to say. However, before she could say anything, Shuichi raised his hand.

"If I may make a recommendation...I believe it would be best for you to talk about this privately between you," he said, "we actually have things to discuss ourselves in private...Myself and my uncle, I mean...

"Uh...we do...?" Shinichi looked at him. Shuichi nodded.

"What Kirigiri was saying about how he stole cases and the livelihood of agencies...That applies to us, right?" Shuichi asked, "the reason why we almost ended up in poverty is because Kirigiri...that is Fuhito...was forcing you to give up investigation rights to him, correct?"

"Shuichi I..." Shinichi lowered his head, "Fuhito Kirigiri is a dangerous man at his worst...I didn't want anything to happen to you if I refused. I had no idea he was the one behind the threats, but I didn't want to give him any reason to ruin you. Years ago, I tried to seek independence and start my own detective agency...I didn't expect he would take that so poorly and trick me into that dreaded contract...But for the sake of you and your aunt, I backed down...I'm sorry if you feel betrayed for never knowing that..."

"Well, he's not our problem anymore, is he? Assuming he does as he's said, he'll be arrested and we'll be free of his tyranny," he replied, turning towards Kyoko again, "it seems we're in very similar situations, aren't we? Our parents care a little bit too much."

"I'm astounded..." Kyoko clutched her head, "that you are so calm about all these revelations! He was victimizing you the entire time! Aren't you even a little bit angry or humiliated!?"

"No. I'm happy because I know the truth." he replied. Kyoko, Jin, and Shinichi all looked at him with bewildered expressions.

"I...beg your pardon?" Jin asked.

"What you three are going through is a feeling that I understand all too well...All three of you are afraid; and have been afraid, of revealing the truth," he told them, "because it means that someone has to be sacrificed. But I was scared, too...I didn't let that stop me. I thought things through to the end, faced the truth, and doubted it, and kept thinking, and kept going...This is where it led me. And I won't turn away from it."

He grabbed his things and stood up.

"I'm not in the mood to eat or drink right now so...I think I should be on my way," he said, "and I can't force things to just...be normal after everything that happened, but if I have anything to say...it's never too late to change. Even after everything that he did to me, and to all of you, I'm glad that Fuhito Kirigiri came to the same conclusion. I'm confident that deep down, he really does still care for his family..."

"How do you know that?" Kyoko asked, clearly at a loss. Shuichi caught her off guard yet again as he started to chuckle.

"Because I believe," he smiled back at her, "that's more than enough for me."

With that, he started to make his exit.

"Shuichi, wait!" Shinichi suddenly got to his feet, "I'm...I'm coming too..."

"Uncle?" he turned back. Shinichi, hands in his pockets, nodded slowly.

"You...are right...We've got a lot we need to talk about," he admitted, "it's a lot but...baby steps...that alright with you?"

"More than alright," he beamed, "sorry about all the stress, Mr and Ms Kirigiri...We'll leave you two be for now..."

Kyoko looked back at her father, and he looked back at her. Neither was quite sure what the other's expression was saying, nor were they themselves quite sure what to do or say, but whatever it was, it was for them to figure out. Shuichi needed to focus on his own life and relationships now.

But the busy and bustling café wasn't the only place in the city of Tokyo where people were chatting and reacting to the news.

"Did you guys see that old dude on the breakfast show? He really just admitted to all those crimes on live TV! Is he crazy!?"

"Who even was he? Apparently, he's some big-shot detective, but I've never seen him before..."

"I know him! His granddaughter was admitted to Hope's Peak Academy last year as the Ultimate Detective! Her name was never publicly released though."

"Wasn't there another Ultimate Detective this year at Hope's Peak though?"

"Yeah, and not just that...He's the same boy from the Shuichi Detective Agency! The one that that guy was harassing! Shuichi Saihara!"

"For real!?"

"Shit man...I can't believe both of them have suffered 'cause of him."

"Hey, doesn't matter now. That old man and his lackeys are done for."

"But was it even legit? I mean...the dude was pretty old?"

"He said he had evidence proving his own crimes though...I guess we'll hear more on it as it develops."

"But hey, didn't you guys notice it yet? The fact that he spilled the beans himself is a little odd, right? It's just like what happened with..."

"Oh right! Haiji Towa! He also confessed to a bunch of crimes in front of a huge audience, right outside Hope's Peak Academy!"

"Yeah, it was massive news. He and all his cohorts got arrested for so many crimes. It came out of nowhere and really hit the economy in the balls."

"And you know what else? Before today, Kirigiri got sent a bunch of those calling cards from an anonymous group! I think they called themselves...the Phantom Thieves?"

"You think those guys might have something to do with that bastard's apology?"

"Supposedly, they steal the hearts of evildoers and make them apologize for their crimes themselves."

"What do you mean "steal hearts?" Ain't that kinda impossible?"

"No, it's true! Inside scoop said Towa got one of these calling cards as well! Someone from the academy leaked it!"

"Whether it's true or not, if this group really did force Kirigiri to confess, then that sure is something special."

These passing conversations were caught by one Mr Toshiro Uzawa, who was just passing through. He didn't give a damn how the Phantom Thieves had done it.

He subtly smirked as he absorbed the whispers...Glad that it was all finally over.

"Damn...! They did it again...!"

Junko Enoshima and Mukuro Ikusaba were out shopping at thrifty clothes when they caught the news story on a large screen in central Shibuya, talking about how Kirigiri had confessed his crimes on live TV, and how the police had taken him in for questioning.

"Ain't it awesome!" Junko excitedly nudged her best friend's arm, "totally awesome they're still out there kicking ass where it counts!"

"I...suppose so..." Mukuro deadpanned, keeping a tight hold of Junko's bags for her. She looked back up at the screen as Junko spotted another popular store and started to drag her towards it.

"The Phantom Thieves..." she said softly under her breath.

"After a few hours of investigation, the police have accepted the evidence submitted by Fuhito Kirigiri as liable, and have agreed to his request to turn himself in...Kirigiri will likely undergo therapeutical study due to his age, but in the case he comes out sound of mind, he will be required to face prosecution."

Chihiro Fujisaki watched this broadcast from their dorm room, then opened another tab, refreshing the page repeatedly as more and more positive comments flooded into the PhanSite. On top of that, the site had gained a lot more traction, with 1300+ viewers joining the site in the last hour alone.

Needing to rest their eyes after staring at the same screen for so long, they closed the lid of their laptop with one hand and pumped their fist excitedly with the other.

Justice had won...!

Heartless Journey - Danganronpa V3: Killing Harmony

[THE NEXT DAY...]

"SHUICHI!"

"SAIHARA-KUN!"

"DUDE!"

Shuichi gained an unexpected greeting from his classmates as he suddenly appeared in the lobby of the first-year dorms. His best friend, Kaito Momota, immediately ran over to him and pulled him into a (honestly uncomfortable) tight hug. Maki Harukawa, the Ultimate Child Caregiver, stood beside him, gently patting him on the shoulder with a much calmer expression of comfort.

"You really came back," Ryoma Hoshi looked up at him, "we really missed ya, y'know?"

""Missed him" is an understatement!" K1-B0, or Keebo, the Ultimate Robot (yes really) exclaimed, "after we all heard the news, we were worried to death about you! I can't believe Kirigiri was really putting you through all that!"

"Shuichi, why didn't you tell us?" Kaede Akamatsu asked, sadness in her eyes "if you were being harassed, you should have said something!"

"I'm sorry...I didn't want any of you involved, so I never brought it up," Shuichi apologized, "I acknowledge that was a mistake now, and I apologize for it."

"It makes sense that in the life of a detective, you would be getting involved with a multitude of crazy occurrences," Korekiyo Shinguji, the Ultimate Anthropologist stated, "even so, this was something I could never have seen coming. I do wish you had said something..."

"Yeah! It's scary, you know!? Get on your knees and beg for forgiveness, you tool!" Miu Iruma snarled.

"Ignore her, she's just happy to see you're ok..." Keebo assured him.

"Again...I'm very sorry..." Shuichi bowed.

"Hey, is that Shuichi!? He's back!?" Himiko Yumeno, the Ultimate Magician (self-professed Ultimate Mage) suddenly scurried into the lobby, joined by Kokichi Oma and Angie Yonaga, the latter of whom was the Ultimate Artist, "move over! Himi wants hugs!"

"Shumaaaaaaii!" Kokichi also slammed Shuichi into a squeeze, bawling his eyes out, "I'M SO GLAD YOU'RE OOOKAAAAAAAAAYYY!"

"Thank you, Kokichi...You too, Himiko..." he nodded.

"H-Here, Shuichi," Kirumi Tojo, the Ultimate Maid, stepped forward holding a plate of gateau chocolate cake in her hands, "upon hearing you were returning, I prepared this for you. I hope it is to your liking."

"Oh, y-you didn't have to do that!" Shuichi assured her.

"Just let her," Rantaro Amami, the Ultimate Adventurer, smirked and shrugged, "she was just as worried about you as the rest of us. This goes beyond her typical maidly duties."

"W-Wait here, Shuichi!" Tsumugi Shirogane, the Ultimate Cosplayer, scurried over to the kitchen area, "I'll brew some tea to go with the cake!"

"E-Everyone, please!" Gonta Gokuhara, the Ultimate Entomologist, a very large and beefy, but polite young man with long green messy hair and glasses, stood in the way of everyone and pried Kaito, Kokichi, and Himiko off of him, "Gonta know you all happy to see Shuichi safe and sound, but Gonta think it best we give him space. He has been through a lot, after all. Gentlemanly thing to do would be to let him rest on his own quietly."

"He has a point..." Maki nudged Kaito's arm with her elbow, "it's not just his body that's exhausted after all of this...He's probably not in the best place mentally either..."

Kaito sighed. "Y-Yeah, you're right...Sorry, Gonta...Sorry, Shuichi..."

"H-Hey, it's alright!" Shuichi interjected, "Gonta...I really appreciate you looking out for me...And I can't tell you just how happy I am that all of you showed up here to greet me today...But I'm fine, I promise. It's all in the past now, and I'm doing much better..."

He raised his head to stare at his beloved classmates. He'd only known them all for a short time, but it warmed his heart to know that they were so concerned for him after the truth came to light.

"If it makes any of you feel any better, I spoke to my uncle and the staff, and I'm going to be moving into the school dorms for the rest of the year," he told them, "I told Kaito about it and...I guess he gathered the rest of you as well."

"Divine!" Angie beamed, "that way we can keep tabs on you Shuichi, and never worry about you again!"

"I think "keeping tabs" on you is a bit much, but I guess it's good to know we can protect you in case anything goes down," Tenko Chabashira, the Ultimate Aikido Master, chimed in, "you may be a degenerate male, but after hearing what Kirigiri did to you, that old man is the worst of the worst of the WORST..."

Tsumugi returned from the kitchen gently carrying a cup of warm tea on a saucer. She looked up and upon seeing Shuichi again, her eyebrows were raised.

"Come to think of it, Shuichi...Is there something...different about you?" she remarked.

With her words, everyone turned back to get a proper look at him.

"Oh! How did I not notice!?" Kaede gasped.

"Huh? Oh...you mean..." Shuichi chuckled nervously, "yeah..."

"Le GASP! You finally got rid of that emo hat!" Kokichi beamed, "is this 'cause Kirigiri got arrested or whatever?"

"Have some self-respect, you villain!" Tenko attempted to stamp on Kokichi's foot, but he dodged.

"Oh...huh...You're not wearing your hat..." Kaito scratched his head, "I didn't even notice..."

"Yeah, I guess we were so caught up in everything, none of us realized," Rantaro considered, "you sure you're ok, Shuichi?"

"I-I promise I'm fine...I just felt like it was getting in the way is all..." the detective boy flushed, "you don't have to stare...I just took my hat off, it's no big deal..."

"Yes, you are right," Kirumi courtesied, "our apologies, Shuichi."

"I like it!" Angie beamed, "I think you look a lot more handsome with your hat off!"

"Thank you, Angie!" Shuichi smiled back at her.

"Keh. How nice for you," Miu jeered, gesturing to Tsumugi next to her, who was still holding the tea and saucer, "unlike Plain Jane here who turns invisible as soon as her glasses come off!"

"Actually, it's the other way around! Taking off my glasses reveals my true form!" Tsumugi smiled as she snarked, "didn't you know? Those who see my true face pay a terrible price."

"Anyway, we don't have to draw attention to it if that's what you want," Kaito gave him a friendly thumbs up, "now come on gang! Let's all eat this cake together!"

"Don't decide that on your own. Kirumi made the cake for Shuichi, not you," Maki played with her hair, "still, if Shuichi's okay with it, I won't complain..."

"Do not worry, Maki. I foresaw this eventuality and made enough cake and snacks for everyone." Kirumi smiled warmly, "I also spent most of the day preparing an assortment of food and drinks, both of Japanese cuisine and otherwise, to befit everyone else's tastes. I wouldn't exactly call it "party food" but it's certainly enough for a hearty celebration meal."

"Thank you, Kirumi-okāsan!" Kokichi exclaimed out of nowhere.

"Yes! Thank you so much, Kirumi-okāsan!" Gonta boomed.

"Gonta, don't copy him..." Keebo sighed, "don't use words if you don't know what they actually mean..."

"Oh yeah! I can show you something really neat!" Tenko gushed, "when Himiko eats, she makes the CUTEST face! AAWW! She's like a small animal!"

"Cut that out..." Himiko groaned, pulling her hat down over her eyes in annoyance, "you're gonna make it hard for me to eat...!"

Shuichi looked on as his friends and classmates gathered around the small table in the lobby, casually chatting as Kirumi headed to the kitchen to bring out the food, aided by Ryoma and Rantaro.

Before he joined them, Shuichi felt someone tug on his sleeve and turned to see Kaede Akamatsu smiling merrily at him.

"You know Shuichi," she whispered, "jokes aside, you really do look a lot cooler without the hat~"

"Oh..." he blushed, "thank you, Kaede."

Boys' Life of Despair - Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc

"This can't be real...! None of this can possibly be real!"

A selection of esteemed KDA detectives were gathered in what was now previously Fuhito's office. Aside from Kyoko Kirigiri herself, there were three others. A man named Tachibana, a woman named Kujo, and another man named Okiri.

"Tachibana-san, please," Kujo exclaimed, "you need to calm down! Getting overwhelmed like this won't do us any good."

"But don't you see how out of control this has gotten!?" Okiri was also panicking, "aside from Kirigiri-sensei himself, Kandachi-senpai was also arrested for collaboration! In the evidence submitted, it was revealed he had a hand in the harassment and other crimes he committed!

"The evidence...has to be fake!" Tachibana assured, "Kirigiri-sensei was forced to say what he said on TV by these Phantom Thieves! They must have brainwashed him, or tortured him! He was framed!"

"The results of my grandfather's medical examination were sent to us directly after his arrest," Kyoko told them all, "he's perfectly sound of mind and body, and no signs of manipulation, physical or mental, were discovered. Furthermore, even outside of the evidence he submitted, there are multiple discoveries made by the police that prove his guilt. As detectives, you should be focusing on the truth..."

"But...this can't be the truth...! It can't be!" Kujo sobbed.

"You seem awfully comfortable about throwing your grandfather aside!" Okiri snapped, "you heartless bitch! What's wrong with you!?"

"Okiri, ENOUGH!" Tachibana snarled, "don't you DARE talk to her like that!"

"It's fine Tachibana. Okiri is just unable to accept what's happened; I don't blame him," Kyoko told him, "but I'll say this much. If you're going to be upset at anyone, be upset at Fuhito Kirigiri. After all, he lied to you all as well, and destroyed this trust that you put in him."

"But...Kyoko-san..." Kujo sobbed.

"This can't be happening..." Okiri clutched his head.

"No...We can't let this all end here," Tachibana spoke up, "we have to believe in Kirigiri-sensei! We have to find a way to get him back! If we don't...it's all over for us...!"

"And if these crimes are real? What then?" Kyoko asked, "would you still be willing to submit your servitude to a would-be criminal?"

"We couldn't call ourselves detectives..." Tachibana clenched his fist, "if we turned our eyes away from this...!"

"You IDIOTS! That's EXACTLY what you are DOING!"

New World Order - Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc

Tachibana, Okiri, and Kujo staggered back in the face of the unexpected ferocity of the young detective princess, who slammed her grandfather's desk with her fist!

"The fact that the lot of you are still vouching for him just goes to show how badly that monster got inside your heads! Just like he did with mine my whole life!" Kyoko snarled, "all three of you, and everyone else in this agency know full well that my grandfather's crimes are real, and that he hurt a lot of innocent people, including those among us here at the agency! But you're all so scared of losing something, you're turning your eyes away from the obvious truth right in front of you! If that's how you choose to act, then forget your place at the agency! You don't have the right to call yourselves DETECTIVES!"

All three of them stood in astonished silence, their souls aching as she stabbed them with this knife of truth.

"All three of you just shut up and listen to ME for once. Not as Fuhito Kirigiri's granddaughter, or as Jin Kirigiri's abandoned child, but as Kyoko Kirigiri, the Ultimate Detective!" Kyoko continued, "you have intelligence, perceptiveness, an aptitude for investigation, and a desire to solve mysteries and protect the innocent. You DON'T NEED someone telling you what to do, much less a rotten, manipulative crook like Fuhito! You have more than enough strength in both body and mind to stand on your own, and make your own choices and deductions! He KNEW that, and was afraid of that, which is why he put all these twisted authoritarian ideas in your head! So he could force you into the exact submissive state you're in now!"

She paused, gathering her emotions and forcing herself to calm down before she continued.

"As detectives, we pursue the truth and make decisions, theories, and deductions on our path towards it. The three are you are some of the best we've got, which is why it bothers me that you think you need his APPROVAL to do your jobs." she said, "Fuhito Kirigiri the kind of person who can feel that devotion and takes advantage of it. And clearly, he has done for the three of you to get you into this state; since you three seem to think that your lives are now over because he's gone and paid for his sins."

"Well...it's not that..." Kujo admitted, "it's just...without Kirigiri-sensei to guide us...we're not sure what to do or where to go..."

"That's what I mean...I thought the exact same thing until I was finally given the chance to speak to my father honestly," Kyoko smiled, "I always wanted to be a great detective so I could pay him back for all he did to raise me...But I was just playing into his greasy hands by thinking like that. So now, I'm going to become a great detective, not for his sake...but for my own."

"Wait...Kirigiri-san..." Tachibana distressed, "are you saying you're going to continue being a detective? Despite everything that happened?"

"Not just that...I'm going to take over my grandfather's position as head of the KDA, and manage it now that he's gone," Kyoko assured them, "obviously, it will be difficult while also attending Hope's Peak, which is why I need you three on my side."

"But...your reputation as Kirigiri-sensei's granddaughter...surely that will hinder you, no?" Okiri trembled, "not to mention, your prior reputation as the daughter of a traitor isn't going to be so easy to drop. How do you know anyone's going to trust you?"

"Then I'll say it once again for good measure," she stood up straight and faced them with determination, "I am Kyoko Kirigiri. Not my grandfather's doll, nor my father's lost toy. I'm my own person who is now choosing to stand on her own strength and become the person that I myself want to be. It's not easy, but I'm determined to help you, and everyone else. And if they don't accept it, that's fine. Because unlike him, I will never try to force people into giving up their independence. The Kirigiri bloodline is just as important to me as it was to Fuhito. No matter what the people may say about us after this, or how much our reputation has been driven into the dirt, I will do whatever is within to return to the path my grandfather steered us off of long ago."

"You really think you can do it, huh?" Tachibana asked. Kyoko nodded.

"I believe in myself," she smirked, "and I believe in the three of you as well. You're good, honest people, and this agency is lucky to have you even now."

"Belief?" Okiri parroted, "such a thing has no place in our line of work...Like you said, it's what let Kirigiri take advantage of us...So can we really rely on such an idea?"

"It's impossible..." Kujo cried, "absolutely impossible..."

"No, that's not true," Kyoko assured them, "belief can take you a long way. My grandfather refuted that idea so that he could manipulate you into villainizing those who rose against him, but I am not so cold as to take advantage of your feelings. I believe in all of you, so I hope you can all believe in me as well. I can't do this without you."

Silence followed as the three detectives took in her words and contemplated on them. Eventually, Tachibana broke the silence and raised his head towards Okiri and Kujo.

"Okiri-san. Kuji-san. We should return to our respective stations and let everyone in the agency know of Kyoko-san's decision. People might not accept it, but we will make them see the light...eventually."

"So we're really going through with this?" Okiri asked. Tachibana chuckled.

"Normally, I'd say we don't have a choice...but we do. We always HAVE had a choice; we just forgot about that part..." he said softly, "but Kyoko is clearly determined to pick up where Fuhito left off, and not only restore her family reputation but protect us while doing it. Maybe it's not the easiest path, but it's the one that I...believe in."

Kujo and Okiri nodded, not saying anything. They did as they were told and started to take their leave, looking back one last time at Kyoko before they did. Tachibana turned to her once they were out of earshot.

"You really have grown, Kyoko-chan. Teaching even an old dog like me some new tricks..." he smiled, "if only Samidare-san could see you now..."

"There's no point in bringing up the past," Kyoko told him, "this agency has a future to strive towards now, and we'll do it together."

Tachibana nodded, then made his leave.

Kyoko sighed. She had expended more emotions in that single moment than she ever thought she was capable of showing before. Fuhito had taught her that hiding her emotions and pursuing a path of logic over belief was the ideal way a detective should have been. He had drilled that idea into her mind ever since she was young.

Yeah, no point in sticking by THAT BS anymore. He was gone, and now, she was going to do her OWN thing.

Just as she thought she could finally sit down in what was now her new office and take a much-needed break, she became distracted as she heard a sudden squeaking noise behind her. She spun around to face her desk and was surprised to see a pink and white fluffy rabbit, sitting in the middle, looking up at her with what looked almost like a smile.

"Monomi?" she gasped, "when and how did YOU get here!?"

Monomi squeaked cheerfully in response, then reached behind her and took a small piece of card in her mouth. She pointed her head up toward Kyoko like she was giving the card to her.

Kyoko hesitantly reached out and took the card, noting the Phantom Thieves' logo on the center of it. She turned it around and began to read the writing on the back...

To Kyoko Kirigiri, the Ultimate Detective.

Your eagerness to pursue the truth in spite of turning against your own family, for the sake of saving those who have suffered, is one that we as the Phantom Thieves of Hope respect and admire.

And we extend our thanks to you for delivering justice where it is needed.

Should we have a chance to meet in the future, we will explain in greater detail should you desire, but in honor of your courage and selflessness, we have bestowed upon you a gift -

Fuhito Kirigiri's treasure; the source of all his desires. What made him turn into the man he had become.

As we are unable to meet you personally, we have sent our friend Usami to deliver this card on our behalf. She has also placed the treasure in Fuhito's desk drawer for you whenever you are ready. Whether this gives you clarity or not, we hope you accept. If you don't, then you need not worry. We will take it off your hands if it causes you too much stress.

But our utmost desire above everything else for you, your family, and the people you care about is to find your own happiness and bring about your own change in the only way you know how.

From

Leprechaun of the Phantom Thieves~

Kyoko scoffed, placing the card back down in front of Monomi.

Leprechaun? What kind of nickname was that?

Still, she was curious, so she did as the letter instructed while Monomi watched her eagerly. She walked to the other side of the desk and carefully opened the drawer at the top.

So she gently opened the drawer and took out the treasure...

Before she even realized it, tears started to stream down her face...She smiled and rubbed her eyes...

"Honestly..." she chuckled sadly...

"The truth really does sting sometimes..."

Chapter End Notes

Dollhouse of Pride...Cancelled.
I want to take a quick moment to say a few things now with how far we are in the story.
First of all, I would like to apologize in advance and say updates to this story may end up being a little slow because I am entering a very busy phase of my life. I will still try to put out as much content, but more than likely updates to this story will begin to be posted weekly instead of twice a week.
But don't worry about that, I fully intend to see this story to completion.
Secondly, I would like to just thank all of you for your endless support of this story. It really makes me so happy that I can make my AO3 impact like this, and that so many people are riding high on the thieves' misadventures. I hope in the future, I can bring lots more incredible times to you.
And third, I would also like to give a special shoutout to DeepestClover80 who has not only been following this story from the beginning but has taken the time to help me spell check and fix writing mistakes in the previous chapters. You're awesome, and I want you to know I really appreciate it.
As always, once again, thank you SO MUCH for reading. I love to get feedback from my readers, so feel free to leave a comment, and some kudos if you feel up to it

Affection and Reflection

Chapter Summary

With Fuhito Kirigiri taken care of, the Phantom Thieves officially welcome Shuichi as their newest member, and the Naegis host a party to which they invite him and Kyoko to tag along. Their consequent discussions end up running deeper than they anticipated...

Chapter Notes

See the end of the chapter for notes

"Hey, hey! Did you guys see the news?"

"You mean that stuff about Fuhito Kirigiri?"

"His granddaughter in the Main Course, right? And the boy he victimized..."

"He admitted to having manipulated both of them...I hope they're both ok..."

"Kirigiri-san from Class 78 hasn't come in today...Apparently, she's trying to fix things with her family's agency..."

"Were the Phantom Thieves really involved?"

"Phantom Thieves? You mean the guys who targeted Haiji Towa?"

"Come to think of it, he confessed out of the blue as well...AND he got the same kind of calling card..."

"So the calling card thing with Towa and Kyoko-senpai's grandfather was real?"

"Surely not...I mean, it's ridiculous!"

These kinds of whispers came and went, passing through Makoto Naegi's ears on this day, and though he tried to hide it, he couldn't prevent this overwhelming swelling of pride that built up inside him.

It sucked that Kyoko had become so busy out of nowhere due to the scandal, and none of Makoto's classmates could talk to her. They had been worried sick about her since Fuhito Kirigiri's confession on the breakfast show. It had also become a fair bit harder to meet up, given that Shuichi's classmates, who were similarly concerned for his wellbeing, had begun coddling him like they were their collective pet. Fortunately by now, he had convinced them to give him some space.

After getting through his day, comforting his worried classmates where he needed to, and acting like a diligent student, he grabbed his things and returned to the team's usual meetup spot by the park bench. By the time he got there, Toko, Komaru, and Shuichi were all already waiting for him. His little sister in particular was beaming with delight. He placed his bag down on the bench and sat down as Monomi clambered out and sat on his lap.

"Isn't it amazing!?" Komaru gushed, "people have been talking about us all day! I've been hearing so many cool things about the Phantom Thieves both in and out of school! We've really made a name for ourselves with Towa and Kirigiri under our belt now! We're FAMOOOUS!"

She made a punk gesture with her hands and stuck her tongue out. Makoto rolled his eyes.

"I guess it is a little exciting," he admitted, "but honestly, I'm just glad that both Kyoko and Shuichi are free of that guy above everything else."

"And I am eternally grateful for it. If it wasn't for you, I might still be wearing that cap and looking down at my shoes instead of up at the truth," Shuichi placed a hand on his chest, "you saved me, my uncle, and countless other detectives. You basically just saved all of PI law enforcement from Kirigiri's twisted reign. Nothing I could ever do will be good enough as thanks."

"You really don't have to think that hard about it," Makoto assured him, "we're friends. Best friends. It's what we do for each other. And like Komaru said, it worked out greatly for us in the end."

"Oh, that reminds me!" Komaru sat up straight and looked towards him, "what's been going on with Shinichi and Tsubaki now? Kirigiri confessed to the harassment, and your uncle's legitimacy has been proven. Please tell me they've been terminated by now?"

"Our lives have certainly gotten a lot more chaotic since then," Shuichi scratched his face and chuckled as he explained his circumstances, "we went from basically having no cases to far too many to tackle at once. Kyoko-sama has been a major help. The contract my uncle signed with Fuhito was abolished, and now that the truth has come to light, people have started to believe in us again. She's also been making use of the agency's security to stop any people with ill intentions from coming to our home until the excitement dies down. Plus, my uncle's started hiring people again. Now that we have a much steadier income, he's been using the funds wisely, and we've been eating much more filling meals."

"Yeah...makes sense that paparazzi and bloodthirsty reporters would be all over you," Toko sighed, "you probably get approached and recognized by so many people now, huh?"

"Not as many as I thought. They may be vultures, but I think they're smarter than to brazenly approach an agent of the law, lest they risk getting arrested for harassment. Given that I need to keep my Phantom Thief alter ego a secret, it makes things easier for me," Shuichi smiled, "but honestly, I was never uncomfortable with our quiet life. We never really cared about money so long as we have each other, and we still do. So I'm content either way. It's Kyoko-sama I'm really worried about."

"Have any of you guys heard from her?" Komaru looked towards her teammates.

"The last person to see her was myself when I delivered that photo to her," Monomi explained, "apparently, she made a public statement and revealed she's on the path to becoming the next chief detective of the Kirigiri Detective Agency, and plans to fix her grandfather's misdeeds by seeking out and compensating the victims, as well as installing new philosophy and rules amongst their ranks."

She scratched her nose with her paw.

"I have to admit, I'm worried for her," she admitted, "she's an Ultimate, and definitely among the more mature people of her age group, but she's still just a child. I really worry for her future."

"Do you really think it was the right thing to do? Giving her the treasure, I mean?" Toko asked. Makoto nodded his head.

"Not like we could sell it," he reminded her, "remember what our goal as Phantom Thieves was Toko? To give struggling people hope. We've done all we can for Kyoko and given her back what's rightfully hers. What she decides to do with her life from this point on is her choice, not ours."

"You're right..." Toko nodded, "I wouldn't have it any other way...I guess I'm just embarrassed to admit it, but I'm worried about her too..."

"You went to meet with her and her father, right?" Komaru looked at Shuichi, "do you think they'll be able to reconcile, even after all these years?"

"It's not going to be easy, that's for sure...But they're both mature adults who can think for themselves," Shuichi affirmed, "I don't think they'll be embracing each other any time soon, but I'm confident they'll be able to see eye to eye eventually."

"Well, if that's what you think, then I guess I've only got one more question," Komaru held the bench and stood up with a smile, "what about you, Shuichi?"

"Huh? What about me?" he frowned, "I'm not sure what you're asking..."

"Well, we don't have any immediate plans, but after some downtime, we're gonna be looking for the next big catch," she explained, "do you wanna be with us when we find it?"

"She's asking if you want to continue being a Phantom Thief with us," Toko clarified, "honestly, with how much you've saved our asses up until now, we'd really appreciate it~"

"Well, if I may repeat Naegi-senpai's words from the diner..."I'm the one who should be asking YOU that,"" Shuichi smiled again, "I'm happy you believe I saved you, but as I said, you were the ones who saved me and gifted me back my ability to find the truth again. This is the least I owe you."

Makoto stood up and approached him, with Monomi bounding onto his shoulder. He stuck out a hand to shake.

"I know that you and Kyoko are grateful to us for what we've done, but I need to remind you of something important," he looked at the young man with a stern expression, "the Phantom Thieves operate outside the law, and as a detective, I know that's important to you. If you come with us, some people might see you as a criminal. Are you alright with that?"

"We're not criminals, Makoto. We're vigilantes who protect the weak from people who society can't touch. There are many influential figures out there like Kirigiri who ruin lives and tear families apart, oftentimes just because they can." Shuichi said, "some people who act outside the law, like the Phantom Thieves, can give people hope... Some people who work INSIDE the law, like Kirigiri, bring people nothing but despair... So I don't think anyone can really say which is more right in the end."

Shuichi reached out and firmly grasped Makoto's hand and shook it.

"So yes, I'd be more than happy to join you," he smiled reassuringly, "that said, I do have just one condition. If there are any plans that the team decides to go through that I don't agree with, I have the right to back out of it if I so choose. Does that sound reasonable?"

"Don't worry, as much as we give the impression, we're not a bunch of hooligans," Toko patted him on the shoulder, "we also already have a rule to only do things unanimously. If even one person disagrees with the plan, it's either a no-go or up for discussion. So don't worry about us going off the deep end."

"In that case, once again," Makoto cheerfully gave Shuichi's hand another shake, "welcome to the team, Sleuth!"

"Soooo, you guys know what this means, right?" Komaru smirked like a little gremlin, "it's...PARTY TIIIIIME!"

"Party?" Shuichi parroted.

"Yeah! To celebrate Kirigiri's change of heart, and now you joining the group, Makoto and I already asked our parents if we could invite a couple of friends round our house!" she beamed, "they gave us the go-ahead, so how about it? Sound good to you? We can finally introduce you to Kotoko-chan as well!"

"Hm...well, I'll have to call my aunt, but assuming she's okay with it, then of course," Shuichi nodded, "I'll be in your care."

"Take it from me, the Naegis are probably the only truly selfless adults in the world," Toko wryly smirked, "they've taken good care of me before, many times."

"Actually, about the celebration, there's something I want to run by you guys," Makoto spoke up to get everyone's attention, "there's a pretty high chance they won't be available with how busy she's been, but I was thinking...what if...I invited Kyoko to celebrate as well?"

"You wanna invite HER?" Toko's eyes widened. Makoto nodded.

"Like I said, she might not be able to show, but if she does, it might be the break she needs," he explained, "besides, this is a celebration for her as well, and she's the only other person who knows our identities. It wouldn't be fair to leave her out."

"I agree as well," Monomi chimed in, "as a teacher, I vouch for student participation! I would feel a lot happier and more comfortable if we could appease Kyoko-chan in her trying times. But of course, as we've said, we'll need a unanimous decision."

"I'm in favor," Shuichi approved, "I haven't seen Kyoko-sama in a while. It'll be nice to catch up."

"Me too!" Komaru also agreed, "plus, I really want to get to know Kyoko-chan and become better friends with her! If this is my chance, I'm gonna take it!"

"As long as she doesn't ask too many questions..." Toko grumbled, "I guess it's fine..."

"Alright, I'll give her a call. Just remember, this is still a very big "maybe." Expect a no over anything else." Makoto told them, taking out his phone and looking for Kyoko's contact info.

He took himself to the side for the moment, passing Monomi to Komaru as he gave her a call. While expecting it to go to voicemail, he was pleasantly surprised as the call was picked up during the third ring.

"Hello?" Kyoko's familiar, calming voice spoke through the speaker.

"Hey, Kiri, it's me, Makoto," he spoke, trying to make his voice sound as jovial as possible, "how are you doing?"

"Busy and tired, thank you for asking," she remarked, "is there something I can help you with?"

"Nothing particularly, I just wanted to ask you something," he casually slipped a hand into his pocket, tapping his foot, "so...in light of the incident coming to a close, me, Komaru, Toko, and Shuichi are holding a little get-together at our house, and we're planning on eating dinner together."

"Sounds nice." the detective girl commented. Makoto chuckled.

"Yeah, sure does, but...anyway, I was wondering if you wanted to come with us? I mean, this involves you too, plus I know we're already friends, but we still wanna get to know you better and everything!" he explained, fiddling with his hood, "it's alright if you decline though, or if you're too busy...I was just curious."

"Hm..." Kyoko hesitated on the other end of the line for a moment, before finally giving her response, "in that case, you're in luck. If it's tonight, I should be able to make time."

"Yeah, I guessed as much- Wait WHAT!?" he exclaimed, "you can!?"

"It just so happens that Tachibana-san, one of my cohorts, doesn't have anything planned for the evening, so I should be able to ask him to watch over the agency and deal with some problems I'm overseeing for the time being," she explained, "this might be the only time off I get for the next week or so, so your timing is impeccable. I'd be glad to join you."

"YES! Uh...I mean...good to hear!" Makoto quickly calmed himself down when he realized he was getting over-excited, "you remember my address, right? I'll see you there tonight!"

"Glad to hear it," Kyoko laughed, "thank you very much, Naegi-kun."

With that, she ended the call. Makoto turned around and rejoined his teammates, holding out his arms in a shrug.

"She's in!" he said bluntly, "turns out this is her one evening off!"

"You're kidding!" Toko exclaimed.

"That's incredible," Komaru beamed, "it's like a Christmas miracle! Ultimate Luck FOR THE WIN!"

"It's...the middle of June though..." Shuichi remarked.

"Then I guess all we've got to do now is look forward to tonight," Makoto grinned, "it's gonna be awesome!"

"So, this is your home?" Shuichi asked as the group of 5, plus the rabbit, stepped through the front door and left their shoes near the step, "I don't quite know what I was expecting...Seems like an ordinary house to me..."

"I quite like it," Kyoko admitted, "it doesn't get much more homely than this."

"Oh, good, good, you all arrived!" the merry voice of Makoto's mother sounded out as she and her father emerged from around the corner, with Kotoko hiding behind them, "it's wonderful to see you again, Kyoko-chan! It's been a long time!"

"Thank you for having me, Naegi-san..." she bowed politely.

"Y-Yes...Thank you very much for welcoming us in..." Shuichi also bowed, less courteously and more nervously. Makoto's dad chuckled.

"You must be Shuichi, right? There's no need to be so nervous. We're grateful you've become such a good friend to our children," he said "I'm Takao Naegi, Makoto's father, and this is my wife Shiomi. And this one..."

He tried to shuffle out of the way to present the pink-haired girl behind him, but she just retreated further behind Mrs Naegi.

"Kotoko, correct?" Kyoko smiled as warmly as she could muster, "it's lovely to meet you."

Komaru sighed and walked over, taking Kotoko by the hand and guiding her out of hiding. Kotoko wrapped her small fingers around Komaru's larger ones and continued looking at her feet.

"Mm...'lo..." she greeted them with her mouth closed, "mm' Koko..."

"That's not your name!" Komaru winked, "you don't need to be so shy, you know?"

Komaru flinched and started giggling as Kotoko smacked her thigh, blushing red.

"Komaru. I've brought out a bunch of ingredients you can use for making a hot pot. The stove is also ready for you whenever you're hungry," Mrs Naegi told her, "your friends can stay as long as you want, but try not to cause too much noise when it starts getting late. We don't want to disturb the neighbors."

"Yes Mom," Komaru nodded, half listening, "I'll take care of it all. Do you wanna help me before you go out Kotoko? You're going round Enoshima-chan's to play with Monaca and the others, aren't you?"

"Mm...'kay..." Kotoko shuffled her feet, still shy; following Komaru into the kitchen as she led her by the hand.

"She's leaving? That's a shame..." Shuichi sighed, "I was hoping I could ask her a few questions..."

"Hey, don't be a jerk!" Toko nudged him, "she's been through a lot and she doesn't really want to think about all of that again."

"That's not really what I meant. All I was saying is that I don't want her to feel intimidated by us," Shuichi claimed, "however, I suppose you're right. It's not going to be easy for her to open up to just anyone, even through a familiar connection."

"She seems to really trust Komaru-san though," Kyoko observed, "I'm glad to see it."

"Me too," Makoto smiled, "honestly, to this day, thinking about what Towa and Utsugi did to her makes my blood boil..."

"Now Makoto, remember what we agreed? No using the "T Word" in the house," Mr Naegi reminded him "that's all in the past now. We don't need to worry about it anymore, right?"

"Yeah, I know...Sorry dad...Sometimes I just forget..." Makoto scratched his head, "anyway, he sucks and I hate the fact that I still think about it...It's just...ugh..."

"Just "ugh?" What does that mean?" Kyoko raised her eyebrow.

""Ugh" means "ugh"...I just feel "ugh"..." Makoto shrugged like that was supposed to explain anything.

"Ok, so assuming Naegi's done with his weird caveman routine," Toko snarked "we should probably head upstairs, right?"

"Yeah, yeah, come on. I'll take you all to my room..." Makoto huffed, leading Shuichi, Toko, and Kyoko up the stairs while Monomi snuggled comfortably in his hoodie. However, before they disappeared, Makoto's dad reached out and stopped Kyoko.

"Sorry to interrupt, but I don't think I was here the last time you came round here," he said, "you're one of Makoto's classmates, aren't you? Kyoko-san, right?"

"That's right," Kyoko nodded, "my name is Kyoko Kirigiri. I'm the Ultimate Detective."

"Ah, I see! Nice to meet you, Kyoko-san," he smiled and winked at her, "so you're the one, huh?"

"Um...what do you mean by that?" she asked. He laughed mischievously.

"Heheh...Don't tell him I said this, but Makoto talks a lot about you. "Kyoko is the best, she's so awesome and cool!" and stuff like that. I think he's quite the fan~"

"O-Oh..." Kyoko played with her braid, diverting eye contact; her cheeks turning pink, "thank you."

"No, thank YOU for being such a good friend to my son," his smile faded slightly, "and hey...I heard about what happened to your grandfather on the news. It sounds like you have a lot on your plate right now, so I'm glad we're able to humor you for tonight. For some reason, these incidents follow us like bloodhounds, but we're always happy to help."

"And I am very happy to be here," Kyoko smiled again, "truthfully, I admire Makoto just as much as he admires me. Even if it's none of his business, he's always in his friends' corner for support. That's something that I can get behind. As his parents, I suppose I should be thanking you."

"We can't take credit. That's just the way our Makoto is," Mr Naegi winked, "if anything, he's the one who's rubbed off on us. I don't know what kind of sacrifice we made to have two of the most selfless kids in the world, but if there's anything any of us can ever do for you, you know where to find us. Now I've held you up long enough, so you should go with the others. Enjoy your evening~"

"I'm very grateful, Mr Naegi." she nodded, then complied, heading up the stairs to rejoin the Phantom Thieves.

"It's REAAADY~!" Komaru pushed open Makoto's room door with her foot as she carried a large boiling pot full of food inside, beaming all the while "comin' through Shuichi's and Senpai's!"

Before Komaru stepped in, Makoto and the others had already set up a foldable table and had taken a few seats from downstairs up to his room. Makoto sat next to Shuichi on one side, while Kyoko sat opposite them on the other, with an empty seat next to her reserved for Komaru. Toko sat in between them on one of the ends of the table, and on the other end, Monomi lay down in front of her own bowl.

Komaru dropped the pot onto the foldable table with a *WHAM!* and gently lifted the lid. The piping hot steam and enticing smell flowed out from within. Makoto could feel his stomach rumble with felicity as his eyes fell upon the delightfully boiled and cooked ingredients, including thinly sliced meat, vegetables, mushrooms, vermicelli, sliced potatoes, bean products, egg dumplings, tofu, and seafood.

"Woah!" Shuichi grinned, "it looks delicious!"

"Well, it's a real shame I can't see it then..." Everyone looked and laughed as Toko said this, realizing the steam had completely fogged up her glasses and blinded her. Kyoko produced a handkerchief from the pocket of her purple jacket, handing it to her so she could wipe it clean. She then removed said jacket and hung it around the back of her seat as she started to warm up from the heat of the pot. Rather notably, she kept her purple studded gloves on.

Shuichi also removed his jacket, and Makoto his hoodie for pretty much the same reason.

"Alright, everyone! You know what to say next!" Monomi stood on her hind paws and tried to put her front two paws together in a graceful prayer, "thanks for the food!"

"Thank you for the food!" Makoto, Komaru, Toko, and Shuichi echoed, with Kyoko joining in as well. Everyone started to pick out food from the pot, placing them into their own bowls and chowing down.

The food was good. Komaru wasn't a 5-star chef by a long shot, but she was a surprisingly well-performing cook. She had prepared just the right amount of food for all 6 of them as well, even chopping up some vegetables into smaller pieces for Monomi's easy consumption. Once she had taken a small selection of food from the pot, Kyoko lifted her head and started to curiously peer around Makoto's bedroom.

"Hm...Thinking about it now, this is the first time I've ever been in your room, Naegi-kun," she looked around curiously, "it's rather...juvenile..."

"Which is exactly why I didn't let you in before now!" Makoto groaned, "I KNEW you were going to poke fun at me for it..."

"I am doing no such thing," Kyoko pointed at him with her fork, "I was merely making an observation. It's quite ordinary to me."

"It is!?" Toko frowned in surprise.

"Eeehehehe...I hate to admit it, but my room is...similarly childish..." Komaru confessed, "it's just full of anime figurines and junk...No way I could let any of my school friends in...These guys here are the only ones I feel I can be myself around..."

"You're an otaku then?" Kyoko inquired, "I see...I had figured as much, given how your eyes drifted towards the toys and anime stores we passed on our way here..."

"You noticed that!?" she gasped, "jeez, you're scary Kyoko-chan! Remind me to watch my back around you..."

"I'm afraid that wouldn't save you..." she winked at her, an underlying sadism to her expression which sent a chill down Komaru's spine.

"Makoto! Please procure me some food!" Monomi asked politely, "and grab me that big piece of meat over there in the corner of the pot."

"Sure thing." Makoto did as requested, much to the dismay of Shuichi, who sat next to him.

"H-Hey! No fair!" he whined "I wanted that!"

"Finders' keepers, takers' eaters, Shu~" Toko smirked, before turning her head and furrowing her brow in frustration, "OMARU! I was gonna have those beans!"

This is the Path We Follow - Danganronpa Another Episode: Ultra Despair Girls

"Maaaaan..." Komaru leaned lazily back in her chair, hung back her head, and huffed an exhausted sigh, "I'm so ffffffull..."

"Psh...You eat like a jock," Toko remarked, "can't say I'm surprised."

"I'm rather stuffed as well," Monomi lay on her back and patted her belly with her paw, "although, that was positively delicious."

"That's quite a shame..." Kyoko shook her head, "I brought some sweets and small cakes for dessert. I suppose they'll have to wait."

"Huh? Wait...YOU brought sweets?" Toko lifted her head in surprise, "YOU?"

"That's...unexpected..." Shuichi added. Kyoko raised her eyes to the heavens and sighed.

"Who do you take me for?" she asked, "I like sweets. Or did you expect me to be the kind of person who sucked on flavorless hard candies as opposed to actual candy? I'm not an old woman..."

"Well I'm not gonna say you're wrong, but I'm not gonna say you're right either..." Toko bit her thumb.

"Just put 'em to the side, I'll eat them when I feel less crappy..." Komaru lifted her head, her eyes lazy and unfocused as she let the euphoria of the delicious food sink in, "Makoto, are you seriously still eating!?"

"Well, there's a couple of scraps left," Makoto placed the last remains of the hot pot onto his plate, "we shouldn't waste food, right?"

"God, you are SUCH a boy scout!" she sneered at her brother as he shot her a glare back, "how are you Shuichi? You doing good?"

"Yes, fine thank you. I'm also very full," he admitted, "I'm going to sleep well tonight, that's for sure. Thank you very much for the food, Komaru."

"I'll give you credit," Toko smiled, "with this and the diner we went to after our first mission, when it comes to food, you've got us all beat."

"I'm gonna take that as a compliment," Komaru smiled, "thanks a lot, Toko-chan."

"Hm..." Kyoko frowned and brought a finger to her chin as she observed them. Toko immediately took notice.

"What? What is it?" she frowned back. Kyoko shook her head.

"Nothing in particular, I'm just curious," she told them, "Komaru-san? Fukawa-san? What exactly is your relationship with each other?"

"Huh!? R-Relationship!?" the two of them spat at the same time. Komaru seemed to forget how sick she was feeling in the face of the excessive eating she had done, as now her mind and body were flustered enough to forget it.

"I'm not trying to imply anything," Kyoko assured them, "you two seem to be on quite amiable terms with one another. Especially in the case of Fukawa-san. She doesn't really like to talk to others or act so politely towards people, but it's different when it comes to your relationship. She seems quite comfortable around you and doesn't stutter nearly as much."

"Hm...W-Well, I guess when you put it like that," Komaru scratched her face, still blushing, "sorry, I didn't quite know what you were suggesting..."

"I just didn't think Fukawa-san could act that way towards anyone other than Togami..." Kyoko nodded.

"Oh...I didn't realize Toko had a crush on Togami-san...?" Shuichi commented.

"Wait, who said anything about a crush!?" Komaru blushed again.

"I wouldn't call it a "crush." It's more like...an obsession?" Makoto replied.

"C-Call it what you will, it's s-still true love!" Toko snapped.

"How long have you known each other?" Kyoko followed up on her original question. Makoto decided to answer it for them.

"They met pretty early on last winter before we came back for the second year," he said, "Toko and a few others came round the house to hang out and I introduced everyone. There was a point where we all went out to grab some snacks and drinks from the store, and by the time we came back, they were chatting up a storm."

"Well, we were the only two people in the house at the time," Komaru shrugged, "who or what else is there to talk to? The wall?"

"F-F-For the record, I would have rather talked to the w-wall than you. You were the one who approached me," Toko recalled, "but yeah. Kokichiru started showing me a whole bunch of weird geek stuff...I w-wasn't on board with that kind of thing, since I didn't really like manga at the time, but I guess I just liked h-how passionate she was about it...I can respect it when someone goes all in on the things they l-love."

"Yeah, well, I kind of figured you wouldn't go yelling over the rooftops about how much of a weeb I am, which is why I showed you..." Komaru sighed, "though I do remember we kind of got into a heated argument about our tastes in media...It turned out okay in the end though..."

"You are a MAJOR weeb..." Toko snickered, "but y-yeah, that's kinda how we met..."

"What made you stick around?" Kyoko asked, "sorry for the abundance of questions, but I am very curious as to what it is that makes you gravitate towards Komaru in particular. It continues to elude me, given how you two seem to be complete opposites of one another."

"I'm curious too," Shuichi chimed in, "yes, you two bicker all the time, but it's easy enough to tell you do so because you're comfortable around each other and enjoy your little quarrels. I'm wondering why that's the case."

"Jesus, you guys are aggressive!" Toko trembled, "d-do I have to tell her while she's right in front of me!?"

"Yes. Mainly because I think she's curious too," Makoto observed, "isn't that right, Komaru?"

"W-Well..." Komaru scratched the back of her head, diverting her gaze, "m-maybe a little...I mean, don't get me wrong, I think you're cool, Toko-chan, but...I know how you're not a people person, and...I don't wanna make you feel like you're uncomfortable around me or anything..."

Toko puffed her cheeks and clutched her scalp.

"Moron...If I was uncomfortable around you, I would SAY so..." she asserted, "but...fine...I guess the truth is that...Komaru is...well..."

She lifted her head after taking a deep breath.

"It's because she's weird...like how I am..."

"Wha-!? We're having an emotional heart-pouring moment and THAT'S what you have to say!?" Komaru looked like she was about to cry, but Toko waved her arms around frantically.

"I-It's not LIKE THAT! I mean it in a good way, I promise! Sorry let me explain...it's like... OK..." Toko took a moment to recollect her thoughts before she explained in detail, "part of the reason why I've never been able to fit in anywhere or make any real friends before now, is because I look at life through my own weird, creepy lens...Lots of people in the past have always taken advantage of that, or used it as an excuse to avoid talking to me, or to make fun of me, and...well, you get the picture...So I worked myself into an unhealthy mindset, where everyone that talks to me kindly is secretly thinking something sinister, or putting on a façade while judging me..."

She looked into Komaru's eyes, who looked back at her.

"But no matter how hard I think about it, you are the one person who I just can't see that with...You're honest to a fault, and you don't say or do anything you don't mean. Sure, sometimes you try and hide things or dance around things, but you're so bad at it that it's hard to doubt your intentions as anything but good," she continued, "you're foolhardy and you run your mouth when it comes to people you don't like, but with wrecks like me, you're patient and humble, and you don't mind even when I ramble about needless bullshit. And even though we have different tastes in...basically EVERYTHING, you still try to understand the things I like and appreciate them from my point of view. Even if we don't really get what the other is obsessed with, we both know how important it is to each other and respect it...Me with Byakuya, you with your manga and anime...So yeah, that's...that's why I like you..."

"Toko..."

Komaru and Toko lowered both their heads in a hilariously failed attempt to hide their beet-red faces.

"That's very sweet," Kyoko smiled, "thank you for answering my question...I'm sorry to put you two on the spot like that..."

"Yes, it's adorable how much you care for each other, and how honest you can be with one another!" Monomi beamed, "I approve!"

"Maybe we should move on now," Shuichi suggested, "I think we've caused these two enough distress..."

Beautiful Dead - Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc

"Then may I make a suggestion?" Monomi lifted herself up, "remember how this celebration is also a welcoming party for Shuichi? Maybe it would be a good opportunity for him to acquaint with us better?"

"What do you mean?" Makoto asked.

"Hm? Who are you talking to?" Kyoko asked.

"Oh uh...just the rabbit," Makoto replied, which only confused her more, "what were you saying?"

"Well, we already had a long discussion with him and his uncle, and now we know most if not all the details of Shuichi's past by now. About his parents and the homicide case he solved by chance," the rabbit recalled, "however, the same cannot be said the other way around. Now he's an official member of the team, he has a right to know, doesn't he?"

"Thank you," Shuichi nodded, "I was going to ask at some point, but there was never an opportunity that felt right...I'd like to know more about you...If you don't mind."

"Yes..." Kyoko affirmed, "tell us about yourself, Makoto..."

"Wait, me? Why now?" he asked.

"You already know a fair bit about me now, plus it was your suggestion," she pointed out, "you're also our host, so..."

It was Monomi's suggestion, not Makoto's, but obviously, Kyoko couldn't hear her. He chuckled nervously.

"I guess you're right...Still, we don't have what one would call a "life story" or anything..."

"Yeah, agreed," Komaru crossed her legs, "we've just lived kinda average lives up until now. Our story might be over real quick..."

"Your normal stories might be a nice change of pace for me. I believe that was your main reason for inviting me here tonight," she told them "especially you, Makoto. I don't really know how normal boys live, after all..."

"Really?" he asked. She nodded.

"You already know this, but ever since I was a child, I lived abroad. Afterward, I went to an all-girls middle school." she explained, "The only males I interacted with were clients or other detectives, like Shuichi and Fuhito...And as you know, before this point, I was going out of my way to avoid in-depth discussions about everyone's history, in light of my initial reasons for joining Hope's Peak..."

"I see...so the boring stories might be new to you, but..." he looked towards her, "what do you mean "initial reasons?""

"I've...I've made a decision..." she explained, "things have gotten a lot more hectic for me, and I'm busier than ever in light of looking after the agency in Fuhito's stead, but...I'm going to continue to attend Hope's Peak. This time, not to cut ties with my father, but because I want to graduate with everyone else in our class...My friends..."

"Kyoko-sama..." Shuichi's eyes sparkled. Kyoko shrugged.

"You don't have to call me that anymore, Shuichi," she waved a gloved hand at him, "in fact, you don't have to use any honorific if you want. Just Kyoko is fine."

"In that case, you can call us all by our first names as well..." Toko grumbled.

Kyoko looked towards her in surprise. "Are you sure?" she asked.

"Just don't do it in class...You might not be a Phantom Thief, but you are part of the squad now...We try to keep it casual, so...Yeah, don't sweat it...Kyoko..." Toko affirmed, seeming to force these last two words out.

"She's right! You're our friend, so you don't have to keep the formalities, Kyoko!" Komaru patted her back.

"Great to be here with you...Kyoko..." Makoto flushed. Kyoko also flushed.

"My, this is more embarrassing than I thought..." she admitted.

All-All Apologies: Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc

"So when I went back into school the next day...I found the love letter I wrote pinned to the bulletin board as a way of mocking me...It turns out that despite us knowing each other since Elementary School, he secretly always hated me...Then he moved away and I never saw him again..." Toko finished explaining, "and that was basically the story of my first love..."

As suggested by Monomi, the group had taken turns talking about their pasts. Komaru and Makoto had already done small recaps of their lives, and Shuichi had explained his to Kyoko, who had not yet heard the details in full. Now, it was Toko's turn, and she most certainly had a LOT of trauma to dump.

"Ugh...Just HEARING this makes me sick..." Komaru growled, "on top of all the abuse your parents gave you, why did everyone else in your life have to kick you down and spit on you like that!?"

"Komaru's right..." Makoto snarled, "these are the kinds of people we should be changing the hearts of. That kind of mentality is just gross!"

"He wasn't the only one...It's really not a big deal," Toko assured them, "besides, it's a little late to do any of that...he died, a long time ago, murdered by Genocide Jack..."

"Oh..." Makoto retracted, "s-sorry, I got ahead of myself there...I shouldn't be making brainless comments like that..."

"How can you say that's not a big deal?" Shuichi's expression was riddled with sadness and sympathy, "with all of these outlandishly unfair events you've been through, it's amazing you've survived up until now...It's not ok!"

"I never said it was ok. But I learned quickly that good things came out of it too," Toko explained, "the letter I wrote for my first love was read by my teacher. She told me I had a way with words, which started my career as a writer. I don't think I would have met any of you if it wasn't for that..."

She paused as she took a sip of some oolong tea that Komaru had procured for her.

"On top of that...Even though what I went through was bad, there are lots of people in the world who have been through the same or something similar; maybe even numbering the hundreds...And they aren't like me...They did give up, or they might feel there's nothing left in this cruel reality for them," she explained, "but there's light, hope, and a reason to live, and there always will be. Showing them that light is the exact damn reason I chose to be a Phantom Thief."

"That's very noble of you, Toko..." Kyoko hung her head, "I'm sorry...I completely misjudged your character. Your sense of justice is far stronger than I could ever have imagined..."

Toko scoffed.

"Nah, you got me right all along...I'm not the kind of person who's a virtuous heroine sticking up for what she believes is right," she told her, "I'm just a wench who loves to hold an absurd number of grudges...and this is by far my biggest..."

"Be that as it may, at least you're taking a virtuous path towards it..." Kyoko sighed, "to be honest, I'm envious..."

"Y-You? Envious of...me?" Toko asked, genuinely shocked. Kyoko sighed again, louder this time.

"At least you are capable of seeing injustice for what it is...Meanwhile, it was breathing down my neck the whole time, and I never once noticed it," she said, "I don't willingly trust anyone, but my grandfather was the sole exception...and he took advantage of that exception...I thought I had really grown as a detective, but I suppose not..."

"I wouldn't blame myself, Kyoko. Manipulating you was the biggest and most elaborate lie Fuhito Kirigiri ever spun, among many others...But now, you can stand on your own as an amazing detective in your own power!" Shuichi enthused, "and I KNOW you're a great detective, even if you doubt yourself! You solved the Sirius Astronomical Observatory Murder Case when you were 13 years old! No one else could ever dream of achieving something like that at such a young age!"

However, Kyoko's response to this praise was unexpected. Instead of smiling or getting flustered, she returned Shuichi's positivity with a concerned and worried glare.

"Um...A-Are you alright?" Shuichi asked, "did I...say something wrong? I-I'm sorry..."

"No, there's nothing wrong...I'm just surprised that you knew about that..." Kyoko brushed her hair with her hands, "As far as I'm aware, those events are rarely ever talked about among the KDA...And they are very personal to me..."

Memoirs - Persona 5 The Animation

"I'm sorry, I had no idea..." Shuichi hung his head apologetically, "I won't bring it up again..."

"No, it's fine...In fact, given that we're already talking about our pasts in length and the fact that you've already shared the details with me...I suppose it's my turn...I'll tell you something you don't already know..." Kyoko crossed her arms as she began to elaborate, "The Sirius Observatory Murder Case was the first case in several chains that I solved as a young girl...All of which were part of the Duel Noir..."

"The...Duel Noir...?" Makoto parroted.

"They were created and hosted by a group called the Victim's Catharsis Committee, as a way for victims of crimes to receive "catharsis" against the one responsible for ruining their life that had not been brought to justice, either because the culprit was never found, the wrong person was arrested or they were never punished for their crime," she explained, "effectively, they made it their goal to stamp out the very same incompetency and corruption in Japan's legal system that you brought to attention, Makoto..."

"But what actually is the Duel Noir?" Komaru asked, "it sounds like some kind of conspiracy show or something..."

"You're not too far off. But I'd rather not go into the specifics...Essentially, it was a twisted game with twisted rules, that in the end, resulted in many deaths of many people, good and bad..." she told them, "like I said, the Observatory Murder Case was the first in a long chain of different mysteries that I and my partner worked together to solve...in our own special ways..."

"Your partner?" Makoto noted. Kyoko nodded.

"Yui Samidare. A detective a few years my senior. We solved many cases together and became close as a result...She was like the big sister I never had...But..."

"But...what...?" Komaru asked. Kyoko pinched her eyes and shook her head.

"I don't really want to go into the details, but...When we finally got to the end of everything...during our final case together, we had to escape from some burning rubble...I tried to get her out, but I..." she took a moment to compose herself, "in the end, I woke up at a hospital...and the people who rescued us told me that...she didn't make it..."

"Kyoko...!" Makoto gasped quietly. However, what she did next shocked them even more.

"And as for me...I...I ended up looking like this..."

Everyone's eyes widened as Kyoko began to carefully pull off her purple gloves. Before now, none of them had actually seen her without them, but as soon as they were fully off, they immediately realized why this was.

Kyoko's hand was viciously damaged and burned to an unrecognizable crisp...her pale skin was unidentifiable underneath the marks and scars. Komaru brought a hand to her mouth in shock. Toko looked like she wanted to throw up. Monomi's tiny body trembled erratically. And Shuichi didn't know whether to stare or to permanently divert his eyes.

"You can touch it. It doesn't hurt," she reached out, "in fact, I don't really feel anything anymore..."

Though he had his reservations, Makoto instinctively reached out and held the back of her palm. Her skin was hard as stone, and he resisted the urge to scratch it with his fingernails. He could still feel life underneath it, evident by how she could still move her fingers, but he couldn't feel any heat or warmth from her body. From close up, he saw that aside from burns, there were multiple other markings over Kyoko's hand; which looked like they had been made with knives or other sharp objects being plunged straight through.

Kyoko decided she'd had enough, pulled her hand away, and slipped the glove back on.

"I...I don't even understand how those fingers of yours can still move..." Shuichi cringed, "burns that bad should have severed all your tendons and muscles..."

"These scars of mine remind me of a time when I was careless...After I received them, I changed as a person, and I never approached or talked to anyone without a degree of skepticism and distrust involved...As Toko said about herself, I found it difficult to trust the intentions of those around me, and couldn't bring myself to be honest with myself," she told them, "in a way, these gloves are to me what Shuichi's hat was to him."

She crossed her arms again, then looked at the rest of the group with the warmest smile she could muster.

"I hope, one day, I can discard them, just as he did. Maybe not physically, but metaphorically," she told them, "I can't say for sure that I've rejected our family's ideals, even after what Fuhito did to me and my father, but you've shown me that no one, not even detectives like me, need to dedicate themselves to a code or creed. I'm eternally grateful to all of you for that."

She spun her head back towards Shuichi.

"And before you ask, you don't need to worry about me giving up the path of a detective. That will never happen so long as I have a say in things," she assured him, "I won't deny the thought crossed my mind at one point, but I stopped and looked back; and I realized, even with Yui and my grandfather now gone, there are always going to be other people out there who can help me...Like you guys."

She looked down at the table and fiddled with her braid again...

"So...thank you...For everything you've done..." she said quietly, "our careers and decisions we've made have diverged, so chances are this is the last time I'll be able to stay with you all so casually...I'm glad I have you around for now, at least..."

Her eyes suddenly shot open in surprise as Komaru hoisted her arms around her neck and squeezed her into a painfully tight hug.

Tears of Eternity - Persona 4 The Animation

"G-Gah! K-Komaru!?" she gasped, not just in surprise, but for air as well. Komaru released her grip and tightly clutched her shoulders; her face drenched in tears.

"K-KYOOKOOOOO!" she sobbed, "w-we...We'll never...We'll NEVER ABANDON YOOOUUUAAAAAAGGGHHAHAHAHAHAAAGH!"

She clutched Kyoko's torso tightly and bawled into her shoulder. Makoto, who was on the verge of tearing up himself, wiped his eyes and beamed a big toothy grin at her.

"You don't get to decide whether we can still be friends or not, even after this," he asserted, "we're going to, whether you want to or not. We'll be the most annoying, parasitic friends in the world if that's what it takes for us to stick together."

"I wouldn't go THAT far," Shuichi chuckled nervously, "life will change. And many things will change with it. But the one thing that won't ever change is how much we all care about you, bet on it!"

"Sure, I agree...I guess...Besides, it's not like we're complete opposites," Toko added, giving a casual thumbs up, "maybe detectives and thieves are different, but we both want to open society's eyes to what's right and wrong...Don't you think?"

"I...hah...Hahahahaha!" Kyoko suddenly burst out into such a peal of jovial laughter that it warmed everyone's souls, "very well...We'll both do our best then. If you're going to keep doing what you're doing, then I won't stop you. Just promise me you'll make things right?"

"We wouldn't dream of doing anything less..." Makoto reached over and took her by the gloved hand, rubbing his thumb gently across, "thank you for this, Kyoko."

It took about 7 or 8 minutes to get Komaru to stop drunk crying into Kyoko's shoulder. Toko passed back the handkerchief she had leaned so she could wipe her shoulder free of Komaru's snot.

"Still though...an organization that sets up murderous games for the sake of "catharsis?"" Komaru wiped her big, red, puffy eyes, "who even thinks of something like that? Did they end up getting taken care of?"

"The honest answer is I don't know..." Kyoko admitted, "one of the rumored masterminds of the Duel Noir, went missing in action, but his death was never confirmed. On top of that, the sponsors for the events are probably still out there, and given how long ago it was now, there's nothing the detective library or the KDA can do..."

"Knowing that there exist people out there who treat life like it's a competitive game," Monomi squeaked angrily, "such a terrifying thought..."

"You can say that again..." Toko adjusted her glasses, "but like I said, things are different now. We have these powers, and we can use them to right the hidden wrongs of the world. The RIGHT way."

"You said it!" Komaru cracked her knuckles, "I mean, we had to have been given these powers for a reason! Our goals for the future are crazy, but the crazier things get, the more I want to keep going!"

Shuichi looked down at his empty bowl quietly. Makoto noticed this and nudged his arm.

"Hey..." he said, "you ok?"

"Huh? Yes, of course, I'm fine...Just deep in thought is all..." he said, "remind me again how long ago it was that we first met?"

"Huh? It's only been a few weeks I think?" Makoto recalled, "why?"

"I just feel like I've known you a lot longer than that is all," Shuichi admitted, "like we've known each other our whole lives, or something like that..."

"Well, maybe that's because you are similar? Aside from myself, all of you are like peas in a pod," Monomi observed, "all of you know what it's like to be objectified by society. As Ultimates, as normal people, as prestigious detectives and protégés...And you're all sick of being seen or acting as things that you're not. Perhaps that's why."

"What do you mean "aside from myself?" You're literally the biggest misfit we've got in the group!" Toko violently ruffled Monomi's fur, forcing out several squeaks.

"Agh! Oogh! Uhugh! Y-Yes, I know, but without my memories I...I don't know if I can really relate, that's all..." she said, "I wish I could..."

"Well, that's the reason we're going into Mementos, isn't it?" Toko now started to stroke Monomi's ears more gently, "so we can get those memories back, right? Who knows? Maybe your past is as troublesome as some of ours?"

"Hm...I hope not..." Monomi's bunny face started to blush, "anyway, memories or not, I want to keep guiding you as your teacher. No matter how I look, it won't change the fact that I care about you youngsters."

New World Order - Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc

"In that case, we know what we have to do," Komaru beamed, "we keep up the good thing we've got going! We punish the evil and corrupt and give hope to the people who are suffering! And I know we can do it if we do it together!"

"Here here!" Shuichi raised his cup like he was making a toast, "you've all helped me grow so much as a person, as well as a detective. I look forward to letting that growth continue."

"And I look forward to continuing to educate you," Monomi hopped, "under my tutelage, there's nothing we can't do! You think so too, right leader?"

Makoto was alerted to her calling his name, and he took a moment to look at the merry and excited faces of the others around the table.

Monomi, this mysterious creature from the Metaverse who had selflessly taken it upon herself to foster him into the hero he wished to become...

Toko Fukawa, his friend and classmate, who through the trials and tribulations they had been through together, had grown and changed into a kinder and stronger woman.

Komaru Naegi, his sister, who used to always doubt herself and whether she was good enough, was now a woman with the strength to stand on her own and the devotion to walk at another's side.

Shuichi Saihara, a boy he had tried to save, only to have the favor turned on him when he was willing to aid them during his life's darkest period.

And Kyoko Kirigiri, a woman he thought was incapable of emotion, yet had spilled her guts out to him and laughed and cried with him throughout all of today's jives and struggles.

"Yes...Yeah, we will," he finally spoke, "I'm glad to have you. All of you."

"I don't mean to interrupt the pleasant mood, but there's something about all this that's confusing me," Kyoko interjected, "Makoto, how are you talking to Monomi like she's actually saying something? It's like you have a sixth sense, or can understand what she's saying..."

"Oh, I keep forgetting!" Komaru smacked her head, "you can't hear what Monomi's saying because you haven't been to the Metaverse! Once you go there, you can hear her speak human language in the real world."

Kyoko turned to Komaru and stared at her with a look of complete dumbfoundedness.

"What's... "the Metaverse?"" she inquired.

"Oh...Oh, right...You don't know that either..." Komaru's body tensed up and her face became guilty, "I...probably shouldn't have said that, should I?"

"Well consider yourself lucky it was Kyoko and not someone else," Shuichi observed, "honestly, given that she's already shown us her deep secrets, I think it's only fair we do the same. Right?"

"I mean...I feel like we might be saying a bit too much for our own good, but yeah, I guess it's fine..." Toko shrugged.

"Then it's unanimous!" Monomi nodded.

"Alright, I'll explain then," Makoto began to explain, "basically, the Metaverse is the reality where we go to to change people's hearts."

"R-Reality?" Kyoko gloomed in confusion, "what are you talking about?"

Makoto, with a little assistance from Monomi on the side, did his best to explain the existence of the Metaverse and Palaces and detailed what they had discovered in Fuhito's to give her a better idea. When he finished, Kyoko scratched her head with her eyes closed as she processed everything he was saying.

"You know, saying all of that out loud, I realize how ridiculous it sounds..." he flustered, "Sorry if you don't believe me, but...I'm telling the truth, I promise..."

However, Kyoko's next few words were something that he, Monomi, nor any of the others gathered around the table, could have seen coming...

"Could you take me there?"

Chapter End Notes

This was a nice chapter to write, and it turned out to be a nice prelude to what I have in store for our glove-clad detective. Will the thieves agree to her request to take her into Mementos or not?
If they do, what will end up happening? More on that later!
Thanks for reading once again. I love to get feedback from my readers, so feel free to leave a comment, and some kudos if you feel up to it

Hot Baths. Warm Hearts. Cold World.

Chapter Summary

As per her earnest request, the Phantom Thieves of Hope demonstrate their powers and methods to Kyoko by taking her on a trip to Mementos.

Chapter Notes

See the end of the chapter for notes

"Hey, so...are we really doing this?" Toko asked, "I can't help but think this is a bad idea..."

"You know we already voted unanimously on it, Toko," Komaru reminded her, "you seemed pretty willing yesterday."

"It's not that I don't think Kyoko should see Mementos. Honestly, if she's going to understand our methodology, it's the best shot we've got." the spectacled writer explained, "it's just that you know how dangerous the Metaverse is. And Kyoko doesn't have a Persona, which means if we get attacked by Shadows, we'll have to watch out for her."

"I don't think we have to worry," Shuichi chimed in, "Kyoko is smart. She wouldn't rush into danger headfirst without thinking. If we tell her it's not safe, she'll listen to us."

"Hm...I hope you're right..." Toko sighed, staring at her phone.

"To be honest, I'm rather excited myself," Shuichi admitted, "this is my first time going to this "Mementos" place you mentioned."

"Not much to it to be honest," Komaru laid back casually on the bench, "it's basically the Palace of the general public, so it's like Kirigiri's but...bigger..."

"How big exactly?" the detective boy inquired.

"No idea," Komaru shrugged, "not even Monomi knows. But like she said yesterday, she doesn't remember who she is or where she came from, and she hopes that by reaching the depths of Mementos, we'll figure all that out."

"Ah...yes...I didn't quite realize before now that Monomi had amnesia..." Shuichi pondered, "that's quite a predicament."

"Yeah, but after all she's done for us, we at least owe her that much..." Toko said, "oh...speaking of which..."

Toko raised her head as the Phantom Thieves' leader, as well as the woman of the hour, showed up and approached them in the park. Kyoko had a rather hefty bag swung around her shoulder.

"Thank you for allowing me this opportunity," she courtesied, "it means a lot to me."

"Oh, no, it's no problem," Komaru smiled, "just...what's with the bag, Kyoko-chan?"

"Makoto here already informed me that enemies attack you inside this "Palace" place," she explained, "so I decided to procure a variety of equipment and medicine for you. The last thing I want to do is be dead weight."

"You didn't have to do that." Shuichi smiled. Kyoko shook her head.

"No, this is the least I can do for you," Kyoko said, "especially since you agreed to my request to take me into this...what did you call it? "Metaverse?""

"That's right," Makoto nodded, "but remember, this isn't just an experiment. We've got work to do."

Wonderful Dead 004 - Danganronpa Another Episode: Ultra Despair Girls

"Indeed. Let's discuss today's target," Monomi bounded out of Makoto's hoodie and onto Toko's lap, sitting in the middle so that the rest of the thieves could see and (sans Kyoko) hear her, "our target today is a man named Akira Saji!"

"Akira Saji!?" Shuichi gasped, "You mean...the businessman!?"

"You know him?" Komaru asked. Shuichi nodded.

"He's a fairly wealthy businessman who's been making a name for himself amongst the public," he briefly explained, "what did he do?"

"A series of robberies have been taking place in the area of central Shibuya. The burglars have been targeting high-end jewelry stores, and they have been getting away with millions of yen in loot." Makoto explained, "But the police have been unable to catch them because they don't know where the money's going. Any info about transactions is erased before anyone can find them."

"And I'm guessing this Saji guy is somehow involved?" Toko inquired.

"There are certainly many rumors about him," Kyoko chimed in, "I would have opened an investigation myself, but with everything that happened with Fuhito, I didn't have the time in the end. How do you know he's involved?"

"Well, you know what I said about the missing transaction info?" Makoto recalled, "It just so happens that we salvaged one, and it proves Saji is the mastermind behind the crime ring."

"How did you do that...!?" Kyoko asked.

"I didn't," Makoto smirked, "a certain Ultimate Programmer managed to get it for me."

"You mean...? I see..." Kyoko brought her gloved hand to her chin as she thought deeply, "so Fujisaki-san is involved in this after all..."

"You don't sound very surprised..." Toko observed. Kyoko, again, shook her head.

"My investigation into the Phantom Thieves initially pointed me in Fujisaki-san's direction. I discovered that they were the one who originally leaked the calling card to the media, and until I started paying close attention to Makoto's actions, they were my lead suspect," she explained, "but when I questioned them, they told me it was to get the name out there and for no reason more. I didn't find any conclusive evidence that they were lying, thus, I concluded that they weren't involved..."

"Well, she is, and she isn't..." Makoto said, "Chihiro is the creator and moderator of the PhanSite, and she's the one who always brings new cases and targets to my attention. She also gets us information like this should we need it, but...I don't think she knows whether I'm actually a Phantom Thief or not..."

"We don't wanna involve her more than we can help it," Komaru said, "that aside, I don't get it. If this guy's already a wealthy businessman, why is he masterminding a circle of robbers?"

"From what we could glean, he doesn't have much of a reason. Only an insatiable greed," Monomi explained, "he is obsessed with money and power, and he believes that he is above the law."

"How terrible..." Shuichi glowered, "regardless, if the police and authorities cannot catch this miscreant, then I suppose it falls to us to take him down."

"As a wise man once said," Komaru pumped her fist "let us beat that rubbish mentality into submission!"

"No objections I take it?" Monomi lifted herself up, "in that case, all that's left is to take the target down in Mementos!"

"Kyoko?" Makoto patted her shoulder, "just come with us..."

The first sign that something wasn't right for Kyoko was that when Makoto pulled out his phone and opened up a strange app on it, everybody in the park around her disappeared. Before she could ask what he had done to pull this off, she was already being guided towards the underground station nearby.

Kyoko asked a multitude of questions along the way, but the thieves either answered with "just wait and see" or didn't answer at all. She started to get the hump as she was escorted down the stairs to the station.

"Are any of you going to answer any of my questions or are you going...to keep...being...h-Huh!?"

Her sentence trailed off and cut into an exclamation of surprise. Three figures stood in front of her. The first had spiky brown hair and was wearing a bright green suit with coattails, a yellow undershirt, and white gloves and pants. The second was wearing tight pants, and a skull-emblazoned shirt that exposed her midriff, and a stetson hat on her head. The third was wearing a leather jacket, and pale blue jeans and had scissors stuck to her body. All three of them were wearing masks of different shapes and sizes.

"What in the-!?" she gasped, "what happened to you all!? Makoto? Komaru? Toko? Is that you!?"

"Ahahaha...Yep..." Makoto scratched the back of his head, "this is our Phantom Thief attire. It's how we look when we come to this world."

"And yes, we know it looks goofy," Toko sighed, "but we run with it."

"Typically, it's to protect us from being affected by distortions," Monomi stepped forward, now at full height and full form, "you, however, seem to be perfectly fine. Sure, we're only at the entrance, but I'm still impressed."

Kyoko stared down, wide-eyed in shock at the winged lagomorph in front of her.

"What's this demon rabbit!?" she cried.

"WHY DOES EVERYONE SAY THAT!?" Monomi collapsed.

"Wait a moment...the color of your fur and...those ears and...Is that Monomi!?" the lavender-haired detective gasped.

"Yes, that's right," the fifth and final member of the team, who was standing behind Kyoko, walked past her, his cape blowing in the draft from the depths as he straightened his tall-standing hat, "this is Monomi's true form. She looks like this when we come into this world, and a regular rabbit when we're in the other. That's the basic way to understand it."

"That voice...Shuichi...!?" Kyoko gasped, eyeing his outfit, "you mean to say you're a Phantom Thief too?"

"You didn't figure that out?" he asked.

"Well, I knew you had to be involved somehow...But I didn't know you also had your own getup and mask," she told him, "how long have you been a Phantom Thief?"

"Not long. Honestly, I only officially joined the team yesterday," he told her honestly, "but I first took on this form after the Phantom Thieves were investigating Kirigiri, so I helped them to change his heart."

"I...I see..." Kyoko's attentions now turned to the surroundings of the platform they stood on, with Mementos' red walls and grimy interior, "so this is this other reality you told me about?"

"Yes. This is the Metaverse. It's the world that sleeps inside people's hearts," Toko explained, "at least, that's putting it simply..."

"It's another reality in which people's distorted desires are made manifest," Shuichi elaborated, "I imagine, even for you, it's a lot to take in. We can go more slowly if it helps you understand."

"No, that's alright," Kyoko told him, "I admit, I'm shocked, but...I'm seeing this with my own eyes, therefore I can't doubt it..."

She approached the stairs and looked down into the darkness below.

"A world of cognition..." she pondered aloud, "then, does that mean that "stealing someone's heart" means rewriting their cognition? That's quite bold."

"Damn, you detectives pick up on this FAST!" Komaru whistled, "I've been doing this for like a month now, and I still don't get all of it!"

"How diligent!" Monomi beamed, pushing her misery at being called a demon aside on a whim, "I'm very impressed, Kyoko-chan!"

"So if this Mementos is where people's distorted desires slumber together, does that mean you had to search for my grandfather down here so you could change his heart?" Kyoko asked.

"No. People like Fuhito Kirigiri are so distorted by comparison, that their desires branch off into their own separate realm," Toko told her, "they become what we call Palaces, which are places that their Shadow selves, the crappy parts of them that they hide from the eyes of the world around them, rules over with an iron fist. Everything you see within the Palace is an eerily distorted version of something the Palace ruler sees in real life."

"The same was for Haiji Towa. He had a Palace too," Makoto added, "and it's not just what's in the Palace. It's where the Palace is as well, which changes appearance based on the ruler's cognition. Towa's Palace was the Elementary School, which in his mind, was a prison because he was using it as a way to keep Monaca locked away from him. And Fuhito's Palace was the KDA building, which in his mind, was a theater."

"A theater?" Kyoko parroted.

"Yes. Because Fuhito saw everyone who worked for him, as well as the former members like my uncle, as puppets he could control." Shuichi explained.

"Hm...I see..." Kyoko nodded, "thank you for telling me that."

"Either way, I think we've dilly-dallied long enough," Monomi stepped towards the stairs, "we should get going if we're going to find Saji and change his ways. If you have any more questions down the line Kyoko-chan, just ask."

"And remember, don't wander off or cause any trouble," Toko reminded her, "I say this for your own safety as well. The Shadows are pretty merciless when they're riled up."

"Ah, yes, these enemies of yours," Kyoko recalled, "don't worry. I know a variety of self-defense techniques. I won't go picking fights obviously, but can fend for myself."

"I doubt the effectiveness of simple techniques against supernatural monsters like Shadows, but I suppose it will have to do..." Monomi nodded, "in that case, let's get a move on!"

"Lead the way Usami," Makoto smiled, "we're all prepped and ready to go!"

"Usami?" Kyoko repeated, "who or what is that?"

"It's my code name!" Monomi told her, "As Phantom Thieves, we don't call each other by our real names so our enemies that don't already know our identities won't discover them."

"Uh-huh," Makoto smirked, "Monomi is Usami, Komaru is Highwayman, Toko is Razor, Shuichi is Sleuth, and I'm Leprechaun."

"Leprechaun?" Kyoko rehashed, turning towards him.

"Yeah, that's right," Makoto said, "because my outfit's green, and I'm very lucky."

"..."

"...Snrk..."

"Hey, I heard that!" Makoto flushed, "don't laugh! It's not funny!"

"Sorry..." Kyoko tried to compose herself, "I just couldn't help but think how appropriate it is. Either way, I understand. I have no more questions for now."

"Ok, then, let's go!" Usami beamed excitedly, then jumped onto the tracks and transformed into her bus form. Kyoko's eyes shot open in surprise as she bounced there, waiting for the other thieves to get inside.

"I'll think about that one later..." she said to herself.

Take Over - Persona 5 Royal

"Hey! Akira Saji!" Leprechaun snapped as they entered the tunnel, "that's you, right!?"

A rather well-dressed man with short brunette hair turned their way, the darkness swirling around him, staring at them with piercing yellow eyes.

"Who's askin'!?" he snarled, "are you those Phantom Thief dickweeds?"

"Isn't this guy supposed to be a professional businessman?" Highywaman stumbled, "he sounds like such a punk..."

"Well, I guess that's how he truly is," Razor sighed, "listen! The jig is up!"

"Eh? What'cha talkin' about?" the Shadow grunted.

"The series of robberies and break-ins plaguing Shibuya! You're the one behind them, aren't you!?" Usami asserted.

Shadow Saji scoffed.

"Yeah, that's right...What of it?" he held out his arms in a dramatic shrug, "there's nothing wrong with what I've done! Everyone with a little extra cash becomes a man-laundering slumlord sooner or later! I'm just takin' it off their hands before they can misuse it!"

"Your excuses are pathetic," Leprechaun glared, "you should be ashamed of yourself!"

"Right back at ya'..." Saji leered, disgust and repulsiveness in his face, "do you not think I've tried to do the right thing before? Dumbass kids like you wouldn't get it, but no one benefits when someone tries to play the hero! Ya do what ya think is right, but even when ya achieve ya goal, bad things'll happen to ya!"

"What are you talking about?" Razor asked.

"In my early days o' business, I worked in pharmacy and medicine! There was this poor family with a dyin' son who needed medicine, but they couldn't afford to pay it," he explained, "I decided to be a Good Samaritan and give the kid the medicine for free so he wouldn't...ya know...fuckin' die?"

"I think I can take a guess at what happened next," Kyoko stepped forward from behind the thieves, "other people found out about it, and you faced a criminal conviction, didn't you?"

"Ya know about that then?" Saji snarled, "I kinda figured that incident'd been completely swept under the rug by now..."

"Wait what!? Why!?" Highwayman exclaimed, "he tried to help out a poor family and got arrested for it!?"

"I don't think you quite understand, Koma-Uh...sorry...Highwayman," Kyoko swiftly corrected herself, "this man effectively handed out drugs to a people, including a child."

"But it's prescription medicine, right!?" Highwayman added.

"Doesn't matter," Sleuth shot her down instantly, "dealing out any kind of drug without proper transaction can get you in serious trouble here in Japan, regardless of whether it's harmful or not. In fact, if the circumstances hadn't been in a pharmaceutical setting with people to cover for him, he could have faced life in prison for that one kind gesture."

"It's BULLSHIT! And it makes no sense!" Saji shrieked, "that's why, when I started to make it big, I swore I'd tear this bass-ackwards society APART! NO MATTER WHAT IT TAKES!"

"Life isn't fair, you big jerk! And the law's strictness isn't an excuse for you to be an even bigger criminal!" Razor pointed her scissors at him "you're not the bigger man, you're just a loser!"

"What!? This comin' from the Phantom THIEVES! You guys're even bigger criminals than me!" Saji's body started to change shape, "you ain't SHIT!"

"Kyoko, get back!" Leprechaun dropped into a battle stance, "this is gonna come to blows!"

Kyoko did as she was told and scurried back as Saji's Shadow transformed into a large lump of slime with a grim face, and the battle began!

"Gah! I think I'm running on empty here guys...!" Sleuth called out, panting from exhaustion, "I don't think I can fire off anything else like this...!"

"We need Sleuth's ice powers to whittle this guy down! We're so close!" Usami declared, "if we freeze him over, one good strike should do it!"

"Well, hurry up then!" Razor snarled, "my physical attacks aren't gonna do much like this!"

"Leprechaun! Just switch to Jack Frost or something and do it for him!" Highwayman demanded.

"I can't! That thing hit me with some kind of...forgetfulness spell!" he started smacking his head, agitated at himself, "I don't remember how to summon my Persona, and my punches aren't doing anything!"

"Hold on! I might be able to help!" Kyoko from the rear called out, reaching into the pouch she had bought, "Sleuth! Catch!"

Shuichi turned around as his fellow detective tossed a pair of bottles his way. He jumped up and caught them, giving them a brief examination. The logo read "Arginade."

Without thinking too much about it, Sleuth chugged both bottles as his allies fended off the slime. When he was done, he cast them to the side, and now that he was rehydrated, he ran back in.

"Alright, let's finish this!" he cried, "CASANOVA!"

He summoned his Persona, which with a strong, icy blast, froze over Saji's Shadow. Seeing the opportunity, Razor rushed in!

And seeing the opportunity, Razor rushed in!

"RISING SLASH!"

Barrow was summoned and using it's blade arms, unseam'd him from the nave to the chops! As Usami said, this was enough to finish the twisted Shadow off, and with his energy expended, he returned to his original form, limping as the thieves surrounded him.

Mementos ~ Upper Layer - Persona 5 Royal

"Hmph..." Leprechaun cracked his knuckles, now free of the spell with Saji's defeat, "too easy."

"Wh-What the hell..." Saji groaned "what the hell ARE you guys...!?"

"You know something? We may both be thieves who want society to change...but WE know what the difference is between right and wrong," Highwayman pointed at him, "what's even the point of trying to change society if it means that other people get hurt? All that does is make you the villain, not a hero of justice."

"The people who own the stores and institutes that your robbery ring attacked were probably innocent. Or they may have even thought the same as you," Sleuth stepped up, "did you ever stop to think about that?"

Shadow Saji hung his head.

"I guess I didn't, now that I think about it...I was just so angry at society that the rage blinded me..." he admitted, "so tell me...if you guys're supposed to be the good kindsa thieves, d'ya think ya could change this rotten society and its dumb laws? Even like this?"

"We can only try," Leprechaun said, "but we won't do it if it means we have to make sacrifices of any kind. You should think on that while you repent."

Saji didn't say anything. He just nodded, then like the other Shadows before him, he vanished into light. Once he'd gone, his treasure was left behind.

Leprechaun grabbed it, and it took the form of a small box of pills.

Mementos - Persona 5

"What's that?" Kyoko approached, sensing now that the danger was over. Leprechaun turned to her and showed her his finding.

"This is what we call a treasure. It's the physical manifestation of the thing that made the target so distorted. The root of their wickedness, if you will." he explained, "We steal this, and it causes the change of heart."

"So it took the form of a box of medical pills because Saji's distortion began with a pill box just like it...I understand..." Kyoko considered, "then when you sent me that photo of my father and myself as a young girl..."

"Yes. That was the treasure we stole from Fuhito's Palace...Although, in his case, the treasure took a different form within the Metaverse than it does in the real world," Sleuth explained, "inside Kirigiri's Palace, the treasure was...a doll...of you."

"Right...Which means..." Kyoko hung her head sadly, "I really was the source of my grandfather's distorted desires after all..."

"Yeah...As soon as Fuhito found out you had been born, he did whatever it took to steal you from the peaceful life you could've lived with your mom and dad," Razor sighed, "all for the sake of his own twisted detective pride..."

"Kyoko, don't be sad," Leprechaun tried to comfort her, "just because he became obsessed with you, doesn't make what Fuhito did your fault."

"No, I'm over it by now. It's not a problem," she assured him, "moving on, what were those strange...spirits? The ones that you summoned during that battle?"

"Those are our Personas," Usami explained, "they're the rebels in our heart's awakened. Our true selves which we can use to fight in this world."

"Hm...Your true selves...?" she thought, "so what's the difference between a Persona and a Shadow? You used that term to describe both."

"Well, one's good and one's bad," Komaru shrugged, "right?"

"It's certainly not as simple as that. I think it's time for another lesson!" Usami; pleased that she got to act as a teacher again, puffed out her chest proudly, "To be perfectly frank, Shadows and Personas are, once boiled down, the exact same thing. They're the true inner thoughts and feelings of a person or creatures created from the human subconscious, typically representing the opposite of our conscious personalities. The one key difference between the two is how they manifest. If one hides their true face from others and/or acts differently in public compared to their true natures, they manifest in the metaverse as Shadows, the most distorted of which can have a Palace or appear here in Mementos. On the other paw, if one can learn to accept their Shadow, and the parts about themselves they either spend their life running and hiding from and embrace themselves for who they truly are, they gain the power of a Persona. In summary, a Persona is merely a Shadow that is under the control of the person that created it."

"So there really is psychological studies involved in it after all," Kyoko thought, "the term "Shadows" and "Personas" mean something literal in this world."

"I...wouldn't know anything about that," Usami confessed, "I just know about the Metaverse and its functionalities. Do you understand it now?"

"Yes that was very useful," Kyoko smiled, "shall we proceed then?"

"Yeah. We've still got business here," Leprechaun fastened his glove, "let's go, team!"

Talk - Persona 5

"I am Nekomata," the humanoid feline Shadow rose to its feet, "this is the start of our very long relationship."

The Shadow morphed into the glowing shape of a mask and burst into Makoto's mask. He sucked in the Shadow's form, then lifted his head as he felt its power take hold in his heart.

"What happened there?" Kyoko asked as they climbed back inside the Usamobile.

"Oh yeah, I guess we forgot to mention this! Remember what we were saying before about our Personas? Well, Makoto's case is actually a little different," Highwayman explained, "he can gain and hold multiple Personas at once, and he does it by transforming the Shadows he talks to into them. He can also switch between them at will during a fight, and can fuse them together to make even stronger ones too!"

"That's a power only he has then?" Kyoko inquired, "why is that?"

"I thought it had something to do with my Arcana, or the fact that in the real world, I'm an everyman who tries to fit in with anyone...but the honest answer is I don't know," Leprechaun admitted, "but I know it's safe, and I know its limits. Anyway, we should be close to the next platform, right?"

"Yes...The floor may be different, but the door is on the next floor below us," Usami recalled, "let's go, everyone! Chop chop!"

Everyone left the bus and then walked down the next elevator, with Usami following them in her regular form. She quickly took the lead, however, and got to the previously closed door on the other end, as the thieves joined her.

"Now if I'm right about this..." she said to herself, reaching out towards the wall, and to the thieves' pleasant surprise, the sophisticated mechanism unlocked, and the door folded open.

"Yes!" Komaru pumped her fist, "we're through!"

"After the Kirigiri Incident, we as the Phantom Thieves of Hope have gained a little more...shall we say...notoriety," Usami elucidated, "which means we should be able to go deeper into Mementos now."

"So the more people come to know and accept you, the more doors you can open in this maze..." Kyoko contemplated, "I suppose this is an example of a "change of cognition" correct?"

"It's a rather peculiar puzzle, isn't it?" Shuichi stood next to her, "what do you make of all of it?"

"Well, this world seems to take the appearance of a subway. I assume this is because the public's general cognition sees the subway as a place where many people gather..."

"Yes. This place represents what is known as the "collective unconscious.""

"Referring to the thoughts of everyone around and how they act...Is this an example of social cognitive psychology being applied physically?"

"I would assume so...Giving it some thought, the Shadows in Mementos aren't as aggressive as they are in a person's Palace..."

"Could that be because you don't have as much of a cognitive presence within the eyes of the public at large?"

"Yes, that's what I thought too!"

"The study of the mental processes involved in perceiving, remembering, thinking about, and attending to the other people in our social world...And this place taking the appearance of a subway is because of social schemas."

"It's not just that...I imagine effects like the weather would have an effect too..."

"So things ranging from the public's attitude, Person perception, Prejudice, preferences, stereotypes, logically speaking, would-"

"Hey!" Razor cut in the middle of their discussion, "If you're gonna get into a fancy-pantsy psycho-analysis of the inner machinations of the human mind or WHATEVER THE FUCK you were talking about! ...Save it for later please?"

The double detective's discussion was evidently giving the poor girl a headache. Both of them swiftly apologized for their tirade.

"Anyway, forgetting about all of that, what are we gonna do? We gonna keep going down?" she asked.

"Actually, I think we should head back for today," Usami turned around and faced the rest of her team, "the deeper we go into Mementos, the more rabid and powerful the Shadows become. While I'm confident we're strong enough to fight them, we can't do so while having Kyoko-chan with us. We won't be able to protect her with our current strength."

"That's fine. I'll leave the exploration of this place to the professionals," Kyoko smirked, "that said, once you do get stronger, I'd like to come back to this place. I feel I could better understand the mentality and workings of criminals hidden in society through exploration of this realm."

"Of course!" Usami beamed, "who am I to turn down a curious student?"

"Aw, that's a shame..." Komaru sighed, "I was really hoping Kyoko-chan would awaken to a Persona when we brought her down here, then she could help us take more hearts..."

"As exciting as that sounds, I'm actually glad it didn't come to that," Makoto admitted, "especially since you seem to have forgotten that all our Persona awakenings happened in LITERAL life-or-death situations...!"

"Yes, while I'm willing to do so it's for the sake of solving a case, I'm not going to be quick to throw myself into any of those," Kyoko coldly sweated, "besides, as effective and as entertaining as your method of taking these corrupt individuals down is, I believe I would be more useful defending the law and upholding justice in the real world."

"Your loss..." Komaru sighed and shrugged, "so, what do you guys wanna do once we leave? Just...go our separate ways or something?"

"What are we gonna do about all that crap we found in the chests?" Toko turned towards Makoto, "we found like...what? 12 pieces of dirty laundry? What the hell is that even DOING here?"

"Well, there are a fair few idioms about dirty laundry," Kyoko responded, "perhaps this place brings those into the literal sense and-"

"Hey! I said cut that out!" Razor snapped, "anyway, my point is that, unlike the rest of this stuff, there's no way Fuyuhiko is gonna take this trash off our hands."

"Yeah, you're right, but it might be of more worth than we think," he said, "I figured we just needed to give it a wash first, then we figure out what to do with it. Who knows? We might even get some new mittens for the winter?"

"What kind of stupid logic...then again, I guess you're not wrong..." Toko groaned, "so what's the plan? You gonna take it to your house and wash it all?"

"Actually, I have a better idea," Shuichi chimed in, "near where I live, there's a laundromat connected to a bathhouse. Apartment denizens in the neighborhood are allowed to use it for free, including my family. It's not very busy this early in the evening, so we should be able to get it all finished in one fell swoop. Plus, we save the risk of people asking where you got it all from."

"Good thinking!" Makoto winked, "We'll take you up on that offer if you don't mind."

"Oh! If it's connected to a bathhouse, we can take a dip together while we wait for the washing to be done!" Komaru beamed as an idea popped into her head, slamming her open palm, "I feel like a good soak after all this grinding!"

"Ugh...ANOTHER bath? I'm going overtime on my monthly quota..." Toko dangled her arms down depressingly, "whatever...I guess it's fine if you two are coming as well..."

"Wait...You mean..." Kyoko's head snapped their way, "you want...ME to come?"

"Of course! Did you think we wouldn't invite you?" Komaru gave her a firm thumbs up, "We're all friends here. Besides, you did a fair bit of exploration today too. Don't you think the detectives at the KDA or anyone else is gonna get suspicious if you go back home all hot, bothered, and sweaty?"

"That is...actually a very good point," Kyoko nodded, "very well...I'll join you."

Beautiful Lie Requiem - Danganronpa Decadence

"Aaaaahhhh..." Makoto's face gradually curled into a devil-may-care smile as he slowly let himself sink into the warm, cleansing water of the bath, "this is the life~"

Following through with Komaru's suggestion, the Phantom Thieves, plus their detective friend, left the Metaverse and traveled to Shuichi's neighborhood. The young man guided them to the dry cleaners and then gave them all access to the baths. While Makoto and Shuichi went over to the men's side, Komaru, Kyoko, and a disgruntled but somehow still willing Toko went to the women's. Monomi, not being allowed to go into a bath like this, opted to wait outside and keep an eye on their clothes, as well as the clothes in the dryer. Makoto promised that he would give her a nice relaxing shower of her own once they returned to the dorms.

"Sorry...It's not exactly the biggest...And it's seen a lot of use over the years..." Shuichi, who sat opposite Makoto, also smiled, "but I'm glad it's to your liking."

"Any warm bath is a good bath," Makoto replied, putting all of his energy and power into his brain and mouth, and letting the rest of his bodily stress melt away, "and I'm glad we get this place all to ourselves. I haven't been to bathhouses like this many times in the past, but every time I have, I always get uncomfortable..."

"It is sometimes hard to relax when you're naked with a bunch of strangers around, I admit," Shuichi affirmed, "but it's not much of a problem for me. I've been using this bath my whole life, after all."

"Shuichi..." Makoto frowned sadly. Shuichi's hand splashed out from under the water and he waved it deflectively.

"Don't worry. It's nothing to get sappy over, I don't mind it at all," he said, "I can't promise it will be as empty as this next time, but if you ever want to come back for a nice relaxing soak, just let me know."

"Thanks...Sorry, I'm just looking out for you," Makoto replied, "don't take it the wrong way."

"Of course not," Shuichi nodded, "thank you, Makoto. You've always been so good to me."

Makoto was about to let his worries drift away again when his rest was unpleasantly interrupted by some excited exclamations in the room next door.

"Holy hell Kyoko-chan! You're STACKED!"

There was a splash of water that fell over the edge of the bath as both boys instinctively lurched up straight.

"Um...K-Komaru-san, I don't..."

"Kokichiru, don't harass her like that."

"No, seriously! Toko-chan look!"

"L-Look at what?"

"Kokichiru! I said-...Hm..."

"Wh-What?"

"Ok, you've got a point...you're bustier than I thought..."

"Right!? So unfair! You're super skinny, but you're hiding THOSE melons!?"

"Komaru-san, please! Y-Yes, I may look skinnier in clothes, but could you please stop drawing so much attention to it?"

"Gehehehe! Someone's flustered! It's pretty cute watching you squirm like this~"

"Toko-san, don't encourage this! Makoto and Shuichi are right next door, they might hear us!"

Makoto's lips were pursed like he was forcefully trapping any weird noises from coming out of his mouth. He felt his cheeks grow hotter, and he gulped down...something. He turned his head

"H-Hey...You look a little flushed there, huh Shuichi?" he pointed out. Shuichi's head swiftly turned back around on him, shooting him a look that was a mix between panicked and offended.

"R-Right back at you, Makoto-senpai," he spat, "you've gone pink in the face!"

"Well, maybe the heat of the bath is getting to me!?" Makoto snapped back, before retreating under the water, "n-no, but seriously, do you think you could turn on the cold water? I'm kind of boiling up here now..."

"H-Huh? O-Oh! Yeah, s-sure!" Shuichi clumsily reached over to pour in some cold water, his hand slipping a few times on the tap before he was actually able to turn it.

The boys sit in silence for a long while, still feeling a variety of things, but refusing to express their feelings to each other any further. After some time passed, and the water became cool enough for Makoto to think straight again, he lifted himself back out of the bath and turned to his buddy.

"Ok...in all seriousness though?" he said, "the real lucky thing is having you on our team. And I don't just mean because of this place."

"You think so?" Shuichi raised his eyebrows.

"To be honest, as much as I love my sister and Toko and Monomi, it was getting a bit hard being the only guy on a team full of girls," he admitted, "and I don't exaggerate even slightly when I say we would never have taken Kirigiri's Palace down if it wasn't for you. You saved us from that graveyard room, and then rescued us when Kirigiri's strings captured us. We couldn't have done it without you."

"You're forgetting something," Shuichi raised a finger, "you are the ones who saved ME first. I couldn't have helped you take Kirigiri down if you hadn't shown me his true nature...If you hadn't, I would have kept turning away from that reality. But because you did, you saved me, my uncle, Uzawa, Kyoko, Jin, and who knows how many others?"

He respectfully bowed his head.

"You might think this is a bit overdramatic, but I owe you this much," he said, "my life is yours to use how you see fit. No matter what situation we come across, I will do whatever I must to prove my use to you."

"I don't keep you around because you're useful Shuichi; you're getting the wrong idea," Makoto assured him, "I keep you around because you're a good person and a great friend, not because you're a good pawn or underling. I don't want you to be anything more or less to me than my friend and teammate."

"Sorry...I'm not trying to put myself down or anything," he told him, "I'm just telling you how grateful I am."

"I know..." Makoto nodded, "thanks..."

"So..." Shuichi shuffled timidly, "this is a little a little awkward now..."

"Yeah...I feel ashamed of myself for some reason..." Makoto admitted. Shuichi sighed.

"Is there anything else you want to talk about?"

He thought about a moment before he blurted out a response.

"You got any girls you like?"

"What!? Wh-Why that!?" Shuichi flustered, turning red again.

Makoto couldn't do anything but shrug.

DSO_Welcome to Despair - Danganronpa Another Episode: Ultra Despair Girls

"Seriously! What's gotten into you both!?" Kyoko scurried to the other side of the bath, curling into a defensive position in the face of Komaru and Toko's harassment. Both girls grinned at her devilishly.

"Sorry, couldn't resist," Komaru winked, "it's just rare to see you so flustered like that. I wanted to eat it up."

"Jeez..." Kyoko pouted, keeping a wary distance, even though the both of them had calmed down, "by the way, Toko-san...There's still some grime in your hair."

"Hm? Oh, yeah, I know...I'll get it in a minute..." she said.

"Want me to wash it out for you again?" Komaru asked. Toko sheepishly nodded.

"Yeah, if you don't mind..."

"Again?" Kyoko parroted, "Do you usually wash her hair when you're together?"

"She likes it when I do it," Komaru fiddled with Toko's purple locks that hung behind her head, "Toko's never been comfortable bathing, but she copes better when she's with me or other people."

"Remember what I said? About how my parents scalded me with hot shower water? Well, I grew to hate the feeling of showers beating down on me because of that," Toko admitted, "as she said, Komaru makes it easier for me. Just another reason to be glad that we're friends I guess...Before now, I didn't have anyone for that emotional support..."

"I'm sorry to hear that...It must have been rough..." She stretched her neck with a disapproving look on her face; almost one of guilt or of wanting to help. Toko shook her head, then took Kyoko's hand.

"You've had it worse..." she said.

Kyoko wasn't wearing her gloves while she bathed, so when Toko raised her hand out of the water, it showed off Kyoko's burns and scars. Fortunately, just as it was on the boys' side, no one else was around to see them. Toko wouldn't have done this if anyone was spectating.

Instinctively, Kyoko locked fingers with Toko and held her hand; a gesture of reassurance for the writer.

"That's nice of you to say...but ignoring your own suffering to note mine is not something I would wish of you," she said, "but you know...I suppose we're similar in that regard?"

"Huh? What do you mean?" Toko frowned, "the fact that we've suffered? Or are you comfier taking baths with people around you too?"

"Actually, I prefer bathing alone. Though I can't say I'm not enjoying my time here," the detective girl admitted, "and yes, we've both indeed suffered, but what I mean is it's surprising what sort of positive impact the Naegis has had on that suffering. We both keep to ourselves and stay quiet for our own reasons, but when it comes to Makoto and Komaru, we tend to open up a little more, despite our isolation."

"Hm...I never thought you would feel the same way...Guess friendship is good medicine..." Toko professed. However, Komaru's grin reappeared on her face.

"What exactly do you mean by..."positive impact?"" she gave the girl a skeevy eyebrow wiggle. Kyoko's head turned towards her in concern. Sweat rolled down her face, and she couldn't tell if it was hot or cold.

"I don't follow..." she said before Komaru leaned forward and got in her face excitedly.

"Be honest with me!" she enthused, "what do you think of my brother!?"

"Of Makoto?" Kyoko stammered, "in wh-what regard?"

"You know! As a boy!" Komaru raised her voice in furor, but kept it at a whisper level so Makoto couldn't hear her next door, "do you fancy him or what!?"

"Oh my god..." Toko pinched the bridge of her nose, but couldn't stifle her giggles. Kyoko turned her nose away and shut her eyes.

"I...I don't know what you refer to...!" she gasped, offended, "all I was saying was that I respect him as a person and value his company!"

"Typical tsundere reaction!" Komaru pointed at her triumphantly.

"I DON'T!" she snapped, "please, will you leave me alone!"

"OK then, let me ask you this. Unrelated to any of Komaru's teasing..." Toko chimed in, "I already told you what it was about Komaru that drew me to her. What is it about Makoto that YOU like?"

Kyoko stopped for a moment to ponder on this. It was true that Makoto had gotten her attention, and she certainly felt comfortable around him compared to others...almost as comfortable as she had her grandfather and Yui...

She gave Toko her answer.

"Thinking about it, it occurs to me that I have similar reasons as you do, Toko-san. I feel similarly towards Makoto as you do Komaru."

"Really?" Toko inquired, "But I don't really get the same strangeness and odd vibes off Makoto as I do Komaru."

"I'm not necessarily talking about relatability. In terms of personalities, we couldn't be further apart," Kyoko explained, "but I feel another thing we have in common is whenever we meet or talk to people, we naturally doubt their intentions or what they're thinking about us...Though in my case, that habit mainly comes from my job as a detective..."

With a calm smile, she leaned back against the wall and stretched her slender legs out.

"But I just don't feel that way with Makoto," she held her head in her scarred hand, "in my line of work, it hurts to be so foolishly open with people as he is, but when it comes to our relationship as friends and classmates, he's one of the few people that I inexplicably trust. I just feel that he could never truly lie to me. When I first found out he was the Phantom Thief, I admit, I was somewhat worried. Something inside me wanted to tell him to be careful, or wanted to protect him but...Well, you two know more than I do that he's been doing fine so far, and...I don't want him to change...I prefer him this way because...this is him. The REAL him."

"I see..." Toko contemplated, "you know, Makoto said something similar to us about you. That he could never lie to you, nor would he really want to."

"You even talk about him dreamily~" Komaru teased.

"I-!" Kyoko shot up straight and scowled at her, blushing. Komaru and Toko laughed.

"Alright Kokichiru, quit giving her a hard time." Toko gently nudged her with her elbow.

Kyoko frowned and shook her head, her face a deep red. The bath now felt a little too hot for her.

This was probably the most humiliating she had ever felt in front of other people...but at the same time, she didn't hate what she was feeling right now. Yes, Komaru was relentlessly teasing her, but this sense of camaraderie and security among people who cared about her was something she hadn't felt in a long time.

"Speaking of the Phantom Thieves..." she changed the subject, "what's your next plan? Are you going to keep going after targets in Mementos?"

"Ultimately, that's the plan. We can't let evil people hiding in society go unpunished," Komaru crossed her arms, "but what would really help is if we found another big target! Like Towa or Fuhito!"

"While I won't deny that those two being exposed have had an astounding effect on Japan's social standing, are you sure going after famous people is enough?" Kyoko asked, "You wish to spread your name so that people will see you as a symbol of hope and courage, and to give people the power to change their own fates, correct? No doubt you achieved that to an extent, but within a few weeks, people will stop talking about both incidents. If you're going to achieve your goal, you're going to need a more monumental impact."

"She's right. As much as we want to deny it, Towa's incident wasn't enough to get our name out there fully. Even though Fujisaki leaked the calling card, and even though Towa was a huge first hit, because of how small the setting was, we existed as nothing more than a rumor," Toko scratched her head, "and with Kirigiri, well...not many people actually knew who he was before the incident, so...It's hard to really stay attached to the story for long..."

"Then we need a plan to properly appeal to the public," Komaru punched her open palm, "any ideas Kyoko-chan?"

"That's not for me to decide. You're the Phantom Thief, not me," she reminded her, "not to sound rude, but you should figure it out yourself."

"Ouch..." Komaru hung her head, "There's that classic Kirigiri coldness..."

"We'll be fine..." Toko stated "we just need to be careful so that our identities don't get exposed and that we don't accidentally kill each other. Sticking to what we've got going until we find an alternative isn't going to hurt us."

Kyoko turned towards her with a frown.

"What do you mean by that?" she asked, sitting up straight, "what's this about accidentally killing someone?"

"Oh, that?" Komaru asked, "yeah, see, the thing is this kind of work is risky. We've come to the conclusion that Shadows sometimes have to be defeated to be separated from the Metaverse and to return to their real selves, so we've had to fight them."

"But we can't do anything that might kill them." Toko continued "If we do, it-"

"...it will cause a mental shutdown and they die?"

Closing Arguement V3 - Danganronpa V3: Killing Harmony

Komaru and Toko stared at Kyoko, eyes wide, as she finished their sentence.

"How...did you know that?" Toko growled anxiously.

Kyoko sat in silence for a moment, clearly deep in thought. After a tense standoff, she finally opened her mouth and replied.

"You said that Monomi came from that world, correct?" she asked, "and now that I'm cognizant of her speaking in the Metaverse, I can understand her here, right?"

"That's...right...?" Komaru affirmed, "why?"

"Because...there's something I would like to ask her..." Kyoko said.

The relaxing bath didn't end on the greatest note for the girls. They finished up, downed some cool milk, and got dressed into some clothes they had put to the side. Komaru wore a white tee and tracksuit bottoms, Toko wore a long-sleeved shirt and a long skirt, and Kyoko wore a sleeveless, light pink shirt and black jeans, once again donning her studded purple gloves.

They stepped out of the changing area and into the laundromat, where the boys and Monomi were waiting for them. Makoto wore pretty much the same thing as Komaru, while Shuichi wore a smart-looking tee, long trousers, and a jumper over it.

"Ah, you're back!" Monomi beamed, "I kept watch over your clothes for you! Everything is a-ok!"

"Much appreciated Monomi!" Komaru grinned. Kyoko's mouth pursed uncomfortably.

"Wow that...that rabbit really does talk..." she stated.

"Don't overthink it..." Shuichi scratched his face.

"I'm surprised..." Toko glared at the two of them, "neither of you peeped?"

"What!?" Makoto nearly fell off the stool he was sitting on, "of course not! Why would we do that!?"

"Were you expecting us to scale the wall or something?" Shuichi flustered, "w-with how much steam there was, that would be impossible!"

"You're Phantom Thieves, aren't you?" Toko scoffed.

"Those abilities only work in the confines of the M-Metaverse!" Shuichi added, "th-that, and w-we have more decency than that!"

"Are you sure?" the writer put a hand on her hip, "you're telling me that in a crossover story between Persona and Danganronpa, two-game series that BOTH have a trend of the main characters either peeking or stumbling in on the opposite sex while changing or in the bath, and neither of you tried to take a peek?"

"Toko-chan, put the hammer down, the fourth wall is broken enough as it is," Komaru interjected, "you guys know she's trying to mess with you, right? What's got you in such a hump?"

"Forget it..." Makoto groaned.

"What do you have there?" Kyoko asked, noticing that Shuichi was holding his phone. Shuichi lifted his head and showed her his screen.

"I haven't really had a chance to check out the PhanSite before now, so I was reading through some comments while we waited for you," he explained, "I wasn't quite aware that they did surveys on here."

"Surveys?" Toko clarified. Shuichi turned the screen towards her.

"The current poll is, "Do You Believe in the Phantom Thieves?"" he said, "the current rate is around 7% or so."

"What, do we have to clap our hands together so that Tinker Pixie doesn't die?" she pulled up a stool and sat next to him, rolling her eyes, "Fujisaki's way too into this crap..."

"7%'s kinda crap..." Komaru sighed, choosing to sit on the floor, leaning against the dryer and letting its bumpy movement massage her, "we really do need to find a way to make that go up faster."

"I said we could talk about that later," Toko said, "Kyoko, didn't you want to ask something?"

"What is it?" Makoto looked up at her. Kyoko fiddled with her braid.

"It's nothing especially important; I just had a few more questions I needed to ask," she said, "to Monomi-san."

"To me?" Monomi perked up, standing on her hind legs.

"Yes...I'll be blunt," she deadpanned, giving the classic Kyoko expression of hiding her emotions and exuding an air of coldness, "could you explain how mental shutdowns work?"

Only now just hearing her mention this, Shuichi and Makoto tensed up just as Toko and Komaru had done. Monomi frowned, but she remained fairly composed when faced with this question.

"Of course..." she replied, "I'm assuming the girls gave you the gist of it, but to put it straightforwardly, if you kill somebody's Shadow, their brain will consume itself, and they will die."

"And this hasn't happened to you yet?" Kyoko pushed, "with any of your targets?"

"So far, we've only had four: Towa, Uzawa, Kirigiri, and Saji. I'm sure you can figure out the answer yourself based on that?" Monomi told her. Kyoko nodded.

"Yes...unless some freakish accident is announced tomorrow, all your targets so far have been fine."

"I will admit, it is the biggest risk of this job. Infiltrating the Palace and Mementos, stealing the treasure, and sending the Shadow back to themselves in reality shouldn't cause any kind of mental shutdown or distress...but that isn't failsafe..." Monomi admitted, "but everyone here knows to keep themselves in check, so we haven't failed so far, and if we have a say in it, we won't."

"Why are you asking all this, Kyoko?" Makoto stood up, "are you worried we might use our power to...kill someone?"

"If you wanted to kill someone, you would have done so already, right? My guess is you were all made aware of this from the get-go," Kyoko told him, "the reason I ask is...well...Monomi, I would like you to take a look at this."

Kyoko reached into her purse that was hung around her shoulder and pulled out her work phone. She tapped on it a few times, then turned the screen to Monomi. Makoto, Komaru, Toko, and Shuichi all crowded around her to get a look at what was being shown.

What they saw caused their stomachs to sink.

Living in a Lazy Parallel World - Danganronpa V3: Killing Harmony

It was a news report that showed a rather graphic and vivid image of a truck wreckage on it. Smoke and fire poured out of the vehicle, and a trail of liquid spilled out from underneath. Whether it was oil or blood was unclear, given the photo was black and white print, but regardless, it was a sickening ooze of something unpleasant.

"Jesus..." Komaru clasped her mouth with one hand and squeezed Toko's shoulder with the other, who had turned away just in case.

"I think I know what this is," Shuichi spoke up, "I heard about it in the news yesterday."

"What is it? What happened?" Makoto distressed.

"Yesterday morning at 8 am rush-hour time, a truck carrying a trailer full of important equipment sped out of control at the Jingū Bashi near Meiji Shrine," Kyoko retracted her arm, "4 people died, 12 more were injured and 2 were left crippled. Originally, it was suspected to be a terrorist attack, but post-investigation, it was concluded the driver of the car had no association with any terrorist organization or faction."

"In fact, he was a professional employee of an enterprise called Kubo Corp. They're a rising financial giant, and many expect them, alongside the Togami's, to fill in the gap that was left when Towa Corp. and their conglomerates shut down," Shuichi followed up, "however, the person responsible for the attack on the bridge used a company vehicle to commit it. That, coupled with the lost equipment and funds the truck was carrying, had led to a repeated number of scandals that threaten to ruin the entire organization."

"Unfortunately, the truck driver perished in the crash," Kyoko finalized, "but while we cannot ask him for his motives or understand his thoughts, the detectives and police have concluded that this attack was done for malicious purposes. Those people were MEANT to get hurt."

"That's completely insane!" Komaru snapped, "What kind of person just decides to hurt and kill so many people out of the blue!? Why would he do such a thing!?"

"Well...THAT'S the issue..." Kyoko sighed.

"What do you mean?" Toko turned her head back and gritted her teeth in confusion and agitation.

"Me and a few other KDA professionals conducted a thorough investigation into the attack on behalf of Kubo Corp. But no matter how much we dug into the incident, we couldn't find hide, nor hair of a motive. Not a one," she told them, "first off, the culprit was well treated by staff, and praised for his prior delivery services and works. He had been offered many promotions, yet had turned them down because he was comfortable with where he was..."

"Which means there was no bad blood between him and the workplace," Makoto thought aloud, "so the collapse of the company wasn't the motive."

"Exactly," Kyoko nodded, "furthermore, we examined his medical history. He had no recorded long-lasting health conditions, or any personality or brain disorders of any kind. In fact, many who had seen him that same morning reported that he was perfectly sane of mind and even friendly."

"So you mean to tell me that this guy just decided out of nowhere, to crash into and kill and hurt a whole bunch of people?" Toko snarled, "that doesn't make any sense! It's like he-!"

She froze.

"Oh...Oooooh...!"

"You get what I'm saying now?" Kyoko raised her eyebrows coyly.

"Kyoko...Are you trying to suggest that...this driver had a mental shutdown of some sort?" Shuichi's face darkened with tension.

"Well Monomi?" she turned that question onto the rabbit, "Do you think that's a possibility?"

"If it happened out of nowhere, and there's no evidence of long-lasting health conditions..." she scratched her ear, staring sternly into the detectives' eyes, "then...I cannot refute the possibility that his Shadow self in the Metaverse could have been compromised."

"I see...I appreciate the honesty," Kyoko affirmed, "in that case, what about these?"

She crouched down and showed Monomi her phone screen again, this time flipping through several images of similar appeal. The photos contained images of newspaper articles, files, documents, photographs, and a variety of other mediums depicting several different mysterious instances. This included accidents, scandals, death reports, and more.

When she flipped to the last image, Makoto's eyes shot open, and he pointed at the screen.

"I recognize that one! That happened on the first day of the school year!" he exclaimed, "that's the subway incident where the driver leaped off the train and it crashed!"

"That incident, as well as the ones I have shown you, are a chain of similar incidents that I and my grandfather were investigating for a long while before his arrest," Kyoko pocketed her phone, staring down at her gloves as she straightened them out, "all of them are the same as the truck incident. No clear motive, no prior misconduct...It seems just out of nowhere, people are randomly dying, or letting their inhibitions take control of them, or they're confessing to things that are causing major scandals. There are no signs of any outside influence, and they seem to repeatedly be coming out of nowhere."

She lifted her head, a flash of something malicious in her eyes.

"Much like how your changes of heart are..." she said.

"Yes...I can see what you mean," Monomi nodded, "these instances could definitely all be caused by tampering with the Metaverse...In fact, it would make sense if that was the case."

"Kyoko..." Komaru's body tensed defensively, "don't tell me you think WE'RE responsible for all of this?"

"Actually, I don't...And I can prove it," she said, "you told me you first awoke to your power with the Haiji Towa case, correct?"

"Yes? Towa was the first target we ever took down." Makoto clarified.

"Well, these incidents were happening before that point...BEFORE you got your powers," she told them, "so while I can't write off the possibility that some of these could be your doing, I am certain that not all of them are."

She smiled.

"Essentially, I'm putting faith that what you just told me about changing hearts and refusing to kill...I trust that you can swear on that?"

"We swear," Shuichi nodded, "you know full well we would never resort to such a thing."

"I'm glad...But that also concerns me a fair bit," Kyoko rubbed her temple, "because if the Metaverse is involved and you're not the ones behind it...That can only mean..."

"Someone else is using the Metaverse...?" Toko gasped.

"That's impossible," Makoto asserted, "we're the only ones with the power to go to that world!"

"And you're certain of this...why exactly?" Kyoko glowered, "how do you know there isn't someone else out there capable of traveling to the Metaverse as you are? There's no way you can make that assertion with absolute certainty."

Makoto searched his mind for a response but found none.

"Actually...if what I understand of it is correct, there is a non-zero possibility that that really is the case," Monomi jittered, "everyone here, save myself, travels to the Metaverse using a smartphone app. But it seems to me that none of us here really understand how it really works."

"You don't?" Kyoko frowned, "not even where it came from or whether or not you can be tracked with it?"

There were a series of uncomfortable murmurs from the other four Phantom Thieves. Komaru tapped her foot nervously; Shuichi cursed himself under his breath for not thinking of this sooner; Toko bit her thumb and growled.

Makoto knew that the one who had been sending out the app to his teammates was Igor. But as much as he wanted to tell them the truth, it wasn't going to be easy to explain it. So he kept his mouth shut. Even if he did tell them, it wouldn't exactly answer the question.

"It might not be the answer you want or even expect, Kyoko-chan, but the truth is we're still learning a lot about the Metaverse ourselves," Monomi told her, "part of the reason why I accepted your request to take you to Mementos was because I believed your sharp wit and observation skills could help us with that."

"Well, I know you're not the villains, and I know you wouldn't do something like this," Kyoko nodded, "but now that I've brought this to light until I get more information, I suggest you don't act irrationally. Now more than ever, you cannot let the investigators into these shutdown cases find out your identities or what you've been doing in the Metaverse."

"But if they do, can't you just stick up for us?" Komaru asked, "you said you could prove we weren't doing anything bad!"

"That's the thing. I can't," Kyoko told her sternly, "at least, not without explaining to them what the Metaverse is and what you've ACTUALLY been doing with it. And more than likely, they'll arrest you on THOSE grounds instead."

"Unfortunately, she's right. The incidents with Haiji Towa and Fuhito Kirigiri definitely served, at least somewhat, to get our name out there, but at the same time, the more targets we go after, the more reason the police and the media have to come after us," Shuichi stated, "our best course of action right now is to lie low and continue living our lives as normal students until the excitement dies down."

"But how are we supposed to get our names out there if we don't get a good streak going!?" Komaru grouched, "ugh! This sucks so much!"

"For now, I think it's best I take my leave. But don't worry," Kyoko assured them, "I'll try and look deeper into this until I either find a conclusive reason or something that will clear your names without any risks. It's the least I can do for you."

"Thank you, Kyoko," Makoto smiled, "you know, the more I sit on it, the more glad I am we made that deal. I'm happy we have you on our side."

"Yes, I agree," she smiled, but then her expression stiffed "except...there's just one more thing..."

"Wh-What?" Toko, as well as the rest of the thieves, tensed up. Kyoko raised her hand and pointed towards the drier as the machine started to make a shrill beeping noise.

"Your washing's done..." she smirked.

Chapter End Notes

With this, we are officially moving out of the Kirigiri Saga, as I like to call it. New revelations are up in the air at the prospect that there may be other Metaverse users and manipulators.
Also, hope you enjoyed the fanservice ;)
Things may seem grim right now, but I promise, we're due for some wholesome times coming soon.
Also, before I end this chapter, I want to take a moment to clarify something that might be causing a bit of confusion amongst you.
Basically, Kyoko is now a tried and true confidant of the Phantom Thieves, and this will not be her last time coming into the Metaverse. Effectively, when she's with the party, she's the Futaba of the group, whose primary purpose is assisting the group from the back with logical reasoning and provisions.
The twist is she's a support that doesn't have a Persona. And just to set your expectations, don't expect her to get one. I don't wish to spoil you, but I also don't want to set you up for disappointment.
I DO have a hypothetical Kyoko Phantom Thief thing that I may show off as a bonus chapter, but we'll see.
Anyway, thanks for reading. I love to get feedback from my readers, so feel free to leave a comment, and some kudos if you feel up to it.

Idolmaster

Chapter Summary

With many conspiracies and problems up in the air, Makoto ends up having a very bad day. It falls to an old friend to help him out of his rut.

Chapter Notes

See the end of the chapter for notes

Tokyo Daylight - Persona 5

"Alright, last one..." Makoto said "Orobas and Nekomata."

Makoto studied over the sheet with the two Personas he wished to fuse, and selected the abilities to be passed over. Once he signed the paper with his name, he watched as the forms of two of his Personas combined together. When the light that emerged dispersed, in their place was a new, Chimera Persona.

It introduced itself as Nue, then became absorbed in his mask.

"Ah yes...This one will do you nicely," Agatha smiled as Makoto stood up from the desk, "will that be all for today?"

"For now, yes..." he nodded, "thanks for humoring me."

"You are the guest of this Velvet Room," Agatha courtesied, "you may intrude any time you may like."

"Indeed. Your academic career with us is proceeding smoothly," Igor chimed in, "you're steadily developing bonds with the various confidants you have made..."

Like he was performing a magic trick, Igor produced a deck of cards from his sleeves and then gracefully laid them out along the table. His hand scanned over them the other way, and he flipped over a certain few of them. He went back to resting his head on his hands and chuckled once he was done...

"Let's see...The Fool, The Magician, The Hierophant, The Chariot, Strength, The Hermit, Justice, The Hanged Man, The Devil, The Tower, and The Moon," he said, "you have made a journey, but there are pieces of this tale still missing from our book...I wonder what filling them in will bring about?"

"Aren't you guys supposed to be all-knowing all-seeing? Honestly, I'm the one who should be asking you that..." Makoto frowned.

"It seems you still don't quite understand what role we play in this, student..." Igor rested his arms on the table.

"I don't understand because you won't tell me," Makoto grumbled, "whatever...I can wait a little longer to hear a proper answer."

"How delightfully patient of you," the long-nosed man chuckled, "if there is anything I can tell you right now, it's that our fates rely on your choices. How YOU choose to proceed will determine the future chapters of this story."

"Please, keep that in mind, young one," Agatha bowed as Makoto made his exit, "the winds of change are fast blowing in your direction."

Makoto stepped out of the Velvet Room back into his dorm room. Though he had expected as much, he had taken a trip to the Velvet Room and came out with some new Personas, and just more riddles instead of answers.

After what had happened the previous day, Makoto intended to ask Igor about the presence of anyone else in the Metaverse that he may not know about. However, Igor had only responded by shrugging and denying any knowledge of such a person. He also clarified that he only knew of the information through Makoto's eyes as the guest of the Velvet Room, he could only truly talk about things Makoto had already become aware of.

This didn't sit right to Makoto, since he knew Igor was the one distributing the MetaNav App to his allies, so assuming a fellow Metaverse user existed, the obvious conclusion would be they were using the app too. Or perhaps they had a different but similar method?

Whatever the truth was, it was concerning. If Igor was lying, it really put things into perspective for Makoto, and he doubted he could trust much of what the long-nosed man and his attendant were really thinking. Assuming he was telling the truth, however, it meant that there was someone out there who could hide from the gaze of the all-powerful Velvet Room Master, which made Makoto question just who or what he was dealing with, and how powerful they really were.

If the answers were something he had to find out himself, that was fine. He just wished Igor or Agatha would actually TELL him that. Or were they even not allowed to tell him even that?

If so, why not? Who or what was stopping them?

It hurt to think about. Of all the strange, unworldly, and miraculous things that he had encountered ever since this school year started, including the Metaverse, Shadows, Personas, and everything else, the existence of the Velvet Room was by far the most confusing and mysterious.

What's worse it was the one thing he couldn't ask anyone about. Not even Monomi. And frankly, if he told them, they might not even believe him. His teammates had made note that sometimes when they were in the Metaverse, he would disappear for a while. And Monomi made a note that he tended to spend a long time when he went to the bathroom sometimes.

If they couldn't sense or see anything wrong, it was likely the existence of the Velvet Room was for his eyes and knowledge only. Whatever he was risking by opening up about it was something he would rather not take.

"I believe this is the book you're looking for. Am I correct?"

Makoto took a trip to the Hope's Peak Student Library to pick up some textbooks and research materials. Even though he was a Phantom Thief, it wouldn't be much of a double life if he didn't take an opportunity to study in his downtime. And even if he didn't want to, the bossy teacher-enthused rabbit in his room likely wouldn't shut up about it.

Kirumi Tojo, the Ultimate Maid and Shuichi's classmate, was on librarian duty for the day. Makoto had asked her to find a specific book, and she had retrieved it in seconds flat. She then scanned it and handed it to him.

"Yes, this is perfect. Thank you, Kirumi," Makoto smiled and nodded, "if there's anything I can do to repay the favor, let me know."

"That won't be necessary," she assured him, "as the Ultimate Maid, it's my job to make sure I am of use to everyone. That goes double for our well-respected upperclassmen."

"Aw, come on, you're embarrassing me." Makoto blushed.

"I do not exaggerate, senpai. I've noticed rather recently that my classmate, Shuichi, has been spending a lot of time with you lately," Kirumi observed, "since then, he has been doing a lot better for himself, especially following the Kirigiri incident."

"Oh...you...noticed, huh?" Makoto blushed again but for a different reason this time.

"Yes...And even with my duties as a maid aside, I am willing to do whatever you desire, if only to repay the favor," she courtesied, "Shuichi's happiness is our happiness, after all."

"Well, I'm glad to know that Shuichi has classmates like you looking out for him when I can't," Makoto beamed, "thanks again Kirumi, for everything."

"You are very welcome. Though may I be so bold to make one last suggestion?" she asked, "I suggest, if you are going to read that book, you do so in your own dorm room, or somewhere more private?"

"Why's that?" he asked.

Kirumi replied by pointing towards a corner. Makoto let his eyes follow her finger line, and he saw two girls in the corner of the library, deep in a heated discussion and making a fair bit of noise. One of them was Mahiru Koizumi of Class 77.

"What are we even doing here, Mahiru?" the other one; a girl with long, dark green, wavy hair, wearing a Reserve Course uniform; asked the redhead, who had her face in a book.

"The other members of the newspaper team turned out to be useless, and Hagakure-san was a dead end," she grumbled, "I don't know if I can find out what the Phantom Thieves methods are, but I'm looking everywhere I can for clues or leads."

The two continued to bicker back and forth in a Phantom Thief-related argument. Makoto sighed.

"Ah, right..." he scratched his face awkwardly, "Fukawa-san did tell me Koizumi-senpai was working on a Phantom Thieves paper."

"It's not my place to say whether or not such individuals' ideals and actions are right or wrong," Kirumi said, "but it is quite a bother when it's all I hear about all day every day."

"You know...I think I actually agree with you on that..." Makoto said.

Junko Food for a Dashing Youth - Persona 5

Makoto was honestly feeling a little blue today, and he didn't really have a reason why. It was just one of those days, he supposed.

Or perhaps he had been on a high ever since Fuhito Kirigiri's arrest, and now that had died down so he was just left feeling depressed. In a normal situation, he'd return to his dorm room for the day and just have a nap.

However, he had work to do. He had promised Fuyuhiko he would visit the pawn shop and help him run a few errands.

"Thanks for your help," Fuyuhiko said when all was said and done, "that discount is yours, mark my words."

"Thanks..." Makoto nodded, "me and my friends really appreciate it."

"Are you ok?" Fuyuhiko gently patted his shoulder, "you seem kinda out of it. Even before now, you looked to be in a bit of a mood?"

"You noticed, huh?" Makoto sighed, "Yeah, I'm just feeling a bit blue today I guess..."

"What's on your mind?" he asked, "I know I ain't no therapist but would talking about it help?"

"That's very nice of you to offer, but I don't think you'd get it...I've just been deep in thought about a lot of stuff lately," Makoto admitted, "like...well...I guess I'm struggling to find some normalcy..."

"Normalcy, eh?" Fuyuhiko raised an eyebrow. Makoto nodded.

"Like I said, I doubt you'd get it," Makoto

"Nah, I think I kinda understand," Fuyuhiko scratched his head, "you're the Ultimate Lucky Student. Compared to everyone else at Hope's Peak you're kinda just a normal, simple guy. Not that that's a bad thing, but I get the thought of living amongst lions."

"You do?" Makoto asked.

"Yeah...Things are kinda similar for me with the Kuzuryu Clan. One day, I'm gonna take over from my father but...I don't know if I'm up for it right now. I don't really fit in with the Yakuza lifestyle," Fuyuhiko shrugged, "do NOT tell anyone I said that though, or I'll cut your tongue out with a razor!"

"Well, with that line, I think you fit in fine," Makoto snickered, "but that's not really what I meant...I'm more talking about...the things I've done lately."

"The things you've done?" he quoted.

"I don't really want to go into detail but...I'm questioning whether or not what I've been doing with my life is really gonna make a difference," he said, "and wondering if there was ever any point in my life before or after now where I could take a wrong turn and...do something I regret...Honestly, it's all just getting to my head and I hate that I'm letting it."

"Eh, that sounds pretty normal to me," Fuyuhiko shrugged again, "everyone goes through that point where they just think they're not good enough and need time to get over it. Like I said, I've been there a few times."

"Well, then maybe you do understand," Makoto huffed, "any advice?"

"Take a break," Fuyuhiko stated, "take some time to yourself; maybe a few days tops? Why not go home to your family for a couple days?"

Makoto hesitated on his words without saying anything. He just nodded gently. Maybe it would be nice to sit down and spend some time with Komaru, Kotoko, and his parents. After all, he had already talked to Komaru about it before she became a Phantom Thief.

And Fuyuhiko was right...A break was very much needed.

"Hey...I'll tell ya what?" the Yakuza smirked, "I didn't give you the money back for all the things you sold me here last time. So, on account of that, helping me out here today, and you being in a bad mood, how about I give you a little bonus?"

"That would be nice," Makoto smiled, "thanks, Kuzuryu-senpai. I don't have much yen in my wallet anyway."

This was mainly due to him having to use some of his personal funds to buy Phantom Thief essentials. With Shuichi on the team, as well as how they had brought Kyoko in last time, the more stuff Makoto was required to buy. Now, he was running pretty low on cash.

If it hadn't been for the treasures he'd sold and the money he got working part-time at Taboo, he'd be flat-out broke.

"Maybe that's what's getting you down? Maybe it's just that simple?" Fuyuhiko smirked, handing him a small envelope, "there you go. 1,000,000 yen."

Makoto choked.

"I'm sorry WHAAAAAT!?" he exclaimed, his eyes shooting wide open, "1,000,000 yen!? Do you realize how much money that is!?"

"What, you want more?" Fuyuhiko frowned.

"NO! If anything, this is TOO MUCH!" Makoto cried, "this amount of money would let me live a life of luxury for like...2 or 3 years at least!?"

"Well, it'd be annoying to have to take it all back. I don't need it, so you might as well spend it all." Fuyuhiko sighed, "just take the offer, okay?"

His hands still trembling, Makoto stared down at his envelope with a feeling of uncertainty. No matter how you sliced it, 1,000,000 yen was a ridiculous amount of money to get on a normal paycheck.

He was unlikely to get a paycheck like this ever again so...what to do?

Makoto decided to take the money, simply because he didn't see any benefit in trying to give it back.

However, it still didn't change the fact that he had no clue what to do with the ludicrous paycheck. He smuggled the envelope into his hoodie pocket and shiftily and aimlessly shuffled down the street.

"Well...Fuyuhiko DID say I should take a break...So maybe I could use this money to spend the night at a nice hotel or...buy an expensive meal?" he said to himself, "then again, I guess I could use it for the sake of the Phantom Thieves? I was thinking of getting Shuichi a new melee weapon but...the one he wanted is pretty cheap, all things considered...Maybe I'll buy a toy for Kotoko? Well, again, that'd only cost me a bit and I don't want to waste the money..."

Makoto groaned and clutched his spiky head.

"Ugh! How does Byakuya do this!? Now I see where the phrase "more money than sense" comes from! What am I gonna do...!?"

"Did someone say money?"

Mr Monokuma's Tutoring - Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc

Makoto lifted his head and felt his heart sink. Standing in front of him was his classmate, Yasuhiro Hagakure, who had an eerily pleasant smile on his face. Despite his cheerfulness and the fact that he rarely ever had ill-based intentions, Makoto broke out into a cold sweat at the moment, worsened by how Hiro's large hairdo basically blotted out the sun.

"Hey Mako!" he slapped his shoulder affectionately, "what're you doin' round here?"

"O-Oh, h-hello...Hiro-san...N-Nothing much just...window shopping..."

*Great...* Makoto groaned secretly, *5 seconds later and I've already run into the person who I know is most dangerous when it comes to money! If he finds out I've got a million on me, he might try and coax me out of it!*

Hiro wasn't a bully or a bad person, but as Makoto said, he was terrible with money, and when it came to getting his hand on anything that could help him settle his debts, he became...irrational. In fact, at the very end of the previous year, he had asked Makoto to cut out and sell his organs for him, claiming he too scared to sell his own. When Makoto refused, Hiro kicked him out of his room and called him a terrible friend in a humph.

He had apologized for this at the start of this year, but still, Makoto still had a sour taste in his mouth from that encounter. Needless to say, under no circumstance could he let Hiro know about the million yen in his possession, or else he might throw away his inhibitions and steal it all from him.

"Anyway, what was this I heard about money?" Hiro smirked, "you running low on cash?"

"N-No, that's not it..." Makoto stammered.

"Oh, so you've got some?" he raised an eyebrow, "how much? Where'd you get it?"

"N-Nowhere especially, it's just my savings. I-"

"Hohoho? A conversation about money is it? Intéressant..."

Makoto's heart somehow sunk even lower when he heard yet another familiar voice. He turned around and looked down to see the pudgy face of Teruteru Hanamura, the 77th Class's Ultimate Cook (though he preferred to go by Ultimate Chef due to its "big city flavor")

"Yo! For real? You got cash on ya'?"

Sweat ran even faster down Makoto as yet ANOTHER person joined them. This one belonged to another third-year, Akane Owari, the ever-fiery and compulsive Ultimate Gymnast, who was currently stuffing a rice ball in her mouth.

Much like Hiro, Teruteru and Akane were two people with chronic money problems. They'd never shake someone down, but the prospect of a million yen may have forced the two's hands if they were to find out about it.

Though he claimed otherwise, Teruteru's family ran a comfy diner in the countryside. Teruteru had gone to Hope's Peak for the diner's sake, but his family was not especially well off.

As for Akane, she lived in a slum before coming to Hope's Peak, and she was all about getting a meal or money to help them. Makoto did want to help, but he knew that if he lent Akane anything, she'd never pay him back.

"Oh hey! Teru! Kane! What a coincidence!" Hiro beamed.

"Nah, not much," Akane said with a stuffed mouth, "I smelled somethin' goin' down, so I let my nose lead me here."

"I too, arrived with the prospect of making a steal," Teruteru smirked, "the enticing allure of money hangs in the air."

"Huh!? Seriously!?" Hiro gasped.

*This is bad...This is VERY VERY bad...If I stick around these people too long, that million yen is gonna be burned out of me faster than you can say "ker-ching!"* Makoto thought, looking between the friendly faces of his schoolmates, seeing a hint of greed and malice beneath each of their smiles, *I need to escape somehow...!*

Just before Hiro, Akane, and Teruteru's heads all turned back to him, Makoto had a flash idea. With an almost blinding movement, he stuffed 10,000 yen into his hoodie, then grabbed it and threw it into the air. He watched, half-relieved, half-dismayed, as the strong wind carried it through the sky.

"Crap! My hoodie!" he cried with grandeur, "I had 10,000 yen in my pocket, now it's blowing away!"

"Wh-What did ya' say!?" Teruteru exclaimed, his country dialect slipping back in unintentionally.

"10,000 yen!?" Hiro cried.

"That's a lotta money!" Akane grinned, "don't worry! I got it!"

"No, I got it!"

"Wait up! Thas' mine!"

Makoto gazed at the backs of the three moneyless Ultimates as they chased after his airborne coat, their cries attracting a lot of attention from passersby on the street. Once they were long out of eye and earshot, he huffed a heavy sigh.

"Welp...There goes my trademark...and 10,000 yen with it..." he sighed, rubbing his now chilly arms, "that reminds me of the time in Mementos when a Shadow took Monomi hostage and tried to shake me down for cash in exchange for her life..."

He took the envelope out and checked to see if the rest of the money was inside. It now felt 10,000 yen lighter.

Beautiful Dead - Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc

The breeze didn't calm down for the rest of the afternoon leading into the evening, and with his hoodie now literally gone with the wind, Makoto shivered as he continued making his way back home.

"It's ok...It's ok! I can just use the money to buy a new hoodie!" he told himself, clutching the envelope in his trouser pocket, "but man...that was an abrupt and redundant expense...990,000 yen left though. I won't waste what's left!"

"Hey! Come out already, will ya!?"

Mr Monokuma's Lesson - Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc

Makoto lifted his head as he heard the noise of angry shouting coming from the houses nearby. As he passed, he peeked over the fence to see what was going on...and regretted it immediately.

A woman, clearly scared out of her wits but putting on a brave face, stood in her doorway facing down three scary-looking men. The one in the front was a large bald man with a mustache, and beside him was a man with short black hair and a grim smile, and another man with spiky hair; a gun holstered to his belt.

Loan Sharks, he assumed.

"Look, I know about the debts, but you're going to have to wait!" the woman pleaded, "my daughter is sick, and I need the money to pay for her hospital bills."

"I doon't giiiive aaaa fuuuuuuuck!" the bald man leered, "we're getting our money, and we're getting it today!"

*Don't do it...! Don't do it...! Don't freaking do it...! I'm doing it...* Makoto gripped his fist. His own sense of righteousness was overtaking his mind, and as much as he urged himself to just walk past, something else took the reigns of his body and steered him into the woman's garden.

"Um...hey!" Makoto greeted them, smacking his legs to stop them from trembling, "what seems to be the problem here, gentlemen?"

The Loan Sharks turned towards him, all glaring at him. The woman raised her head and looked confused.

"The fuck are you?" the leader asked, "we're doing business here...Can't you see that?"

"Apologies, but I don't feel like introducing myself to a bunch of thugs that threaten innocent women," Makoto wanted to punch himself in the face for saying this before these guys had a chance to do it, "what's going on?"

"Like I said...business..." the shark said, "we're here to collect a long-standing debt."

"I've already paid back most of it, but I don't have enough to pay what's left!" the woman pleaded, "my daughter is sick, and I need to pay for her hospital bills before I..."

"What're you gonna do kid?" the man with the gun spat, "you'd better not go tattling to the police about this."

"No, that won't be necessary," Makoto said, amazed his legs hadn't given way yet, "how much does she still owe you?"

The henchmen looked towards the boss expectantly, who played with his stache.

"500,000 yen, give or take?" he recalled.

Makoto didn't hesitate. He took 500,000 yen out of his wallet and handed it to the boss.

"Huh!? Wh-Where'd you get this!?" he exclaimed.

"Does it matter?" Makoto asked, "this is all you need, right? Now scram."

"Urgh...You got stones kid..." the boss snatched the yen then nodded to his goons, "let's go boys!"

The Loan Sharks quickly left the garden without another word. The woman began to cry cheers of joy, and she looked like she was on the verge of jumping on Makoto and giving him a hug. She refrained though.

"Thank you! Thank you so much!" she cried tears of joy, "I-I couldn't hope to repay you!"

"It's fine...You don't have to pay me back," Makoto told her, "I have some friends in the law business. Just go to the Kirigiri Detective Agency and ask for a corporate lawyer if they come sniffing around again. I'll put a good word in for you. For now, just look after your daughter."

"Yes, of course!" she bowed over and over again, "thank you so, so much!"

Makoto didn't loiter around and quickly left before the woman could pull him inside for a hot meal or something. He had done a good thing, no doubt about it...but now, an even bigger hole had been burned through the envelope. Half the money Fuyuhiko had given him not even an hour ago was already gone. Sure, it was his own fault. He didn't HAVE to get involved. But he couldn't just ignore what was going on.

"I swear to god..." he clutched his forehead, "I hate my Ultimate Talent so much...This had better be the last of it.

*SMASH!*

"Woah!?"

Makoto nearly jumped out of his skin as a loud crashing sound caught him by surprise as he crossed the road. He turned around to see where the noise had come from, and saw a young, dark-haired, elementary-grade boy on his hands and knees, crying at a pile of pottery remains in front of him.

"Agh! The 200,000 yen Chinese vase Mom told me to buy!" he screamed, "it's in pieces! She's gonna be so mad! What do I do!?"

"Mom..." Makoto's brow furrowed as he procured the envelope, "isn't 200,000 yen worth of pottery too much for a first errand?"

"Waaaah! I saved up so much money to buy snacks and games, but now I lost my wallet and everything in it! WAAAAAH!"

"I'm sure that if we were to have a more formal marriage, my family would approve of our relationship...But the expenses are far too high...What do we do?"

"God dammit! My father is bedridden, and I don't even have enough money to pay his medical bills! What do I do!?"

"We're not gonna be able to finish before our deadline! We've been crunching so much to finish this manga volume, but there's no time left! Oh, if only we had the money for one more assistant!"

Welcome to Despair - Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc

It was all gone...

Makoto couldn't help but quietly laugh at himself. 1,000,000 yen...gone just like that.

It was now late in the evening, and even though only he was witness to the events, Makoto felt like going home was a bad idea. If Komaru or Toko or even Monomi found out that he had lost 1,000,000 yen over the span of an hour and a bit, he couldn't bear the shame.

There wasn't even a feeling of satisfaction in any of this. Yes, Makoto had lost the money doing good, selfless deeds, but it didn't feel that way.

Ever since he had awakened to his Persona and become a Phantom Thief, Makoto had gained a sort of hero complex, seeing all of his actions as part of his role as the Phantom Thieves leader as opposed to just simple gestures as a normal boy. He supposed it was natural, but at the same time, though his actions were selfless and at his expense, it didn't feel that way to him.

He was just fueling his own hubris.

Makoto had arrived at the park near the station and laid back on the bench where the Phantom Thieves typically held their meetings. He didn't even have the money to buy a canned drink from the vending machines nearby.

As if things couldn't get any worse, he suddenly felt raindrops fall on his head. Those drops soon became a shower, and gradually became a downpour from there. Given that he had discarded his hoodie, Makoto had nothing to cover him now.

He stopped lying down, and sat up, staring downwards, unable to do anything except let the raindrops dampen his shirt, hair, and trousers. He sighed.

"Why do these kinds of ridiculous things always happen to me?" he asked, "then again...I guess this time it's my own fault..."

The ill feelings of his actions that he had vented to Fuyuhiko about had only been made worse now. Makoto held his head in his hands exasperatingly and felt like he was going to cry. Today had just been a rotten day...

However, mid-reflection, he suddenly realized the raindrops had stopped falling on him. He looked up to see someone holding a large umbrella over his head. Turning his head around to see the person, he saw someone in a big, fluffy coat, wearing a hat and glasses, and a thick scarf that covered their neck.

"What are you doing out here Makoto-kun? It's raining!"

However, Makoto immediately recognized this person when they lifted the glasses and pulled down the scarf. Though he wouldn't admit it, his cold body was filled with warmth upon seeing her.

"Huh? Is that...you, Maizono-san?"

Sure enough, none other than Sayaka Maizono was standing there, holding her umbrella carefully over him. The raindrops fell on her hat, as she looked at him with concern in her eyes.

Makoto remembered that Sayaka typically wore thick, flashy clothing in public to disguise herself from paparazzi and fans.

"What happened to you?" she asked, "where's your hoodie? You don't even have a coat or an umbrella?"

"Oh, I um...I lost it..." he said, which wasn't really a lie. He definitely embellished the full story by a lot though.

"Well, you'll catch a cold if you sit out here in the rain with nothing to cover you," she pouted, walking around and sitting on the bench next to him, holding the umbrella over him, "what's wrong? Did something happen?"

"Well...today's been pretty eventful but...nothing BAD's really happened..." he explained, "I've just...had a lot on my mind and have been...feeling blue today..."

"Has someone been making fun of you?" she frowned.

"No! No...that's not it..." he assured her, "I'm just feeling a little glum...That's all, really."

Sayaka sat there quietly. She understood more than anyone that in times like these, you have to ride these feelings out until life feels right again. Yet somehow, she got the feeling that what Makoto was going through was something a little more serious than that.

And she would tell everyone, she had great intuition. However, she didn't want to push Makoto, lest she make him feel worse.

So instead, she got an idea and nudged him gently in the arm.

"Hey...Your house isn't too far away from here, is it?"

"Huh? N-No, I guess not...Why?"

With gusto, she handed Makoto the umbrella, stood up, and dusted off her hands, placing them on her hips firmly.

"Take me to your house!" she demanded, "I'm gonna cook you a nice meal!"

Makoto froze for a moment...Then widened his eyes as her words sunk in.

"Wh....WHAAAAT!?"

DSO_Beautiful Dead - Danganronpa Another Episode: Ultra Despair Girls

That was how the legendary pop idol, Sayaka Maizono, ended up spending the evening at the Naegi family's household.

If any of Sayaka's followers found out what was going on, Makoto very may well wake up the next morning with an obsessed fanboy pointing a gun at his skull, or finding himself buried alive. He wouldn't put it past idol fans. They were scary...

Makoto loved Sayaka as an idol and was a big fan of her work, but much valued her more as a person. Truth be told, their connection was rather special, as Makoto had known her before Hope's Peak Academy. The two of them had actually attended the same middle school, so they had been friends even before the Ultimate Academy took them both in.

Well, maybe that wasn't accurate. Yes, they had known each other before, but it wasn't until Hope's Peak that they had ever really talked. But even with that aside, Sayaka was basically the textbook definition of a middle-school/high-school crush for Makoto. So it had taken him a while to get used to her company.

Regardless, Makoto couldn't easily relax in his own bathtub, knowing that such a gorgeous and well-spirited girl was residing in his house that night. Though Sayaka had suggested he flush his feelings away by dipping himself in a body of warm water, he felt like he was taking a bath in his own nervous sweat more than anything.

He wished he could spend more time in the water, but given that he had a guest around, Makoto was quick to finish up. He dried and got dressed in casual, evening, NOT wet clothes, then went downstairs to see Sayaka, who had already made herself at home. She was sitting cross-legged on his sofa, reading a book, having tied her long, elegant blue hair in a bun to keep it out of her eyes and off her shoulders. Makoto felt himself blush, and couldn't get the words off his tongue as he stared at her bare neck; a sight few would have seen for sure.

Sayaka noticed his presence, then turned her head around, smiling at him.

"Oh, you're already finished?" she asked, "that was fast...Feel warmer and more comfy now?"

"Y-Yeah...you could say that..." Makoto flushed.

"By the way Makoto-kun...I know I announced my arrival but..." Sayaka looked around the living room curiously, "where are your parents? Don't they live here?"

"Oh...My Mom and Dad work late on weekends," Makoto told her, "they won't be coming home for a few more hours at least."

"Oh! So then..." Sayaka's eyes widened and she suddenly blushed, "that means...we're alone? Just us two?"

"Y-Yes, I suppose so..." Makoto admitted.

There was a deafening, awkward silence that Makoto could hardly bear. Sayaka herself rolled her body into a ball, diverting her eyes and playing with a loose bit of hair that had fallen out of the bun...

"I'm...I'm sorry..." she said quietly, "if I'd known that, I wouldn't have so rudely barged in. I really did think other people would be here..."

"No, no, it's fine!" Makoto assured her, "besides, we're not going to be alone for long. My parents are out, but my sister and Kotoko will be coming home soon."

"Oh, good!" Sayaka breathed a sigh of relief, "in that case...may I ask you a selfish favor? I'm feeling a little cold from the rain myself, so could I have a bath now that you're done?"

"You wanna WHAT!?" Makoto cried before he forcefully composed himself, "I-I mean I guess that's fine...But I doubt Komaru or my Mom's beauty products would be up to your standards."

"It's alright. I bring my own wherever I go. It's part of the job to use specific products that work the best for my youthful skin," she jokingly rubbed her face, bringing a much-needed smile and laugh to Makoto, "also, "my standards?" That's hardly an issue. I wouldn't want to use your family's products without their permission anyway."

She left her book on the coffee table, then stood up and patted Makoto's shoulder on her way upstairs.

"Thanks again," she said.

With nothing else to do except wait for her to be done, Makoto sat down on the sofa where Sayaka was previously. The seat was still warm from where she was sitting. She was so skinny though, that she had barely taken up any room on it. Makoto breathed in heavily, closing his eyes, zen.

"It smells like her..." he said to himself, before smacking himself in the face, "what am I saying!?"

He shook off the pain and the thoughts that filled his head. The silence allowed him to hear the sound of the upstairs tap running clearly.

"Maizono-san is in my house..." Makoto reflected, "in my bath...She's...washing herself...with...nothing...GAH!"

He smacked himself in the face several times more, and several red hand marks lined his face. However, he was blushing such a deep red, that it was barely noticeable.

"What the hell am I thinking!?" he groaned, "I'm such an idiotic pervert!"

Sayaka stayed in the bath for about 5 or 6 minutes at most, but for Makoto, it felt like 5 hours. When she finally came downstairs, she too was in different clothes that she had brought with her. A loose-fitting, light blue t-shirt, with tight, light yellow shorts, which rode up to the middle of her thighs, exposing her long, slender legs and bare feet, ordinarily hidden by her knee socks and dainty shoes. Again, she had tied her hair in a bun, and that combined with the loose shirt, exposed her petite, flawless collar.

"Sorry...I must look like a wreck right now..." she laughed embarrassingly, "if anyone ever saw me as unkempt as this, I'd get in a lot of trouble. Maybe I'm just comfortable when I'm around you?"

Was she TRYING to entice him? The longer this situation went on, she felt less like an Angel and more like a Succubus!

"Is everything alright, Makoto-kun?" she asked.

"N-No, it's nothing..." he assured her.

*I might need another bath...a cold one this time...* he thought secretly, *so I can dunk my head in the icy water and get over myself...*

"In all seriousness though, please don't tell my manager and the girls you saw me like this," she tugged on her shirt, "they'll never let me hear the end of it; for several reasons..."

"Of course not," he composed himself and smiled, "it means a lot to me that you're willing to do this for me."

"What do you mean?" she inquired.

"You knew that I was feeling down...So you came to keep me company until I cheered up, right?" he asked, "I appreciate it. That's all."

"Saw right through me, huh?" she giggled, "atta boy Makoto-kun. That being said, I really did plan on making you a nice meal. Would you show me to your kitchen?"

"What? Oh, well, as nice as that is, and while I know you're trying to cheer me up, I can't let you do that," Makoto frantically waved his arms around, "YOU'RE the guest. I should be the one making a meal for YOU."

"You can cook?" she seemed pleasantly surprised. Makoto nodded.

"I'm no chef or even that great a cook, but I can make my own meals," he said, "I really shouldn't be asking you to do this for me."

"Well, I would have taken you to my own house if it wasn't much further away," Sayaka told him, "I figured I could at least ask you or your parents to use your kitchen. I really don't mind, you know? I want to do this."

Makoto didn't even want to think about how it might feel going around Sayaka's house. The entire place would probably smell like her.

If Sayaka wasn't standing in front of him, he would have smacked himself again for that thought. However, before they could continue their argument on who would make the other a nice dinner, the front door opened, and two sopping wet figures burst on through.

The first was Komaru, and the other was Kotoko, both of whom shook themselves down like a wet dog once she was inside. Kotoko was wearing a thick, pink raincoat, and Komaru was wearing one like it, except thinner and of course, bigger. Komaru took off her coat and shook it down, hanging it up, trudging in lazily.

"I'm HUNGEEE!" she cried, "make us DIN-DIN!"

"Would it kill you to stop talking and acting like a child?" Makoto felt a strange depression now that he and Sayaka weren't alone together anymore, but brushed it aside, "Mom and Dad are out, remember? It's just us tonight."

"Then you make us something..." Komaru grumbled.

"I'm not your butler!" he snapped back.

"No, but you are my brother..."

"And?"

"And you loooove meee?"

"Ugh..."

Sayaka giggled as Makoto threw his eyes up to heaven.

"Hey Kotoko-chan. How was school?" Makoto patted her softly on the head. Kotoko smiled.

"Great, thank you! Big Sis Junko bought Monaca a new bow! It's a really nice color!" she enthused.

*If only I could buy you something like that, but no...My dumb ass had to blow a million yen in one go...* Makoto groaned privately.

"But now I'm very hungry..." she patted her belly, "please Big Bro, make me something!"

"What would you like to eat?" Sayaka asked.

"Curry and Hamburger Steak!" Kotoko beamed.

"You heard her!" Komaru smirked, "we've ordered! Now make us someth-th-th-th-thiiiiiiiiing...!?"

Beautiful Dead - Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc

For some reason, it only took until NOW for Komaru to realize who was standing next to Makoto. Her eyes widened in shock and horror, as Sayaka merely beamed back at her.

"Hello, Komaru!" she waved gently, "I don't think we've ever met personally before! It's wonderful to finally meet you!"

"No way! Sayaka!" Kotoko's eyes widened, "is it really you?"

"In the flesh~" she winked, "and it's nice to see you too, Kotoko-chan."

"Its...Sayaka...Mai...zono...on...in...our...HOUSE..." Komaru squeaked, her eyes darting back and forth in her head uncontrollably, and her limbs adjusting robotically in all sorts of weird poses like she was on the verge of a breakdown. Kotoko took Komaru by the hand and started to guide her up the stairs.

"Um...Big Sis Komaru might need a moment to get warmed up and adjusted," Kotoko gently grabbed Komaru by her arm and started to guide her upstairs, "come on Big Sis...Just breathe..."

"Sayaka...Idol...house...here...why..." Komaru spoke like static as Kotoko trundled up the stairs with her. Makoto palmed his face embarrassingly, while Sayaka laughed.

Moments later, while Kotoko and Komaru remained upstairs, Sayaka and Makoto went into the Naegi house kitchen. Makoto reached into the cupboard and pulled out his mom's apron, handing it to the pop idol.

"Here...If you're really sure about cooking something, you can borrow this," he said, to which she took it gratefully, "I'm really sorry about Komaru by the way...She's been a fan of yours forever, so seeing you in our home probably triggered a mental breakdown."

"That's really sweet of her!" Sayaka beamed, tying the apron around her, "it's always an honor to meet enthusiastic fans."

"Pfft..."Enthusiastic" is right. I would love to show you how much merch she's got in her room if it wouldn't sign my death warrant," Makoto joked, "in any case, don't pay her much mind. Chances are she's gonna spend all evening being awkward around you..."

"That's alright, really. I can tell she admires me...and the support of my fans is priceless to me," she assured him, "if nothing else, at least I know what to make us all now. Curry and Hamburger Steak it is!"

"About that," Makoto interjected, "I know we were already discussing it, but even if you came round to make me feel better, I'm still the host. I won't stop you from cooking, but at least let me help?"

"Alright! We can make something together!" Sayaka beamed, "mind helping me pick out the ingredients?"

"Sure thing. I'll get stuff from the fridge. There's curry in that drawer over there." Makoto pointed to a drawer next to the dishwasher. He went to the fridge while Sayaka opened the drawer and pulled out the curry.

"This is a very sweet make of curry," she commented, "your taste palette is pretty kiddy, you know?"

"Hush!" Makoto flushed, to which Sayaka giggled mischievously, "then again, are you allowed to eat that? I know you have to watch what you eat so you don't gain too much weight."

"Nah, I can have one cheat day," she raised a wry finger to her lips, "just keep it on the down lo, will you?"

"Believe me, aside from anyone else in this house," Makoto affirmed, "none of this EVER happened. We will not speak of this to anyone."

"Well, I probably will put lots of vegetables in it, just in case," she said, "do you three eat celery?"

"Yeah, I think we do," Makoto replied, "I can always pick them off the plate and put them on yours if Kotoko or Komaru don't like it. That's cool, right?"

"I'LL EAT IT!" Komaru, followed by Kotoko, suddenly barged into the kitchen clumsily. Sayaka and Makoto stopped what they were doing to look at her. Makoto groaned. Sayaka smiled.

"Hello again!" Sayaka said, "oh! You changed your clothes?"

Komaru had gotten changed into a very fancy, cute, white dress, and she had brushed her hair, placed in a headband, and had clearly recently washed her face. She had evidently dolled herself up for the guest, despite how she and Makoto were, all things considered, very underdressed. Kotoko hadn't gone through the same effort to make herself look presentable. Instead, she had gotten changed directly in her pajamas and was trying hard not to laugh at the try-hard next to her.

"Y-Yeah!" Komaru flustered, trying and failing miserably to stop herself sweating, "is it...alright?"

"It's really cute!" Sayaka approved, "but why wear it? Are you going out somewhere? It's late, and if you go out in this weather, that dress will get ruined. Oooh! Are you going out on a date!?"

Sayaka's eyes sparkled. Komaru's face went a deep red.

"N-No! Of course not!" she exclaimed.

"Jeez..." Makoto pinched the bridge of his nose, "could you try acting a little more normal? You're gonna creep Maizono-san out if you-GRRPH!?"

Makoto was cut off as Komaru grabbed his jaw and covered his mouth. Her grip was so fierce it hurt!

"Is everything alright?" Sayaka asked. Komaru frantically nodded.

"Y-Yes, yes of course!" she assured her, "I just...need to speak to my brother for a second...PRIVATELY..."

Rise and Shine, Ursine! - Danganronpa V3: Killing Harmony

"Ow!" Makoto grunted as Komaru dragged him out of the kitchen and into the dining hall, shoving him against the wall, "what gives!? Why are you acting so crazy!?"

Makoto panicked as Komaru grabbed him by his shirt collar, and glared threateningly into his eyes.

"WHY! DIDN'T! YOU! TELL! ME! SHE! WAS! COMING! OVER!?" Komaru snarled, but kept her voice down so Sayaka didn't overhear her panicking, "I swear to god if you let her into my room...!?"

"I didn't! There's no way I'm letting her go anywhere near that cesspool," Makoto remarked, which clearly didn't do Komaru's mental stability any good, "though...I can't guarantee she didn't sneak a peek inside when she used the bath..."

"SHE USED THE BATH!?" she cupped her mouth with her hands, "d-d-don't tell me...you BATHED with her!?"

"WHAT!? NO!" this time it was Makoto's turn to turn tomato-faced, "what kind of relationship do you think we have!?"

"You just invited one of the most attractive, shining, beautiful girls in the universe around our house, and she just casually wears clothes like THAT that barely cover anything in front of you!?" she glared suspiciously, "I think there's more going on!"

"Believe me, I was just as surprised...No! You're misunderstanding!" Makoto told her, "I've had a bad day, alright? And she came round to cook dinner because she wanted to make me feel better. She only used the shower because we were both soaking wet from the rain and needed to warm up."

"So you DID BATHE TOGETHER!?" Komaru panicked

"We took turns, you complete moron!" Makoto resisted the urge to slap her, "I'm sorry I didn't run it by you, but even I wasn't expecting her to just drop round! It was so last minute, I didn't have time to tell anyone! Plus, I wasn't expecting you would freak out so much!"

"Who'sfreakingoutI'mnotfreakingout!" Komaru squeaked.

"Like that!" Makoto pointed at her, "Stop doing that! Maizono-san will never feel at ease around you if you're always that awkward."

Komaru paused for a moment and took some deep breaths.

"What am I gonna do?" she groaned, "my hero is standing in our kitchen, wearing casual clothes and making me dinner! I don't want her to find out how much of a nervous wreck I am!"

Makoto sighed and grasped her shoulders.

"Look. You love Sayaka, right? And you're not trying to be creepy or weird towards her, right?" he asked, "do you really think she would judge you if you were to make a mistake in front of her?"

"N-No, I...I guess not..." Komaru considered, "but even so, I-!"

"Sayaka Maizono is every bit as sweet, kind, understanding, and well-spoken as you think she is," he smiled at her, "just speak for yourself instead of letting me do it. She doesn't bite!"

Komaru paused again, taking another deep breath, and wiping her face free of the sweat.

"...Ok..." she said, "I'll try to be more normal."

"Not more "normal" More "Komaru,"" Makoto told her, "I know she's really pretty, and I know you like girls, but you don't have to be so fashionable and uptight around her like she's leagues above you. She's a pop idol, sure, but she's here today as a friend. Just be yourself. She won't hold it against you."

"Yeah, you're right...Thanks, Makoto. I'm really sorry if I embarrassed you..." she apologized, "I'll try my best."

There was a pause where she seemed comfortable, but all of a sudden, she snapped her eyes towards him.

"Hey, wait a second!? What do you mean "I like girls!?" What gave you that idea!?"

"Komaru, I've literally known you ever since you were a baby, and I've seen you blow guys off all your life while acting awkward around other girls," he grinned mischievously while nudging her with his elbow, "I know what you are~"

Komaru covered her deep red face with her hands.

"Don't...tell...anyone..." she threatened quietly, "especially not Sayaka or Toko or Mom and Dad..."

"Not a word." Makoto winked.

Beautiful Days - Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc

"Oh! You're back!" Sayaka noticed as the Naegi siblings reappeared, "hello yet again!"

"H-HELLO!" Komaru stiffened up as soon as Sayaka's gentle voice reached her ears, "th-thank you again for greeting me!"

"Hey, what did I tell you?" he nudged her and whispered, "calm down, ok?"

"Oh... I-I did it again. And in front of Sayaka..." she pouted, "I'm sorry, I just can't help it...!"

Sayaka smiled and laughed.

"Hehe, you two really get along well," she said, "I always wanted an older brother, so I'm a little jealous. And... your brother mode is so delightful, Makoto. You really are different around your sister."

"G-Give me a break, Sayaka... That's really embarrassing..." Makoto sulked but nudged Komaru forward. She stood there, shiftily for a moment, as Sayaka patiently waited for her to say something. Komaru finally opened her mouth.

"I um...I've been a fan of yours since Day 1," she beamed, "I-I'm so happy to finally have the chance to meet you!"

"Aaw, thank you!" Sayaka beamed back, "I'm honored to meet you too!"

Komaru looked ready to burst, but she contained herself.

"But...wow...So you really are Sayaka Maizono's classmate, huh, Makoto?" she asked.

"I told you so..." Makoto frowned, "she wouldn't be here if she wasn't..."

"But seeing it with my own eyes... to be classmates..." Komaru jittered, "It takes a while to process something as wild as that! Why don't you understand!?"

"I understand," Sayaka nodded, "it's very nerve-wracking, isn't it? When you admire a person, it's hard to speak with them face-to-face without being awkward. But you can be comfortable around me. I'm sure Makoto told you this, but I won't judge you for anything, regardless of who you are or what you do."

"What a wonderful thing to say... She's a genuine idol, Makoto!" Komaru's face lit up as she grabbed her brother by his hands, unable to contain her excitement.

"Trust me, I know...Just calm down, okay?" Makoto sighed.

"By the way Makoto-kun," Sayaka changed the subject, "Kotoko-chan took over from you while you were gone. She's already cut the vegetables for us."

"Good job, Kotoko-chan," Makoto raised his hand for a high-five, which she swiftly returned, "did you use the knives?"

"The small ones!" Kotoko told him, "Sayaka-san supervised!"

"She's fine," Sayaka assured him, "I suppose I should have asked your permission but you seemed...busy."

"Boy, were we..." Makoto sighed, "it's fine, just be careful, ok?"

"Yeah, yeah, I know," Kotoko pouted, "I'm a big girl!"

"Kotoko-chan, why don't you come and help me lay the table?" Komaru asked, "Makoto and Sayaka-san can finish up dinner in the meantime."

"Kay!" Kotoko jovially skipped down from the stool she was standing on, then scurried into the dining room with Komaru, who had already procured a few sets of cutlery and glasses for drinks.

Morphogenetic Sorrow~ [Mix 3] ZTD Version - Zero Time Dilemma

"You know, we had a few other people around here recently, and Kotoko was really shy around them," Makoto told her as he started to put the vegetables in one place, "she's not very good with people, but she seems to have warmed up around you very quickly. Is your charisma really that good?"

"I don't know about that..." Sayaka chuckled, "this isn't actually the first time we've met, you know?"

"It's not?" Makoto raised his eyebrows. Sayaka shook her head.

"We were on a variety show together once," she said, "I...didn't bring that up though. I assumed she would rather forget about all that."

"Maizono-san..." Makoto whispered sadly.

"I'm really glad she's doing better for herself, thanks to you and your family," Sayaka told him, "when I was her age, several months really did feel like a lifetime. But as you get older, time starts to fly by in the blink of an eye. So I kind of figured those around her would have trouble keeping up with her life."

"You're saying you hope she can leave it all behind, right?" he asked.

"We're in the same industry, so even though we've taken different paths, I do understand why she didn't want to be famous," Sayaka explained, "for me, it was a long sought-after dream that I was finally able to grasp, but knowing what Kotoko-chan's been through, I respect her decision to not want anything to do with that life anymore. As long as you can smile, you've made the best choice."

Makoto paused his meal-making to let her words sink in here. "As long as you can smile, you've made the best choice."

Could he really say he was happy, or could smile, about any of his choices?

Beautiful Dead - Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc

"Ah...And we're done!" he was distracted as Sayaka wiped the sweat off her forehead, "we've got us some hamburgers!"

"Oh, I'm done over here as well." Makoto dished up a spoonful of curry.

"Ooh! Let me try!" she stepped over to him and took the spoon off his hands. She also gestured towards her hamburgers, prompting Makoto to take a small bite of his own. They each ate each other's food simultaneously, then gasped in unison.

"It's delicious!" Makoto exclaimed, "it's the perfect amount of juicy and tender! You're an excellent cook!"

"This is really good too, Makoto-kun!" Sayaka cried, "what did you put in this!?"

They both turned to each other, looking one another in the eyes before both of them turned bright red and diverted their gaze.

"Um...Well, let's...uh..." Makoto stuttered.

"Let's go join the others..." Sayaka chuckled.

Beneath the Mask - Persona 5

"Seriously, thanks so much, Maizono-san," Makoto beamed "you being here really made my day."

"You know Makoto...We've known each other for long enough, and we've been classmates for more than 3 or 4 years now," Sayaka winked, "you can call me "Sayaka-chan" if you want?"

"N-No I couldn't!" Makoto stammered, "that's far too informal! Especially for you!"

"Still, I don't like seeing you all stiff when you talk to me," Sayaka pouted "is just "Sayaka" fine then?"

"I...I suppose so..." Makoto nodded, "in that case, thanks...Sayaka."

"That's more like it," she grinned, "I'm really glad that Komaru and Kotoko-chan enjoyed the meal we made together. Here, I'll help you clean up."

"That'd be nice."

The four of them had basically polished off the meal. Now, Kotoko had gone up to bed, Komaru had returned to her room, and Makoto and Sayaka were once again alone in the kitchen, both of them by the sink, washing dishes and pots together.

"It's getting late and my clothes will be dry by now," Sayaka mentioned, "so I think I'm going to grab my things and head home soon."

This was a shame. Though he didn't say this out loud, he wished she could stay just a little longer. If it wasn't for the preceding circumstances, he might have invited her to stay over.

"You're thinking "I wish she'd stay over a little longer" aren't you?" she said.

"No I-!? What!?" Makoto blushed. Sayaka snickered and tapped her forehead.

"Psychic. Remember?" she joked, "kidding...just good intuition. But yeah, as nice as that sounds, I wouldn't want to intrude while your parents still aren't back."

"It was just an idle thought..." Makoto told her, "Sorry. We should do this again sometime though."

"Maybe if you're ever feeling blue again, I'll pop over," she said, "with all that said...I didn't ask before now because I didn't want to pry but...What exactly happened out there? How did you lose your coat and...why were you just sitting in the rain by yourself?"

"Ah...well..." Makoto tensed up, "since you were so nice to me tonight, I guess I can tell you...You're going to laugh at me though..."

Makoto decided to tell Sayaka the full story from start to finish, only leaving out how his misery had been related to his Phantom Thief escapades. He told her about how Fuyuhiko had given him the 1,000,000 yen and how he had lost it in under two hours helping out random passersby. And as he expected, though she tried to restrain herself, Sayaka keeled over and burst out laughing.

"AHAHAHA! M-Makoto-kun...!" she wheezed, "I'm sorry, but that's REALLY funny to me! And also sweet...but mostly funny!"

"I'm GLAD my misery can serve as a source of entertainment for you," he bit back sarcastically, "I knew you would laugh..."

"I'm really sorry!" she guffawed, forcefully composing herself, "but in all seriousness, as funny as that is, it really says a lot about you that you were willing to give up THAT much if it meant helping people. I don't think there's ever been a more honest person than you."

Makoto hung his head and sighed.

"If only you knew how many big secrets I kept from my friends and family...Lately, I've found myself having to lie, or make things up to protect my secrets...and to protect those I care about..."

"Hm? About what?"

"That's the thing...I can't even tell you...It's personal and it's something that only I can deal with. I'm sorry...even after everything you did for me, I..."

"Hey, hey...! It's OK...We're all allowed to keep secrets. That doesn't make you a bad person...!"

Sayaka leaned over, turned Makoto's face towards her, and brushed his cheek with her hand.

"You're one of my favorite people!" she told him earnestly, "there is NOTHING you could do...No secret you could keep...that would make me hate you."

"Even if I was like...a criminal or a murderer? Or something?"

"Are you?"

"Well, no, but-"

"Then what's the matter? Be honest with me, have you been thinking about this and losing sleep over it?"

"Uh...kind of?"

"Well, no wonder you're so miserable! Makoto, even if you can't deal with your problems well, it's more important that you don't deal with them alone. You don't have to tell me anything. Just...let me and other people into your corner, alright?"

Sayaka was now holding Makoto's face in her hands. He would have been embarrassed, but his misery and the words she spoke to him clouded that embarrassment. Sayaka let go, then held his hand.

"Hey...I just got an idea," she told him, "before I go, can I come to your room? I want to do something with you...Oh, and may we borrow a futon?"

Makoto froze.

"Say what...?"

Godot ~ The Fragrance of Dark Colored Coffee - Phoenix Wright Ace Attorney Trials and Tribulations

Despite her implications, Makoto did as she asked. He let her into his room, borrowed a futon from the cupboard, and placed it down in the middle of the room in front of her.

If this was an anime, smooth, suggestive jazz would be playing at this moment. This is what Makoto caught himself thinking, as he watched Sayaka pat the futon down flat.

"F-Forgive me Maizono-I mean...Sayaka..." the Lucky Student was sweating buckets, "what exactly are you doing?"

"Could you come over here for a moment," she suddenly turned her face, hiding a wry blush, "sorry if this sounds a bit...bawdy...but I need you to take off your shirt."

"M-My shirt...!?" Makoto swallowed, desperately hoping Sayaka didn't hear his voice crack, "I mean...a-alright, if you say so..."

She was right. Makoto really was too kind. Too kind for his own good that was. Despite his emotions overwhelming him, he did as he was told. He took off his shirt. When it was off, he hung it over the back of his desk chair. He felt very self-conscious as her eyes and her blank expression pierced him.

"Um...Sayaka...Why are you looking at me like that?" he inquired.

"Huh!? Oh, I'm so sorry!" she flustered and forced her eyes away, "it's just...You really HAVE been working out, haven't you? You're well on your way to getting six-pack abs!"

"Don't kid," Makoto giggled, "I'm nowhere near that yet."

"Just take the compliment, dummy!" Sayaka also laughed, "anyway, shall we get started?"

Sayaka patted the futon, he laid down on it. His body was tensed up uncontrollably.

"A-Alright..." he grunted, "d-do as you p-p-please...!"

"Um...no...Makoto-kun...I need you to lie down on your back..." Sayaka told him. Makoto's eyes opened, and he stared at her in confusion.

"H-Huh? My back?" he parroted.

"I can't massage you if you lay like that," she told him straightforwardly, "I need to check your back muscles if I'm going to iron you out."

"THAT'S what you're doing!?" Makoto lurched up, "where was that communication!? I thought you were gonna...!?"

"Gonna what?" she tilted her head innocently.

"Nothing!" Makoto snapped, "a-anyway, I didn't know you were a masseuse?"

"Oh yeah! My old manager used to give me these really awesome massages when he was still working for us. I'm sure I've told you this, but as much as I love my idol's work, it gets exhausting, and I overwork my muscles a lot," she explained, "before he retired, he taught me and our new manager his technique for massages, and I've gotten a lot of practice using it on the other girls."

She tried to roll Makoto over onto his front, prompting him to flip himself over.

"Consider yourself lucky," she smirked, "this is a trade secret~!"

"Well, this is nice of you and all, but...I've never had a massage before..." he spoke with his face flat on the fluffy futon, "they don't...hurt...do they?"

As if it served as an answer, Sayaka suddenly prodded Makoto's shoulders with her slender fingers. The pressure was sudden and immense and caused a jolt of pain throughout Makoto's whole body.

"Ow ow ow ow OW!" he winced.

"I knew it..." Sayaka humphed, "your body's as stiff as a rock! You should take better care of it, or else you might end up hurting yourself."

"S-Sorry..." Makoto spat out.

"Don't apologize to me," she said, cracking her knuckles, "just lay down and relax while I do this for you."

Makoto paced his breathing and steadied his body, bracing for when Sayaka's slender fingers started to rub down his body. Despite how skinny her body and arms were, a lot of force was going into her massage.

He didn't say this out loud for obvious reasons, but it was a lot more exciting than he was expecting.

"Just one moment Makoto-kun..." she stopped for a moment, "I need to change positions..."

Makoto made a weird noise as Sayaka suddenly sat on him. He was praying to god she hadn't noticed and tried to cover it up with a cough. This, however, just made her worried.

"I'm not too heavy, am I?" she asked. Makoto shook his head.

"No, no, I uh...had something caught in my throat," he fibbed, "it's fine, really."

Sayaka returned to rubbing his back, this time rolling her fingers and thumbs around his shoulders.

"Your muscles are very hard and stiff...I'm beginning to think you might be putting a little too much strain on your body," the idol remarked, "you really should be a little more conscious of your bodily health, you know?"

"Yeah, I know..." Makoto sighed, burying his face in his pillow, "sorry..."

Aside from the very obvious fluster he was sent into from this very attractive girl rubbing his back, the massage itself did indeed feel very good. Once he got used to the stress, he started to feel his muscles relax and was inches away from falling asleep on the futon while Sayaka did her thing.

"Hey, Makoto. Did Sayaka-sama go...home...yet...?"

That was...until his sister suddenly stormed into his room. Not expecting Sayaka to still be here, she walked in on her brother lying down on a futon, with the pretty girl sitting on his back, basically riding him.

As you might have guessed...she freaked out...

Mr Monokuma's Lesson - Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc

"WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHH!" Komaru screamed at the top of her lungs, "I'M SO SOOOORRYYYY!"

"KOMARU! WAIT!" Makoto scrambled up, causing Sayaka to fall off him, "HOLD ON, IT'S NOT LIKE THAT!"

"Komaru-san!" Sayaka rubbed her sore behind and hurried after him, "are you alright!?"

"I'm so sorry!" Komaru sobbed, "I had no idea that's what you two were up to! How could I have known you invited her round to...to...UGH, I shouldn't have come home!"

"Seriously! It's not like that!" Makoto panicked, "and don't scream so loudly, you'll wake Kotoko-chan!"

Somehow, Kotoko remained sleeping through all of this. That, or she had woken up, but simply couldn't be bothered to leave her room to check on the disturbance.

"Wait, Komaru-chan!" Sayaka chimed in, "please, calm down. I never-"

"SAYAKA-SAMA!" Komaru bowed so deeply she nearly hit the floor with her head, "I'M SO SO SO SORRY I INTERRUPTED!"

"No, wait, please listen!" Sayaka said, "I actually meant to ask you if you wanted a go as well?"

"AN ORGY!?" Komaru shrieked.

"GET your MIND OUT of the GUTTER!" Makoto had enough, and grabbed his sister firmly by her shoulder, karate chopping her forehead to get it to snap out of it, "she was giving me a massage! A MASSAGE! She wants to give you a MASSAAAAGE!"

Komaru finally had enough sense to process words and process them she did. Once she did, she calmed down.

"O-Oh...so that's what was going on..." she gasped, "my apologies..."

"I DID tell you..." Makoto pinched the bridge of his nose, "jeez...You're embarrassing me, you know?"

"Shut up!" Komaru jabbed his arm, "you act like it was hard to get the wrong impression! She was SITTING on you!"

"I promise you, I want nothing of that sort with Makoto-kun," Sayaka flustered, "besides, even if I did, I would have more tact than to do it while people are still in the house..."

"Aah...You're such an angel Sayaka...!" clearly Komaru had no need for a massage, as Sayaka's words alone seemed to soothe her.

"What about what she just said was angelic?" Makoto scratched his face.

Goodbye, Despair Academy - Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc

Komaru made all sorts of weird and funny noises as Sayaka ran her fingers down her back. Some were yelps of pain, others were sighs of relaxation, but the look on her stupid face dictated she was having a good time.

In fact, she had very nearly fallen asleep on the futon, so Makoto left her lying there after he put his clothes back on and showed Sayaka to the door.

"That was very nice of you, Sayaka-san," he told her, "you really did me a whole lot of good."

"So you're not depressed anymore?" she asked.

"Nope. I feel a lot better now," Makoto smiled back, "and it's all thanks to you."

"You're most welcome," she beamed, "but hey. If it's not too much trouble, why don't we do this again sometime? Assuming you or your family doesn't mind?"

"Really?" he asked, "you want to come round again?"

"Yeah. I had a lot of fun today. Getting to hang out with you, your sister, and Kotoko-chan was a much-needed break for me. I'd be more than happy to come round and do it again," she told him, "the next time we're both free, we can hang out. We can cook together again, and if you want, I can give you another massage. Also, if there are any chores you need help with, I'm your girl!"

"You're gonna help me with my chores?" he asked, "that's really nice of you, but I can't ask you to do that."

"You don't need to ask!" she said, "honestly, I enjoy it! Especially if I get to do it with you!"

"Well, if that's the case, then I guess I can't turn you down," he said, "you'll probably just come here of your own accord like you did today, even if I refused, right?"

"You bet!" she smirked, "maybe sometime I'll introduce you to the other girls in my group? Oh, I'm already getting so excited!"

However, as he said this, Makoto suddenly felt a familiar clicking in the back of his mind, and his body surged with power, as unknowingly, he established another contract.

I am thou...Thou art I...Thy hast acquired a new vow.

It shall become the wings of rebellion that breaketh thy chains of captivity.

With the birth of the Lovers Persona, I have obtained the winds of blessing that shall lead to freedom and new power...

The new contract warmed Makoto, and he lifted his head to look at Sayaka with eager and anticipating eyes.

"Me too," Makoto beamed, "I'm really glad we finally got to hang out together, even after all this time. For now, though, I think you should get home. Someone might worry about you."

"Alright. Good night Makoto-kun." she winked.

"Goodnight, Sayaka-chan." he smiled back, "see you at school."

Tokyo Daylight - Persona 5

Makoto returned to Hope's Peak Academy the following morning and went through his class like normal. Today, however, he was in a much better mood and even participated in the lesson with more eagerness than usual.

Sayaka's visit had put to rest the doubts and concerns he'd had about the Metaverse, the criminal activity, his future as a Phantom Thief, and everything else that was playing on his mind...at least for now.

He caught Sayaka giving him a cheeky wink once or twice in class though, and was rather praying no one would notice or ask questions. Fortunately, he got lucky.

When he returned to his room, he flopped down on his bed, had a brief chat with Monomi, and then took his mobile phone out of his pocket. He noticed that he had a notification from his chat app, so he opened it up.

----------------------------------------------

Mom

[Makoto, it's Mommy.]

[Text me back when you get a moment.]

[Hi Mom. I'm here.]

[Is everything ok?]

[Yes, everything's fine. I just wanted to ask you something.]

[Earlier today, we had a visitor around the house. A young man with tanned skin, a large hairdo, and some facial hair.]

[He said he was your classmate, but he did look a fair bit older. He said his name was Hagakure-san.]

[Oh! Yeah! He's in my class. He is a little older because he was held back a few grades.]

[Why did he show up at the house?]

[He came to drop off your hoodie. Apparently, you lost it, and there was some money in your pocket.]

[He told me he thought twice about taking the money because he'd be stealing from you, so he said he was giving it back along with your hoodie.]

[I didn't even realize you'd lost it.]

[Oh yeah, I almost forgot about that. I'll come pick that up later.]

[Actually, that's not all.]

[Lots of other people showed up at our house today. Apparently, Hagakure-kun gave them the address.]

[Other people? Who?]

[Lots of people. Families, children, workers, the like. They all showed up and all of them said they were paying us back for helping them out. We ended up getting a lot of money.]

[1 million yen in total if I'm not mistaken.]

[Oh.]

[What's going on? Do you know something about this?]

[I was helping a bunch of people out with money problems yesterday. I gave them the cash I had on hand, though I didn't really ask them to pay me back.]

[I was just in a bad mood and felt like helping others would make me feel better.]

[Sorry I didn't tell you.]

[Oh my.]

[What a good boy you are!]

[I'll keep the money safe for when you come around next. It's yours after all.]

[Makoto?]

[Are you still there?]

[No Mom. Keep it.]

[Sorry?]

[I'll come back for my hoodie, but you can keep the money. I don't need it.]

[I'll earn my money my way. You and Dad can spend it on something nice.]

[Hm...If you're sure...]

[I don't quite know what I'll use it for, so I'll keep it on hand for now.]

[If you change your mind, just let me know.]

[Ok...Thanks Mom.]

[I love you!]

[Love you too.]

----------------------------------------------

Makoto sighed and rested his head back. All's well that ends well he supposed. Good on Hiro for realizing that.

He supposed, in the end, there was merit to helping others who needed it. Sometimes, good deeds do go unpunished.

However, just as he began to relax, he lurched up again, frowning in confusion.

"Wait a moment...why didn't Mom question where I got a million yen from!?"

Chapter End Notes

I had a lot of fun with this chapter. Getting to write wholesomeness like this really makes me feel good about myself, and Sayaka is one of the best confidants I have planned, as well as a thoroughly requested one.
That being said, I do need to clarify something before people end up making theories that will lead nowhere, even at the cost of potentially spoiling you.
Sayaka's actions in this chapter are genuine. She's a sweet and wonderful person who just wants Makoto to feel better about himself, and she enjoys spending time with him. The reason I clarify this is because Sayaka has a bit of a bad reputation, with many seeing her as a snake for her actions in the first killing game.
Many forget that the circumstances of the Killing Game are what led her to do that, and given no such thing holds sway here, there's no need for deception. She’s friendly, lighthearted, cheerful, and sweet, and while it was exhibited in the negative sense in Chapter 1, the fact that she went as far as she did shows how much she cares for the people closest to her.
So don't worry about this going somewhere bad.
Thanks for reading. I love to get feedback from my readers, so feel free to leave a comment, and some kudos if you feel up to it.

Gifted Juveniles

Chapter Summary

Makoto helps Shuichi to become more independent and meets some of his close friends in the process. Meanwhile, trouble stirs in the allies of central Shibuya...

Chapter Notes

See the end of the chapter for notes

"Hey guys..." Komaru said, "not to just bring this out of nowhere, but I'm starting to think we need a new hideout."

The other thieves turned to look at her.

"Not saying I'm against the idea...but why?" Makoto asked.

"I've kind of just realized..." Komaru took a bite out of the apple her mother had prepared for lunch, "the Phantom Thieves hype hasn't died down as fast as I thought it would. Yeah, maybe people have already started to move on with their lives, but we're still pretty popular. Honestly, having our hideout in a public place like the park just invites trouble. Besides, who's to say someone else won't claim this bench in the future? Then what do we do?"

"Huh..." Toko raised her eyebrows, "that's actually impressive thinking...for you, Komaru..."

"A-why...thank you..." Komaru gave a dramatic bow, either not listening to the latter part of this sentence or just choosing to ignore it.

"I agree. The more famous we get, the more local authorities will be out for us as well," Shuichi chimed in, "did you have anywhere in mind?"

"Well, if I did, I would have said so," Komaru shrugged, "I was thinking your uncle's agency though. It's cozy enough, right?"

"Not happening," Shuichi shot her down immediately, "the SDA is an office, remember? Yes, it's where we live, but we started hiring our old agents back again. Would you really want the Phantom Thieves to share an abode with detectives?"

"Oh, you have? That's nice to hear!" Monomi squeaked, "but yes, it's not ideal in that case."

"If not the SDA, what about the KDA?" Makoto suggested, "I'm sure Kyoko could give us a private study there to talk if we ask her..."

"Would she though?" Toko pursed her lips. Makoto sighed.

"Yeah, okay, maybe not..." he admitted, "our house isn't ideal either. With Kotoko-chan living under our roof, we'd be taking up far too much room. Even with the 1,000,000 yen I gave my mom, I don't want her to feel pressured to keep cooking for us."

"I suppose we should table the issue for now then," Shuichi stated, "though I am surprised. The Phantom Thieves became more famous than I imagined."

"Well, we took down a famous entrepreneur company and an ace detective back-to-back. Not only did we deal a blow to the economy, but we exposed corruption in the height of the Japanese police and security forces," Toko closed the book she was reading, "all things considered, Towa and Kirigiri were two very big targets to start with. Maybe a little TOO big..."

"Well, thanks to Chihiro-chan, we've got lots of smaller targets to deal with as well," Komaru's brow furrowed excitedly as she took out her phone, "so what say you guys? Do you feel like a little subway surfing right now?"

"You mean you want to go to Mementos?" Toko clarified. Komaru nodded.

"Ah...sorry..." Makoto waved a hand, "I'm actually busy today. There's something I needed to do."

"Aw, really? Too bad..." Komaru pouted.

"Don't feel too bad, Komaru-chan," Monomi perked up, "maybe you can do something else? Did you have any outstanding arrangements you could finish in the meantime?"

"Hm...Let me think..." Komaru pondered, "Oh! I know! You're free, right Toko?"

"Huh?" Toko lifted her head, "w-well, I mean...I need to make sure I grab supplies for our school trip, but..."

"School trip?" Shuichi parroted.

"Oh yeah, I forgot to mention!" Makoto recalled, "Class 77 and 78 are both going on field trips for some social studies thing next week. We'll be gone for like...two days."

"Ultimates go on social study trips?" Komaru raised an eyebrow, "I thought as long as you spent your time developing your talents, that was all the school cared about. What's the point of a trip like that?"

"We are still technically students," Toko reminded her, "besides, for someone like me, places like that can serve as good writing inspiration. You never know what you might learn."

"And yes, this isn't exactly mandatory, but Ms Chisa Yukizome is the one chaperoning us this time, and when she's in charge, it's all or none of us," Makoto told her, "anyway, we're just going to Kyoto to look at some shrines and whatnot."

"But I've already got most of what I want to bring in my dorm room, so to answer your question Kokichiru, yes, I've got time," Toko told her, "why do you ask?"

"I've decided! I'm gonna introduce you to Kanon-chan and Miru-chan!" Komaru sporadically started typing on her phone's text app, "They've been talking about wanting to go to this really cute cat café, so now's a good opportunity as ever!"

"Woah, HEY!" Toko leaped up and started to panic, "I-I-I'm not mentally prepared to hang out with GALS!"

"Oh, don't worry! They're not the judgmental type," Komaru patted her shoulder, "and I was gonna introduce you sooner or later, so why not now?"

"I...Ugh, alright..." Toko grumbled, "just...let me go and change into something a bit flashier..."

"Seriously, what you're wearing is fine," Komaru told her, "plus, you know I was going to do this eventually. Even if you hate it, you're still gonna come along because you care about me, aren't you?"

"You know, I preferred it when you were wrong..." Toko snarked with a laugh, but remained dismayed all the same, "what about you Shuichi? Why don't you tag along? I'd feel a lot better if you did..."

"I'll have to pass," Shuichi told her, "I have plans myself today. Besides, I don't know how well I would fit in with a group of outgoing girls myself..."

"True, but also, screw you..." Toko glowered. However, she suddenly noticed the little rabbit getting jittery, her ears wiggling with curiosity. Komaru chuckled.

"Do YOU want to come Monomi?" Komaru sighed, "I'm sure Miru-chan would love you."

"Oh! YES! Yes please!" Monomi bounded upwards and bounded into Komaru's arms, "thank you very much, Komaru-chan!"

After some brief goodbyes, Komaru, Monomi, and Toko headed off, presumably to meet Kanon and Miruku at the cat cafe, leaving Shuichi and Makoto by themselves. Once they had a moment of privacy, Shuichi turned towards his senior.

"Sorry for the trouble," the young detective said, "thank you very much for agreeing to spend your time with me."

"No trouble at all," Makoto assured him, "but is everything okay? You sounded serious when you came to me this morning."

"It's nothing that serious..." Shuichi told him, "I just...I need some advice..."

Moon on the Water - Danganronpa V3: Killing Harmony

"Here you go! A nice warm cup of tea, just for you, Makoto-kun!"

"Thank you so much, Tsubaki-san."

Makoto smiled as Shuichi's aunt entered his room and placed a freshly made tea in his hands. Makoto nodded gratefully and blew on it as she made her way out.

Shuichi's room was very small but noticeably very tidy. The layout was comprised of a single mattress where he slept, a desk with a set of drawers, presumably where his clothes were, and a bookshelf full of thick, likely hard-to-read, books. And that was really it. Makoto noticed that a layer of dust was slowly beginning to form on the furniture.

"I haven't actually been here in a while since I moved into the dorms. Auntie says it was always my responsibility to look after my room, so I'm responsible for whatever dust or dirt is left lying around," Shuichi said, seeming to read Makoto's mind, "we won't be here too long, so please don't pay it any mind."

"It's fine, I really don't mind," Makoto assured him, "speaking of the dorms, how are you adjusting to life there?"

"Pretty well, thanks for asking," Shuichi acknowledged, "I've gotten to know my classmates a lot better than I did when the year first started up. I've learned a lot from them, especially Kaito and Kaede."

"Kaede, huh?" Makoto recalled, "I already met her a few times. She's a very pleasant person."

"Y-Yes, she really is," Shuichi giggled, "she seems to have this sixth sense to know when I'm feeling blue or lonely, and she just...appears and is always able to cheer me up. I like that about her..."

"Catching feels, Sleuth?" Makoto teased.

"N-No!" Shuichi flustered, "well...maybe? I don't know..."

"Alright, I'm just teasing," Makoto smirked, "putting all that aside, what did you need me for? Did something happen?"

"I...wanted to talk to you about a decision I've made...since you're very easy to confide in," Shuichi explained, "after Fuhito Kirigiri turned himself in and after you let me join the Phantom Thieves, I spent a lot of time thinking about my future. What I wanted to become or what I wanted to do with my life. I'm not going to stay a kid forever, and...well, I was questioning whether or not I had what it took to continue in either line of work. Detective OR thief."

"I can understand that. I went through something similar recently. It took one of my classmates helping me make dinner to get over it," Makoto admitted, "but you said you made a decision?"

"Yes," Shuichi affirmed, "I've decided that I want to continue being a detective. I did think about giving up after what happened, but then I realized if I did, I'd be doing exactly what Kirigiri wanted."

He sighed as he took a brief pause.

"That being said, this is a decision I'm making for myself. I'm not forcing myself to do something I don't want just to spite him. Personally, I don't want to think about him ever again. I don't know if I'm worthy to hold the title of "Ultimate Detective" but instead of sitting around and questioning myself, I'm going to take the initiative and BECOME someone worthy of that title."

"Good on you!" Makoto beamed, "I'm proud of you Shuichi! You've really grown a lot since we first met."

"So...you agree with my decision?" Shuichi asked. Makoto smiled back.

"I do. But to be honest," he said, "I really don't think you should be seeking my approval. If it was something thieves-related, maybe it would be different, but this is YOUR life and YOUR future. YOU should be the one to make your decisions. Heck, even if you'd decided to quit, I wouldn't have held it against you."

"That's very kind of you, senpai," Shuichi nodded, "and I suppose you're right..."

"So? What do you plan on doing to help you grow?" Makoto asked.

"Well, that's what I wanted to talk to you about," Shuichi told him, "with the prior incident now settled, I have more big connections than I know what to do with. I've received case offerings from every angle now. Some from this agency, some from the KDA, and even some from Hope's Peak. I'm ashamed to say that I'm big news now, and people want to see what I've got."

"That does sound hectic..." Makoto considered.

"Yes, but I also think it's a good opportunity," Shuichi explained, "I've decided to become...independent, so to speak. I've separated myself from any and all agencies, except for perhaps Hope's Peak, and I'm going to start solving cases as a private detective while I study."

"But wouldn't that turn out to be pretty stressful?" Makoto frowned, "Having to attend class, work as a Phantom Thief, and solve cases as a detective all at the same time? Surely you'd be pretty overwhelmed eventually, right?"

"If Kyoko Kirigiri can attend Hope's Peak, solve cases as a detective, and manage an entire detective foundation at 17 years old, then so can I," Shuichi nodded with determination, "of course, I'll need to put in a bit of work to the point that I'm able to, but I'm running a marathon here, not a sprint. I can't go too hard in right away, else I'll lose speed later down the line."

"That's a good way of looking at it," Makoto affirmed, "are there any that have caught your attention?"

"Yes, but...I..." Shuichi stammered before taking a deep breath and composing himself, "I'm going to be honest Makoto-senpai. I'm getting cold feet. I know I said all of these confident claims to you, and I honestly believed them when I made them, but when I tried to call any one of my offers back about taking their cases, my fingers wouldn't touch the keypad!"

"I suppose that's understandable, given how you're sort of just...flinging yourself into the real world like this," Makoto chuckled, "it's nothing to be ashamed of."

"I'm not "ashamed." I'm just worried!" Shuichi told him, "I can't keep doing this! If I don't suck it up and put myself out there, I'll never get anywhere in life...Much less as a detective..."

Shuichi opened his eyes and stared into Makoto's.

"As selfish as it is, that's why I came to you," he told him, "as the leader of the Phantom Thieves of Hope, I know you have a lot on your shoulders. And I want nothing less than to have you worry about me, or to drag you into my problems...But if nothing else, can I ask you to stay and allow me to confide in you if things get...difficult for me?"

"You already know I'm going to say yes to that," Makoto said without hesitation, "we're teammates and friends. I'm gonna be here for you, whether you like it or not. Even if you didn't approach me first, I would have offered anyway."

"Yeah, I knew it..." Shuichi scratched his face, "I still feel guilty though. Surely you've got better things to do..."

"Eh...One more confidant won't hurt..." Makoto smirked, "still, I do have one condition."

"A condition?" Shuichi sweated, but steeled himself, "what's that?"

"If we're gonna do this, then I need to make sure I get something in return," he said, "this will be a deal between us, and as much as I care about you, I need to know this will help either me or the Phantom Thieves in the long run. That way, it's pros for everyone involved."

"I see...Clever..." Shuichi nodded, "in that case, what can I do for you?"

Makoto paused for a moment as he thought of an idea, then once he was done, presented said idea to Shuichi.

"There's something I noticed after I sat on it for a while, but I first realized it when you awakened to your Persona," he explained, "you seem to be pretty good with observation compared to the rest of us. When we fought that Shiki-Ouji, you noticed immediately that it was immune to physical attacks. Then, when we fought another one later, you were the one who told me to use Makami against it. And when you realized that Kirigiri's Shadow had all angles covered, you were quickly able to come up with a more technical maneuver, brainwashing me and then getting Monomi to hit me with a psychic blast, dealing more damage than normal."

"Right?" Shuichi followed.

"If I help you with your investigative work, we can improve those observation skills, and we might even be able to sniff out enemy weaknesses when we encounter them for the first time," he said, "not only that, but you might even be able to tell if they have any items on them or if there are certain maneuvers we can do to outmatch them. If I help you with your detective work and let you confide in me, will you promise to apply those skills you learned to the battlefield?"

"Yes, of course!" Shuichi his a hand on his chest, "it will be done, I assure you!"

"Then that's good enough for me!" Makoto smiled, "shake on it?"

Shuichi nodded, eagerness and excitement in his eyes as he reached out and shook Makoto's hand. And as Makoto had predicted would happen, the familiar contractual voice returned.

I am thou...Thou art I...Thy hast acquired a new vow.

It shall become the wings of rebellion that breaketh thy chains of captivity.

With the birth of the Judgement Persona, I have obtained the winds of blessing that shall lead to freedom and new power...

Neuroscience Wing - [Danganronpa 0 UST]

"Hey, Shuichi? We have someone in the office looking for you," Shinichi Shuichi suddenly poked his head through the door, "Oh! And hello to you too, Makoto!"

"Hello Shinichi-san!" Makoto greeted him back, "Should I leave so you can take care of this?"

"Actually, I'd prefer you came along," Shuichi said, "if this is about what I think it's about..."

Thus, Makoto followed Shuichi out of his room into the living room, where he immediately noticed a rather smart-looking man with greying hair and square glasses sitting on the sofa. Shuichi took a seat on the sofa opposite and smiled at him. He was evidently nervous, and even though he had discarded his hat, he still wasn't used to looking people in the eye and talking to them on equal footing. However, he was trying his best and succeeding, so Makoto kept himself in the corner with Shinichi to watch.

"Are you the detective then?" he asked, nodding with a smile, "I came here today to ask you for a follow-up to my request for the agency...Though I wasn't expecting you would be so young..."

"You must be Mr Suno Kanabe, correct?" Shuichi nodded and stuck out a hand, "My name is Shuichi Saihara. I'm Mr. Shinichi's nephew and the Ultimate Detective at Hope's Peak Academy. Would you please repeat your terms to me so I may recall them?"

"Hmph...Such a polite young man..." Kanabe smirked, but not in a wry or conniving way, "thank you for showing me such hospitality. And I'm sorry to be pushy. I showed up today because I thought you hadn't received my request."

"Actually Mr Kanabe, this will be one of my first real cases in quite a while," Shuichi told him honestly, "you're doing me a real favor presenting this to me, but if you lack confidence in my skills, I can relay you to another detective here at the SDA. And I sincerely apologize for the delay, I've had a lot of work on my hands."

"No, it's fine. Let's see what you can do before I make any sort of decision like that," Kanabe affirmed, "but let's cut to the chase. I would like you to investigate this man here in the middle."

Kanabe slid a photo of two men Makoto didn't recognize towards him, one standing behind the other. Shuichi took the photo and examined it with a frown.

"Do you recognize him?" Kanabe asked. Shuichi tilted his head.

"I don't recall his name, but if memory serves me correctly, I saw him recently on a poster for a volunteering agency..." the detective reflected, handing the photo back. Kanabe nodded.

"That's correct. His name is Tani Kiyoshi, and the one behind him is his assistant, Bunami Toyosuke," he explained, "he's an entrepreneur with whom I work in the same business deal, and I'm asking you to open an investigation into him."

"For what reason, may I ask?" Shuichi inquired.

"Recently, there have been lots of shady rumors and tales surrounding Kiyoshi-san. Supposedly, he offers sponsorships and loans to aspiring young men and women hoping to start their own business ventures, but then ties them to unsafe contracts," Kanabe explained, "in addition, he pressures them for immense payment amounts for things such as hiring workers or setting up meetings. And he takes kickback money for scholarships and the like."

"And do you have any certainty of such rumors being true?" Shuichi asked.

"I don't. But that's mainly why I'm asking for help," Kanabe said, "This contract with his company is big, and on behalf of the company I work for, we would very much like to proceed with it. However, we will not do contracts with any shady parties, and until the rumors are either confirmed or debunked, the higher-ups as well as the workers on my team are skeptical. Hence I've gone out of my way to hire you, and I promise, if you can do this for me, I will pay you however much you need."

"Hm...I might need to meet this Kiyoshi gentleman personally if I'm to solve this case," Shuichi pondered, "but very well. I accept. I will need your cooperation to make it happen though."

"Then I shall be in touch," Kanabe smiled, stood up, and shook Shuichi's hand, "I look forward to seeing great work from you, young man."

After a few final words, Kanabe left the office. As soon as he did, Shuichi collapsed.

"HOO!" he exhaled, "that was terrifying...!"

"Atta boy!" Shinichi clapped, "you've got a man's face now!"

"You say that like it's over!" Shuichi moaned, "If anything, I've got more work to do than ever! This is one hell of a first real case...I really thought I was gonna wet myself there..."

"But you're still gonna do it, right?" Makoto asked, "and I know you CAN do it."

"Thanks, Makoto..." Shuichi smiled, "and thanks for being there for me in case something DID go wrong..."

He regained the feeling in his legs, stood up, and walked towards Makoto.

"Hey...If it's not too much trouble, would you like to meet me somewhere tonight?" he asked, "I'm gonna look more into Kiyoshi today, but I have an arrangement tonight that I'd like you to come to. There are some people I want you to meet."

"Huh?" Makoto widened his eyes, "well...Sure! I've got nothing planned."

"Thank you!" he smiled back.

[SEVERAL HOURS LATER]

"And for today's top story, we come to the infamous arrest of Yusuke Kanameshi. Right now, we are seeing live footage of the man being escorted out of his home into police custody. Kanameshi was arrested on the grounds of homicide, having been the perpetrator of three murder cases of young women in the Daikanyama district. Kanameshi's father, Nosuke Kanameshi, the current leader of the Democratic Party for the People, is also being arrested under suspicion of tampering and destroying evidence related to his son's crimes. Both father and son are being escorted to the Mejiro Police Station for a thorough investigation."

Yasuke sighed. The mystery just grew deeper and deeper. He himself had no clue why he had become so caught up in these cases, but they just kept coming one after another.

First of all, Towa. After Towa, there were several other people who came afterward, including Fuhito Kirigiri, who had confessed to abuse on live TV. He was now almost 100% certain that cognition was involved in these cases somehow, as the drastic changes in personality kept coming out of nowhere, repeatedly.

Take the case on TV at this moment. Prior to today, both Nosuke and Yusuke Kanameshi were well-respected, friendly members of the public. The very kind Yasuke would stay the hell away from, because they were so positively friendly. And yet, seemingly out of nowhere, Yusuke had gone on a rampage and murdered three women, a la Jack the Ripper, and his father had done everything he could to cover up these crimes so as to not ruin his reputation.

It was thanks to Kyoko Kirigiri, his underclassman and the now-new leader of the Kirigiri Detective Agency, that these crimes had come to light. But even she couldn't possibly know the motive...

However...Yasuke did have an idea...

He didn't quite know what had prompted him to do it, but he turned down the volume of the TV in the Neurology Lab and took out his cell phone. He dialed in a number and waited for it to ring.

Eventually, someone picked up.

"Matsuda-san. How can I help you?"

"Where are they?"

"Busy. I'm taking this call for them at their request. What do you require?"

"Whatever. I guess you'll do. I needed to ask you a question."

"What might that be?"

Matsuda paused as he looked back at his TV.

"I take it you're the one responsible for the scandal I'm watching now?"

In Despair? - [Danganronpa 0 UST]

"Indeed. All I did was enter the Metaverse and use my power on him. It was quite simple-"

"I'm aware of how it works. I'm the one who helped you discover that other world after all. My question is why your targets and motivations seem to be up and down. What is going through your heads?"

"What do you mean?"

"Typically, you either use the Metaverse to kill people or corrupt them. What's with Towa and Kirigiri, who you made confess their crimes?"

"..."

"...So it's as I thought. It wasn't you."

"Do you have any idea who it COULD be?"

"The only other foundation who knows of the Metaverse is the Steering Committee and my Cultivation Team. At least, to my knowledge. It's entirely possible these Phantom Thieves are a third group."

"Then who?"

"I don't know, and I don't care. I was just wondering what was going on that's all. Whatever you use your powers for isn't my business and I'd like it to stay that way."

"Very well Matsuda-san. However, let me know if you glean any more information. It's imperative we find out the Phantom Thieves' identities so we can eliminate them..."

Yasuke paused again and looked over at his computer. He walked over to it and opened it up, scrolling through the search engine until he arrived on a certain website.

"If it helps in any way...and again, not that I care..." he said to the person on the other end, "I might have an idea..."

Despair Searching - Danganronpa V3: Killing Harmony

Shortly before the evening rolled around, Makoto was sitting in his dorm room until he got a text from Shuichi, asking him to meet the young detective in the courtyard at the academy. Makoto wasn't quite sure what he was expecting when he got there, but he encountered Shuichi sitting on the bench with two other people. When Shuichi saw him, he stood up and greeted him.

"Hello Naegi-senpai!" he beamed, "thanks for coming!"

"You're welcome. Thanks for inviting me," Makoto smiled, "what do we have here?"

"Allow me to introduce you to my friends. I mentioned them before a few times, but they've been helping me out," Shuichi explained, first gesturing to a familiar friendly face on his right, "this is the Ultimate Astronaut, Kaito Momota."

"Nice to finally meet you for real, Naegi-senpai!" Kaito stood up and gave Makoto an honestly firm and fierce handshake, "I'm Kaito Momota! Luminary of the Stars! And I'm proud to call Shuichi my sidekick!"

"Sidekick?" Makoto recovered from the ferocious handshake and frowned. The other person, a girl with long brown hair tied in scrunchies rolled her eyes and sighed.

"Just roll with it," she huffed, "that moron's trapped in his own little world and is making us all share it. It's not worth thinking about."

"Hehehe...And this..." Shuichi gestured to the girl, clearly off-put by her comment, "is the Ultimate Child Caregiver, Maki Harukawa."

"Hello..." Maki stood up and gestured courteously. Said gesture was more than a nod, though less than a bow. Makoto nodded back.

"So, to what do I owe the pleasure?" he asked, "what's with the secret meeting here at night?"

"This ain't some sort of secret meeting!" Kaito beamed, "We're training!"

"T-Training?" Makoto parroted. Kaito nodded enthusiastically.

"Yeah!" his eyes sparkled, "since I was chosen as an astronaut trainee, I've trained every day, but ever since I got to Hope's Peak Academy, I barely did any training at all. I was worried I'd end up getting weak, so I asked Shuichi and Maki to join me!"

"He first invited me shortly after I returned to the dorms, then roped Maki in on it somehow," Shuichi chuckled, "even I don't know how he ended up pulling that off...Maki is...abrasive."

"I am sitting right here..." she sighed.

"Anyway, I heard a lot about what you did for Shuichi, and as his bro, I wanna thank you!" Kaito smiled, "So why don't we start by doing 50 pushups!?"

"Weren't we on 150 last session?" Maki recalled.

"Yeah, but we've got a newcomer! Sure, Naegi-senpai does pretty well athletically, but he's still new to our regime!" Kaito explained, "so we'll take it easy today."

"Hmph...That, or you're just using it as an excuse to slack off..." Maki remarked.

"Oh come on! You know that's not how I do things!" Kaito snapped, "Quit busting my chops, Maki Roll!"

"One of these days I'm going to get you to stop calling me that..."

"Wait, wait, I never said...!" Makoto stammered, "aw, to hell with it. Fine, I'll join you."

The training regime that Kaito had prepared was all things considered, very simple. When compared to the stunts he pulled while exploring the Metaverse, as well as the sort of training he did with Hina, this was a cakewalk.

The real problem came when it was time to do sit-ups. With four people there, Kaito figured it would be faster to go in groups of two. He and Shuichi spotted each other, which left Makoto with Maki.

He picked up on it fairly quickly, but it was apparent that Maki was very different from the other two members of the training trio. Like Shuichi had said, she was abrasive, but there was something else about her.

Having gained the power of the Persona and the Wild Card, Makoto had developed another ability alongside that. A sixth sense that helped him to read people a lot better than he could before. And for some reason, Maki Harukawa was setting off his radar.

For one thing, compared to the other two, she was a prodigy when it came to the training. She did sit-ups twice as fast as both Kaito and Shuichi combined, and of the three of them, despite Kaito having the most athletic build, she was by far the most proficient with their exercises.

And for the life of him, Makoto couldn't figure out why. She was supposed to be the Ultimate Child Caregiver after all. Where was this unbridled athletic ability coming from?

Makoto had grown up with Komaru his whole life and had often been tasked with helping his sister take care of Kotoko. Yes, both came with their fair share of problems and stress, but looking after kids couldn't have given you this kind of ability. It must have come from something else.

"You're not bad at this..."

He was surprised when she suddenly struck up a conversation with him. They had remained in total silence, with the only sound in the courtyard being Shuichi's grunting and Kaito's enthusiastic cheering as the latter spotted the former. She had been very unsociable ever since they'd started, and originally, he'd chalked it up to her focusing on the training.

But evidently, it was as much of a cakewalk for her as he suspected, so that clearly wasn't it. However, he chose not to dwell on it and responded.

"Thanks! I could say the same about you," Makoto heaved, not stopping his exercise, despite his breathlessness.

The silence returned, this time twice as awkward. Makoto chose to bite the bullet and initiate the conversation this time.

"Sooo...Ultimate Child Caregiver, huh?" he smiled as best he could, "what does THAT entail?"

"Why do you care?"

"What? I...I was just curious..." Makoto was, understandably off-put by her brazen question. Maki sighed.

"You're probably thinking I don't look like someone who cares about kids, aren't you?" she asked.

"I...Well...If you're an Ultimate, I imagine you must care about them a LITTLE bit...?" he shrugged, finishing his 50th sit-up. Maki sighed again.

"Kids are...weird. They come to me on their own," she played with her hair, "I'm not that good at taking care of them...I'm not that friendly, either..."

*You can say that again...* Makoto thought secretly, but did not dare breathe a word of his mind.

"Well, if they come to you, that's got to mean something, right?" Makoto suggested, "I will admit you give a bit of a...cold...vibe, but they do say kids are intuitive! And if you're an Ultimate, surely Hope's Peak felt you made the right choice..."

"It wasn't...really...a choice..." she grumbled.

"What do you mean?" Makoto asked. Maki diverted her gaze and went back to playing with her hair, puffing her cheeks out.

"Nothing. It's just...I grew up in an orphanage and got saddled with helping out a lot..."

"An orphanage, huh?" Makoto felt a sadness wash over him. That had to suck.

"Are you judging me?" she asked.

"Of course not!" he exclaimed, "why would I judge someone for something they can't control?"

"Hm..." she grunted. Makoto couldn't quite tell if it was indignation or apathy...

"That said, you've moved out of the orphanage to live here at Hope's Peak, right?" Makoto queried, "Won't the kids at the orphanage be a little lonely without their caretaker around?"

"...They'll be fine," she shook her head, "even if I'm not around, those kids should know how to take care of themselves."

"Really?"

"...At least where I grew up, we had to learn how to take care of ourselves," Maki told him, "of course, the older children care for the younger ones until they're old enough, but there are several other older kids there, so they should be fine."

"But you're the Ultimate..."

"And since when does that matter?" she asked, "talents don't really mean anything to me..."

"Well, that's good. I feel pretty much the same way." Makoto beamed.

"You do?"

"Well, when I first got here, not really, but after a year...the impact of some of these people wears off after a while."

"I never really had much of an impact on anyone to begin with...Everyone's just pretty...well...bleh..."

Makoto chuckled.

"If that's really the case, why are you here?"

"Excuse you?" she frowned.

Moon on the Water - Danganronpa V3: Killing Harmony

"I mean, not to imply anything, but you seem pretty comfortable around these two," he gestured to Kaito and Shuichi, the latter of whom was panting post-workout, "especially Kaito. You're friendly enough with him to joke around, and I think that means something."

"How would you know?" Maki asked.

"You see, there are two girls who matter a lot to me, and both of them are a lot like you. Their names are Kyoko and Toko," Makoto told her, "if you met them, they'd be pretty cold and reserved, and...the way they look at you makes you think they're judging your every move...But underneath all that, they're actually very nice people; sweet too. So knowing Shuichi has someone like you in his life...it gives me comfort."

Makoto couldn't see in the dim light of the courtyard, but he could have sworn he'd seen the corners of Maki's mouth turn up.

"I've only known him for a few months...Even I wouldn't know whether I can call us "friends" yet," she sighed, "but...thanks, I guess...And for the record, everybody else feels the same way..."

"What do you mean?" Makoto asked.

"You became something of a hero to our class since Shuichi moved into the dorms," Maki explained, "as soon as he let it slip you'd been helping him out, everyone can't get enough of Naegi-senpai. That's kind of why Kaito really wanted to meet you."

"I...had no idea..." Makoto scratched his face, honestly a little flustered.

"So, I guess I wanted to say thanks for that...If you're really the kind of guy who can make people happy then...I'd want to talk to you a bit more as well, I guess..."

"That's really nice!" Makoto smirked, "are you saying you want me to come back to these training sessions then?"

"That's for Kaito to say, not me," Maki wryly smirked, "but for what it's worth, you're probably the best spotting partner I've had since we started. Shuichi and Kaito aren't up to snuff."

She wasn't keeping her voice down, so clearly she did not care

"So long as you can make it worth my while, I've got more than enough reason to come back and hang out," Makoto told her, "why not update me on Shuichi's progress or whatever's going on around the school that catches your interest?"

"This is not "hanging out,"" Maki snarled, "don't think we're friends just because of this. I just met you. But then again, I suppose I can do that. If you're really serious about helping your underclassmen, I guess someone would have to let you know what's going on..."

A little extra training wouldn't have hurt Makoto. Besides, he felt there was a lot about the world he could learn from this girl. As cold and calculating as she was, Makoto felt excited to see where things progressed with this one.

Besides, it would be good to have an informant who discreetly kept an eye on things in the school. She didn't care about what he was doing, and he didn't quite care about what she was doing. So she wouldn't have much of a reason to not shed light on the first-year situation if he asked. He supposed all it would take was coming back for a second go.

And these meetings were fun. So hey ho, there was no reason to decline.

I am thou...Thou art I...Thy hast acquired a new vow.

It shall become the wings of rebellion that breaketh thy chains of captivity.

With the birth of the Empress Persona, I have obtained the winds of blessing that shall lead to freedom and new power...

"So? What were YOU two talking about over here?" Kaito trudged over to them and sat cross-legged next to them; Shuichi doing the same.

"How annoyingly positive you are about everything." Maki snarked. Kaito frowned.

"Come now, no need to be so cold," Shuichi laughed, "Kaito's been doing us a favor, you know?"

"A favor?" Makoto asked. Shuichi leaned in to whisper.

"He won't really admit this himself, but these training sessions aren't really for the physical kind of self-improvement. It's basically just an excuse to get us to gather around and talk about our problems."

"Ah, I had a feeling..." Makoto watched as Kaito sat on the ground next to Maki, crossing his legs.

"So, I wanted to ask Shuichi," Kaito said, "you said you started taking cases again, right?"

"Yes, but mainly for myself as opposed to doing it for the sake of the school or the agency," Shuichi said, "I'm trying to take your advice to...how did you put it? "Try being my own man?""

"And has Naegi-senpai been helping you with those too?" Maki inquired.

"No, not exactly," Makoto waved his hand, "I'm not a detective or any licensed investigator, so I can't really participate in crime scenes."

"He is a great confidant though," Shuichi smiled, "it's good to talk to him, just like it is with the two of you."

"Well, how's the case you're taking on now then?" Kaito asked, "Any progress?"

"Lots actually," Shuichi explained, "I suppose I can tell you about it, but as of right now, I managed to trace down the locations and money trails of the shady contractors that were mentioned to me. However, my big problem right now is I'm struggling to find any sort of hint that leads back to Kiyoshi himself."

"Damn, you move fast!" Makoto whistled, "You only took on the case this morning!"

"Maybe a little TOO fast, seeing as I've crashed and burned once hitting the roadblock," Shuichi sighed, "I've identified the principles, but I feel like there's something I'm missing."

"Can't you just barge into his office and investigate?" Kaito asked.

"Don't be such a meathead," Maki sighed, "he'd need a search warrant, otherwise he'd be breaking the law himself."

"But you can't get a search warrant without solid evidence. That's my problem," Shuichi told them, "I'm quickly running out of options, and if I don't figure things out as soon as possible, Kiyoshi might give me the slip."

As Shuichi cursed his misfortune, Maki suddenly sat up straight.

"Why are you so sure that Kiyoshi is guilty anyway?"

"Huh?"

Everyone looked towards her.

"While I don't deny there might be something you're missing, aren't you being a bit too straightforward about this?" she asked, "what if the reason why you can't find a link between Kiyoshi and these shady rumors...is that there isn't one?"

"Well...I..." Shuichi stammered.

"No, no," Makoto stopped him, "hear her out. She might be onto something."

"I don't know whether to be disappointed or relieved. I thought Kaito's speeches about believing in people had gotten to you by now," Maki continued, "you're a detective. Look at it from every angle, and you'll find the truth. Remember, you were asked to investigate Kiyoshi, not necessarily bust him for a crime. There's probably more to this."

"Wow, you're being more helpful than I thought you would Maki-Roll!" Kaito beamed, "Good for you!"

"What's that supposed to mean; and I said stop calling me that!?" Maki snapped, "It's just...ever since we started hanging out together, we've learned that trust is a heavy thing. Anyone can fulfill it...anyone can betray it...and the truth is just as cut and dry as lies; which is to say, not very...Maybe I'm just spouting nonsense though...After all, I wouldn't know where to begin with something like this..."

Shuichi hesitated, and put a hand on his chin as he contemplated Maki's words.

"The reason why I can't find a link between Kiyoshi and these shady rumors is that there isn't one...?" he pondered, then all of a sudden, his eyes shot open, "Ah! That's it!"

"What's it!?" Kaito exclaimed as Shuichi lurched to his feet and started running off.

"S-Sorry to cut this short!" he waved, "I've gotta make a phone call!"

Everyone watched him leave, taking his phone out of his pocket and dialing a number. Makoto turned to Maki.

"Did you plan all that?" Makoto smirked. Maki smirked back.

"I don't know what you're talking about," Maki shrugged, "I guess it's important to keep in mind even the most special of us need help sometimes."

Shuichi got out in the open, then the person on the other end of the line picked up.

"Hello? Kanabe-san? It's me, Shuichi," he addressed himself, "what I'm about to suggest might sound crazy, but I have an idea."

"Dammit, dammit, DAMMIT!"

In the dark of the following night, a man with dark hair and glasses frantically typed at a computer and scrambled around an office space. He dumped several files into a black plastic bag, and emptied out several drawers of documents.

"How...How is it possible Kanabe found out about the connections!? And more to the p-point, why did he so openly ask Kiyoshi about it!? Now that he knows the company names, he's sure to catch on! I need to get rid of everything and warn-!"

*CRASH!*

"I'm afraid it's a little late for that!"

Closing Argument V3 - Danganronpa V3: Killing Harmony

The man squealed and stumbled back as the door to the room he was hiding was kicked open, and several flashlights were shone down upon his trembling and horrified figure.

The one who stepped forward first was a young man with dark hair and a dark cap. Once he stepped inside, he lowered said cap off his head and smirked at him.

"Bunami Toyosuke, right-hand man to Tani Kiyoshi," he said, "you're under arrest!"

Two other figures stepped into the room alongside some police members, who rushed at Toyosuke and swiftly cuffed him before he had a chance to fight back. These two were Suno Kanabe and Tani Kiyoshi himself.

"Bunami...!?" Kiyoshi gasped, "what is the meaning of all this?"

"K-Kiyoshi-san!" Toyosuke squealed, "p-please, it's not what you might think!"

"I don't know what to think!" Kiyoshi snapped at him, "All I was told was to come here by this young detective boy. Will someone PLEASE tell me what's going on?"

"Kiyoshi-san, I'm sure you're aware of it, but there are many rumors surrounding you. Many people believe that your company ties young upstarts to shady contracts and extorts them for all they're worth. Does that sound familiar?" Shuichi inquired. Kiyoshi scoffed.

"Yes, I am aware, and I have made it clear to everyone up until now that those rumors are not true!"

"I wouldn't be so sure of that..."

Kiyoshi frowned.

"Wh-What do you mean?"

"Truth be told, I was asked by Mr. Kanabe to open an investigation into you to see if such rumors were well-grounded, if only to give your contract a little more reassurance," Shuichi told him honestly, "it took me a while, but eventually I discovered that while you don't have ties to shady contractors or terrible people...Your assistant DOES!"

"What!?" Kiyoshi and Toyosuke exclaimed in unison

"Ah...! So the reason why you asked me to directly ask Kiyoshi about the contractors you named...?" Kanabe put two and two together.

"My hypothesis rode on the fact whether Mr Kiyoshi had any knowledge of the contractors existed, and based on the reaction as you reported it to me, I could tell he didn't. However, you mentioned before that Toyosuke was with him almost 24/7. And I knew if we found Toyosuke here tonight, it would prove everything."

Shuichi pointed a finger at the spectacled man.

"It's no wonder I barely found anything when I investigated Kiyoshi," Shuichi asserted, "you, Toyosuke, were pulling the strings, and had planned for him to take the guilt and the fall eventually!"

"No! That's not true!" Toyosuke struggled in his handcuffs, "you can't prove anything!"

"Several trash bags of documented evidence, that file currently in your hand, and that PC say otherwise," Shuichi smirked, "don't even try to bluff your way out. The Shuichi Detective Agency has already arrested the ringleaders and they've all sold you out."

"Impossible!" Toyusuke shrieked, "I mean...M-Mr Kiyoshi! Please, don't listen to him! It's all a lie! A ruse to rumble us both! Please, you have to believe me! Kanabe is playing you! He's trying to destroy your business!"

Kiyoshi merely responded by frowning and scowling at the desperate Toyosuke.

"And what makes you think I need YOU for my business to succeed? How full of yourself are you!?"

"I...!"

"Get him out of my sight..." Kiyoshi snarled, "he's caused me and my company no end of grief."

Upon realizing that everything he had worked towards and all his hard work was going to be for nothing, Toyosuke started to struggle, but the tighter he struggled, the harder the cops held onto him. Still, in his blind rage, he foamed at the mouth and shifted his way towards Shuichi.

"You little SHIT!" Toyosuke snarled, "you've ruined everything! EVERYTHING! I'LL KILL YOU! I'LL HATE YOU FOREEVEEEEEEEEERRR!"

Shuichi stared back into those eyes that reflected layers upon layers of animosity and hatred. Upon gazing into them, he was hit with a wave of trauma and repressed memories and emotions and felt a sweat roll down his neck.

But then, those horrible visions were swiftly replaced by those that had helped him come so far...Makoto...Komaru...Toko...Monomi...Kyoko...Shinichi...Kaito and Maki...

Your past and your trauma had the power to control you...but only if you let it...And he wasn't going to let it...

"Fine, hate me..." Shuichi bit back, "I know I'll have already forgotten your face by tomorrow..."

Toyosuke's eyes widened in horror, as his threats hadn't visibly done anything to phase the boy. Shuichi's eyes had such an uncaring look to him like this was just another day on the job...What WAS this kid?

He didn't have time to think about it as he was dragged out of the building, with Shuichi, Kiyoshi, and Kanabe watching dismissively after him. Kiyoshi, sadness, and regret in his expression, turned to the other two.

"Kanabe-kun..." Kiyoshi bowed, "I...I had absolutely no idea...I apologize greatly for what Toyosuke has done and...I will pull out all terms of the contract we have signed..."

Kanabe waved a hand and cut him off.

"I opened this investigation because I wanted to prove you were a good man, and I was right," he said, "this was done to reassure our people of the contract, not end it. But if you really are truly sorry, you will make sure all the harm Toyosuke has caused will be undone. If I offer any terms, it's that."

"That's a given," Kiyoshi bowed again, "I cannot believe I trusted a cretin like him for so many years..."

"There's nothing wrong with depending on people," Shuichi interjected, "it's a matter of having a mutual respect and understanding between the two of you where it matters. If you think like that, you won't trust anyone again, will you?"

Kiyoshi laughed.

"Wise words for one so young," Kiyoshi smiled, "thank you, Shuichi."

Shuichi did not reply. He merely nodded.

*Shuichi...* he smirked while thinking to himself, *that feels nice actually, hehe...*

Clair de Lune from Suite Bergamasque - Danganronpa V3: Killing Harmony

"Shuichi?"

Post the end of the investigation, Shuichi walked down the quiet street on his way back home. Kiyoshi and Kanabe had been left to reestablish the terms of the contract, Shuichi had been paid for his work, and Toyosuke had been arrested, likely to stand trial for his crimes soon. The young boy had already forgotten the look on his face and was now on his way home after picking up some meat buns for a late-night snack.

That was until he ran into a familiar face, lifting his head to see a pair of bright purple eyes, and a length of ashen-blonde hair.

"Kaede?"

"Yeah, it's me," Kaede nodded, "good to see you! It's pretty late though. Did you just get off the job?"

"Yeah, I did," he said, "tough case, but at least it's over now. What brings you out here?"

"Oh, I was just...visiting family," she shrugged, "it's been a long day for me as well..."

"I can only imagine. I don't think you've ever...Hm?"

Shuichi trailed off and his eyes widened as he noticed something. He approached suddenly and reached out a hand to cup Kaede's face, which embarrassed her, not that he noticed.

"H-Hey! Shuichi, you-!"

"Kaede...Have you been...crying?"

Kaede gasped, not expecting Shuichi to notice her bleary and slightly bloodshot eyes in the darkness of the night. She quickly backed up and rubbed her eyes, smiling at him.

"No! I'm just...very tired..." she told him, "I've had...I've had a bad day..."

Shuichi paused for a moment. It wasn't like Kaede Akamatsu to get upset over anything really. She was usually so positive and carefree and fun-loving; the exact opposite of him. To think she could worry about anything or have a "bad day" was strange to him.

Then again, she was just as human as he was. He didn't quite know what came over him, but he reached out a hand and spoke to her.

"Hey...have you eaten yet?" he asked, "don't take this the wrong way but...my house isn't too far away from here. I'm sure my aunt and uncle would be happy to house you for dinner."

Shuichi blushed slightly, not fully processing his own words until he had said them. But Kaede simply returned his offer with a warm smile.

"I would love to," she said, "thank you, Shuichi."

"Don't worry about it," Shuichi smiled back, "I suppose I'm just paying a good deed forward."

Rise of the Ultimates - Danganronpa V3: Killing Harmony

Shuichi didn't notice it, but not too far away, a pair of greasy-looking punks watched as he and Kaede walked away together. One of them had dark red hair and a leather jacket, while the other had a sleeveless puffy coat and a bald scalp.

After the two Ultimates left their sight, the both of them turned into the alleyway they were standing and walked down it, turning a corner at the end until they came into an empty lot.

Several other punks dressed in similar clothing stood in a crowd. Some of them were smoking, others were kicking trash cans over, and others were in deep and rough conversations with each other. The two ruffians who were spying on Shuichi and Kaede turned their attention to one particular figure.

"Hey, Boss...She's gone..."

The figure in the middle, who was crouching down and slinging a metal pipe over her shoulder, stood up and turned down the hallway towards them. She blew a bubble using the bubblegum in her mouth, and despite her small stature compared to the rest of the thugs around her, her presence was undoubtedly the most intimidating.

"Good riddance..." she said, spitting the gum out as it popped, "Somebody get me a fresh one and a fresh can to beat!"

At once, two other punks who sucked up to her handed her a fresh stick of chewing gum and placed a trash can down in front of her. The girl immediately popped the gum in her mouth and started chewing loudly and obnoxiously.

"Y'know boss, somma the things ye said back there's a little harsh innit?" the punk who put down the trash asked her, "I git yer tryin' to keep 'er away, but still..."

"Doesn't matter...No matter how harsh I get, she's always gonna keep coming back...She's tenacious like that..."

The punk girl raised the pipe above her head...

"She is my sister after all..."

*BAANG!*

Chapter End Notes

This is a rather quick chapter with not much significance other than to introduce a few new confidants into the story. I didn't really have a comfortable enough idea of how to bring up Shuichi's confidant, since like Yusuke, it's only unlocked after the start of the next arc.
Still, I hope you're excited to see more of Shuichi, what Maki's own confidant entails, and how Kaede seems to be connected to the latest conspiracy.

Phantom Muse, Kyoto Blues

Chapter Summary

Strange and interesting developments happen on a Class 78 field trip to a Kyoto shrine, when Makoto is approached by two very interesting classmates of his: Junko Enoshima and Mukuro Ikusaba.

Chapter Notes

See the end of the chapter for notes

Beautiful Dead - Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc

"Hey, Koters?"

Makoto, after stuffing Monomi in his bag out of sight, looked up to see who was addressing him. Standing in front of his desk was his classmate, Junko Enoshima.

"Hello Enoshima-san," Makoto smiled, "what's up?"

"Oh, c'mon, how long have we known each other now?" she winked, "call me Junko, else I ain't gonna respond."

"That's harsh! But...ok..." Makoto flustered, "hello...Junko...What's the matter?"

"Nothing's the matter! I was just wondering if I could borrow you for a sec?" she asked, "there's somewhere I wanna go with you."

"Um..." Makoto shifted in his seat, "I...a-alright...?"

Beautiful Days - Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc

Before Makoto realized it, he ended up in the local Shibuya Shopping Mall near the school and the station. He ended up lugging around some heavy bags for the fashionista girl.

"So, like, the Kyoto trip thing is tomorrow, right?" Junko nattered, "and I was thinking of doing some last-minute shopping just to make sure I have everything ready, y'know? But I figured I'd be buying a lot, so I needed someone to hold my bags."

"That's all you wanted!?" Makoto grunted, honestly annoyed as he struggled to keep all the bags upright, "Why didn't you ask someone strong like Owada-kun or Ogami-san!? Heck, where is Ikusaba-san!? Aren't you guys close friends!?"

"Mukuro's busy right now, and couldn't come with me," Junko told him half-heartedly, "so I needed to find someone else to chill with."

"That still doesn't answer the question of why I'M the one who you picked," Makoto frowned, "we've never really hung out like this, so why invite me out of all people?"

Makoto was surprised when Junko suddenly reached out and took several bags in hand, lightening his load.

"I knew you'd come," she winked, "bitch boy that you are~"

"Why else?" Makoto frowned, unamused.

"Mmm...For your sake, I guess..." she shrugged.

"My sake?" he asked.

"Yeah, like...Sayaka told me you've been feeling down in the dumps recently," Junko told him, "and I know you've been getting help for it and all but...This Kyoto trip's gonna be fun and I don't want any bad vibes, y'know?"

"So you figured you'd cheer me up by...getting me to carry your shopping for you?" Makoto frowned, "Enoshima-san, I-"

"Junko."

"Junko! I...First of all, why do you need so much stuff!?" Makoto exclaimed, "the trip is for one night! We head out tomorrow morning and come back the next evening!"

"Hey, you can never be too prepared," Junko examined her nails, "in my line of work, you've gotta keep up appearances wherever you go, so I've gotta make sure I'm fully prepped and ready for anything that comes my way! I mean, what if I chip a nail or something when I'm examining the statues at the shrine?"

"I'm pretty sure you're not supposed to touch them, so that won't be an issue if you just behave," Makoto remarked, "still, the life of a Fashionista sounds exhausting..."

"Bro, you have NO idea," Junko scoffed, "and I'm an ULTIMATE. Think of the extra mile I gotta go to to keep THAT up..."

Makoto decided it would be best not to question it. He was still curious why it was that Junko had decided to call him out in particular. He had expected that if she was going to invite him, she'd invite everybody, but no, it was just the two of them.

"Hey, I tell you what?" she turned back to him, "Let's take all this crap and go get ourselves something to eat, huh? My treat."

"You don't have to do that," Makoto said, "I'm not hungry..."

This was then followed by quite possibly the loudest groan his tummy had ever made. Even in the hustle and bustle of the mall, it was easily heard.

"You shouldn't tell fibs Koters..." Junko winked.

"Sorry, I just...I didn't want you paying for my lunch. I don't want to owe you money. Even if you didn't ask for it back, I'd feel bad."

"What, 'cause I'm a girl? Get over yourself," Junko spat, "stop thinking about everyone else around you over yourself for one second. You're hungry, and I wanna do you a good deed."

Makoto quickly realized that arguing with this girl was pointless. This was almost as exhausting as talking to Kokichi, maybe even more so.

"Alright, fine..." Makoto groaned, "you pick where we go then..."

"Alright, if you say so~" Junko winked, "just follow me~"

Love is Paradise - Danganronpa S: Ultimate Summer Camp

"Hm...I'm gonna have this..." once they arrived at the diner that caught Junko's interest, the Fashionista picked up the menu and examined it, "what about you?"

"Huh? Oh, I'll just have my usual curry." Makoto replied quietly. Junko clicked her fingers to get the cook's attention, and he set to work.

Makoto was idly distracted by the amount of funny looks they were being given. He became acutely aware of the sheer difference in style between him and his classmate. Even though they were both still wearing their uniforms, the vibe Junko gave off completely overpowered his own.

That and the sheer number of shopping bags they had with them were hard to ignore.

The food came out rather quickly, and Makoto felt himself drool as the scent wafted up his nose. He tried to wipe it away before Junko spotted it, but her snicker said it all.

"Enjoy!" the cook smirked.

"Thanks for the food!" he and Junko called out simultaneously, then the two of them began to feast.

"Augh...This is so good EVERY time..." Junko began to cry slightly, "the mall never lets you down."

"It sure doesn't!" Makoto beamed, "Do you really come here that often?"

"Yeah, I mean...why not?" she shrugged, "it's my scene, ain't it?"

"True but...As famous as you are, are you sure coming out in public so brazenly is a good idea? If you get recognized, it's annoying, isn't it? Especially when you're with me or other people?"

"What, did you think I would wear sunglasses and a face mask?" she asked, "I do sometimes, but c'mon, that's way too obvious. Anyone who wears that is hiding something. Besides...Eh..."

"Besides what?" Makoto inquired. Junko leaned lazily back in her seat and stuck her tongue out disapprovingly.

Desire for Execution - Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc

"This is gonna sound weird to you, considering you'd expect the exact reverse from me or...whatever..." she said, "but ever since I got to Hope's Peak my life has been so...so...BORING! Coming to the mall is like, my only way to kill time lately, and that gets stale after a while! Even in a big city like Shibuya, there's only so much that excites me, you know?"

"Really?" Makoto was confused, "But there's tons to do here! Ever since I got to Hope's Peak, my life has just gotten more and more exciting! How could you be bored?"

"Eh, I don't really know how to explain it...Let's just say that I'm really freaking fickle," Junko tried to explain, "I get bored of everything so easily, and I'm always jumping from trend to trend, keeping an eye out for what's hot. I mean, taking in Monaca's been inviting all sorts of random stuff. Like what happened with Towa and the Phantom Thieves. THAT'S interesting. But I expect even I'll get bored of them eventually...

She flopped down and rested her head against the counter like a tired drunk.

"Everything's just...Bleh!" she spat, "sometimes I wish I could go back to being homeless...At least then, I wouldn't have a routine..."

Makoto stopped eating and frowned at her.

"What? That's the first I've heard of this!? You were homeless?"

"Oh, for real? I never told you? It ain't exactly a secret," she winked, "yeah, I used to be a hobo! Surprised?"

"Very!" Makoto exclaimed, "I've heard of rags to riches, but I didn't think it was genuine. How did you go from being on the streets to being a supermodel?"

"That's...a long story..." she pouted, "seriously if I had to choose between living the same boring routine every day and being homeless again, gimme the street!

"I don't know..." Makoto played with his spoon, "I'm not about to speak for you, but I don't know if I'd want to wish homelessness on anyone. It's a tough life after all."

"Oh totally! I said it was more exciting, not that it was safer," Junko shrugged smugly, "homelessness is totally dangerous! You never know when a pack of wild animals might show up."

"Wild animals!?" Makoto parroted, "what, did you live in a forest or-?"

"I don't mean that literally, dumb-dumb!" Junko flicked Makoto on the forehead, "I mean people who attack the weak, who want to hurt you, or who want a little...something something, y'know? The world's full of animals like that."

*Boy, I know more than you think...* Makoto nodded, but wisely chose to keep these words to himself.

"I'm just saying," she shrugged again, "yeah, maybe it's not ideal, but I think living like that made me stronger. I wouldn't be against going back to that if I knew the payoff would be good."

"While I admire your enthusiasm and yeah, I guess you've got a point, PLEASE don't consider doing anything rash?" Makoto pleaded. Junko's eyes widened.

"Are you saying you were worried about me? Gotta say, Makoto...that's kinda cute~" she winked, "You almost killed me with cuteness here~"

"Huh? Oh, well I was just..." Makoto stammered, but Junko's slap on the shoulder cut him off.

"C'mon, I'm just screwing with you! You didn't take it seriously, did you!?" she cackled, "but ya know...there's something about you. I don't get sick of talking to you, like I do most people. Let's hang out more sometime, 'kay? Ehehe!"

Though he didn't quite understand, and though he still didn't get the girl, his mind once again flashed to the voice.

I am thou...Thou art I...Thy hast acquired a new vow.

It shall become the wings of rebellion that breaketh thy chains of captivity.

With the birth of the Jester Persona, I have obtained the winds of blessing that shall lead to freedom and new power...

Makoto had a strange feeling about this arcana...And he had the distinct feeling that he was being toyed with somehow. This wasn't your typical arcana, and it didn't even feel like a deal. But regardless, he smiled at his friend.

"Well...yeah, today's been rough, but it's nice to sit and talk as classmates like this," Makoto told her, "to be honest, I've been feeling a lot better lately, but thanks for looking out for me. It means a lot to me."

"Don't mention it!" she beamed back, "anything for my dear classmate! That said...I gotta be real with you..."

She suddenly leaned in, looking weirdly earnest and serious. Makoto leaned away from her advance, skeptical.

"I did wanna help you out after all the bad vibes you've been going through lately, but...I actually do got a favor I need to ask you," she said, "about the trip. I need you to do me a solid."

"Um...Alright, what's that?" Makoto asked, "I hope you're not gonna ask me to be your luggage carrier for the whole trip?"

"PFFT! Nah, I got better people for that!" she said, "I was just wondering...When we head out, do you think you could try and talk to Mukuro for me?"

"Ikusaba-san?" Makoto asked, "why? And why me?"

"She's been...on edge lately...Not sure why...Something's been eating at her mind and...well, you know how she likes to cut herself off," Junko explained, "it's not good for her, and...even I can't talk her out of it right now. You're an upstanding guy, so I'm sure she'll crack her shell if you ask her."

"Are you sure?" Makoto was skeptical, "Ikusaba-san is kind of...cold...And she's never really talked to me before. In fact, she tends to keep her distance, so I'm worried I did something to offend her..."

"Aw, she's just shy, that's all," Junko winked, "you know she has a huge crush on you, right?"

"Don't kid," Makoto shoved her gently, "I can promise you I'll try, but I can't promise I'll get results. Is that good enough?"

"Good enough for me!" Junko beamed, "Now let's hurry and finish up before the food gets cold!"

"You don't have to tell me twice." Makoto smiled, as they both then proceeded to finish off their meals.

Beautiful Morning - Danganronpa 2: Goodbye Despair

*BLEEEEEEPPP!*

"ALRIGHT EVERYBODY!" Kiyotaka Ishimaru's commanding voice shouted out so that everyone (as well as everyone in the neighborhood over apparently) could hear him, "Form two lines next to the bus, so that we may board smoothly! Also, remember! This journey will take us 5 hours at least, so if you have anything to keep yourself preoccupied with on the bus, be it books, magazines, game consoles, or whatever else, make sure you get it out BEFORE you board so that you save yourself the trouble of scrounging around trying to find your things!"

"Man...Ishimaru-kun's going full throttle this morning..." Makoto rubbed his ear.

"I wish he would pipe down a little...I mean I know this is Ishimaru we're talking about, but still..." Toko grimaced, "it's like...4 in the morning...!"

"Lay off him..." Mondo put his hands on his hips, "it's moments like these he takes his role as Class Rep seriously. Plus, he's the Ultimate Moral Compass, remember? He's gotta prove that by taking authority and leadin' people. Can't fault a guy for doin' his job right?"

"That was...surprisingly insightful of you, Owada-kun," Hina remarked, "I guess you're right, but still, he needs to calm down. It's just Kyoto, isn't it? We don't need to get that hyped up for it..."

"I must protest," Sakura interjected, "Kyoto is a very lovely place. It is certainly worth getting excited about; though I will confess such brazen excitement does not befit a calm and serene place like it."

"Somehow, I figured Kyoto would be your scene..." Leon commented.

"Believe it or not, I'm forced to agree with her," Byakuya chimed in as Taka started going around and doing a check of the register, "while "excited" is a bit much, I am looking forward to this trip. I've been to Kyoto before and it is rather calming and comforting."

Makoto didn't know what "calming and comforting" would look like on the stuck-up heir. But he personally was looking forward to going to Kyoto.

He had gotten up very early that morning to meet with his class at the bus parked outside the school. He had said goodbye to Shuichi and Komaru over text and promised them they'd get right back to looking for a new target once he returned home after the trip. For now though, he would have to enjoy a normal field trip as a normal high school boy and put his Phantom Thieving escapades to the side. This applied to Toko as well.

"Alright...Unfortunately, we do have one missing, but aside from that, we should have everybody present," Taka announced, "if everybody would kindly board the bus single-file and sit down, we shall-!"

"Wait one moment!" a voice suddenly called out, catching everybody's attention, "don't count me out yet!"

Love is Survival - Danganronpa 2: Goodbye Despair

They all turned to see a pale girl, with her lavender hair tied in a single ponytail, running towards the bus. She was dressed in a flannel, sleeveless jacket, and donned purple studded gloves on her hands. Makoto's eyes widened in delight upon seeing her.

"Kyoko!?" he gasped.

"KYOKO!" Hina beamed, hurrying up to her and glomping the detective into a friendly and joyous hug, which unsettled her, though she eventually smiled and returned it, "what are you doing here!?"

"Yeah, what happened?" Sayaka exclaimed, "I thought you said you wouldn't be able to make it due to work?"

"There's been a change of plan and schedule. When the school contacted the agency about the trip, the other detectives assured me I should go," she said, "Tachibana-san's logic was that I only get a few years at school so I need to make the most of it. I shouldn't be concerning myself with adult problems, so I decided to come in the end."

"Thank god for that. The life of the party's finally here!" Junko pumped her fist.

"Since when was she the life of the party?" Leon asked, "she like...barely speaks to us?"

"She's more company than you..." Mukuro wryly spat. Leon glared at her while the others laughed.

"Well, it's a good thing you are here, as now we are an even party," Taka nodded, "however, I must fault you for dropping in unannounced! Some advanced warning to me or the staff would have been nice!"

"My apologies," Kyoko affirmed, "this was very last minute..."

After receiving some hugs and greetings from the rest of her classmates whom she hadn't seen in a while, Kyoko took her place next to Makoto at the back of the two lines. She sneakily winked at him, and he winked back.

He was glad to see her doing well. He hadn't seen her since the day they took her to Mementos and he had been worried about her. While he knew Kyoko could handle herself, it didn't stop him from being concerned for her wellbeing.

To his surprise though, Kyoko suddenly leaned over and whispered something to him.

"I don't expect you to remember this, but after we get back, there's something I want to talk to you about," she said, "it's...you-know-what related."

"You-know-what" obviously referred to the Metaverse and the Phantom Thieves. This led Makoto to wonder what it could be. Had she managed to find a clue into anyone else who might be using the Metaverse to commit illicit deeds? He hoped so.

He didn't have time to push for an answer though, as his line started to move and he wound up on the bus. He placed his bag on top of the shelf and sat down in his seat next to the window. Sayaka Maizono ended up sitting next to him, and she bumped shoulders with him affectionately, grinning at him.

At least it would be a comfy ride...

The Day Before the Future - Danganronpa 2: Goodbye Despair

The reality hit him of just how comfy Makoto had gotten with his class, and just how used to their quirks he had grown to be by the time they arrived in Kyoto.

Despite the loud clamoring, chatting, shouting, and whatever else was going on around him, Makoto was able to fall asleep for three of the five hours they were traveling to Kyoto. He woke up just 10 minutes before they arrived, and still groggy, followed Taka's commands as he guided everybody off the bus.

Once everyone was off, they were moved inside the small hotel they would be staying at. They were all provided yukata's to wear in the evening and gathered in the foyer.

"Alright! Our chaperoning instructors have decided to split us up into groups of two while we are on this excursion. You will each be given a partner, who you will be asked to do activities with throughout the trip, as well as share a room with. Now, I want you to keep in mind that these groups are NOT necessarily separated by gender. We are here for one night, and I and everyone else are trusting you to behave yourselves!"

He shot an accusatory look at Leon and Toko, both of whom shot back a look of indignance and offense.

Taka began to read out the pairs from the list the instructors had given him.

Taka himself was paired with Chihiro, something he didn't seem completely comfortable with, but Chihiro seemed fine herself.

Hifumi was paired with Mondo. Neither seemed completely happy about the arrangement, due to how much the former feared the latter and how much the latter was weirded out by the former, but they both accepted it without much resistance.

Leon was paired with Junko, and at first, the all-star seemed excited by the prospect, but his expression notably dimmed as Junko whispered something in his ear. What that was, Makoto could only guess.

Celeste looked very unhappy to have been paired with Yasuhiro, the clairvoyant seeming to have no idea why she looked so resentful.

And by some stroke of miraculous luck, Hina was paired with her best friend Sakura, both of whom were completely comfortable and happy about the arrangement.

"Alright, we have three pairs left!" Taka concluded, "the first of our final three will be Fukawa-san and Togami-san!"

Toko's eyes widened and she smiled like her heart was on fire. Byakuya gritted his teeth and scoffed to the side.

"YES! Isn't it wonderful master!" Toko sucked up to him, "It's like fate brought us together!"

"I know how you feel Byakuya, but if you wish to change partners, you'll have to take it up with Ms. Yukizome." Taka assered. Byakuya sighed and pushed his glasses up his face.

"No...it's fine..." he glowered, "provided she stays quiet and keeps her hands to herself."

"OF COURSE!" Toko exclaimed.

Makoto didn't know which of the two to feel more sorry for.

"Alright, in that case, our second to last pair will be...Kirigiri-san and Maizono-san!"

Kyoko turned her head to look towards her pop-idol partner, who smiled back at her playfully.

But if they were going to be a pair, that meant by process of elimination...

"And by process of elimination," Taka practically spoke Makoto's thoughts out loud for him, "the final group will be Naegi-kun and Ikusaba-san!"

Makoto only just now remembered the agreement he'd made with Junko. While everyone else went to get acquainted with their respective partners, Makoto looked over at the black-haired, freckled soldier, who stood up straight and to attention but didn't look his way.

"Looks like you got paired with the walking, not-talking, strong, silent cliche ..." Toko gingerly patted Makoto on the shoulder, "feels bad man..."

"Don't be so mean! She's every bit of a person as we are!" Makoto smacked her arm away, "I'll go talk to her."

"Well, good luck with that" Toko crossed her arms and scoffed. Makoto ignored her and went over to the Ultimate Soldier, putting on his friendliest face. Mukuro didn't even turn her head.

Makoto stood there like a lemon for a minute, before he opened his mouth.

"So...u-um...Glad to be working with you?" he said suspiciously.

Believe it or not, he got a response. While she didn't say anything, Mukuro's eyes turned towards him, and she nodded.

It wasn't exactly what he wanted, but it was a step in the right direction.

Master Monokuma's Special Class - Danganronpa 2: Goodbye Despair

The 78th class got settled into their hotel rooms and put away all their stuff where they needed to. Mukuro had brought even less on the trip than Makoto had, and for the majority of the time they spent there before they headed out to their first location, Mukuro just walked about the room prodding and tidying up different parts of it.

She didn't say a word to Makoto, nor even look in his direction. While this was normal, it was complementary to talk to a person if they were alone in a room with you.

Either she was really that antisocial, or she just didn't like him. Makoto was very afraid of the latter. And he had severely underestimated the task that Junko had set for him.

Regardless, the first spot the class was set to tour was the Kiyomizu-dera Temple. Fortunately, the temple wasn't too far away from the hotel, so there was no need to take the bus there.

"This is the most-visited temple in Kyoto and was built to honor Kannon, the goddess of mercy. As you can see, its beautiful hillside location offers spectacular views of the city and valley below," Chisa explained to the class, like she was trying to mimic a trip advisor (she certainly had the can-do attitude for it), "you're free to wander around and explore as you please with whoever you wish, but in the very least, you must do so with your assigned partner until lunch! Follow the staff's instructions and please, make sure you BEHAVE!"

There was a threatening undertone to her last word.

Makoto did as instructed, and set about the temple, taking pictures and learning as much as he could like a diligent and eager student. However, despite the fact that Mukuro joined him in these, and even took some pictures for him, she still didn't speak to him. She only responded to his favors with a few nods and, once or twice, a grunt of affirmation.

It was only when lunchtime rolled around that everyone was allowed to recoup and go off on their own to eat wherever they wanted, provided they returned to the rendezvous point at the designated time.

Makoto and Toko were both invited by Kyoko to go and sit outside a small cafe selling crepes and ice cream and when he did, he was happy to see them.

"You seem to be in a dour mood," Kyoko, who had procured herself an iced tea from the cafe, sipped it as she noted Makoto resting his face on the table in exhaustion, "what seems to be the problem? Is the temple not to your liking?"

"Don't say that like you don't already know..." Makoto turned to look up at her, resting his chin on the table, "it's Ikusaba-san...She's been giving me the cold shoulder this whole time..."

"Um...have you MET Mukuro Ikusaba?" Kyoko pointed out, "I know I'm not one to talk, but she's always been quite distant, hasn't she?"

"Yes, ok, I get that that's kind of her thing," Makoto mockingly waved around his arms, "but even so, I can't help but feel I've done something to piss her off! I didn't mean to hurt her if I did, but...I just don't know what's going through that head of hers behind her stone-cold glare she always gives me."

"Not funny, is it NAEGI..." Toko growled, poison to her words. For some reason, she was also lying face down on the table, equally as miserable.

"What about you, Toko?" Kyoko turned to her, "are you having partner problems too?"

"I keep on losing sight of Master!" Toko bit down on a handkerchief in front of her which she tugged on, "We're supposed to stick and study together, but he keeps finding ways to send me away! My love for him aside, I wish we were better partners in studies!"

"Perhaps you two just got hit with the unlucky draw..." Kyoko sighed, going back to sipping her iced tea, "I feel bad for you, but I can't say much else..."

"And where's your partner, huh? Didn't Sayaka dump you the first chance she got?" Toko spat. Kyoko shook her head.

"Just because we're partners, that doesn't mean we're to be joined at the hip," she said, "I'm sure the both of them will come around eventually. Just give it time."

"We don't have much time. We go home tomorrow evening," Makoto reminded her, "it's not like I'm trying to pine for attention from Ikusaba-san or anything but...I just wish I knew what she thought of me..."

"I'm sure it's not as bad as you're making it out to be. Try to be a bit more optimistic, it's what you're good at," Kyoko stated, "aside from them, is there anything so far that's caught your interest?"

"What's there to catch, it's just a boring old temple. The only people who really care about this place are the dead people who created it," Toko snarled, making a rather harsh comment, "it's just...really boring!"

"Hey now! That's very mean to the people who work hard every day to make this temple look presentable to the public so they have a reason to care!" Monomi poked her head out of Makoto's backpack, "whilst I will not fault you for having an opinion, it disappoints me as a teacher to experience your lack of interest in culture and history, Toko!"

"Yeah, yeah, I know..." Toko said, "It's "educational!" or whatever...But still, you have to admit-"

Ms Monomi's Practice Lesson - Danganronpa 2: Goodbye Despair

She cut herself off drastically and snapped her head to the bunny.

"Wait a second!" her eyes shot open, "why are YOU here Monomi!? Have you been here the whole time!?"

"Sure have!" Monomi beamed, "There's no way I'm letting myself miss this!"

"I'm really sorry!" Makoto put his hands together in a begging motion, "she insisted on coming so she could see the temple and the sights! I told her to not move or speak so she wouldn't get discovered, but I'm not allowed to have her here! Please don't tell anyone!"

"We won't but...come on Makoto," Kyoko sighed in disappointment, "Phantom Thief leader or not, you bend too easily to the wishes of the people...or rabbits around you..."

Before Makoto could respond to this, the group was unpleasantly interrupted by the sound of an excited shout, coming from a man in a white button-up, pointing straight at them...!

"There they are! JUMP 'EM!"

Junk Food for a Dashing Youth - Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc

Makoto, Kyoko, and Toko all raised their heads to see an army of plainclothes people, carrying phones, cameras, microphones, and all sorts of recording oddities, running towards them like a pack of madmen! Before they had a chance to back away, they found themselves surrounded! There were enthusiastic and panicked shouts, which did nothing but freak the three Ultimates out!

"Hey! You're Ultimates at Hope's Peak, right!?"

"You're Kyoko Kirigiri!"

"What do you make of the Towa Scandal!?"

"How have things been since your Grandfather got jailed!?"

"Do you think the Phantom Thieves really exist!?"

"Is it true that Hope's Peak is harboring criminals!?"

"Is the academy illicit!? Yes or no!?"

"COME ON, GIVE US THE SCOOP!"

"UWAWAWA!? I'm getting CRUSHED!" Monomi screamed from inside the bag!

"Wh-What the hell is this!?" Toko panicked, tightly grabbing the shoulders of Kyoko's jacket and hiding behind her, having a panic attack.

"They look to be reporters...!" Kyoko grunted, squished against her friends by the army, "I don't think they're going to let us go until we give them answers...!"

"What scumbags...!" Makoto exclaimed, though clearly not loud enough to get them to back off. He grunted as one of the reporters, a man in blue-tinted sunglasses, shoved a microphone in his face.

However, what happened next was even more unexpected. Said microphone was pulled away from Makoto's face, as someone weaseled their way into the crowd and grabbed the reporter by his wrist, twisting it to the point where he dropped it and collapsed in pain.

To Survive - Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc

This event caused the other reporters to back away slightly, and look in panic at the scene. None other than Mukuro Ikusaba was standing there, with the paparazzi prick at her mercy, baring a face of complete and utter malice.

"I will say it one more time..." she raised her voice, which sounded like a wolfly growl, "leave my classmates alone...Or else...!"

Despite the insistence and resilience of the paparazzi, this threat was enough to make all of them scarper. Once they were out of eyeshot, Mukuro huffed out a sigh and turned around to face her classmates.

Beautiful Dead - Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc

"Are you... okay?" she asked, stammering her words slightly. All three of them nodded.

"W-We are thanks to you!" Makoto enthused, "What even was that about!?"

"The chaperoning instructors just got a word from Headmaster Kirigiri," Mukuro explained, "apparently, somebody discovered that the 78th class would be touring Kyoto for the next two days, and spread said information around until it reached the ears of multiple media outlets. Now knowing that we were here, lots of paparazzi and reporters were trying to get the jump on us...So I've tried to fend them off. I just saved Sakura and Hina before this, so they thought they could go after you behind my back..."

"That's very noble of you Ikusaba-san," Kyoko nodded and smiled, "thank you very much. We really appreciate it."

"Y-Yeah..." Toko stuttered, "a-anymore and I might have...switched..."

"...Yeah..." Mukuro said, before turning back and beginning to walk off.

However, not wanting to miss his opportunity, Makoto hurried after her and grabbed her wrist to stop her. Kyoko and Toko made the respectful choice to back off and allow him to talk to her privately.

"Wh-What is it?" she asked.

"I just...Thanks a lot." he said, "really, you saved us back there."

"It's ok..." she shook her head, "no need to thank me. We should probably-"

"Ikusaba-san, wait..." Makoto cut her off; though the sheer intensity of her thinning eyes gave a daunting feeling to the Lucky Student, "Is everything ok?"

"Everything is...fine..." she hesitated, "why do you ask?"

"You've barely said a word to me all day," Makoto informed her, "even though we've been studying together as partners, and have been sharing a room, you haven't done so much as look slightly in my direction like you're trying to ignore me! What's going on? Did I do something wrong? If so, I'm really sorry and-"

"No!" Mukuro gasped, showing an odd emotion for her, "Y-you didn't do anything wrong...!"

"Then what's the problem?" Makoto asked, "Why won't you talk to me?"

Mukuro's narrow, fierce glare was laser-pointed at Makoto, which made him want to curl up in a ball and beg for forgiveness. But he stood his ground and waited for a response.

"Because...'cause...wuss...mberrsed..." the soldier mumbled.

"What?" Makoto tilted his head, "s-sorry, I don't think I caught that?"

Mukuro's glare intensified, but her stance stiffened. Makoto suddenly noticed that her pale cheeks were turning a shade of pink.

"I said I was embarrassed...!" she hissed, her eyebrow notably twitching, "to talk...to you..."

Beautiful Days - Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc

"Wait...really?" Makoto asked, still understandably unconvinced.

"I've never...um...really interacted personally with a boy my age before..." Mukuro's now apparent blush deepened, "S-so when I h-heard we were going to be...partners...I...clammed up..."

Makoto couldn't quite believe what he was hearing! THAT was it!? She wasn't giving him the cold shoulder for any reason like wanting to appear tough, or for any personal dislike for him! She was just nervous to talk to a teenage boy!?

The more Makoto ran this through his mind, the more it made sense. Mukuro Ikusaba was the Ultimate Soldier; a high-school girl who had grown up studying warfare and living a life on the battlefield. Any men she interacted with were likely her commanding officer or fellow units, all of whom would be undoubtedly several years older than her. She had come home at Hope's Peak's request to have her be an academy student, and as a result, she really HADN'T spent much, if at all any time with boys her age!

"That and...even if you WEREN'T a boy...I doubt I would be able to hold much of a conversation with you..." Mukuro admitted further, "I'm sure you've already figured this out from our time as classmates, but I'm not what one could call a "social butterfly..." I can't carry a conversation or read a mood without someone by my side to do so...When it comes to our class, usually Junko does my talking for me...Friendly interaction is...my weakness."

""Weakness" might be a bit much," Makoto scratched his head, but then turned and jovially smiled at the girl, "but...I'm glad that's all it was."

Mukuro's reaction was peculiar. Her face went even redder, and her eyes widened like she had been flashbanged for a split second. He noted that she immediately tried to regain her stoic composure, and cleared her throat before turning back to him.

"Listen though. I know it's easier said than done, but you don't have to be like that," Makoto tried to assure her, "I understand that for someone like you, it's difficult to converse with people, but...I'm a pretty standard guy, so you'd have better luck holding a conversation with me than anyone else."

"It would be if people were willing to hold a conversation with me," Mukuro said, "the reason why I didn't try to talk is because I got the feeling you were intimidated by me...Most people are..."

"Well...p-perhaps a little?" Makoto didn't want to lie to her, "But I'm like that with most people I meet, especially at the beginning. If we'd talked sooner, we wouldn't have this problem. It'll be a lot harder for you to converse with people if you keep putting up walls and barriers around yourself."

Makoto chuckled suddenly.

"To be honest, even though I kind of get it, the thought of the Ultimate Soldier, imposing as she is, struggling to hold a conversation is...kind of silly."

"You may be right. But to me, warfare is a lot cleaner and simpler than holding a conversation," Mukuro made a pistol gesture with her fingers, "it's a lot harder to figure out what to say than it is to decide which man to kill. All I have to do is shoot where I'm told to, and it comes to me naturally."

"Ominous, but...not surprising..." Makoto cringed; an unpleasant image entering his mind, "You must have seen some rough things, huh?"

"It's not like I take pride in the slaughter of others. I understand more than anyone we're all just people," Mukuro explained, "but still, I must admit I do get a sense of accomplishment when I hit the target. If only because of the satisfaction one gets when things go right for them..."

"I get it. It may be gruesome, but it's natural to feel good when you succeed in something. You're surprisingly self-aware," Makoto pointed out, "and to be honest, maybe you're not as bad at holding conversations as you thought! I've learned a lot about you just now!"

"Huh...Perhaps you're right...?" Mukuro's eyes widened, realizing that she had unintentionally conversed with him about her takes and views, "I talked quite a bit about myself...I'm sorry..."

"Don't be! Heck, this might be a good opportunity for you!" Makoto enthused, "If you're worried about conversing, it's never too late to try. After some of the good deeds you've done for our class, I'm sure they'd be more than willing!"

"Then...may I rely on your power again?" she asked suddenly.

"Hm?" Makoto raised a curious eyebrow, but Mukuro shook her head.

"Never mind...We should be getting back to the rendezvous point. Lunchtime is almost over, and I wouldn't want to leave those paparazzi alone if they decide to go after someone else."

"Sure!" Makoto beamed, "And this time, promise me we'll do things properly? You'll talk to me about things, right?"

"I...I can try..."

And it was here that Makoto Naegi saw a sight he never knew he wanted to see...A smile from the Ultimate Soldier.

Mori no Miyako - Persona 5 Scramble: The Phantom Strikers

After their talk, the rest of the day went rather smoothly. Though she definitely struggled, Mukuro opened up a little more and gave Makoto a much more direct response to most of his questions.

The class spent another hour or so at the temple, then after stopping at one more location for some "bonus studies" as the academy called it, they returned to the hotel for the evening.

With most of their classmates hanging out in the lounge dressed in their evening yukata, provided by the hotel itself, Mukuro and Makoto decided to join them.

Fortunately, the rooms of the hotel had more than one bedroom, so Makoto and Mukuro slept in separate rooms. This was good, as Makoto was honestly worried about what might happen if some of the pairs were to stay in the same room. Not that he would try anything with Mukuro, or even be able to, but still, he was happy that Hope's Peak wasn't THAT crazy.

That being said, he couldn't help but divert his gaze in a fluster as she stepped out of her room in her yukata. She had a regal air about her that was...entrancing. Mukuro herself seemed rather flustered by his gaze but also didn't seem to want him to stop looking.

"Do I...look alright?" she asked.

"You look great!" Makoto blurted out, "D-don't worry about it. Come on."

With both of them turning slightly pink, they passed through the foyer into the lounge area. Though not all their classmates were there, a fair few were. Chihiro, Leon, Sayaka, Kyoko, Junko, Toko Celeste, Mondo, Hina, Hiro, and Sakura all waved to the two of them as they entered. As Makoto sat down next to Kyoko, Mukuro sat herself down next to him, keeping a bit of a distance between the two of them.

They all got to talking, and chatted about random things involved with the trip for a while before Mondo, who rather peculiarly wasn't wearing his hair in his trademark pompadour, and instead had it held back in a headband, strode around behind the sofa to check what Chihiro was doing on her laptop, which she placed on her lap.

"For goodness sake Fujisaki-chan!" he grit his teeth, as he leaned down to look over the tiny programmer's shoulder, "you're on that damn site again? You've got an addiction to this stuff, I swear to god."

"Sorry, I can't help it," Chihiro giggled nervously, "aside from my admiration for the Phantom Thieves, this is the first time I'm a real moderator of my own website. I've always had the skills to do it, but never put it into practice. It's a good opportunity, I feel."

"Oh, that's right!" Sayaka recalled, "don't you run a Phantom Thieves-themed website?"

"Is that safe?" Hiro frowned, "you might end up putting a target on your back, right?"

"While that's a distinct possibility, I'm sure Chihiro will be fine. She posts anonymously, don't you?" Junko inquired.

"Yes, I do," Chihiro affirmed, "and besides, it's just a fansite for fans. It's not like the Phantom Thieves conduct official business with it. Actually, I almost forgot to mention, but didn't you recently create an account, Enoshima-chan?"

"For real? You rumbled me!?" Junko pretended to panic, "Yeah, I mean...I felt it was the least I could do to show my support. It's thanks to the Phantom Thieves that Monaca, Kotoko, and the other kids can live a happy life away from their abusive parents. I don't know who they really are but...I just wanted to thank 'em somehow."

"Woah...I didn't even realize it had this many users...!" Hina leaned over to check the specs herself, "maybe I should sign up too?"

"Maybe we all should?" Sayaka suggested, "to show thanks for helping save our school from Towa?"

"I'll pass," Celeste interjected bluntly, who similarly to Mondo, had removed her clip-on drills, wearing her hair in a different way, "after all, there's no guarantee that these Phantom Thieves really exist. Stealing hearts...I mean really...!"

"Hey, the results speak for themselves!" Chihiro enthused, not angry or annoyed, just all the more excited, "They managed to get Fuhito Kirigiri too-Oh...S-Sorry Kyoko...I shouldn't have...Um..."

Chihiro tensed up awkwardly, forgetting that Kyoko was sitting next to her. Kyoko smiled.

"Don't worry about it," she told him, "I'm past it by now. I accept any sort of criticism to our practices these days, and work to better them."

"You really are something..." Sayaka remarked, "It's honestly impressive how quickly you can move on. I couldn't do it..."

"Regardless, that's not sufficient enough proof," Celeste bit back, "it could all just be a coincidence. Maybe the threat of someone knowing about Kirigiri and Towa's crimes forced them to crack?"

"So you're saying that they don't exist?" Hiro asked.

"I'm SAYING there are more logical explanations," Celeste clarified, "even if such a group exists, who's to say the same group did both crimes? And for that matter, what exactly does "stealing your heart" even mean?"

There were some more unrestful discussions that followed, the classmates progressively getting more and more heated in their words.

Chihiro, naturally, as well as Sayaka, Junko, and Hina were all for taking the Phantom Thieves side. Mondo, Leon, and Hiro didn't seem totally certain which stance to take. Alongside Celeste, Sakura retained her stance of skepticism and disbelief. Kyoko and Toko remained silent, as did Makoto.

However, he turned his head and suddenly noticed that the Ultimate Soldier was shuffling in her seat. There was a hint of eagerness in her pale eyes like she wanted to chime in and say something, but some invisible hand was holding her mouth shut. Makoto decided to give her the opportunity to segway into the discussion.

"What do you think of the Phantom Thieves, Ikusaba-san?" he raised his voice. Surprisingly, this was enough to grab everyone's immediate attention. Mukuro was alerted and surprised by his sudden proposed question, but quickly relaxed and swallowed something before she opened her mouth.

"What do I think...of the Phantom Thieves?" she parroted, "that is under the assumption that they really do exist, correct?"

"Hey, good question!" Junko pointed at her, "Give us the scoop Muku-chan? What's your take on the whole business?"

Everyone else seemed eager to hear her side of things. Mukuro, slightly crushed and nervous under the pressure of so many gazes, still continued to sit up straight and confidently.

"Well...Evidence has dictated that somebody is doing this...That this Phantom Thief group must exist somewhere. Whether they exist anymore or not, they did at one point," she began to explain, "and in truth, what the Phantom Thieves have done is undoubtedly for the betterment of many. Haiji Towa and Fuhito Kirigiri were indeed a pair of rotten and scummy criminals, who caused harm to many and needed to be stopped. I believe their intentions are ultimately good."

"Right!?" Chihiro beamed...However, Mukuro wasn't finished...

"With all that being said..." she continued, pausing for a moment...

"I believe the Phantom Thieves are the WORST kinds of criminals of all..."

Trapped by the Ocean's Scent - Danganronpa 2: Goodbye Despair

The room became so silent, that you could hear a pin drop on the floor.

Makoto stifled a gasp, shocked by her words. Toko also visibly shuddered in her seat, while Kyoko's expression stiffened. Everyone else had very similar, awkward reactions to her very blunt confession. Even Junko and Celeste seemed caught off guard by this, and their typical confident demeanors lessened.

"W-Well...THAT was...unexpected..." Hiro remarked. Mukuro, realizing no one else was going to talk, but were still waiting for an explanation to her assertion, continued speaking.

"In an ideal scenario, it would be nice to assume that there really are heroes out there, fighting for what's right and doing whatever it takes to save the world from scumbags...but this is the real world, and reality is cold and fleeting. I don't believe these Phantom Thieves are to be trusted."

"What's not to trust?" Leon asked, "The fact that they don't reveal their identities?"

"There are a few reasons, but that isn't necessarily one of them. The reasons why they hide their identities is for their own safety, or the safety of those they care about. It's improper to assume their vigilante-esque nature is completely selfish," Mukuro elaborated, "what REALLY concerns me is their methods, and how they don't go into detail about that. As Celeste noted, none of us here truly know what "stealing hearts" really means."

"But Kirigiri and Towa were both proven to be completely safe and sound of mind when they confessed," Chihiro exclaimed, "there weren't any signs of torture or-"

"That doesn't mean it didn't happen." Mukuro cut her off.

"How is that possible?" Sakura asked, "Even mental scars can be traced with medical equipment and practice these days."

"You would think so...But it's not that simple...If I may take a moment of your time, I have a story to tell," Mukuro leaned forward and interlocked her fingers, resting her chin on her hands, "a few years ago, when I was out at a military base fighting, one of our men, who had been kidnapped by our enemies, turned up at the camp, not a scratch on his body that wasn't there before. Naturally, we were concerned at how he was there and wondered if he had been tracked, or tortured for information...We did a thorough observation of both his physical and mental state and concluded that there was no torture or forced confession done to him. So we welcomed him back home with open arms."

"And...?" Mondo's eyes widened, eagerly listening to the rest of the story.

"Well, to put it simply...we were very wrong," Mukuro explained, "a few days later, our enemies descended on our secret base, which we were thankfully able to fend them away from. We concluded the only way they could have found out is through forced confession with the soldier who returned from their base."

"But didn't you just say there were no signs of torture?" Celeste asked. Mukuro nodded.

"I did...but like I said, we were wrong. Upon further investigation, we found out what had really happened," the soldier continued, "they didn't physically harm the man, nor did they inject him with any truth-telling drugs. Instead, they locked him in a cell for a whole week...and played a song over the speaker..."

"That...What?" Hina tilted her head, "what are you talking about?"

"I think I get it," Kyoko grimaced, "when you say they played a song over the radio...You mean they played it loud, non-stop over the course of that whole week, correct?"

"With no way to turn it off," Mukuro added, "not only did the song infect his mind, and he confessed everything to get away from it, he was so traumatized, he didn't even remember anything that had happened once the song was turned off...When we found out what the song was, we played it, and it immediately gave him shell shock. He collapsed to the floor and started screaming, begging us to turn it off like all the memories came flooding back."

"Jesus Christ...!" Mondo gasped.

"And as I already mentioned, we had absolutely no way of knowing until AFTER our tests," Mukuro reminded them, "absolutely nothing was wrong with him until we played that damn song."

"So let me get this straight," Junko crossed her arms, "you're trying to tell me that the Phantom Thieves used THAT method to force Towa and Kirigiri to confess? And it would have completely covered all their tracks in the process?"

"Maybe not that exact method, but something similar perhaps," Mukuro asserted, "my point is just because there were no signs of torture, some professionals do a damn good job at covering it up."

"Y'know..." Leon scratched his head, "she does...KINDA got a point? I mean, how can we trust the words of a few "experts?" Maybe they missed something? Especially if Towa and Kirigiri forgot what happened due to trauma?"

"But still!" Sayaka exclaimed, "do you really think that makes the Phantom Thieves worse than the people they target!? Towa and Kirigiri were still horrible people! It's not like they're doing it to innocents!"

However, she shuddered and slid back in her seat, as Mukuro's expression darkened, and she returned it with a stone-cold glare...!

"Controlling and manipulating people's hearts and minds is like a murder of one's personality...And I will NEVER forgive a crime like that..." she growled, "Haiji Towa and Fuhito Kirigiri committed unforgivable sins that they both deserve to rot in hell for, but even if I'm wrong about my torture theory, the fact remains that the Phantom Thieves forcefully changed their mental state. That's no different than lynching them outright."

She lifted her head and pushed some hair out of her face.

"And besides, with how little is known about the method they use to change the hearts of criminals, what's stopping them from using those abilities and assets of theirs to commit crimes themselves? For all we know, they could be the ones responsible for the recent rise in scandals and accidents. People call them heroes of justice...I beg to differ...Just because they supposedly don't use their powers to commit crimes, they still COULD..." she stated.

Makoto felt a pit form in his stomach at how badly Mukuro was bashing them. Kyoko closed her eyes, seeming to meditate on her words. Toko, though she hadn't said anything up until now, just glared at Mukuro with a *Fuck you too!* kind of look.

"Hm...You know, I always wanted to know what it would be like having a real conversation with you," Celeste remarked, "I'm impressed. You certainly don't mince your words."

"I really meant no offense. If you still support the Phantom Thieves, I have nothing to say about that. It's just a matter of personal opinion," Mukuro assured them, "I just believe that bending people's minds against their will is degrading of human life; thus I deem the Phantom Thieves actions unforgivable."

"In that case..." Junko leaned back in her seat again, "what about you, Koters? You haven't said what you think yet either. Do you agree?"

Makoto sat up to attention, noticing that Toko was giving him a loaded expression. His panicked eyes darted back and forth between Junko and Mukuro before he composed himself.

Makoto had considered himself that his actions might not have been the most heroic. But to have someone so blatantly cuss him out in a way he wasn't expecting. That being said, he had already had enough time to dwell on it.

He knew now that there might be someone out there using the Metaverse to commit acts of true evil. Maybe Mukuro had a point, but the fact was that the reason, and the ONLY reason, why he was changing hearts with his power in the first place, was because he wanted to save people from the tyrannical wrath of these people.

"I believe...Since we're talking about opinions" he said, forcing his face to be calm and collected, "that the Phantom Thieves are heroes...No, not just heroes. They are justice itself."

"Man!" Mondo gasped, "neither of you hold back, do you!?"

Makoto was worried about Mukuro's reaction to his claim, which completely contrasted with her own. But she didn't say anything, nor did she express any form of concern or frustration.

"Maybe Mukuro is right. Maybe the Phantom Thieves are criminals...But I believe that they have nothing but good intentions," Makoto clarified, "even if their methods are unknown, there has to be more than one reason for the secrecy. And there's no denying that people have been saved by their actions, like Kotoko Utsugi, or Shuichi Saihara."

"Then, may I ask you a question?" Mukuro chimed in, "Pick a person here that you feel you are close to."

"Huh?" Makoto was puzzled by her suggestion, but dwelled on it, then gestured to Kyoko sitting next to him, "I guess...Kyoko-san?"

Kyoko smirked, flattered. Mukuro raised a finger.

"What might happen if one day, Kirigiri-san underwent a change of heart, and became a completely different person from the one you know?" Mukuro queried, "What would you do?"

"I don't think that'll happen," Makoto replied, "the Phantom Thieves target criminals only. If Kyoko-san did have a change of heart, I'd know it wasn't them."

Mukuro didn't reply. She just nodded in response.

"Very well..." she eventually said, as a stunned silence followed, twiddling her thumbs, "I was merely speaking in hypotheticals."

"If it helps in any way, Ikusaba-chan," Kyoko finally chimed in, "the Kirigiri Detective Agency is looking into the Phantom Thieves under my jurisdiction. We haven't concluded whether the individuals' intentions are good or bad yet, but rest assured, we aren't turning a blind eye to this."

"Alright..." Mukuro nodded.

The silence reigned once again.

"Um...sooooo..." Hiro awkwardly tried to break the ice following the rather tense discussion they had just had, "What now?"

"I don't know about the rest of you, but I would very much like to finish my tea and have a nice rest..." Celeste, seemingly unbothered by the awkward air, shrugged and sipped gingerly at her drink.

"Y-Yeah..." Chihiro whimpered, "I think I'll let my PC cool down for a bit..."

Everyone chatted for a while more after that until Taka and the instructors told everyone it was time to go to bed. Makoto and Mukuro returned to their room and went into their respective bedrooms to get ready for bed. Once he had a moment of privacy, Makoto talked to Monomi about what had happened in the lounge. The rabbit's expression was notably concerned, but understanding.

"The worst part about it is she kind of has a point," Makoto admitted, "I don't think we're the villains she thinks we are, but we're not exactly the heroes everyone else sees us as either..."

"Don't let it get you down, Makoto," Monomi made an attempt to pat Makoto on the forehead with her paw, "Mukuro-chan is just expressing herself. It's what you wanted, right?"

"It is..." Makoto confessed, "but still, I didn't expect it to be like this. We should really keep an eye out for the types of people like her, right?"

Before Monomi could respond, there was a knocking on his door.

"Naegi-san?" Mukuro's voice called out from behind the door, "Are you alright? May I speak to you for a moment?"

"Huh? O-Oh, sure! Come in!" Makoto exclaimed, quickly hiding Monomi under his pillow and out of sight before the soldier slid open the door to his room.

"I...I came to wish you a good night..." she scratched her face, "th-that is what people do when they're about to go to bed, no?"

"Y-Yeah, thanks..." Makoto smiled.

"And also...I wanted to tell you I'm sorry..." she shifted her feet, uncomfortably.

"Huh? About what?" Makoto asked.

"Well,...You've been trying to help me express myself better...But I ended up saying some mean things about people that you admire..." Mukuro lamented, "I was saying my honest thoughts, but I'm so sorry I upset you..."

"I-I promise you, you didn't!" Makoto assured her, "Like you said, it was a personal opinion. Talking about opinions is exactly what a discussion is about. If everyone thought the same way, there'd be nothing to talk about, right?"

"True...Without an antithesis, there can be no aúfheben..." Mukuro considered.

"Auf...what?" Makoto puzzled, "whatever...The point is I think you're a lot better at talking and discussing things than you thought. You just have to apply yourself a little bit more."

"Hm...I suppose our argument proved quite fruitful for me then," she said, "if you don't mind, I'd like to hear your opinions and personal takes more some other time."

"Of course!" Makoto beamed, "Anytime!"

"And...I would appreciate it if we could continue being friends...despite our differences..." she blushed.

"Come on, we'll always be friends!" Makoto's smile intensified, "friendship and companionship are about mutual respect, you know?"

"Mutual respect..." she echoed, "yes...I suppose I could learn a lot from you..."

"Sure! It's a deal!" Makoto gave her a thumbs up.

I am thou...Thou art I...Thy hast acquired a new vow.

It shall become the wings of rebellion that breaketh thy chains of captivity.

With the birth of the Death Persona, I have obtained the winds of blessing that shall lead to freedom and new power...

Makoto couldn't quite tell why, but this one, he felt, could prove to be very interesting...

"Well, I had better get to bed..." she tightened the sash of her yukata, "see you in the morning."

"Goodnight, Ikusaba-san." Makoto replied. However, right before Mukuro left, she stopped in the doorway and turned her head. Though she didn't look Makoto in the eyes.

"Um...we really are friends now, aren't we?"

"Yes. Of course. Why?"

"You don't have to if you don't want to but...You can call me Mukuro if you want."

Makoto was flustered for a brief moment but smiled.

"Goodnight then...Mukuro..."

Mukuro turned her head away, but Makoto swore he could see the tips of her ears turn pink.

"You too...Makoto..."

Within a day's time, Makoto and the rest of his classmates had completed their Kyoto excursion. The rest of it was just more visits to local shrines and tourist attractions until they finally got back on the bus and came home.

Makoto, along with Toko, went to his family home to visit his parents, Komaru and Kotoko; Komaru who was very happy to see them. They needed a day to rest after all the walking and exploring they had done in Kyoto, but the day after, the Phantom Thieves prepared to meet up.

"I've already contacted Kyoko. She told me that she had something important to discuss with us once she got back," Makoto; while he walked through the park; examined his phone and the text he had received from Kyoko, affirming she was going to meet them, "I have no idea what it might be about though."

"It's just one thing after another, isn't it? You just got back and things are already kicking into high gear."

His sister patted him on the shoulder, but then she lowered and started shaking her head, something clearly bothering her.

"I still can't believe Mukuro-chan really said all of that," Komaru bit her thumb, "what crawled up her behind? Honestly, I bet the only reason she said all the things she said was to discredit us! She's trying to turn your classmates against us!"

"Hey!" Makoto snapped, "I understand how you feel, and yeah, I don't like it either, but Mukuro is my friend! I won't sit by and let you talk badly about her!"

"Look Makoto, we know you're trying to score a harem, but you don't have to take the hot girl's side every damn time!" Toko glowered.

"I'm not even gonna grace that with a response..." Makoto raised his eyes to heaven.

"Mukuro Ikusaba is indeed one tough nut to crack," Monomi poked her head out from Makoto's hoodie, "but I'm certain that if we continue down our righteous path, she'll see sense eventually."

"Are you sure?" Toko chimed in again, "Honestly, what she said kinda got to me...Is it really ok for us to keep doing this? I know after everything I've done as Genocide Jack, this is pretty hypocritical of me but...I don't really want to be seen as a criminal..."

"Oh come on!" Komaru snapped, "What do you expect us to do? We have the power to take down corrupt people that the police can't touch! You can't expect us to not use it! Sure, maybe we have the power to manipulate people at our will, but it's not like that's what we're doing! We're trying to save the world!"

"She's right. We only become the bad guys if we let the power get to our heads," Makoto added, "that's what happened with Towa and Kirigiri, and I won't let it happen to us."

"Yeah, I guess you're right..." Toko backed down, "I wonder what Shuichi thinks of all this?"

"We weren't able to see him yesterday, but he contacted me to let us know he'd be here," Makoto told her, "he's probably waiting for us at the...bench...?"

Makoto stopped where he was and stared in surprise at what was in front of him. Sure enough, Shuichi was patiently waiting for his fellow thieves on the park bench meeting spot.

...But he wasn't alone.

A girl sat with him, wearing a red casual dress and skirt, and with blonde hair that hung down over her shoulders. She was talking to him quite enthusiastically, both of them with merry smiles on their faces.

"Wait...did we just walk in the middle of something?" Komaru whispered, "Is he...on a date?"

"That's Kaede," Makoto recognized her, "she's in Shuichi's class. I've run into her a few times since the start of the year. Wonder what she's doing here?"

He didn't have to wait long to answer this question, as Shuichi suddenly spotted them and waved them over. Monomi hid inside Makoto's hood again, as the trio approached the bench.

"It's good to see you again, senpai!" Shuichi greeted them, "How was Kyoto?"

"Pretty lame..." Toko shrugged, "anyway, what's with the girl?"

"Huh? Wait, so...Shuichi...The people you were meeting with were Naegi-senpai and his friends?" Kaede asked, "You should have just told me."

"Wait..."Shuichi!?"" Komaru parroted, noting her first-name basis. Kaede's face quickly went red.

"A-Ah! I-It's not like that!" Shuichi exclaimed, "Kaede was just-!"

""Kaede!?"" Komaru beamed. Shuichi also went beet red.

"Lay off Komaru, they won't be able to get a word out with all your teasing," Makoto jabbed her arm, "what brings you here, Kaede?"

"Sorry if I interrupted you, Naegi-senpai," Kaede said, clearing her throat and fanning herself, "I was just loitering around the park when I bumped into Shuichi. He invited me to sit down and we were just...talking about things."

"Have you guys heard?" Shuichi asked, "Kaede's been very busy lately. She...Well...Why don't you tell them?"

"Oh? What's going on?" Komaru asked, "Oh, wait! I haven't introduced myself yet. I'm Komaru Naegi, Makoto's sister. And this is my best friend, Toko Fukawa!"

"H-Hi..." Toko stammered, nervous at meeting a new person.

"Nice to meet you both!" Kaede beamed, "Anyway, what he's talking about is that I have an upcoming recital for my pianist work. It's not my first time doing a live performance of some songs I know, but this one might be my biggest challenge yet!"

"Why's that?" Makoto asked.

"Because this one...will be held at the Tokyo Dome!" she enthused.

"The DOME!?" Toko gasped, "You're going to perform in the Tokyo Dome in front of thousands of people and you're...how old are you?"

"15, same as Komaru and I." Shuichi told her.

"What's the Tokyo Dome?" Monomi whispered from in Makoto's hood.

"It's the second biggest venue in all of Japan. It was mainly a baseball arena, but nowadays, it's used for lots of other things too, including music." Makoto whispered.

"It's the most significant venue an artist could ever perform in, and a real symbol of an artist's successful career," Komaru added, "You know you're one of the most successful and influential acts of the Japanese music industry when you hit the stage of the biggest Dome of Japan."

"Who are you talking to?" Kaede asked. Makoto and his sister tensed up.

"Huh!? Oh uh...nobody! I was just thinking about how impressive that is!" Makoto brushed her off, "How long will it be until you perform?"

"I've still got a few more weeks before the ceremony," Kaede explained, "but...I'm still really anxious."

"I can only imagine," Makoto affirmed, "even if you're well versed with the instrument, and even if you've done shows on stage before, a place as big as the Tokyo Dome is a big deal. I don't blame you for being anxious."

"What are you doing here in the park then?" Toko asked, "Did you just come here for a chat, or do you want something?"

"Oh, actually, I was just waiting for someone," she explained, "I was supposed to be meeting with-"

"Kaede!" a voice suddenly called out, "there you are! I've been looking for you!"

Troubled - Persona 3

Kaede's response was practically finished for her, as someone stamped down the path towards them, looking exasperated. She was a tall, thin, and fair-skinned woman who appeared to be in her mid-30s, possessing slate-purple eyes, thin eyebrows, and short ash-blonde hair that reached down to around her chin. In fact, she shared a lot of physical aspects as Kaede.

"Is that...?" Makoto slowly connected the dots.

"Aahahaha..." Kaede chuckled nervously, "H-hey Mom! I'm here!"

"Your mother?" Shuichi raised his eyebrows as the woman finally reached them, breathing in and out heavily like she had been searching for Kaede for a while.

"I sincerely hope you weren't here goofing around while you were waiting for me," the woman, apparently Kaede's mother, grumbled, "it took me a lot of money and effort to score you a chance at the big stage, and I do wish you would treat it more seriously."

"No, Mom, it's not like that!" Kaede assured her, "I just happened to run into these guys while here. They're friends from school!"

"Y-Yes!" Makoto, somewhat threatened into politeness by the presence of this professional-looking woman, stood up straight and courtesied, "i-it's a pleasure to meet you, ma'am! I-I am honored to have your daughter as an underclassman!"

Makoto figured that Komaru, Toko, and Shuichi were going to make fun of him for this, but to his surprise, they acted very much the same way as he did. The imposing presence of this woman was clearly getting to all of them.

"Well...that's good..." Kaede's mother sighed, "Sorry Kaede, you understand how on edge I've been lately...The last thing I want is for you to start running with the wrong crowd...Like...You-know-who..."

Kaede's cheerful face notably dimmed in demeanor, and there was a strange sadness in her eyes. The look in Shuichi's eyes seemed to understand this sadness, though Makoto and the others did not.

"Well, there's no need for any of that I suppose," the lady turned to Makoto and stuck out a hand, trying to smile at him courteously, "it is a pleasure to meet you. I am Kirie Kaede. I am both Kaede's mother, as well as her official manager and representative."

"N-Nice to meet you, Ma'am..." Makoto graciously stuck out a hand for Kirie to shake.

"Hmph! There's no need for that," she said, taking it, "call me "Madame.""

"Y-Yes, Madame Kaede...!" Makoto whimpered, as Kaede notably cringed in shame. The woman had a firm grip on her, and it was clear despite her friendliness, this was a handshake of business and authority.

"Hm...What a polite boy...I'm surprised that you have so many male friends, Kaede," Kirie turned to her daughter, "or are you truly JUST friends?"

"C-Cut that out, Mom!" Kaede flustered, "Honestly! Don't you think you'd know a lot sooner if I was ever to get a boyfriend or something?"

"I am only joking sweetheart. Now I hate to pry her away from you, but we have some urgent business to attend to," Kirie explained, "Kaede has a big recital coming up, and we're to meet with the aiding showrunners for her big show this month. You understand we are a very busy family."

"I thought you said the meeting with the showrunners wouldn't be for another hour or so?" Kaede asked, "We were going to get cake from the cafe before-"

"I know I said that, but something came up. I've been dealing with some outside interference all morning," Kirie spat, "we simply don't have the time."

Kaede groaned, her expression dour.

"I promise you, I will take you out and buy you the nicest dessert we can find once this is all over," Kirie promised, "for now though, we have lots of work to do. Come along."

"Yes, Mom..." Kaede nodded, still depressed, but smiled back at the others, "thanks for keeping me company Shui-Um! Shuichi!"

With that, Kaede and her mother left, leaving the Phantom Thieves on their own.

Old World Order - Danganronpa 3: The End of Hope's Peak Academy

"Hey...I don't really like saying this behind her back but..." Komaru rubbed the back of her neck, "is it just me, or was that woman really two-faced?"

"No, you're right..." Toko nodded, "honestly, I feel kinda bad for that girl. I wonder what their living situation is like..."

"From what I understand, she's been having tough times lately...A few days ago, in fact, I ran into her outside a convenience store...She was...crying..." Shuichi admitted, "After that, I invited her back to our place and ate dinner with her...We sort of...connected."

"Oh, I bet you did~" Komaru winked.

"I told you to cut it out Komaru!" Makoto jabbed her again, "That was very nice of you Shuichi. I'm glad you're starting to connect more with people."

"Well...I'm a Phantom Thief now...and after everything you did for me, paying your kindness forward was the least I could do for someone I consider a dear friend..." he affirmed, "speaking of which..."

He raised his head over their shoulders, prompting them to turn around. They were finally joined by Kyoko, who strode up to them.

"Apologies. You seemed deep in conversation and I didn't know where to jump in..." she admitted.

"How long have you been loitering?" Toko asked.

"Not long," she said, "I arrived just shortly before that woman left. In any case, I assume Makoto told you the situation?"

"Yeah, he said you had something important to discuss," Komaru nodded, "what's up?"

Kyoko looked rather uncomfortable at this moment, and it took her a moment to look the Phantom Thieves' leader in his eyes.

"Now, I want to make it clear that I am honestly opposed to this...I would not be doing this if I wasn't in a desperate situation," she claimed, "but...

I think I might have a job for you, Phantom Thieves..."

Chapter End Notes

I'm glad I finally got around to shedding more light on Junko and Mukuro in this story since it was pretty overdue.
Mukuro (the IF version specifically) is actually one of my favourite characters in the main series, so I'm very glad I get to bring her into the story.
I'll also let you all know now that as of this chapter, we are currently done with most of the confidant/pre-arc fluff, and from this point on, we will be focusing on the next Palace and the next conspiracy the Phantom Thieves will have to deal with. So don't worry about this being dragged out any longer.
Thanks for reading. I love to get feedback from my readers, so feel free to leave a comment, and some kudos if you feel up to it.
P.S. This is being uploaded a day or so after the chapter first came out, but I felt it was a good idea to have a refresher of all the current confidants, characters and arcana in the story as of this chapter, just so everyone's up to date:
Makoto: 0 (Fool)
Monomi: I (Magician)
Maki: III (Empress)
Agatha: V (Hierophant)
Sayaka: VI (Lovers)
Aoi: VII (Chariot)
Kyoko: VIII (Justice)
Toko: IX (Hermit)
Komaru: XI (Strength)
Fuyuhiko: XII (Hanged Man)
Mukuro: XIII (Death)
Seiko: XV (Devil)
Kokichi: XVI (Tower)
Chihiro: XVIII (Moon)
Shuichi: XX (Judgement)
Junko: 0 (Jester)

Minority Report

Chapter Summary

Kyoko enlists the Phantom Thieves' help in tracking down a rather difficult target. When they run out of luck during their search, they seek a favor from a few friends...

Chapter Notes

See the end of the chapter for notes

[5 DAYS AGO]

Kyoko sat in the Headmaster's Office of Hope's Peak Academy on the sofa, quietly sipping out of a cup of coffee. Her father, Jin, doing the same from his desk.

Even after coming to terms with one another, and both learning the full story behind Fuhito Kirigiri's deception, communication was still...difficult between the two. As a matter of fact, it had made their relationship even more awkward.

From Kyoko's side of things, she couldn't forgive herself for spending the majority of her life hating the man next to her, even though he had done very little wrong. It didn't help her that Jin was trying to take responsibility for what little mistakes he HAD made, and it just left Kyoko feeling like she was the asshole in this situation.

Which wasn't entirely untrue. She had let herself be groomed into that mindset by her grandfather after all...it wasn't easy to admit that, however...

Still, the two had done their best to bridge whatever gaps they could. Hence this situation where they were sitting down and attempting to have a chat over cases Kyoko had received.

"I've been meaning to ask you, Kyoko..." Jin raised his voice to get her attention, "the search for the Phantom Thieves that the Steering Committee has you on..."

"Sorry to say, but it's classified," Kyoko interrupted, "though to be honest, I haven't made much progress anyway."

"You really don't have to go through with it if it's too much stress, you know?" Jin reminded her, "you could always turn it down. With what happened to your grandfather, you've been up to your neck in detective work and managing the agency. The Steering Committee can't possibly extort you like that."

"Do you think Ashikawa and the other Committee members will take that excuse at face value?" Kyoko asked, "besides, I did already approach them before today. I told them that I had suddenly become very busy and that I don't even know if they really exist, so I couldn't prioritize the work they'd provided me."

"And what did they say?" Jin asked.

"Uragami-san's response was "You don't need to worry about any of that. Just do as we tell you.""

Jin's grip on his cup tightened with frustration. He couldn't exactly oppose the Steering Committee, since they were technically his higher-ups, but to know they were using his daughter for their own selfish interests made his blood boil.

"I can be blunt with you, can't I?" he asked suddenly. Kyoko lifted her head in confusion but nodded.

"Y-Yes...What is it?" she inquired.

"Given how many times I've asked for your help in the past, this is a little bit hypocritical of me, but I personally believe that the Steering Committee is trying too hard to keep you as an asset," Jin grumbled, "the reason they hired you initially was to investigate what happened after Haiji Towa's case, and now, someone close to you made a similar confession to him on live TV. I believe that if these Phantom Thieves exist, the Steering Committee considers them a problem, and they're using you to get rid of them so they don't get their hands dirty."

"The only reason I accepted the proposal in the first place is because I myself was curious about who or what the Phantom Thieves were, but it's become a pointless drag by this point," Kyoko admitted, "though it wouldn't be wise for me to openly say that to Uragami, lest he take away my right as an Ultimate Student. I never really cared much for the school itself, but having the reputation of an expelled Ultimate is almost as bad as being the daughter of a traitor to the family."

Kyoko winked at her father, whose face looked understandably disgruntled by her comment. He cleared his throat and continued.

"I'll try and have a word with them. They may outrank me, but I'll do what I can to try and get you out of this situation..." he told her.

"Thank you," she smiled, "actually, while we're on the subject, Tomita told me that you had something you wanted to talk to me about..."

"A-Ah, yes...That's right," Jin nodded, "I wanted to postpone this as much as possible so I didn't add to the stress but...I have a job for you...and it's getting pretty urgent."

Box 15 - Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc

Back in the present, Kyoko explained the events that had transpired to the Phantom Thieves in the park.

"So, this job of yours came from Headmaster Jin originally?" Makoto clarified.

"That's right," Kyoko nodded, "now, as you're already aware, this isn't the first time my father has enlisted me to investigate things or do small jobs for him. In fact, as the Ultimate Detective, it is rather essential to my academic career. While most of the jobs he offers are childs play to me, it gives me something to do so that I may continue to show my talent to the Academy Officials and secure my place at the school."

"I can't help but notice your emphasis on the word "most"," Shuichi noted, "is something wrong?"

"Very perceptive Shuichi," Kyoko smiled, proud of her prior protege, "let's just say that I got more than I bargained for...And I need your help."

"You want us to change someone's heart, don't you?" Komaru's eyes twinkled at the prospect of a new target, ready to leap back into the game at a moment's notice, "who are we after this time?"

"Hm...So you're willing to do it without me even telling you who it is?" Kyoko scoffed, "You're far too eager."

"You don't have to sound so condescending or disapproving," Toko told her, "who are you after this time?"

Kyoko paused, seeming to do so for dramatic effect before she unveiled her target.

"The target is the boss of a gang organization here in Shibuya," she said, "the boss of a group called the Broken Instruments."

Komaru immediately lurched to her feet in shock.

"The Broken Instruments!?" she exclaimed, louder than she meant to, so she quickly hushed herself, "Are you serious!? You're really going after them!?"

"You know them?" Makoto asked. Komaru nodded.

"How do you NOT know them? They've gotten so famous recently, and there are tons of rumors about them," she explained, "they're a gang of night-raiding hoodlums who terrorize the people of Shibuya. People say they're almost on the same level of dangerous and unruly as the Crazy Diamonds!"

The Crazy Diamonds were the biker gang that Mondo Owada, Makoto and Toko's classmate, was in charge of. The reason why Mondo had even become an Ultimate was because he had managed to take that gang to be the biggest and most feared AND revered biker gang in all of Japan, possibly the whole world.

If these "Broken Instruments" were on that level, then they were to be taken seriously!

"People talk about them all the time at my school. Apparently, they started out like a normal gang but recently started become more and more heinous with time," Komaru continued, "word has it that they operate in terms of violence and extortion. They even take hostages and gather blackmail so that you don't go tattling to the cops about them."

"This is a hoodlum gang?" Toko bit her nails, "they sound more like a freaking mafioso!"

"There's more to it. The group targets younger people specifically who can't fight back, and people have begun to suspect that they've started to threaten and make use of students at Hope's Peak Academy too. Hence why my father brought it up," Kyoko explained, "now, given how prestigious and famous Hope's Peak is, rumors of the students destined to be humanity's future talent being extorted and threatened by a group of ne'er-do-wells is not a good look for anybody. Not my father, the Steering Committee, the staff, the students...and dare I say it, even the Phantom Thieves' reputation might be at risk."

"These guys are really gunning for Hope's Peak students?" Makoto widened his eyes, "That's...bold!"

"I agree...But once I actually got to investigating and delved in deeper, I saw just how far that boldness went," Kyoko frowned, "I should mention that the KDA has already had an encounter with the Broken Instruments before, where we tried to lure their boss out of hiding to...talk. Negotiate, if you will."

"You're trying to negotiate with criminals instead of just straight up arresting them?" Toko asked, "Why?"

"They may be a corrupt brand of unruly people, but the fact is most of their crimes are the subject of rumors and nothing more. Nobody has come forth claiming to be a victim, and no real evidence has been found of their crimes," Kyoko explained, "that's why I tried to arrange a meeting with this boss of theirs, but well..."

[FLASHBACK]

A Dead End to the Ocean's Aroma - Danganronpa 2: Goodbye Despair

"Kirigiri-san...We've just done a sweep of the area...The thugs put up a bit of a fight, but we managed to fend them off," Detective Okiri told her in the darkness of the alley "we, unfortunately, had to knock most of them out, and a few of our people got knocked out as well, but there's one that's still awake."

"Don't worry Okiri...Just focus on getting the injured to safety. Hopefully, the damage on both sides isn't too bad..." the glove-clad detective said while she approached the last-standing hoodlum.

He had short, brown, combed-back hair, which had become unkempt from the struggle. He clambered to his feet and squared her down, clearly out of breath and in no state to fight anymore.

"Y-You...You're Kyoko Kirigiri...!" he grunted, "the Ultimate Detective who was mentioned on the news...!"

"Good, that saves me the introduction," Kyoko smiled, "listen here. We AREN'T here to fight you. All I want is to request an audience with your boss. So would you mind terribly telling me where she is?"

"Hmph...Clearly, you don't have any idea how we operate," the guy grunted, "one of the primary rules of the Broken Instruments. NEVER divulge information with anyone, especially not cops!"

"While I admire your dedication, that kind of excuse only works on amateurs," Kyoko spat back, "I'll give you an ultimatum. Tell me where they are, or WHO they are, or I'll place you under arrest and get it out of you from the interrogation room. I don't want it to come to that, but I will do it if I have to."

"Heh...Good luck getting anything out of me...when I don't even have a tongue to speak with!"

To Kyoko's shock and horror, the thug suddenly reached behind him and grabbed a large shard of glass off the rubbish bin behind him! He then brought the sharp glass to his tongue, and tried to slice through it!

"H-Hey! Are you crazy!?"

It was quick as a flash, and totally on instinct, but Kyoko instantly reeled back and hi-kicked the thug in the face. It knocked him out instantly, making him fall to the ground unconscious with his bleeding tongue remained sticking out.

"What in the hell...!?" she glowered.

"He tried to cut out his own tongue!?" Komaru gasped, "Just so you wouldn't be able to get information out of him!? That's way too extreme on so many levels!"

"It's all true...I was able to stop him by knocking him out, but he was still able to cut it slightly," Kyoko explained, "he needs stitches, so now instead of an interrogation room, he's in the medical room."

"What the hell even is that?" Toko panicked, "he would have rather stopped himself from ever speaking again than give up the name of the game or the name of his boss?"

"Those thugs are either very afraid of their boss, or very loyal to them," Kyoko said, "and I hate to admit it, but this target is far more cunning than I gave them credit for."

"What do you mean?" Makoto asked.

"The original plan was to lure the boss to that alley so we could talk...But it seems that despite all the secrecy and planning, they caught onto me," Kyoko explained, "as a result, I got left with nothing. Not a name, a location, or anything else. And I'm afraid that if I try again, I'll just have another crazy person try to cut out their tongue again."

"This isn't good," Monomi chimed in, "we can't steal a person's heart if we don't know their name. And assuming this person has a Palace, we'll need to know their hunting grounds too."

"I'm very sorry. I was rather hoping we could help each other with this," Kyoko told them, "as much as I would like to make a casual arrest without the need for a change of heart, the more I investigate, the more problems I encounter. I'm dealing with someone who might be out of my league, so-"

"Don't worry," Makoto patted her shoulder reassuringly, "we'll help. Right guys?"

"I would very much like to," Shuichi stated, "but to be honest, I don't like our chances as they stand. If no one is speaking up in fear of retaliation, or dedication to this boss; and if there's a lot that even the police or the KDA don't know, then we're stuck between a rock and a hard place right now."

"Giving up already, huh Shuichi?" Komaru punched her open palm with gusto, "You'll bring shame onto this team with that poor excuse for justice!"

Shuichi scoffed.

"Don't put words in my mouth." he said with a smirk.

"Still, he's got a point," Toko added, "it's easy enough to say, "Yeah, we can do this!" but we simply don't have enough information right now. And it's not like we can just go out looking for them either."

"Why not?" Makoto asked.

"Because it's dangerous!" Toko snapped, "In case you somehow forgot, we can't fight with our Personas in the real world. If we go peeking where we're not supposed to, we could end up in major trouble."

"Well, we won't get anywhere without trying," Makoto stood up, "I say we break a leg!"

"Yes! They will BREAK OUR LEGS!" Toko snarled.

"Toko-chan, calm down," Komaru took her hand to reassure her, "we've been out of worse scrapes before! We've got this!"

"And Makoto is right," Monomi chimed in, "I don't like the idea of doing something this dangerous as you do, but we have to start somewhere, and this seems as good a place as any."

"I mean...I guess...Don't get me wrong, I'm not afraid of a couple of punks," Toko assured them, "I'd just rather avoid physical confrontation for the lot of us if I can help it."

"If it comforts you in any way, you can stay with me while the others search, Toko. We'll gather information in a different way, by asking locals or people on the street for information about the Broken Instruments." Kyoko suggested.

"That sounds equally as stressful..." Toko remarked; the recluse in her quaking in her boots.

"Wait, for real!?" Komaru spluttered, "You're not gonna help!? You'd rather just leave it to the three of us!?"

"FOUR of us!" Monomi snapped, "I'll help too!"

"What are you gonna do!? Any thug who sees you down an alleyway will either fawn over you or kick you!" Komaru snapped back. Monomi curled up into a ball in shame.

"I know you're right...I just didn't want you to say it..." she sobbed.

"There there," Makoto petted her, "you're plenty useful dude."

"As much as I want to help you, I can't. Like I said, this boss and his underlings are crafty," Kyoko reminded her, "and after what happened before, they know my face now, and they know those associated with the KDA. If I go skulking around their hiding place, they'll probably hide from me. I can't let them know you and I are in cahoots."

"So we're doing this search in your stead. I get it," Makoto acknowledged, "we've got a plan now. All those in favor, raise your hand."

Everyone raised their hand in response. Makoto smirked.

"Then it's unanimous," he nodded, "Kyoko? Where can we find these guys?"

Wonderful Story - Danganronpa V3: Killing Harmony

With Monomi nestled safely inside his hood, Makoto, Komaru and Shuichi split up and took to the back allies of main Shibuya.

He wasn't going to lie. The exploits that he and his teammates had been up to in the Palaces had done wonders for his physical health, and he was definitely lifting much heavier weights now. However, he was still a scrawny teenage boy by most accounts, and the likelihood was that a punk armed with a metal pipe, or even their fists, would destroy him.

Like Toko, he also wished to avoid any physical confrontations. But he had to start somewhere.

According to what Kyoko had mentioned, the rumors said that during the afternoons, members of the Broken Instruments approach people who drift into the back alleys and coerce them into doing some...dirty work, to put it lightly. If they refuse, they are threatened, and if they agree, they are then blackmailed into becoming the group's pawns.

Though Makoto searched around the alleys for a while, he didn't have much luck. All things considered, the alleyway seemed pretty quiet and safe. And before he knew it, the sun started to set, and nighttime was upon him. Naturally, the streets of Shibuya were still well-lit, despite the darkness, but even in the alleys where it didn't shine, there were no signs of anyone else.

"This is going nowhere..." Monomi whispered, "something tells me that these rowdy kids might be hiding from us..."

"But I'm hardly a threat," Makoto hushed back, "if anything, I've been told I'm the prime example of someone who'd be bullied or blackmailed, and that I look like a defenseless dork."

"Makoto, I think you need better friends..." the bunny remarked.

"Well, I mean, I'm mainly talking about the people who went to middle and high school with me before Hope's Peak," Makoto explained, "but yeah, you're probably right...Regardless, we haven't found anything...Maybe we should try something else?"

However, just when he was about to call it quits, he heard some shuffling behind him. He slowly turned his head and saw someone else standing on the other side of the alleyway he was in. It was a young teenage boy, clearly the same age, but almost half the height of the Ultimate Lucky Student, with frizzy blonde hair and a baggy black hoodie.

Makoto turned around all the way, as the boy brazenly approached him with a face-wide frown. He also looked up to see two other teenagers, a boy with a mohawk and a girl with long brown hair that reached down to her waist, lurking around the corner, both of them wearing sleeveless leather jackets.

"Is...Is there a problem?" Makoto asked the smaller boy. He grunted.

"Is there something you want with us?" he asked, "we're all ears..."

Makoto, not sure of what really spurred him on, decided to be a little catty.

"I don't know..." he shrugged, "do you happen to know the leader of the Broken Instruments? If so, can you take me to him?

"Yeah, she's my boss..." the boy crossed his arms defiantly, "and no...I can't...Or rather, I WON'T."

*The boss of the Broken Instruments is a girl?* Makoto thought secretly, *I know a lot of really strong and capable women, but that's still a surprise...*

"Why not?" he asked. The boy scoffed again.

"Because I know why you're looking for her," he glared, "you're a spy for that Kirigiri chick, aren't you?"

Makoto tensed up, not expecting this claim.

"How did you know that...?" he asked, trying to hide the concern on his face, though clearly not doing a good job.

"Because we're not fucking dumb, that's why! We saw you guys," the boy snapped, "and look...You've clearly got too much time on your hands, and you've gotta be way too much of a goodie-two-shoes to be helping the cops sniff around us...I'm not taking you to see the boss, but I am here to deliver a message to you and your friends."

"And that is?" he gulped.

"Stay the hell away from us," the runt bared his fangs, "the boss doesn't want any more trouble with you, or Kirigiri, or anyone for that matter. We just wanna be left the fuck alone, so LEAVE US THE FUCK ALONE...!"

"And what happens if we do decide to come back?" Makoto asked, playing with fire, "we're not after a fight either. We just want to talk."

"Look, whatever happens if you decide to ignore the boss's warning isn't on me," he shrugged, "don't shoot the messenger and all that crap..."

Without another word, he turned around and strode back out of the alley, with the other two thugs joining him.

Desire for Execution - Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc

"It really does sting to see young people outside of school, wasting their life away being punks on the streets," Monomi poked her head out and remarked, "as a teacher, it brings me great sadness."

"Honestly, I'm surprised they didn't pick a fight..." Makoto replied, "No...actually...it seems like they came to me to try and AVOID a fight...What is going on with these guys?"

"They certainly didn't seem like the threatening type. Yes, they look dangerous, but it didn't seem like that boy was angry, upset, or conniving in any way," Monomi contemplated, "in fact, things seemed quite the reverse. It's almost like THEY were afraid of YOU."

"You're right...!" Monomi basically hit the nail on the head that Makoto was trying to find. It did seem like the Broken Instruments were just trying to send him away.

Which meant they might have been hiding something, or...

This train of thought was swiftly cut off by his ringtone. He took his phone out of his pocket and checked his messages.

----------------------------------------------

PTChat

Komaru: I give up.

Komaru: Leads = Zero.

Komaru: QUICK MAFFS!

Shuichi: Regrettably, I too didn't find anything.

Shuichi: Which is embarrassing, since I'm supposed to be a detective and all.

Kyoko: Don't think too poorly of yourself Shuichi.

Kyoko: Remember, I wasn't so lucky either.

Komaru: What about you Makoto?

Makoto: Well, I at the least got SOMETHING.

Makoto: But it's not much of something.

Makoto: I'd rather tell you in person, so I suggest we regroup.

Toko: Regroup where though? Back at the hideout?

Makoto: Not if you want the Park Ranger bothering us. It's too late out.

Komaru: We do really need a new hideout.

Shuichi: I thought you said you were looking for one?

Komaru: Yeah, but I haven't found a good one yet.

Komaru: Don't worry though. I know the perfect place to meet up. I'll drop everyone the address, so come meet me there.

Makoto: For some reason, I'm kind of nervous.

Toko: Ditto.

Kyoko: Why? What's wrong?

Komaru: Nothing!

Komaru: Just a quick word of advice though...

Komaru: Bring some water. You'll need it for your throat.

Kyoko: My throat?

----------------------------------------------

FAKE OFF - D4DJ

"Yuganda basho de samayoi tsuzuketeru! Te wo nobashite mo tsukamou to shite mo furerarenai yume ni!"

Though her prior messages had sort of hinted at it, the Phantom Thieves plus Kyoko were still surprised and even somewhat appalled to find out where it was Komaru had in mind to meet up. The Karaoke Bar that she sometimes went to with her friends at school.

"N-No offense to your sister or anything," Kyoko yelled at Makoto, trying to make herself heard of Komaru's loud singing (though she had to be, as she was singing a fairly loud song), "but I couldn't really think of anywhere else that would be more distracting!"

"Yeah, I guess that's true!" Makoto yelled back, "But on the plus side, at least we have some privacy in the booth! Also, Komaru follows her heart more than her head! It sometimes leads us to odd and uncomfortable places, but I wouldn't change that about her!"

The team waited as Komaru finished her number, and then she sat down next to Toko, smiling up a storm.

Despair Searching - Danganronpa V3: Killing Harmony

"Hoo! I feel so much better now!" she said, "it's good to get all that frustration off my chest."

"Ah, so THAT'S why you brought us here!" Shuichi beamed with realization, "so we could vent our frustrations by singing!"

"My, what a genius plan Komaru!" Monomi bounced on her seat.

"Don't praise her, she probably just went with a gut instinct!" Toko, half-playful, half-cross, jabbed the side of Komaru's head with her finger, causing some discomfort, "look. Whether we're having fun here, or venting our frustrations or not, we came here to plan! So can we just take a second to FOCUS!?"

Nobody, not even Komaru, responded. Toko took that as a sign of going ahead.

"Right! Makoto. You said you ran into some of the gang members in the alleys," Toko refreshed everyone's memories, "but you told us that they told you to stay away from them. They didn't threaten you, hurt you, blackmail you, or anything?"

"No. They gave me an ultimatum. Either leave them alone, or things might get messy. To me, it feels like they want to avoid trouble just as much as we do, though they still won't talk to us," Makoto explained, "the only other thing I was able to pick up from is that the kid who talked to me addressed their boss as a "she.""

"So the leader of the Broken Instruments is a girl." Shuichi considered.

"Way to go, Captain Obvious" Toko spat sarcastically.

"Toko, I get that you're stressed, but could you stop being so rude?" Komaru snapped, "To be frank, you're just making the whole situation worse."

Toko considered her words for a second, then curled her body up into a ball and remained silent, realizing she was right.

"The other thing to note is that despite our secrecy, the Broken Instruments were still able to figure out you were working with me," Kyoko recalled, "now they know your faces as well, which means we're running out of options too quickly...I really did underestimate this group..."

"For a bunch of street punks, they're actually pretty smart," Komaru observed, "and...weirdly cautious for some reason."

"You're right...My question is how did they catch on that we were with Kyoko-sama?" Shuichi asked, "Did they perhaps come to that conclusion because we're all Hope's Peak students?"

"That could be it...My only other guess is that they had someone spying on us while we were in the park...After all, with their previous encounter with Kyoko, they probably kept eyes on her...Still, that doesn't feel totally right either..." Toko scratched her head, "whatever it is, the only thing I know for certain is that this could prove to be troublesome..."

"It's too soon to start fretting over things...We've gotten by with less information on our hands before," Monomi reminded them, "we should pull ourselves together and think about where to go next."

"You make it sound so easy," Komaru pouted, "there aren't an awful lot of directions to go...By the way, is anyone else gonna sing? We only have a limited amount of time left..."

"You really are determined to play around, aren't you?" Kyoko asked.

"Hey, I'm being serious! I want to find this boss just as much as you do!" Komaru exclaimed, "but we also paid 1000 yen each to get in here, and I want to get my money's worth!"

"Well, I suppose when you put it like that..." Shuichi stood up, "I can...probably try. I'm not exactly the best singer though..."

Komaru clapped her hands in a giddy way, as Shuichi stepped up to the mic and selected a song from the list. A melancholy piano came in and he started to sing English lyrics.

The Sound of Silence - Simon & Garfunkel

"Hello darkness, my old friend...I've come to talk with you again...Because a vision softly creeping...Left its seeds while I was sleeping..."

"God, he is so adorably emo." Komaru giggled.

"So many evil and corrupt figures out there...so many hearts we could change...and yet we're struggling to track down one girl who hides about in the alleys and is probably just a kid!" Toko groaned, "How far we have fallen..."

Makoto hadn't even really considered that. The three thugs he had met in the alley that day were, be they older or younger, not so different in age from him. While it was likely that the boss of the Broken Instruments could be an adult authority figure, it was more likely that they were a teenager, just like the rest of them.

That would undoubtedly make them the youngest target the thieves had ever gone after. He wondered if it would really make a difference in society in the end. And he also wondered why a young teenage girl would be threatening and extorting people.

"Look...Regardless of who this girl is, how old she is, what her name is, or where she's hiding, these rumors are gonna keep circulating around. As long as they do, no one will ever be at peace with the world around their home, and if they turn out to be true, we can't just turn a blind eye and ignore it. Whether as a favor to Kyoko or not, we need to get this girl."

"Makoto is absolutely correct," Monomi asserted, "to be honest, something about the rumors itself feels fishy to me."

"Fishy how?" Kyoko asked.

"To be honest, I'm not sure myself...I just have a weird feeling we're missing something," Monomi explained, "but it doesn't matter. If we're truly going to proceed with the case, we need to find out this miscreant's name. With it, we can check if they have a Palace or a Shadow in Mementos...and without it, we're in a real stew..."

"But in a case like this, legwork can only get us so far," Shuichi chimed in, having finished his performance and sitting back down to rejoin the conversation, which he had clearly kept an ear out for the entire time he was singing, "not to mention, any information we find online is biased and probably not helpful..."

"I think what we need is an informant," Makoto proffered, "someone who would have a big scoop; know underground information, the like..."

There was brief silence, but as he said this...something clicked in Toko's mind. Which she then expressed by jumping excitedly to her feet.

"That's it! I've got an idea!" she exclaimed.

New World Order - Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc

"Seriously!?" Shuichi jumped up as well, "What is it!?"

"Komaru!" Toko turned to her partner in crime enthusiastically, "The day that we got past that big door in Kirigiri's Palace! When Makoto opened the door in reality and you and I waited in the Palace for it to open? Do you remember who we met shortly before we entered?"

"You mean on the day that Shuichi awakened to his power?" Komaru concentrated, scrunching her face up, "Yeah, I remember! That red-haired girl with the camera who goes to your school...What was her name? Fastfish?"

"KOIZUMI!" Toko spat, "That's not even close!"

"I mean...it's KIND of close..." Monomi supposed.

"Wait, you ran into Mahiru Koizumi-senpai? When? Why?" Makoto asked.

"Well, I kind of just told you," Toko explained, "she was outside the KDA, trying to look for signs of the Phantom Thieves in action. Apparently, she's been looking to get a scoop on the Phantom Thieves ever since the Towa case."

"Why bring her up though?" Shuichi asked, "How would she help?"

"Kyoko!" Toko turned enthusiastically to the detective girl, clearly fully intending to run with this idea, "You said the case had been brought to you and Jin's attention because rumors were circulating around that Hope's Peak students were involved in the harassment, right!?"

"Right...RIGHT!" Kyoko jumped up with a victorious smirk of her own, "and if there's any information or rumors circulating around Hope's Peak, none of them get by Koizumi-senpai! If anyone in the school can dig around for information, it's her!"

"But can we trust her?" Makoto asked, "I mean...not to be rude or speak behind her back, but Koizumi-senpai is a little bit...stuck up. And if what you say is true that she's really hoping to get a special on the Phantom Thieves, I don't know how long she'll be asking questions before one of us cracks."

"But we don't exactly have many other options," Monomi reminded him, "I say we go for broke and try and get in contact with her."

"If that's such a worry, why not leave it to me?" Kyoko asked, "I've been questioned a lot about the Phantom Thieves already, and I haven't done so much as hint of knowing your identities. I'm sure I can withstand her."

"I still don't feel good about you going and taking the heat for us..." Makoto said truthfully. Kyoko chuckled.

"Well, if that's your concern, why don't we go together?" she asked, "I'll get in contact with Koizumi-senpai and ask her if we can meet up. If I propose an idea for a story for her, we can expect her to take the bait."

"I mean...S-Sure..." Makoto had mixed feelings about all of this. He was pretty flustered and embarrassed to be spending an evening with Kyoko alone, and he was also worried about having to meet with the ever-uptight and brash Mahiru Koizumi but ultimately decided that for the good of the Phantom Thieves and for the good of the world, he would do it.

His thoughts were interrupted by the sound of a phone ringing. The landline on the wall vibrated, and being the closest to it, Kyoko reached over and picked it up, listening to the person on the other end.

"Our time's up," she said bluntly, "should we pay for an extra hour?"

"Nah, leave it..." Toko brushed her off, "It wasn't a good idea to come here anyway..."

"You people are NO FUN!" Komaru pouted, taking a spiteful swing of her cold drink.

Despair Searching - Danganronpa V3: Killing Harmony

The following day, Makoto received a text message from Kyoko. She had approached Mahiru Koizumi and had apparently asked her to meet with them after school. Mahiru had agreed, though Kyoko noted her skepticism and doubt.

Makoto, having gotten changed into casual clothes, started walking down the street towards the station, tucking Monomi into his bag, taking out his phone and checking his messenger app.

----------------------------------------------

PTChat

Makoto: Hey Kyoko. I'm at the station. Where am I headed?

Kyoko: Koizumi-san said she would meet us at a bar near where she lives.

Makoto: A bar?

Kyoko: Yes.

Kyoko: In Shinjuku no less.

Kyoko: Just get the train there and I'll meet you outside the station.

Komaru: She lives in Shinjuku? As in where Kabukichō is?

Kyoko: Yes, that's right.

Shuichi: Why would Koizumi-senpai live in such a place?

Shuichi: Granted, I don't know much about her, but a busy place like that doesn't seem like her scene.

Kyoko: I did ask her why actually.

Kyoko: She says she's not content with the liveliness, and if she could move, she would.

Kyoko: But she apparently lives alone with her father while her mother works overseas. And she is the one who primarily takes care of the housework.

Kyoko: That, and she says she quite enjoys taking pictures in the Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden and the Meijijingu Gaien.

Kyoko: Remember, though Koizumi is the chief editor and writer for the school paper, she is first and foremost a photographer, with a keen eye for detail and beauty.

Toko: And you're meeting her there in the evening? Isn't that a little bit dangerous?

Kyoko: I've been there during the late hours before. You can understand why as the district serves as good cover for a lot of criminal activity.

Kyoko: I can handle it.

Komaru: Sure, but what about Makoto?

Kyoko: Don't you trust your leader to fend for himself?

Komaru: Not...really...?

Makoto: Komaru, I am still here.

Kyoko: Don't worry. I'll protect him as best as I can.

Shuichi: I'll remain on standby in case you need me.

Shuichi: Just drop me a text and I'll get on the first train I can catch.

Kyoko: Much appreciated Shuichi, but I doubt that will be necessary.

Makoto: Leave this to us and relax. No matter what, we'll come back with a name at least.

Toko: Good luck. And be careful.

----------------------------------------------

Kyoko waited outside the station, also dressed in plain clothes. She had specifically instructed Makoto not to wear his school uniform or his normal clothes and hoodie, in the case that someone might recognize him, or want something out of him.

It had barely been half an hour since she'd arrived in the Red Light District, and she'd already been catcalled several times by host clubs or shady folks. If it wasn't for the risks it posed and the panic it would cause, she would wear her detective badge here to get people off her back.

Even someone as stoic as her had limits to her patience.

She waited outside the station for any sign of her spiky-haired classmate, and almost immediately spotted him as he came out from the stairway. Makoto saw her wave to him, and he waved back.

"You know...now that we're both here together, I feel kind of nervous," he admitted, "this almost feels like a date."

"It's not a date. It's a mission," Monomi reminded him, "make sure you keep your attention focused on that, and not on her."

"I know, I know," Makoto quickly checked the road before he hurried across it, "hey! Kyoko! I-!"

*SCREEEEECCH!*

Buzzkill - Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc

Makoto's eyes widened in horror, as all of a sudden, a large off-roader vehicle screeched around the corner onto the previously empty road, speeding down the road, straight towards him!

"MAKOTO!" Kyoko panicked, with the Ultimate Lucky Student too paralyzed with shock to move, despite Monomi's panicked screams from his bag! When he finally came to his senses, the vehicle was right on top of him!

Fortunately, just before Makoto and his bunny pal could be flattened onto the pavement, someone leaped into the road and dived into him, knocking them all out of the way onto the safety of the pavement. Makoto's vision was blurry as he tried to regain focus, the sounds of speeding cars and police sirens invading his mind.

He could hear Kyoko and Monomi checking on him as well, and when the ringing finally stopped and his eyes regained their focus, he looked up into the eyes of the one who had saved him...

"Hey...are you ok? Come on, snap out of it!"

No More What Ifs - Persona 5 Royal

Makoto lurched up, still somewhat reeling from the events of the shock, but forcing himself to register everything that had just happened.

"How unfortunate...It looks like you almost became the victim of a police chase," the boy with pale skin and white hair gripped his shoulder to help him steady himself, "thank goodness I managed to get you out of the way."

"Yeah, I'm really grateful. Thanks for the save," Makoto smiled, "hold on though...You're...Komaeda-san, right? From Class 77?"

"And you're Naegi-kun from Class 78," he nodded, "I can't help but laugh at the irony of the two of us meeting through a misfortunate situation like this."

The boy's name was Nagito Komaeda. Like Mahiru, he was also an Ultimate in the year above Makoto and Kyoko, in the same class as her, Fuyuhiko and Chiaki.

And like Makoto, he was the senior class's Ultimate Lucky Student. The previous year, he had won the same lottery that Makoto had to be picked as a normal high-school student to attend the main course of Hope's Peak Academy.

"Thank you very much, Komaeda-senpai," Kyoko helped Makoto to his feet, "we were expecting danger to be lurking around the corner in Shinjuku, but...we weren't expecting it to come at us like that."

"Oh, I doubt you could have accounted for it," Nagito assured her, "to be honest, I should be apologizing. You were most likely put in danger because of my presence, so I had to make it right and save you."

"Oh come on, it's not your fault," Makoto sighed, "I'll treat you to a meal or something sometime to say thanks."

"No, no, that's hardly necessary," Nagito replied, "though, I do wonder what it is the two of you are doing here at this time of night. If you're on a date, there are better places to go, and just as lively ones as well."

"I told you this looked like a date..." Makoto hissed to Monomi in his bag.

"No, that's not it. Truthfully, I'm here with Makoto on a case...or something like it," Kyoko explained, "we're here seeking an audience with Koizumi-senpai."

"Oh, Mahiru-san, huh?" Nagito smiled warmly, "I actually just ran into her not long ago. She did look like she was waiting for someone, though I figured it would be someone from the newspaper club."

"Hey...That's a point..." Makoto frowned, "what are YOU doing in Shinjuku, Komaeda-senpai?"

"Now now...I may be older than you, but I'm not your senpai. There's no need to call me that," Nagito waved his arms awkwardly, "to answer your question though...This is a little bit awkward, but I came uptown to take care of a little business...And I happened to get involved in a little hostage situation..."

"A WHAT!?" Kyoko, Makoto, and Monomi all exclaimed at once.

"Yeah, I was the hostage. It was pretty hectic...In the end, the person who was keeping me captive was demanding money from someone and said they'd shoot me if they refused to give it up. But then he ended up getting food poisoning, and started vomiting uncontrollably, so the police used it as an opportunity to arrest him," Nagito explained, "but uh...after the police offered to take me home, their car tire burst on the freeway and we ended up driving over a cliff out of control. We all survived, but we had to make our way here on foot. So that's how I ended up here."

"Are you...ok?" Makoto literally had no idea what else to say.

"I'm fine!" Nagito beamed, "But I have the distinct feeling that the people being chased just now were in league with that hostage taker, so that's why I'm apologizing."

"For some reason, listening to this child is giving me a headache..." Monomi said.

Though Makoto had never really talked properly with his fellow Lucky Student, Nagito was known quite infamously around Hope's Peak for getting into situations exactly like this. He possessed a cycle of consistent good and bad luck, like how Makoto felt his talent was, except on a FAR more extreme level. Whenever something extremely lucky happened to him, something extremely unlucky was bound to happen soon after, and vice versa. Rumor had it that while the talent seemed to protect him from death, it could cause him great suffering and had even killed many people around him.

Makoto didn't know if this was true of course, but with how ridiculous this story was, it wasn't impossible.

"That aside," Kyoko tried to move the conversation forward, "you said that you ran into Koizumi-senpai not too long ago. Where did you see her?"

"There's a non-alcoholic bar a few yards up this road called the Sunset. She's waiting for you there, I would imagine." Nagito pointed up the street.

"Thank you so much," Makoto said, "I guess we'd better get going?"

"I know this is ironic when I say it..." Nagito waved at them, "but good luck! I'll hopefully see you at Hope's Peak tomorrow!"

"Yeah, and we'll see you too...assuming you're not dead..." Makoto remarked. Nagito chuckled as he turned and walked away, being careful to watch his step.

"A hostage situation? And he just walks out of it like it's nothing?" Monomi reemerged from the bag and scratched her nose, "I'm starting to think this world might be more dangerous than the Palaces..."

"In some ways, yes," Kyoko admitted, "that was an unexpected detour, but we do have a meeting to get to. Now don't go running into any more roads, or I might be forced to hold your hand and guide you like a child."

"Is...that a promise...?" Makoto asked, cheekily. Kyoko scoffed and jabbed his head with her finger.

"Come on!" she grumbled, but with a smirk on her face.

"Oh! About time you got here!" Mahiru raised her head in relief as she saw the two of them walk through the door to the bar. She beckoned them over to the booth she was sitting in. "I have to say...I wasn't expecting Naegi-kun to be here."

"My apologies," Kyoko said as she and Makoto shuffled into the booth, "I thought it would be a good idea to bring a second person in case I need a second opinion. From the looks of things, you thought the same way."

Kyoko made this note because, to their surprise, Mahiru wasn't alone in the booth. Sitting next to her was another girl, one who was a fair bit taller than both Mahiru and Kyoko, with violet eyes and long, dark green, wavy hair that reached past her shoulders. She was wearing a sleeveless shirt, and Makoto noticed, even in the dim light of the bar, a scar on her left arm. The girl seemed preoccupied, reading through something on her phone, only briefly acknowledging their presence with a quick glance.

Unsure of what to do, Makoto tried to speak to her.

"It's nice to meet you," he stuck out a hand, "I'm Makoto Naegi, Mahiru's underclassman. What's your name?"

The girl sighed, lowered her phone, and looked up at him, her face bearing a constant frown.

"Hiyori Sato..." she said quietly.

"Nice to meet you Sato-san!" Makoto beamed back, "I like what you've done with your hair. It's styled very nicely!"

"...Thanks?" Sato said with a questionable tone of voice, still staring at her phone like she wasn't acknowledging his presence besides talking.

"What are you doing?" Monomi hissed at him from inside the bag.

"I don't know, making conversation!?" he hissed back. Both Mahiru and Sato shot him a strange look, thinking he was talking to himself. Makoto awkwardly grinned back at them.

"Don't mind Hiyori, she's just here to help me. She's my right hand at the newspaper club, and we've been friends since we were kids," Mahiru explained, "you don't need to speak with her, and frankly, I don't think she's in the mood to converse..."

"No, I'm not..." Sato confirmed, "Though props to you for at least trying..."

"Ahaha...Th-Thanks..." Makoto wanted to die under the hydraulic press of awkwardness he was being crushed by.

"Do you guys want something to drink before we start?" she asked, "I wouldn't want you getting dehydrated."

"Depends...Does this place sell coffee?" Kyoko asked.

As if to answer, a waiter came over and asked her for specifics. Kyoko ordered a drink, while Makoto ordered plain tap water. He wasn't intent on sticking around for very long, so there was no point in getting something fancy. Shortly after, they came back with their orders, and Kyoko took a swig before she began.

"So...to business," she opened, "you already know why I'm here, right?"

"I am...But for the record, if you wanted to ask about criminal groups operating in Shibuya near Hope's Peak, I imagine you would have more luck with Fuyuhiko, or even other detectives or police officers," Mahiru crossed her arms, "why come to me? I'm a reporter, not an informant."

"Then am I to take it that you won't charge me for information?" Kyoko smirked, "that makes things easier."

"Now hold on a second, don't put words in my mouth..." Mahiru glowered, "it was just a question. I think I have what you need, but I'm not just gonna give it to you. That's not how this works."

One could cut the tension in this booth with a knife. Makoto wondered why he had even come here in the first place, given how outclassed he was.

"If I had to take a guess, you want information on the Broken Instruments, don't you?" Mahiru asked.

"That's right," Kyoko nodded, "I did some looking into your old papers. You did do an article on them when rumors of the group first started to circulate. But now I've come to believe that said group is threatening the students of the school. Including those in the main course."

"She's not wrong," Sato chimed in, "remember what I told you earlier? About how I'd heard stories of gang violence and extortion in the school area?"

"Yeah, but those are just rumors, aren't they?" Mahiru asked, "How do you know they're even true?"

"I don't," Kyoko asserted, "but without knowing what's true and false here, assuming the rumors are true, people's safety could be at risk. I can't afford to doubt my information just yet. We haven't been able to get anything out of the group itself, which is why I came to you. You aren't obligated to withhold information by any parties; not the police, nor the gangs, nor even the academy. And like I said, the old papers confirmed you did some digging. Even if you don't have the information I need, I know you can get it."

"And what information DO you need?" Mahiru inquired.

"At least the name of the gang's leader," Makoto put his hands together like he was begging for it, "that alone would be enough!"

Mahiru took a second, deep in thought about this proposal while she sipped her milkshake through a straw. She put it down on the table and looked towards Kyoko.

"Alright, I'll bite," she said, "if it's to help people out, I guess I can tell you. Still, there's something I want you to do for me first."

"I figured as much," Kyoko frowned, "what do you want?"

"To put simply...I want you, as the granddaughter of the infamous criminal Fuhito Kirigiri, to take part in an interview on the case, and explain your thoughts from your perspective," Mahiru asserted, "in the same interview, I would also like to hear your opinions on the Phantom Thieves of Hope, that were seemingly responsible for both the Towa and Kirigiri incidents; like whether you have any clue to their identities."

Makoto had expected this to be her bargaining chip after what Komaru and Toko had told him, but hearing her say it still pissed him off.

"Hey, isn't that a little harsh?" he exclaimed, "Kyoko was the primary victim of that man. Don't you think you're being a little too cruel, forcing her to open up about it when she's still trying to clean up the mess?"

"With all due respect, I can't afford to care about that," Mahiru stated bluntly, "ever since the case ended, I've written any and all information I can about the story on paper. Anything left has to come from the mouth of the victim directly, and Kyoko's been the buzz around the school ever since she came back. Everyone wants to know what's going on, and I'm the one in charge of delivering it."

She unfolded her arms and leaned in with a stern frown on her face.

"And before you say anything, this is non-negotiable. No interview? No name. Those are my final terms."

"Kegh...I expected more of you, Koizumi," Makoto glowered, "I thought you were a pretty nice person despite your strictness, but you're the textbook example of a nosy paparazzi...!"

"Paparazzi!? How dare you!" Sato suddenly exclaimed, smacking the table, "Take that back!"

Makoto and Monomi both jumped in fear at her sudden ferocity, but Mahiru grasped her by the shoulder.

"Hiyori, stop!" she snapped, "sit down and calm down!"

"I...You...S-Sorry..." Sato did as she was told and bowed her head.

"You apologize too Makoto," Kyoko demanded, "you were out of line as well for making assumptions."

"Y-Yeah...I'm sorry too..." Makoto also bowed his head.

"It's fine...Honestly, it sickens me too..." Mahiru admitted, "I don't blame you for being upset with me."

"Huh? But you-?" Makoto tried to say but was cut off by a wave of Kyoko's gloved hand. Mahiru took a deep breath and explained herself.

"Look. If I had the choice of whether to do this or not, I'd choose not to. Naegi-kun is right. The last thing I want to do is corner someone like some scummy paparazzi vulture and demand info for half-baked scraps of a story," Mahiru's savagery was noted here, "To be perfectly honest with you, I dislike my job as the club leader immensely, and I have no interest in being a reporter; only in taking photos. However, the Steering Committee came to me directly for the job, and I HAVE to do it. So if you could do this for me, I would literally do anything in return."

"So the Committee has given you a job and a quota..." Kyoko crossed her arms and frowned, "it's not too dissimilar to getting an assignment from your teacher, but it's also not too dissimilar to being forced into a role by people who think they know your job better than you."

"They've been putting pressure on you as well from what I hear," Mahiru pouted, "honestly. For the most prestigious school in the world, I can't fathom who thought it was a good idea to put it under the control of a group of crotchety old men who can't get with the times. We should be judging people on who they are, not how good they are at what they do."

"Heh...I could just drink to that," Kyoko scoffed.

"Me too!" Makoto smirked.

"Me three." Sato smiled

Thinking it was the right thing to do, though they weren't alcoholic drinks, all four of them clinked their glasses together.

"Getting back to the point though," Mahiru continued, "regardless of what I think of them, I do still have a quota to fill. I need something new to write for this week and put the finishing touches on my article. After this, I will never ask you to speak of the incident again. But the fact is, you're the one with all the details I need, and an exclusive interview with you is the last piece of the puzzle. Not just as the Ultimate Detective and granddaughter of Fuhito Kirigiri, but as the victim of one of the Phantom Thieves targets."

Mahiru finished her drink, her eyes widening with anticipation every passing second.

"Hell, you don't even have to be honest with me! Just say whatever you feel is right, or make something up! I don't care, and neither does anyone else so long as they have something to read!" she added.

"Kyoko...I don't want to subject you to this, but this might be our only shot," Monomi whispered, "do what you think is right, but we need that info somehow."

"I know...Don't worry, it will be fine," she shot a comforting look to both Makoto and Monomi, before turning back to Mahiru, "I accept. We'll arrange a time and a place during the weekday, and I'll pay a visit to your club room for the interview."

"Thank you!" Mahiru beamed, Sato beaming with her, "I promise, I'll do whatever it takes to make you as comfortable as possible!"

"I'll hold you to that." Kyoko smiled.

"Alright...in that case...And I know this doesn't really count as much of an upfront payment, but I intend to uphold my end of the deal," Mahiru turned to her friend as she said this, "Hiyori? What information do we have on the Broken Instruments?"

"In recent times, the Instruments have been pretty reserved and stayed away from the limelight, keeping secrets. However, we do still have information from when the group first formed," Sato explained, scrolling through said information with her phone, "now, I can't write off the possibility that it might have changed since this, but this is the most up to date information we have on them. It includes locations they usually hang out, as well as the rumored name of the group's boss."

"Seriously!?" Makoto hopped excitedly in his seat, "who is she?"

Sato took a pause, then out of her mouth dropped two chilling words...

"Kaori Kaede..."

Weekly Despair Magazine - Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc

"Well, there you go," Mahiru smiled, "again, it might not be the most reliable, but that's probably who you're looking for."

"Wait...Kaede?" Monomi parroted, "isn't that...?"

"Yeah..." Makoto gulped, "I've definitely heard THAT name before..."

"I've done all I can for you for now," Mahiru added, "I don't want you throwing yourself into danger or anything, but know that whatever happens is not on me. Whatever you decide to do with the Broken Instruments, do NOT let it get back to me or Sato. Can I trust you on that?"

"Yes, you can..." Kyoko's deadpan expression showed she was in a similar mindset to the boy and the bunny, "that interview is as good as yours, Koizumi-san."

"I'll hold you to that, Kirigiri-san!" Mahiru nodded with a wry smile.

After finishing their drinks, Makoto and Kyoko left the Sunset bar and stood outside. It had now gotten very late, and the cold air brushed against their warm skin from the heat of the bar. Despite the hour, the streets were as busy as ever.

"Kaede..." Kyoko contemplated aloud once they had a moment of privacy, "now, that's a very familiar name that I wasn't expecting to hear."

"It's the surname of one of the first-year students; one of the ones in Shuichi's class," Makoto recalled, "I met her on the first day of the school year. She got lost on her way to the building, so I walked with her in the rain, and I've run into her a few times since."

"But isn't her name Kaede? Not Kaori?" Monomi asked, "I mean, sure it's a similar name, but it's still different enough. What's the meaning of this?"

"I can think of three different possibilities," Kyoko explained, "the first is that Kaede Akamatsu, is actually an alias, and Kaori is her real name. It would thereby mean the leader of the Broken Instruments has been right under our noses."

"It would make sense with the group's name too. After all, Kaede is the Ultimate Pianist." Monomi added.

"But that doesn't make much sense. If you're gonna make an alias, why not change the last name too?" Makoto mentioned, "plus, you couldn't exactly get away with a fake identity in Hope's Peak. You'd still have to use your real name with your student ID and handbook."

"Really?" Monomi asked. Makoto nodded.

"Monomi? Remember that girl who wears gothic clothing in our class? Celestia Ludenburg, the Ultimate Gambler?" he asked, "well, Celestia Ludenburg is actually a fake name she makes everyone use. Her real name is Taeko Yasuhiro."

"And if Kaede Akamatsu really was a fake name, I'd still find her listed as Kaori in the student profiles," Kyoko explained, "so that's unlikely as is. My second theory is that Kaori Kaede is somehow related to Kaede Akamatsu. Like a cousin, or a sister."

"I don't think Kaede ever mentioned having a sister," Makoto recalled, "we met her mother the other day in the park, but her name is Kirie. And from what I gathered, she's a very high-maintenance woman. I doubt she'd be leading gangs on the street."

"Right..." Kyoko nodded, "my third and final theory, is that Kaori Kaede shares a last name with Kaede Akamatsu by complete coincidence, and there's no real relationship between them. Kaede is hardly an uncommon name, but even so...I doubt there's no connection whatsoever."

"From the way things look, theory 2 is the most likely," Monomi stated, "but I wonder why Kaede never mentioned it?"

"Well...I don't know about you, but I don't think I'd be proud to mention it to my friends if Komaru was a ruthless street thug," Makoto pondered, "perhaps she's just ashamed or embarrassed."

"Why not ask Shuichi?" Kyoko suggested, "you'll need to talk to the others regardless, so the sooner the better, right?"

"Right!" Makoto nodded, swiftly taking out his phone. Kyoko did the same so she could aid in the conversation.

----------------------------------------------

PTChat

Makoto: We just finished up.

Toko: And?

Komaru: Yeah, what's the sitch?

Makoto: Shuichi, are you online?

Shuichi: Yes, I'm here. Is everything alright?

Kyoko: We just have a quick question to ask you.

Kyoko: Your classmate, Kaede Akamatsu.

Shuichi: Kaede?

Komaru: Wait, you mean that blonde chick with Shuichi in the park where they were totally digging into each other?

Shuichi: We were NOT!

Makoto: Not the time Komaru. This is serious.

Komaru: Oh. Sorry?

Kyoko: Do you know if she has any family?

Shuichi: Family?

Shuichi: From what she's told me, she lives alone with her mother. As she said when we met her in the park, Kirie is her manager and social operator for her stage performances.

Kyoko: She doesn't have a father?

Shuichi: I asked about that actually.

Shuichi: Kaede's father died three or so years ago.

Shuichi: He succumbed to a sudden heart attack.

Kyoko: Oh.

Kyoko: I'm very sorry to hear that.

Makoto: Me too.

Makoto: That's such a painful way to lose a family member.

Komaru: Our grandfather on our Mom's side of the family died of lung cancer. It happened very suddenly, and our Mom was distraught for months.

Komaru: Makoto and I were too young to really process what was happening, so we aren't as traumatized. But if this happened a few years ago, she would have been how old?

Toko: 12 years old I'm guessing. It is indeed brutal.

Kyoko: Regardless, we bring this up because Koizumi-san and her friend Sato-san delivered us some interesting news.

Makoto: Supposedly, the name of the Broken Instruments' leader is Kaori Kaede.

Shuichi: What!?

Toko: Kaori Kaede?

Komaru: That can't be a coincidence, can it?

Makoto: Kyoko suspects that Kaori Kaede is either related to Kaede Akamatsu, or Kaede is an alias she is using, and the Kaede Akamatsu we know is the one leading the Instruments.

Makoto: That, or this is a complete coincidence, but this is why we need to check.

Komaru: So what do we do now? Meet up and punch her name in the MetaNav?

Kyoko: Let's not be too hasty Komaru-san.

Kyoko: From what I understand, assuming this Kaori person has a Palace, we'll need more than just her name.

Shuichi: Yes, she's right. We'll also need to figure out where Kaori Kaede's Palace is, and what she thinks of it.

Shuichi: I'm going to try and question Kaede about it. In the meantime, the rest of you should do some investigation of your own.

Komaru: Alright, we'll meet up tomorrow to try and find something.

Komaru: Peace out for now.

Toko: It's a step in the right direction, but it's not enough.

Toko: We need to solve this case, and quickly.

Toko: For now, you three get home safe.

Makoto: Will do. See you guys tomorrow.

----------------------------------------------

"Hey! Wait up!"

Before they could leave, Makoto and Kyoko were stopped by a flustered Mahiru, who came running out of the bar after them. Monomi quickly dipped back in the bag for safety.

"What's wrong Koizumi-san?" Kyoko asked, "is something the matter?"

Mahiru shook her head, curling up her body and looking downtrodden all of a sudden.

"I just wanted to thank you again, for everything..." she awkwardly shuffled her feet, "honestly, I'm not very good at speaking with people without sounding high and mighty, especially boys...But really, you're doing me a massive favor with this. I'm sorry if I came off too harshly though, I need to work on that..."

"Huh? Oh, no, it's perfectly fine!" Makoto assured her, "I'm sure Kyoko's used to rough customers by now..."

"Yes, and believe me when I say you don't compare." she nodded.

"Good. Thanks for that," Mahiru sighed, forcing a smile, "honestly, I worry about the future. The Steering Committee doesn't like me writing about the Phantom Thieves, but as long as I reach my quota, they can't suppress the truth. I do wish I had more Phantom Thief information for the future because your interview's really only gonna cover two weeks at most. But I made a deal, and I won't bring it up again."

Makoto stopped for a moment, as something suddenly clicked in his mind. He flashed back the doors of Mementos and the reputation the Phantom Thieves had gained thus far, to the point they were being featured on the school papers.

Even their outside exploits had gotten public attention, and an article spearheaded by the Ultimate Photographer was certain to turn a few heads in the public.

This gave him a very good idea, which he then expressed to Mahiru.

"Say...Koizumi-senpai?" he asked, "why don't we cut ourselves our own deal?"

"A deal with you?" Mahiru raised her eyebrows, "what are you talking about?"

"If I was to offer you a constant supply of information on the Phantom Thieves' exploits, even ones that didn't go wholly public, what would you say?" he smirked. Mahiru's eyes lit up.

"What!? You can do that!? Why!? How!?"

"As a fan, I've been following their exploits...Though mainly out of habit and interest more than anything news-related," Makoto explained, "me and Fujisaki-chan both have, and we've been keeping track of their changes of heart and movements as they've gone along. Fujisaki created and runs the Phansite after all, so I help her when I can. Did you know that the recent scandal with Akira Saji was their doing too?"

"No, I didn't!" Mahiru exclaimed, "Was he left a calling card!?"

"Yep, that's how we knew," Makoto said, "so what say you? You want me to help out?"

"Well...I mean, I'm not gonna say no!" Mahiru beamed, "but...what do you get out of this?"

"Yeah, what DO you get out of this?" Monomi whispered, "Aren't you kind of giving yourself away?"

"Well, to be honest, I want more people to know the Phantom Thieves exist," Makoto said, "as we said before, the Steering Committee is trying to put the lid on Phantom Thieves-related information, but even people outside the academy read your papers. It would be really great if your stories could spread the news to the public eye, and raise awareness that these vigilantes are out there."

"Sorry, could you please give us a second?" Kyoko cut into this conversation and pulled Makoto away. Once they were out of earshot, she and Monomi rounded on him. "What exactly are you getting at here?" she asked, "why offer all that up?"

"The whole reason why we founded this team was to give people the hope and strength they need to rise above terrible people in power. That, and we need to increase our reputation if we're going to get to the bottom of Mementos," he explained, "remember? We need to change the public's opinion in order to unlock the lower levels."

"Oh, I get it!" Monomi's eyes twinkled with realization, "You want Mahiru-chan to write articles on us so we'll get more famous!"

"An article written by an Ultimate Student would certainly do the team justice," Kyoko pondered, "not a bad idea, all things considered."

"I understand there are risks involved, but it will also help me in another way," Makoto told them, "I can keep an eye on Koizumi-senpai and keep the newspaper club off our backs should they start getting suspicious."

"Is everything alright?" Mahiru called after them.

"Yes, we're fine! I'm just explaining it to them," Makoto rejoined her, "I'll be willing to do it, free of charge as well. So? Do we have a deal?"

"Yes! Yes of course! Thank you-Ahem!" Mahiru's eyes twinkled like an excitable little girl, but she quickly regained her bravado and stuck her nose to the sky, "I-I mean...Fine! In that case, I will send you messages calling you to the club room whenever I need content for a new story! You'd better have something ready and you'd BETTER arrive on time!"

"I will, I will," he assured her, "I'll do my best ma'am!"

I am thou...Thou art I...Thy hast acquired a new vow.

It shall become the wings of rebellion that breaketh thy chains of captivity.

With the birth of the High Priestess Persona, I have obtained the winds of blessing that shall lead to freedom and new power...

"Right," she pumped her arms and smirked, "in that case, I'd better get home."

"You live nearby, don't you?" Kyoko recalled, "have a safe journey home."

"Thanks. You two as well. See you both at school." Mahiru winked, going back inside the bar to grab Sato before she left, while they turned and headed back towards the station.

"I'll give you credit where it's due Makoto," Monomi said, "but also, I can't help but think you might have your work cut out for you with this one."

"Just another day on the job..." he shrugged.

Rise of the Ultimates - Danganronpa V3: Killing Harmony

Meanwhile, back at Hope's Peak Academy, Shuichi headed into the school and made his way to the music room. It was almost time to close up, and the students were supposed to be going back to their dorms for the night, but he had a mission.

To prepare for her recital at the Tokyo Dome, Kaede Akamatsu had been coming here every night for the past few weeks. Shuichi had noticed she had bags under her eyes from lack of sleep but also knew this was important to her, so hadn't tried to stop her.

Tonight though, he had a very important question to ask her, so he stepped into the music room and as he expected, found her playing piano.

Kaede's music was far too entrancing, even for someone who wasn't a fan of classical music or the piano. Shuichi couldn't help but let her finish her current number before his claps of applause got her attention. She jolted up, being so absorbed in her performance that she hadn't noticed him come in, and blushed slightly before standing up and jokingly bowing.

"Wonderful as always, Kaede," Shuichi smiled, "I guess all these late-nighters are worth it."

"I'd like to think so...I really don't want to let anyone at the Tokyo Dome down," Kaede nodded, "I'm actually really glad you're here...I didn't get a chance to find you and...tell you goodbye."

"Goodbye? Wh-What do you mean?" Shuichi asked, his stomach sinking.

"Huh? Oh, I-I don't mean goodbye forever!" she clarified, "it's just...the performance is coming up soon now, and my Mom's been struggling to get everything together. I'm gonna be moving out of the dorms for a while until I finish, and I'll be moving back into my family home with her. That will make things easier in the long run."

"I see...I'm glad I caught you then," Shuichi said, "it is almost time to close up, so..."

"Yeah, let me just grab my stuff," Kaede said, getting up and grabbing her backpack and other things, "thanks. I would have stayed past the clock and gotten in trouble if not for you."

Shuichi didn't know exactly how to segway into his question, but as Kaede finished packing and started to leave the classroom, he realized that subtlety was a foregone conclusion.

"Kaede, wait!" he exclaimed, "before you go, I have something to ask you!"

"Hehe...If you're about to ask for tickets to my performance, I can definitely get you some, Shuichi," Kaede winked, coming to a different conclusion, "if it's about a date though, I'm sorry, but it'll have to wait."

"N-No, that's not it! I mean...well...besides that!" Shuichi flustered, "I'm looking for someone! Kaori Kaede! Do you know who that is?"

Shuichi made an important note of Kaede's reaction. Her body stiffened, her eyes widened with worry, and her face went pale.

"How...How do you know that name...?" she asked quietly and nervously.

"I...well..." words were lost on Shuichi, but he started to panic, as Kaede grabbed the arms of her backpack and started to shuffle away.

"It's...It's not important...!" she cried, "d-don't ask about it again!"

"Kaede! KAEDE WAIT!" Shuichi failed to stop her, as she suddenly turned around, ducked down, and ran full-sprint away from him.

He didn't even bother chasing her. He just looked after her, his eyes filled with worry.

It looked like had hit the bullseye...

Chapter End Notes

Kaede, a character who's been lurking around since the beginning, is finally coming to the forefront of the story.
One thing I would like to mention with today's chapter is that the antagonist of this part of the story, Kaori Kaede, unlike Kaede's mother Kirie, is NOT my character.
The original Danganronpa V3 suggested the idea of Kaede potentially having a twin sister outside of the Killing Game. This is a prospect that has always interested me, especially since it's brought up so randomly and nothing really happened with it. So in my personal headcanon, in the real world that Danganronpa V3 took place within, Kaede DID have a real twin sister outside the Killing Game, but had a strenuous relationship with her, which is why she never came up in conversation; the same applying to the rest of her family.
The name and character of Kaori however, comes from and is loosely based on the personality of Kaori Kaede from Three-Point Shot. a Danganronpa V3 Alternate Universe fic where Kokichi Oma, partially out of curiosity and partially out of amusement, tampers with the crime scene of the first murder by picking up the shotput ball and throwing it back up to the top of the bookshelves. This sets off a chain reaction in which Shuichi carries out a crucial experiment that did not take place in the main game's investigation in Chapter 1, and he is able to uncover the vital evidence needed to clear Kaede's name as a suspect and save her from being executed. From that point on, the students are able to steer the Killing Game down a different path, and Kaori is a prominent character consistently referred to in the story.
I don't want to say any more than that at risk of potentially spoiling you from reading what is a VERY good fanfic. Instead, I will link the original work here for you to go and read for yourself. Kaori's personality in that fic is a tad different from how it is here, but she shares a name and a basic attitude with her: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10033658/chapters/22362095
Aside from that, we now officially have another confidant, and as everybody expected, Mahiru is essentially the Ohya of this story. However, unlike Ohya who takes her reporter job seriously, to Mahiru, it's a responsibility thrust on her that she doesn't really want. Nagito is also here, and we'll see more of him in the near future for sure.
Thanks for reading. I love to get feedback from my readers, so feel free to leave a comment, and some kudos if you feel up to it.

Of Two Sisters...

Chapter Summary

As the investigation into Kaori Kaede continues, the Phantom Thieves begin to learn more and more about the Kaede family, and the tragic life of Shuichi's classmate, Kaede.

Chapter Notes

See the end of the chapter for notes

DX Growth Plan - Danganronpa V3: Killing Harmony

----------------------------------------------

PTChat

Shuichi: So, I have some developments.

Shuichi: Kaede has moved out of the dorms for the time being to prepare for her recital at the Tokyo Dome. Before she left, I was able to speak with her about Kaori Kaede.

Shuichi: Well...I suppose "speak" isn't exactly right...

Komaru: What happened?

Shuichi: I brought up the name with her, and she responded in kind by panicking and running away.

Shuichi: Hardly a great way to say goodbye...

Kyoko: I'm sorry that happened to you Shuichi.

Kyoko: But on the plus side, at least we have confirmation that this Kaori Kaede does exist. AND that she and Kaede are connected somehow.

Makoto: And if we're to believe the rumors are true, she'll have a Shadow and a Palace.

Makoto: The question is where do we even start looking for it?

Komaru: Yeah, that's the real issue.

Komaru: Nobody knows who Kaori Kaede is, and the one person who might is out of our reach right now.

Komaru: Even we don't know what kind of person she is. We're kinda stuck, no matter how you look at it.

Toko: Komaru's right.

Toko: I doubt we can just throw random guesses at the app this time. We're gonna need a plan.

Kyoko: I do have one idea about that actually.

Kyoko: Unfortunately, it's very risky, and to be honest, I don't want you guys involved in it if things take a turn for the worst.

Komaru: You know we're not gonna abandon you, even though we know you can handle it.

Komaru: You came to us for help on this. That makes us a team. And we aren't about to leave a good friend and teammate in the dust.

Makoto: Komaru's right. Whatever it is, we'll be there, no matter how dangerous.

Komaru: I'm on a roll today!

Komaru: Toko and Makoto both like my ideas for once!

Makoto: Don't get used to it, dork.

Toko: My words exactly.

Shuichi: We're getting off-topic. What's the plan, Kyoko-sama?

Kyoko: My plan is pretty simple.

Kyoko: We do the same thing we did yesterday morning and stake out the Shibuya allies for the Broken Instruments.

Kyoko: Only this time, we name-drop Kaori Kaede.

Komaru: Namedrop her?

Makoto: So we basically tell them we know their boss personally, and that might get a different reaction out of them?

Kyoko: Based on the way crooks think, it's entirely possible. We have the information now.

Kyoko: But they very might well try to silence us, so I'll go alone and have the rest of you on backup follow me discreetly.

Kyoko: I know you can manage that Shuichi. Make sure you look after the rest.

Shuichi: You bet. Tailing infidelity suspects is my specialty.

Toko: That's...a very weird pride, but it checks out.

Makoto: Then we'll be counting on you.

Makoto: We have schoolwork and I have other things to do in the meantime, so we'll put the plan into action tomorrow evening.

Makoto: I'm assuming Kaori's goons know about our meeting spot in the park, so we'll need to gather somewhere else.

Komaru: Oh, that's right!

Komaru: This is the perfect time to announce it, but we've found a new place that we can use as a hideout! One that'll keep us out of public and let us meet together more casually and discreetly, where we don't need to worry about spies!

Shuichi: You finally found a place?

Kyoko: Then let's meet wherever that is.

Makoto: What did you have in mind?

Komaru: Ok...Drumroooollll...!

Komaru: Tell 'em Toko!

Toko: My house.

Shuichi: Your...house?

Toko: Yeah.

Toko: Like my personal off-campus home. It's an apartment in a complex near the school.

Makoto: I didn't even know you HAD a home off-campus.

Toko: To be honest, I didn't really think to bring it up.

Toko: I only ever go there on holidays or weekends. Or if I need to grab some extra supplies since all my old writing equipment is there.

Toko: Also, the building is decked out with a lot of interior security systems. Nothing like actual sci-fi laser traps or anything, but lots of bolts on the door and alarms too. Plus the walls are soundproof in and out.

Kyoko: I suppose you are the kind of person who likes to shut people out and stay in private.

Toko: Well, yeah, you aren't wrong, but the security system is actually less designed to stop people getting in, and more designed to keep myself getting out.

Toko: Back in the early days, I didn't have much control over Genocide Jack. She could break out of the apartment and kill anyone she wanted without me knowing.

Toko: But we don't share memories, so if I was to set up some traps, she wouldn't know how to solve them because she didn't witness me set them. Ever since I met Master Byakuya though, she's remained pretty tame, so I moved into the dorms to be closer to him.

Toko: But honestly, as cheap as the rent is for that crappy old place, it's still eating into my savings and I'm barely using the apartment for anything. So Komaru figured we should put it to good use and take advantage of its location and its quirks. We can turn the old place into the Phantom Thieves' official base of operations.

Komaru: I call it..."THE THIEVES DEN!"

Toko: Oh, and in case it wasn't obvious, I live alone. I cut all ties with my parents years ago and used the money from my books to buy an apartment of my own. We don't have to worry about being unpleasantly interrupted.

Shuichi: That's actually a very good idea!

Komaru: Yes, I'm three for three!

Toko: You still need Monomi and Kyoko's approval though.

Makoto: Message from Monomi - "Komaru always has my approval! She's a wonderful person really, even if she is a little scatterbrained."

Komaru: AAAWW~!

Komaru: Makoto! Give Monomi a kiss for me!

Makoto: Kiss her yourself when you see her next.

Kyoko: Can we please focus?

Makoto: Sorry!

Komaru: Sorry!

Kyoko: Well, if it's approval you're seeking, I think coming across this apartment was a stroke of good luck.

Kyoko: Send me the postcode for this "Thieves Den" and I'll be with you on the day.

Makoto: Good to hear!

Makoto: Let's do this Phantom Thieves! BANZAI!

Komaru: BANZAI!

Shuichi: Banzai!

Toko: Banzai!

Kyoko: Banzai.

Confession ~Secret - Persona 5

"A heart attack? And so suddenly too...

"I can barely imagine what his family is going through right now."

"Kirie-chan must be distraught...And what of Kaede and her sister? Leaving behind his wife and two daughters..."

"It's so heartbreaking."

For as long as she could remember, Kaede Akamatsu had loved playing the piano. When she was just a baby, she would play the thing for hours whenever she was bored.

As she got older, that love didn't change. She would play the piano and practice songs so much that she would forget to eat or sleep. Eventually, she won trophies from concerts, and the praise people gave her is what caught Hope's Peak Academy's attention.

But the life of the Ultimate Pianist was not so blissful. At least not in recent times. No matter how hard she tried to shut the illness out, and stay positive, the scene replayed in her mind over and over again.

It had been years since Kai Kaede passed away. But the effects of his death and the impact it had on her family had remained strong even now. These memories, combined with the regret of running away from Shuichi without providing him any answers, caused her some restlessness.

What's Going On? - Persona 5

"Kaede! Kaede, wake up!"

Which wasn't helped by how the next morning, she awoke to the view of her mother grasping her by the shoulders and shaking her awake, her face panicked and desperate.

"Oh thank god, you're finally up!" she sighed, "come on! We're going to be late for your first practice today!"

"M-Mom...sorry, please don't shake me though..." Kaede rolled out of bed, shaking off her fatigue

"Oh for goodness sake, your hair is a mess! I'm surprised you even bothered to put pajamas on!" Kirie sucked air through her teeth, "I will not have you falling into a pathetic sleep schedule all so you can go out there in the Tokyo Dome with bags under your eyes to ruin your pretty face! Get dressed, come down for breakfast, and brush your teeth, chop chop!"

"Y-Yes Mom!" Kaede stood to attention and quickly began pulling clothes out of her drawers. Kirie glared at her.

"Don't tell me you didn't even bother ironing clothes yesterday evening!?" she snapped.

"I didn't have time! I got home and went straight to bed!" Kaede exclaimed, "Like you told me to!"

"But setting out and ironing clothes for the morning is a given-Ugh, never mind! Just give them here! I'll do it!" she snatched the clothes off Kaede, taking a quick look at them, then dumping the shirt because it didn't match with the shorts. Kaede shook her head as Kirie dug a matching shirt out of the drawer.

"Mom, surely it doesn't matter?" Kaede said, "I'm going to be wearing my performance dress today anyway. What does it matter what I'm-"

"It matters because I must make you look representable in front of the guests of honor and the managers of the Dome! If they see you show up with un-ironed clothes and messy hair, they'll break our contract on the spot!" Kirie snapped, "do you have your recital sheets?"

"No, I just-"

"WHY NOOOOOT!?" Kirie shrieked, cutting Kaede off massively. Kaede shut her lips, afraid to follow up with anything. Kirie rolled her eyes as she dug through Kaede's room for the pages. "For crying out loud! I feel like I'm the only one taking this seriously!"

"Mom, come on!" Kaede exclaimed, "you can't blame me; I've been busy too!"

"Busy prancing around with your little friends and playing around in the park more like!" Kirie snapped back, "Listen! Once this performance goes live, you'll have more friends and fans than you know what to do with! You won't need them after this!"

"I will not! Don't talk about them like I'm automatically better than them!" Kaede cried, "they matter to me! What I have with my classmates at Hope's Peak is a real friendship, not some alliance of people wanting to make use of my talent and connections!"

"So...it's friends over family, is it?" Kirie accused. Kaede gasped.

"How could you even say that!?"

"Because I simply cannot fathom what is so blasted important about these dear "friends" of yours, that you'd forego this incredible opportunity!

HOW ARE YOU SO INCOMPETENT!?"

Desire for Execution - Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc

Kirie's words were like a knife to the chest, and Kaede froze in place, tears forming at the corners of her eyes.

It was happening all over again...and through no fault of her own...

Kirie suddenly noticed Kaede's tears, and it was only here the gravity of what she'd actually said came down on her. The feeling of regret and shame was overwhelming, and her body started to shake.

"I-I'm so sorry!" she pleaded, "I-I should have said that! I'm just...I...I'm sorry..."

Kirie leaned down and took her young girl by the shoulders. She stared into her dark purple eyes with her own.

"Listen Kaede...What's coming up is probably the most important performance of your life. If we plan to make it anywhere in the world, we need to take this seriously. I am willing to work hard until my muscles falter and my bones crack if it means making this work...But I can't do it without you."

She lowered her head.

"Kaori...made her choice...She's going to have to live with that decision," the lady trembled, "I'm sorry for my harsh words I...I just don't want you to end up like her...I don't want you to waste the amazing talent you have, and I want you to show the world what our family is made of. You understand, right?"

"...Yes..." Kaede whispered, nodding.

Kirie wrapped her arms around her daughter and hugged her. She then released her and stood up straight.

"I have no intention of separating you from your beloved friends. I'm not that cruel," she said, "but for the time being, I need you to forget about your classmates, and put your full attention on this performance. You'll be free to do whatever you want once you achieve our goals. Is that alright?"

"Yes..." Kaede whispered again, hiding the uncertainty in her voice.

"Good," Kirie rubbed her cheek with her hand, "now then. Find those sheets, brush your hair, and come down for your clothes and breakfast. We need to get a move on."

Kirie left the room, leaving Kaede in a state of perpetual frustration...But she held her tongue and did as she was told.

Today...she was going to get through to her...To Kaori...

"Alright, so you all remember the plan," Kyoko told the thieves once they had finished their meeting at their new "Thieves Den", "I'm going to go into the alley alone and confront the Broken Instruments. I'm going to leave my phone on the whole time so you can track me and record my conversation with Kaede. Stay on the line and follow me if you can, but keep a safe distance."

"Got it," Shuichi nodded, "just leave it to us."

"What happens if things turn bad?" Toko asked, "Do we stand much of a chance against a group like this?"

"It's not my intention to make you fight them," she said, "Kaede might just feel threatened if I have a group behind me, but I intend to get the most out of her that I can. So until I give a signal, keep a safe distance."

"Good luck Kyoko!" Monomi squeaked. Kyoko nodded and made her leave.

A few minutes passed and Shuichi waited until he got a call from Kyoko. The rest of the thieves huddled around him, listening out for what she was saying.

"Isn't this plan a little risky?" Komaru whispered, "What if Kaori just attacks her or takes her hostage or something?"

"Kyoko is still with the cops," Makoto reminded her, "she can't be stupid enough to do that, surely?"

"Quiet!" Toko spat, "what if they hear you over the line!?"

Makoto and Komaru silenced themselves as they listened on the other end of the call. Within a few seconds, they heard a different voice than the one they were expecting.

A Dead-End to the Ocean's Aroma - Danganronpa 2: Goodbye Despair

[Aw, it's you again!? How many times do we have to tell you? Go! Away!]

Makoto couldn't fully recognize it through the distortion, but he did quickly connect the dots that the voice belonged to the shrimp he had met the other day, who told him to stay away.

[Listen...] Kyoko's voice spoke next, [I'll say again I'm not here to stir up trouble. I'm here on an investigation and I need you to take me to your boss...To Kaori Kaede.]

There was silence for a moment.

[How the fuck do you know her name...!?] another gruff voice was overheard.

[I did a little digging. If I'm going to seek an audience with someone, I should at least know their name. I figured I could meet her personally if I came to Central Street, so would you be so kind as to take me to her?]

[Dammit...Yo, can someone give the boss a call or some shit? I dunno what to do...]

"She's on Central Street!" Shuichi affirmed, "Let's get a move on!"

With his instigation, the rest of the thieves moved in unison in the direction of central Shibuya, with Shuichi keeping the line open the whole time so the Thieves could overhear the conversation.

[Hey, just rang the boss. She said she'll see you.]

[Fine. Grab your bike and let her ride on back. You! Get on the back of her bike!]

[You had better be serious about taking me to her.]

[Just get on the fucking bike dude!]

"I hear motorcycle engines!" Monomi exclaimed, her ears wiggling, "there! By that alley!"

Makoto darted towards the alley she pointed to with her nose, and sure enough, he saw three bikes take off down the alley onto the main road. Though she had been provided a helmet, Kyoko's ghost-lavender hair and purple uniform were recognizable from a distance. She rode on the back of a bike with a female grunt on the pedal.

[You know it's actually illegal to have two people ride on a motorcycle?]

[Then I might as well kick you off! Do you wanna see the boss or not?]

"Shit!" Toko snapped as they sped off, "How are we gonna catch up to them like this!?"

"Don't worry. My phone has an application that allows me to track people through GPS. They may be faster, but they likely aren't going far. If we avoid the busy streets, we can catch up!" Shuichi explained.

He didn't wait for a response as he turned and started making a run down the alley, following the supposed signal on his phone. The rest of the thieves followed him in kind. As they kept up to him, Makoto could still hear Kyoko's voice through the line. She was likely still talking to make sure the others could still hear her.

[Mind telling me where we're going?]

There was no response.

[I'm asking you where we're going.]

[And I heard. You'd better be grateful you're a cop, otherwise I'd have put you under the wheel to shut you up,] spat back the voice of the female biker, [I'm taking you to Kaori, so just shut up and wait.]

"Hey...They stopped...!" Shuichi exclaimed, "Their signal is 4 streets away, we should be able to catch up with them!"

"Good! Don't stop moving gang...!" Komaru hushed back.

On the other end of the line, the bikers escorting Kyoko parked in the middle of the alley. With a frown on her face, Kyoko removed her helmet and climbed off the bike, the location where she found herself looked like a path into an empty lot in the middle of several buildings.

"Where have you taken me?" she glared.

"Where you asked," the pint-sized biker kid snapped back, "to see the boss."

Kyoko tutted. She was rather hoping that the bikers would take her to a proper location, like a house. Instead, they led her down into an empty lot connected to the Shibuya alleys.

"This is our usual haunt," the female biker growled, "we don't have much of a choice but to take you here, but try not to cause trouble."

"How much trouble could one cause in a desolate plot of land?" she observed. The girl responded by clicking her tongue.

Once Kyoko fully stepped into the lot, she took a quick, discreet look around her. Aside from the three that were accompanying her, there were at least another 4 crooks casually leaning against the trash, as well as a 5th who sat in the middle on what appeared to be a throne of junk and bricks.

One would assume that this person was the group leader. However, given what information Kyoko already knew, she knew it was a red herring. Kaori Kaede was a girl after all, and this thug most assuredly wasn't.

"So...your leader just lets anyone use her big chair?" Kyoko asked, crossing her arms, "I thought you said you were taking me to her."

"They did. I'm right here..."

*WHAAM!*

"UGH!"

Kyoko was caught unpleasantly off guard as something hard smashed straight into her center back, knocking her to her knees! She collapsed on all fours, then felt a tightening, as the same person that hit her grasped her firmly by the back of her neck.

Kyoko turned her head as far as she could to see her attacker, and her eyes widened in shock. It was a young woman of above average height, who had smooth ash-blonde hair, reaching just under her chin, the edges somewhat curved outwards to each side. Her hair was messy and her bangs hung low over her eyes, ungracefully swept aside behind her ears. Her eyes were tilted inward a little and were framed by quite long and pronounced upper and lower eyelashes, and her eyes were colored a sort of purplish-brown.

She looked almost EXACTLY like Kaede Akamatsu.

"B-Boss!" the pint-sized blonde boy staggered back, equally as surprised by the sudden assault, "I-I'm so sorry! The copper said she knew your name and we kinda figured we had to-"

"Don't worry Toshiro, I'm not pissed at you about that," the girl, presumably Kaori Kaede, suddenly grabbed Kyoko's wrist, "I just wanted to grab this...!"

Kyoko was unable to defend herself as Kaori twisted her wrist and forced her to drop her phone. She then shoved Kyoko to the floor and picked the mobile device up, checking the screen. Once some distance had been put between them, Kyoko got a better look at the girls' clothes. She was wearing a white and pink, slightly dirty, varsity jacket, a black crop top underneath it, and a pair of tight-fitting, torn denim pants. Over her shoulder, she slung a rusted iron pipe, presumably the tool she had just been hit with.

"Heh...I figured as much," she gripped Kyoko's phone, "this is a long-ass phone call. Who is it, your boyfriend?"

Kyoko didn't respond. She just glared at her attacker with shaded eyes. Kaori was not even the least bit intimidated and simply rolled hers.

"That's fine...I can just ask them instead," she lifted the phone up and turned on the speaker, "you're listening on the other end, aren't you?"

As she had expected, on the other end of the line, the Phantom Thieves had heard everything that had been going on. And naturally, they were panicking.

"KYOKO!" Makoto exclaimed, "What did you do to her!?"

[Oh relax, she's fine. I only gave her a gentle love tap.] Kaori spat from the other end of the line, [though, I bet you guys didn't expect me to actually attack her, did you? You miscalculated me, that much is for sure. I'm not that brainless to assume the detective wouldn't be having her little spy tools. I know you've been snooping around on us, I know you've been on the call the whole time listening in, and I know you're tracking my location. So I say...come and get me...!]

"Don't you dare touch her!" Komaru spat through the speaker.

[That's gonna depend on you guys,] Kaori threatened, [you get 5 minutes. Get over here and show your faces to me, or else.]

"Or else what!?" Shuichi snarled, "Don't write checks that your mouth can't cash!"

[Oh! Oh! Oh, SCARY!] Kaori mocked, [I dunno! I'll strip her naked and post naked pictures of her on the internet!? Just hurry the fuck up!]

The call ended there.

"We need to go! NOW!" Makoto exclaimed, wasting no time and running ahead. The other thieves called out to him as he did, but he didn't stop to listen.

Ultra Terrified Girl - Danganronpa Another Episode: Ultra Despair Girls

On the other end of the line, Kaori casually tossed the phone back to Kyoko, then took her place on her throne, dropping her pipe next to her. The thug who was sitting there originally moved and provided her with a stick of bubblegum, which she popped into her mouth and started chewing loudly.

Kyoko, with no one restraining her anymore, grabbed her phone and stood up, still a little dazed and sore from the blow, but standing perfectly fine.

"You know, I don't know whether to be flattered or annoyed that you went so far just to seek an audience with me." Kaori shrugged, still chewing.

"I'm here for an investigation. Not to seek an audience," Kyoko asserted, "I have some questions for you."

"Well, I would love casually just...sit down, chat over some tea and cake, and talk the day away but...I don't want to!" Kaori scoffed, "and don't think you can force the answers out of me either. Regardless of your job or not, following and tracking down someone without permission or their knowledge is called stalking; a crime that I think WARRANTS a pipe to the spine! I don't wanna fight, but try anything funny and I'll go military on yo' bitch ass."

"I didn't think I could, considering your own men would go so far as to cut out their own tongues to cover for you," Kyoko readjusted her glove and dusted herself off, "either they're extremely loyal and trusting of you, or you've got your metaphorical hand wrapped tightly around their throats."

The alleyway was dimly lit, but Kyoko could still see that Kaori's face visibly soured with these words. Her brow furrowed and she stopped chewing for a split second.

"Do I look like some kinda man-slaughtering slumlord to you?" she pouted, "these guys might be fucking dumbasses, but they are my pals. If anything, I'm actually grateful you stopped that dumbass. I'm as blown away by his idiocy as you are."

She suddenly pulled her sleeve down to look at a watch on her wrist.

"Hm...The clock's ticking...A few more minutes and you'll become a porn star, Ms Kirigiri." she smirked.

"Shame...I was actually beginning to think you had some honor to you," Kyoko snarled, "that is...assuming you mean what you say. In fact, I dare you to try to lay a hand on me."

"Wasn't that difficult earlier," Kaori shrugged, "but since you're literally asking for it...Fine. Dare accepted!"

"KYOKO!"

The Broken Instrument members started to close in on the detective, Makoto suddenly came dashing in from the corner of the empty lot, followed closely by Shuichi, Komaru, and Toko.

"Ah shit..." Kaori sighed, "so close...!"

"Kyoko!" Makoto hurried over to her and took her by the arm, "are you alright!?"

"Yes, I'm fine...A little sore, but I can walk that off." she rubbed her shoulder, turning her attention back to Kaori as the others joined her. Seeing her for the first time, the Phantom Thieves took a good look at her, while she simply scowled back.

"The resemblance between her and Kaede is uncanny...!" Monomi whispered, "Are we certain they're not the same person?"

"They couldn't be..." Komaru frowned, "Well...I guess it's not impossible."

Kaori's attention was suddenly turned away from Kyoko, and instead towards Shuichi.

"Wait a second...I recognize you...!" she gasped.

"Huh? Y-You do?" Shuichi stammered.

"Well, you have been featured on the news in recent times," Makoto recalled, "so maybe she just recognizes you."

Suddenly, one of the thugs hurried up to Kaori and whispered in her ear, her eyes widening with realization.

"No, no, that's not it...No...I remember now..." Kaori's expression darkened again, "you're that detective bitch boy that was with...Yeah..."

"Huh? With who...!?" Shuichi exclaimed, "do you mean...Kaede?"

There were some disgruntled and tense mumblings from the other thugs. Kaori stood up from her trash throne, grabbed her pipe, and approached him.

Instinctively, and sensing the danger, both Kyoko and Makoto moved over to block Kaori's path toward Shuichi. Toko and Komaru then followed their example.

"So that's what this is all about," Kaori's grip on her pipe tightened, "you were sent here by the bitchqueen herself! I knew she was desperate to seek my attention, but to go out of her way to hire detectives to come after me!? How delirious can you get!?"

"What are you even talking about!?" Makoto exclaimed, "We were only following after you because of the rumors we heard, and we wanted to investigate for the sake of people who might be in danger!"

"F-F-Forgive me for stating the obvious, b-but you just whacked our f-f-friend with a pipe," Toko stammered, though she did her best to compose herself, "you're n-not exactly the f-friendliest person we've c-come across!"

"We didn't come to pick a fight," Kyoko asserted, "but we still need answers. Like it or not, you are at the center of a rather important conspiracy right now that is directly affecting our school."

"Yeah, well, what else is new?" Kaori shrugged, "I only pulled you guys over here so I could remember your faces for the future. Don't bother trying to blacklist me either, I've already got those receipts. Now get out of my sight and don't come back."

"Hey! Wait a second!" Shuichi snapped, "didn't you hear us!? We're not finished yet!"

"Well too bad. I am. Suck me," Kaori jeered.

"Hey boss," the female grunt who had carried Kyoko to the lot nudged her with her elbow, "ain't it kinda rude of 'em to just barge in here and think they can boss us around? I say we show 'em what's what

"Careful Veronika. We'd probably get in a lot of trouble if we assaulted dudes connected with the police," Kaori pondered, "but then again, we already asked nicely. It won't be on us if we have to get a little...physical..."

Kaori palmed her pipe, and the girl named Veronika pounded her fists together, clearly itching for a fight.

*Dammit...!* Makoto thought, *this is the worst possible outcome by far!*

"H-Hold on a second!" Toko shrieked, "w-we're not seriously gonna fight these people!?"

"I'd rather that than let myself get walloped!" Komaru cried.

"EVERYBODY STOP!"

The tension was immediately cut through as someone from the exit of the lot suddenly shouted out to them. Kaori and her goons backed off as said person came running into the alleyway and stood in front of her, blocking her from her advance toward them.

"Oh...so you finally showed yourself..." Kaori sucked air through her teeth, "Kaede..."

Heaven of Almost Hell - Danganronpa V3: Killing Harmony

"Kaede!?" Makoto exclaimed, getting a better look at their unexpected savior. Sure enough, the figure was unmistakably that of Kaede Akamatsu, the Ultimate Pianist.

"What are you doing!?" she exclaimed, "why are you attacking my friends!?"

"Well, to be honest, it was to lure you out of hiding. I had a sneaking suspicion that they were here on your behalf," the punk girl shrugged, "guess I was wrong?"

"Very wrong!" the other girl exclaimed, "what do you think would have happened if you'd assaulted them because of your assumption!? You'd be attacking innocent people!"

"No one's completely innocent," Kaori spat back, "besides, they're the ones who were seeking me out. I was just trying to get them to go away."

"Is...Is that true...?" Kaede turned around, letting the rest of the thieves get a look at her panicked expression. With both people now standing next to one another, the similarities between them were undeniable. Really, the only significant difference between the two girls was that Kaori's hair was slightly shorter, and her eyes were a slightly different color.

"Ok, I'm seriously confused now..." Komaru clutched her head, "what is going on? Why are you here? And why does it look like there's two of you!?"

"Well, there's an obvious answer," Shuichi chimed in, "you two are identical twins, aren't you?"

"Yep...this moron is my twin sister," Kaori jabbed her thumb towards her, "and like your typical doting sister, she never gives me my space."

"Who's a moron!?" Kaede snapped back, "At least I don't go strutting around town making casual threats, acting like I'm better than everybody else, and making trouble!"

"Oh boy..." the young man Toshiro sighed, "here we go again..."

"No, of course you don't," Kaori stuck out her tongue, "you're a wonderful fairy princess to everybody else. Meanwhile, I'm the grumpy old troll who lives under the bridge. And this whole stuff about you not acting like you're better than everybody else? That's laughable..."

"It does shock me just how parallel you two are to each other," Kyoko chimed in, "despite being twins."

"Well of course we're not the same," Kaori bared her fangs at the girl, "I was never Mommy's favorite."

"Kaori, please!" Kaede begged, "Just...stop this...!"

"You "stop this!" You're the one who keeps coming back to bug me!" Kaori snapped, "if this really doesn't have anything to do with you, just leave it alone. It isn't your problem."

"The hell it's not! What is wrong with you!?" Kaede cried, "can't you see I'm just trying to put out the fire!?"

"Dammit Kaede!" Kaori was gradually getting more and more pissed, "I don't have time to deal with you! Why do you have this...tunnel vision, thinking you have the right to help me!? I can sort out my own shit without you! I've been doing well for myself so far!"

"Because no matter what might have happened, you're still my sister!" Kaede asserted, "And I still care about you! And I know you still care about me somewhere, even if it's deep down!"

Kaori paused for a moment, calming down and even lowering her pipe until it touched the ground. She stood silently for a moment before she raised an interested eyebrow.

"Is that right?"

Kaede nodded sporadically, but Kaori instead looked over her shoulder towards Shuichi.

"Hey, bitch boy!" she called out to him, "you're classmates with Kaede, right?"

"Huh? Um...yes, that's right..." he affirmed.

"Tell me...Did she ever mention to you that she had a loving twin sister?" Kaori inquired, "Did she ever mention me to you or any of your other friends?"

Moon on the Water - Danganronpa V3: Killing Harmony

Shuichi's tongue got caught in his mouth. So he ended up saying nothing. Just looking guilty.

"Yeah, I didn't think so..." Kaori's tone of voice was not only frustrated but depressed as well, "you don't give a shit about me. And why should you? You have it made in the world Kaede. I'm just street trash that our mother is trying to clean up."

"You KNOW that's not true!" Kaede clamored.

"And YOU know that's a TOTAL LIE! You're LYING to yourself!" Kaori bit back, "Kaede, listen...You're living the high life now...And I'm living a life that I'm actually not too upset with, at least not when you or that woman are poking around it. We might be sisters, but the idea of codependence honestly revolts me. What I do with my life is none of your business."

This time, it was Kaede's turn to pause.

"None of my business...? Really? We've been by each other's sides literally since we were born, but now this is none of my business?" she clenched her fist.

"Damn straight," Kaori said back calmly, "leave this place. It's way too dirty for that lovely dress of yours. And shouldn't you be practicing for that upcoming recital?"

Kaori was about to turn around and walk back to her trash throne, but what Kaede said next made her stop in her tracks.

"Dad never did like it when we argued," she sobbed, "he wouldn't like how we're treating each other now."

Kaori turned back towards her sister and stared at her with a look of spite and malice...!

"Who cares what Dad thinks anymore...Dad is DEAD..." she spat, "and as far as I'm concerned...You and Mom are dead to me as well...!"

Surprisingly, but also not so surprisingly, there were some uncomfortable murmurs from the Broken Instruments following Kaori's words. Kaede's expression was hidden from the Phantom Thieves, but the trembling in her body said it all.

To everyone's surprise, it was Shuichi who stepped forward.

"How can you even SAY that!?" he glowered, his face red with anger, "I don't want to make assumptions about what's going on with your family, but they clearly want you to come back home! How could you speak so ill of your own deceased father like that!?"

"My "FAMILY" has never been there for me when I needed them! Kaede and Kirie are only chasing me because it's inconvenient for them not to have me on a leash!" Kaori spat, "you wanna know what REALLY happened, bitch boy?"

Shuichi didn't respond, nor did anyone else, so Kaori merely continued.

"When our dad died, my mother and sister became obsessed with rebuilding our life without him, no matter what it took us to do it. Kaede, fortunately, happened to be very talented at playing piano, having the charm, friendliness, and capability that was given to her by birth. I guess one could say she won the gene lottery," she glowered, "so when the tough times came, my mother did whatever she could to bring those talents to the world, and what did I get? Indignance...Destitution...Abandonment...THAT'S what I got. So I left...And I never had any intention of looking back. I won't return to a family that DOESN'T love me..."

The empty lot was painfully silent. Kaori finally turned around and sat back on her throne, calmly, but seriously.

"So as you can imagine, I don't take kindly to said family barging into my life again and telling me what to do!" she spat, "of course, you wouldn't understand that. You're all Ultimates too. You wouldn't understand how it feels to be kicked down and deemed useless."

"That's not true...I'm not an Ultimate, and I've been in that exact situation. Still, I never treated it like you did..." Komaru stepped forward, "and I'll tell you this much. I would rather be worthless...than be like you..."

Kaori actually considered her words for a moment. Her face relaxed and she leaned calmly against her seat. The other members of her gang also backed off in kind.

"I'm in even less of a mood to talk now than I was before..." she sighed, "I'm...I'm not gonna hurt you so...Just leave me alone..."

"But-" Makoto tried to say something, but Kyoko grabbed his arm.

"We just narrowly avoided conflict," she told him, "don't make things worse again."

Makoto accepted this demand. He grabbed Komaru's shoulder and prompted her to leave the lot with them. Komaru followed, then so did Toko. Kaede seemed reluctant, but Shuichi walked over, grabbed her hand, and began to lead her away.

"Kaede..." Kaori called out one more time before her sister left. Kaede, with a smattering of hope still left in her, immediately turned around.

"Yes?" she asked.

"You think you're doing a good thing here. You think you're the hero, while I'm the big bad bully who terrorizes people just because I hang around in the alleys and carry a pipe," Kaori snarled, "come back again, and WILL BE THAT BULLY...!"

Kaede's morale was completely shot. Shuichi shot Kaori a glare before he wrapped his arm around her shoulder and escorted Kaede out. Kaori for her part, slumped back and clutched her aching head.

"Hey...I'm really sorry you had to see all of that," Kaede shuffled awkwardly once the group left the alleyway and returned to safety, "I really didn't want you getting caught up in our family issues..."

"I had no idea it was THAT BAD..." Komaru remarked, "I know you've had some struggles recently but...Jesus..."

"We're really sorry Kaede...No...Kaede," Makoto apologized, "this didn't really have anything to do with you. We just stumbled in there on separate business and things just fell into place one by one."

"Actually, what even are you doing here?" Toko asked.

"To be honest, ever since Shuichi brought up Kaori's name, I was worried he was going after her. I knew where she was, so I was hoping to show up and defuse the situation if they ended up butting heads," Kaede admitted, "but...it didn't turn out the way I had hoped."

"So you knew where your sister was the whole time?" Kyoko asked.

"I didn't want to be the one to betray her if she ever ended up in trouble with the police," Kaede explained, "which is kind of why I never told anyone else I had a twin sister. Sorry about that."

"What trust could you have possibly betrayed?" Toko growled, "she clearly HATES you."

"Toko!" Komaru smacked her arm.

"Oh!" Toko exclaimed, realizing how rude she sounded, "s-sorry, that was..."

"It's alright Fukawa-senpai. It wasn't a good look for either of us back there," Kaede nodded, "but I want you all to know one thing. My sister is NOT a bad person. She talks a big game, but she would never willingly hurt anyone without thinking about it."

"We only went after her because she's a prime suspect in a harassment case I'm following," Kyoko explained, "we believe she and her group are blackmailing people, including students at our school, to make them do her dirty work for her."

"Well, that's a hunk of bullcrap!" Kaede asserted, "she would NEVER do something like that!"

"I...don't know Kaede..." Komaru scratched her face, "I know you trust your sister, but she's not exactly...y'know...the most welcoming person..."

"In fact, she hit Kyoko-sama with her pipe while she was unguarded and even threatened to blackmail her when she first arrived," Shuichi explained, "she never actually followed up on that though..."

"Like I just said. She talks a big game, but that's all," Kaede stammered, "I-I'm...I...I'm sorry...Would you mind terribly so if I borrowed your ears for a second?"

"Of course not." Makoto gestured for her to sit down on a brick wall next to them. Kaede sat on the wall while Komaru and Shuichi sat on either side of her. Makoto, Toko, and Kyoko remained standing.

"You guys already probably know this, but when things started out, we were a family of four. Me, my sister, Kaori, my Mom, Kirie, and my Dad, Kai..." she began, "My Dad was actually the leader of many political and human rights movements, but three years ago now, he died of a terminal illness...His death was...rough for us all. We basically depended on him back then, so when he died so suddenly we were...we were left in a tight spot. The one saving grace we had at the time was my talents and training as a pianist."

"So you continued down that path and your mother became your advisor because she thought that would get them out of your situation?" Makoto asked.

"My mother was actually a rather well-known news anchor back in the day, but she was let go when she became pregnant with Kaori and me. She kind of struggled to find work even after we were old enough," she said, "with our father gone, there wasn't much left, so we did what we had to. I was fine with it if it meant supporting my family, but really I was just playing the piano because I enjoyed it. I wasn't planning on fame and fortune. Heck, I didn't even expect that I would get into Hope's Peak."

"You're just trying to relieve the burden on your family," Kyoko nodded, "I don't think there's anything wrong with that."

"At first, there wasn't...but...my mother unfortunately had this vision for myself and her success that...she kind of put Kaori to the side. There's a saying that goes "Of two sisters one is always the watcher, one the dancer," and for us, that's most definitely the case," Kaede confessed, "for a while after Dad passed, Mom just stopped caring about anything. She wouldn't get out of bed in the morning, nor would she eat, even if we insisted. She stopped caring about herself, and even after she finally awoke from that slump, Kaori figured she no longer cared about her. It is true that after that event, my mother changed as a person. Then one day, she made her stance clear..."

"What happened?" Shuichi asked. Kaede scoffed pathetically.

"Do you know why Kaori named her group the Broken Instruments?" Kaede asked, "It's in homage to how on the day she left the house, she destroyed my favorite grand piano that we kept in our garage...The one that Dad bought me that I would always practice on."

"That's horrible...!" Komaru gasped.

"Mom and I were furious at the time, but when I realized what it was she was going through, I understood her frustration..." Kaede said, "So she gave her group that name to remind herself never to look back at what she had done, and live with her decisions."

"What about Kirie?" Makoto asked.

"Mom, unlike me, never really forgave Kaori," she said, "she believes Kaori made her choice and...we should leave things be between us. Basically, she got unofficially disowned."

"But you never gave up on her, did you?" Shuichi asked with a smile, "that's just like you. You never give up. You know what's important to you."

"Thank you Shuichi. Yes, you're right," Kaede smiled back, "even though I don't agree with the path my sister has taken, I completely understand her. And I want you to understand that Kaori would never really go out of her way to cause chaos or hurt anyone. She just wants to be left alone herself and to live a life separate from us. But I keep chasing after her because I love her and want to reconnect somehow..."

"And you've been trying to do this for years now?" Toko asked, "You're persistent."

"I'll admit, I did give up for a while and focused my time on helping me and my Mom get by. Really, she was the only person I had left," Kaede said, "but recently, things have changed, and I'm trying to fix things again. I owe that decision to the Hope's Peak Phantom Thieves."

Everyone became alerted by these words.

"The Phantom Thieves?" Makoto said, "What do they have to do with this?"

"They showed me that even when life kicks you down, and even when there are people taking control of others lives and imposing their will on you, there's always going to be someone out there that stands by your side and will help you overcome that obstacle," Kaede said, "I want to become a figure like that, not just for my sister, but for everybody. I want to be the kind of girl people can depend on, instead of simply being a girl who likes the piano a little too much."

"Kaede..." Makoto couldn't help but smile, "I think you're already a shining example of that person. Even after what we just went through, you're still completely honest and unashamed to state your true feelings."

Kaede however, hung her head and smiled sadly.

"Yeah...Maybe that's to my detriment though," she said, standing up again before any of them could ask what he meant, "listen though. I won't tell you to drop the case with my sister, but I want you to know that I believe in her innocence. Whatever sort of harassment or extortion you're accusing her of, she's not behind it. There has to be something else."

"And can you prove that?" Kyoko asked. Kaede shook her head.

"No, of course not...But know that I'm taking her side, even if she hates me for it..." she asserted, "I have to go...If Mom finds out where I've been, she won't be happy."

"Do you want me to walk you home?" Shuichi asked. Kaede chuckled.

"I think she'll be even less happy if you did that," she said, "she kind of banned me from having friends around before my show so I can focus on recitals."

"Oh...sorry..." Shuichi was notably downtrodden. Kaede just patted him on the shoulder.

"Still, thanks for coming to my defense back there," she said, "you're a good guy. I'll see you at school, alright?"

Shuichi waved goodbye to his classmate, who wiped what tears remained in her eyes and skipped off, trying to be as confident and merry as possible. Once she was gone, Monomi reemerged from Makoto's hood.

"I...I have a newfound admiration for that one," she admitted, "to have been through so much recently from all sides, yet to be that happy and positive all the time. I struggle to imagine how much it stresses her out."

"I'm sure Kaede...or rather Kaede...is fully aware of how bad things are for her. She's just putting on a brave face so others don't go down with her," Toko said, "even so, it takes a lot of strength to pull that off."

REAL・FICTION - Danganronpa V3: Killing Harmony

"Not to sound abrasive, but putting Kaede's situation to the side for a moment, things aren't looking good for this case," Kyoko said, "I sincerely doubt that Kaori would be willing to allow us an audience with her, and I don't want this escalating into any more fights that we might not win."

"For a street punk, she's definitely crafty," Toko hissed, "there must be something we can do to get to the bottom of all this."

"Actually, about that..." Shuichi chimed in, "Kyoko-sama. May I ask you something? In regards to the harassment rumors I mean?"

"Yes?" Kyoko turned towards him.

"Where exactly did you first catch wind of the rumors?" Shuichi asked, "Remind me again why you opened an investigation into Kaori's group in the first place."

"It was a request from my father," Kyoko recalled, "he received word that a certain group had been responsible for extorting students across the city, including those at Hope's Peak Academy. He asked me to investigate with that fact in mind."

"And how exactly did he catch wind of this?"

"He claimed that the parents of some of the students stepped forward and confronted him about it."

"Which parents? Did he say?"

"Of course not. We have privacy protection laws with Ultimate families so they don't face heat from the public."

Shuichi's brow furrowed.

"That...is odd..." he pondered, "why would the PARENTS of the students come forward? Assuming that the students were forced into silence, why tell their families and not just go directly to Headmaster Jin or the Steering Committee for help? More to the point, where is the evidence suggesting that Kaori's group specifically are the ones behind said extortion even if such a thing is going on?"

"Wait, hold on, slow down a sec," Komaru interjected, "where are you going with this?"

"Kyoko-sama," Shuichi turned back to her, "be honest with me. Have you ACTUALLY MET any of the VICTIMS of this crime?"

Kyoko paused.

"Actually...No, I haven't," she admitted, "given the anonymity of the reports, and the fact that I assumed the students were forced into silence, I didn't think I could find who the specific victims would be..."

"Seriously Shuichi, what are you getting at?" Toko asked.

"I believe if we're going to get to the bottom of this, we need to approach this case from another angle..." Shuichi asserted, "everyone, consider this...What if the reason why we're not finding any proof or confirmation of crimes committed by the Broken Instruments...is simply that it doesn't exist?"

"Ok, you've lost me..." Komaru shrugged, "what are you talking about "it doesn't exist!?""

"Wait...Are you saying this is kind of like what happened with Kiyoshi and Toyosuke!?" Makoto exclaimed, "you couldn't find any evidence linking Kiyoshi to the supposed crime he was accused of, and that was because he was innocent!"

"We haven't found much evidence linking Kaori Kaede to the crimes...But that's not just it..." Shuichi asserted, "aside from a few parental reports, we have no evidence that these extortion cases are even HAPPENING! We might be on a wild goose chase!"

"So wait...what you're saying then is...!" Monomi led on.

"I'm saying that Kaede might be right..." Shuichi finalized, "there is a non-zero possibility that Kaori Kaede is innocent and that these extortion cases are nothing more than one big lie...!"

"But then that would mean...!" Toko gasped, "someone went to Jin to so they could spread rumors and make everyone scared!"

"And it's likely that, if that is the case, someone is trying to paint an unfair target on Kaori's back...!" Komaru gasped.

"It seemed to me that Kaori just wanted us to leave her alone. That's why she went out of her way to try and avoid us..." Makoto said, "looking back, we practically walked into her territory, where she could have threatened, blackmailed, or attacked us at any time. And though she threatened to...she didn't."

"Hold on a moment," Shuichi frowned, "if you all don't mind, I'd like to test something."

Before anyone could ask what he was planning, he suddenly took out his phone and opened up the Metaverse Navigator app. He came onto the search engine and cleared his throat.

"Kaori Kaede. Leader of the Broken Instruments..." he stated. The app's response...changed everything...

[NO CANDIDATE FOUND!]

"WHAT!?" Komaru immediately jumped to her feet, "n-no candidate found!?"

"I'm sorry...what does that mean?" Kyoko asked.

"If Kaori Kaede isn't being picked up by the MetaNav, then it's unlikely she has a distorted desire," Monomi jittered, "in other words, she's not hiding anything!"

"Th-That can't be right! A punk like her has to be hiding something!" Toko grabbed her own phone and loaded up her own version of the app, "Kaori Kaede!"

[NO CANDIDATE FOUND!]

To make completely and totally sure that there wasn't some sort of error, Makoto and Komaru also name-dropped Kaori into their versions of the app. Just like the other two, there was no response.

"So that means..." Komaru's eyes widened excitedly, "Kaori might NOT be a bad guy after all!?"

"Hm...Perhaps..." Kyoko considered, "but regrettably, there's one big problem..."

"And what's that?" Makoto asked.

"Even if we assume that the MetaNav's lack of a candidate is right that Kaori Kaede isn't hiding anything," Kyoko explained, "I'm afraid it's not sufficient enough proof to completely free her of any and all charges."

"True..." Monomi growled, "it's not like we could show anyone this sort of evidence..."

"Shuichi is right about one thing though," Kyoko raised a hand to her chin, "we need to try approaching this from a different angle. Let's assume for a moment that what Kaede and the app said is correct. Instead of trying to find proof of Kaori's guilt..."

"Let's try looking for proof of her INNOCENCE!" Makoto finished her sentence.

"I'm curious though..." Kyoko said, "how did you even come to this conclusion, Shuichi?"

"I suppose I just wanted to believe in Kaede," Shuichi said, "I want to trust her before I doubt her."

"Which one? Kaede or Kaori?" Kyoko asked.

"Hm...I suppose both!" Shuichi chuckled.

"So the question right now is if we're trying to prove Kaori's innocence, how do we go about doing that?" Makoto asked.

"Well, I know a good place to start. I'll see if I can coax the name of the original informants out of my father," Kyoko stated, "though to be honest, I'm not sure that will be enough to get Kaori completely off the hook. We'll need to find something else..."

"But where would we even go to get that?" Komaru asked, "we don't know where she lives for one, so we can't investigate there..."

Something she said, however, Makoto took notice of, and he proposed his own idea.

"Maybe we don't know where she's living NOW, but it shouldn't be too hard to find out where she was living BEFORE," he suggested, "we should probably take a visit to Kaede and Kirie's house. Kaori's stuff is probably still there, and we might find something related to the truth of this case!"

"That's a long shot, but I guess it could work?" Monomi wondered, "but...how would we even go about doing that?"

"I can't just barge into her house on the prospect of performing a police investigation," Shuichi explained, "I'd need a warrant to even get in, and I can't get one without having solid evidence already in my pocket."

"I mean, we could just ask Kaede to take us there right?" Komaru asked, "it won't be weird if we just show up to say we're helping her study or something, right? We're basically friends at this point."

"I don't think that will work..." Toko shut her down, "remember what Kaede herself said? Kirie banned her from hanging out with her friends until her performance at the Tokyo Dome happened. If she catches us, we might put all of us in trouble."

"Well, in that case..." Komaru winked, "I guess we'd better not get caught!"

Class Trial [Future] - Danganronpa 2: Goodbye Despair

Everyone stopped for a second to look at her as she said this, not liking the implication at all.

"Komaru, please don't tell me you're thinking of sneaking in?" Makoto tensed up.

"We're Phantom Thieves!" Komaru asserted, "we break into places all the time!"

"Not in real life!" Toko snarled, "are you really talking about breaking and entering in front of TWO detectives!?"

"It's not breaking in if we don't break anything!" Komaru smirked.

"You know, as sad as it is to say..." Shuichi chuckled nervously, "Komaru's idea is starting to sound...a little reasonable..."

"Great, we're doomed!" Toko threw her arms up to heaven, "Shuichi's become a bent cop!"

"I'm not a bent cop! Heck, I'm technically not even a cop, just a PI!" Shuichi exclaimed, "the worst thing Kirie can do is ground Kaede, and technically she's already done that. As for us, like Komaru said, it's not breaking in if we're invited."

"Still though!" Toko exclaimed, "there's gotta be a better way!"

"Ok, WHAT!?" Komaru suddenly snapped angrily, "give me a better idea! I'm waiting!?"

Conveniently, Toko became tongue-tied with this question.

"Now just remember everybody," Monomi chimed in, "we Phantom Thieves only do things as a result of a unanimous vote. If Toko claims she's against it, we must respect that decision."

"I...Well...Ugh..." Toko grumbled, "to be honest, Komaru's right. I don't really know anything else we can do here...Still, I'm not really keen on personally inviting myself over..."

"Why don't you sit this one out then? Like you did before?" Makoto asked, "you can go with Kyoko, or maybe you can do some of your own digging into Kaori? Like trying to find out where she lives now in case this fails?"

"Alternatively, you can go back and decorate the Thieves Den to make it look like more of a secret base!" Komaru suggested.

"You don't have to come along if you don't want to, Toko," Shuichi added, "but at the very least, we need to hear your say on this plan."

Toko leaned back, lifting her head to the sky, defeated.

"If this goes wrong..."

"If there are any legal repercussions, I'll do whatever I can to take care of it," Kyoko assured her, "but please try to avoid that. The paperwork is annoying."

"So even you're fine with this!?" Toko exclaimed.

"I can't claim I'm "fine" with it. Truthfully, I'm not "fine" with anything you guys do," Kyoko scowled, "but really, this whole case is proving to be a waste of my time, and I'd like to get it over with as soon as possible. That and I can't help but shake the feeling that something BIGGER is going on behind the scenes..."

"At least you're honest," Toko sighed, "alright FINE...Do what you need to, but if I can just bow out of it..."

"Feel free to," Monomi affirmed, "I'm not completely alright with this either, but this is the very situation where I think I may come in handy, so I will come as well."

"If we're gonna pull this off though, we need to make sure we do it on a day where Kirie isn't present," Makoto asserted, "she's our biggest obstacle right now, and to be frank, I'm not really keen on being at the mercy of an imposing woman like her."

"So how do we figure out what day that is?" Komaru asked.

"From what we know so far, only two people live in the Kaede household right now. Kirie herself, and Kaede. Our best shot, therefore, is to find out from Kaede. And our best way of going about that is to have Shuichi ask her in class." Makoto stated.

"I'll do what I can," Shuichi said, "I'll try and...spin my motives a little bit..."

"Then we're counting on you," Komaru patted his shoulder, "alright Phantom Thieves. It's make it or break it...!"

"I thought you said we weren't going to break anything?" Monomi reminded her.

"We're not!" Komaru winked, "trust me!"

Toko sighed and clutched her scalp.

"We're so fucked..."

Chapter End Notes

Kaede's role in the plot is very original compared to the other Phantom Thieves. For the likes of Shuichi and Toko, their backstories and motivations are mainly in line with their canon origins. But given how little we know about Kaede's life prior to V3, I had to get a little experimental.
The full story was originally pretty different, but it underwent some changes to better fit the narrative of this story. I hope you guys enjoy it and it doesn't feel too out of character.
In any case, the Phantom Thieves are pulling off another real-life heist. Will it go well? We'll have to wait and see...
Thanks for reading. I love to get feedback from my readers, so feel free to leave a comment, and some kudos if you feel up to it.

Shadows of Symphonys

Chapter Summary

The Phantom Thieves begin an infiltration mission into the Kaede home to see if they can find more evidence on Kaori Kaede. Things go horribly wrong...

Chapter Notes

See the end of the chapter for notes

Rise and Shine, Ursine! - Danganronpa V3: Killing Harmony

[A FEW DAYS LATER...]

----------------------------------------------

PTChat

Shuichi: Hey! I finally found our perfect moment.

Shuichi: I managed to glean from Kaede that Kirie-san has a meeting with the showrunners at the Tokyo Dome today, and it will last her several hours.

Shuichi: She said that it was unlikely her mother will be home by the time we get out of school today.

Shuichi: I believe that will be our window of opportunity to infiltrate the Kaede house.

Komaru: Aces! Good job Shuichi!

Toko: And there's no guarantee that she'll be at the meeting the whole time? She could potentially leave early?

Shuichi: Like Komaru said, we would be in and out.

Shuichi: I won't completely deny that possibility. In fact, it is rather likely. However, this isn't some casual meeting to sit down and have a cup of tea.

Shuichi: This is more akin to a show of arms. Kirie-san is in charge of selling Kaede's public image. It's a critical moment where she needs to show her dominance.

Shuichi: If we play our cards right, she will never know we were there.

Makoto: This is making me progressively more nervous.

Toko: There's space here in the chicken corner you know?

Makoto: A reasonable offer, but as the Phantom Thieves' leader, I'll have to pass.

Toko: How oh so noble of you.

Shuichi: It would be best to think of a plan to get us out safely should things go wrong, but we ultimately don't know what to expect from this, so we'll have to stay on guard.

Makoto: I'm counting on you guys to have my back Komaru, and Shuichi.

Komaru: Your back is in my capable hands, brother.

Kyoko: I am so very confident in you all. There's no possible way this could go wrong.

Makoto: I can still taste sarcasm through my phone, Kyoko. Texting won't hide it.

Kyoko: Regardless of how I feel, I am putting faith in you.

Kyoko: I'll talk to my father and get to the bottom of things on my end. You focus on what you need to do.

Makoto: Will do.

Makoto: Catch you guys later.

----------------------------------------------

"Ok so...when I heard we were infiltrating the Kaede's house..." Makoto felt his stomach sink into a pit, "I didn't think we would be breaking into THIS!"

To put it frankly, the Phantom Thieves had gotten more than they bargained for with this infiltration mission.

It wasn't a house. It was a MANSION. With a giant garden cut off from them by a large gate! The very size of the wall was causing Makoto and his sister to sweat bullets.

"It must take her 5 minutes to get to the bottom of her garden!" Komaru exclaimed, "what, is she gonna have some butlers serve us tea in a giant hall with a massive table!?"

"It is indeed...more high class than I imagined..." Monomi trembled inside Makoto's hood.

"It's not THAT big!" Shuichi deadpanned, "only two people live here, remember?"

"Even still, I'm no longer nervous about getting inside," Komaru cried, "I'm more worried that I'll go in and feel so totally out of place!"

"That is still the LEAST of our worries!" Makoto snapped, "how do we even get in? Just convince Kaede to let us in?"

"Sweet-talk her Shuichi!" Komaru gave him a thumbs up, "it's up to you!"

"I am flattered that you think I have THAT much charisma to the point where I'm capable of "sweet-talking" someone..." Shuichi chuckled at his own self-burn, "still though, I guess it is up to me to convince her to let us in."

Shuichi examined the area and found an intercom, pressing the buzzer. Some audio crackled through the speaker until a familiar voice came through.

"Hello?"

"Kaede, it's me," Shuichi called back, "can you let me in please?"

"Shuichi?" Kaede asked back, "what's going on? Why are you here?"

"Um...You left one of your textbooks at school, so I thought I'd pop by to bring it to you," Shuichi fibbed, "would you mind letting me in?"

"Um...Well, alright. Mom's not home, so I guess I can quickly let you in?" she thought, "I'll unlock the gate for you."

The call cut and was followed by a loud buzzing. The gate suddenly swung open, allowing them access to the winding path up to the house. After taking a deep breath, Makoto, Komaru, and Shuichi stepped into the large mansion garden.

Shuichi took the lead and approached the mansion door first. Kaede, who had been expecting them, opened it, still dressed in her school uniform.

"Hey Shuichi-Huh!? Naegi-senpai too!? And Komaru-chan!?"

"Helloooo!" Komaru tried her best to look jovial and merry.

"We were just on our way to...a really great cafe that Komaru's friend's family owns!" Makoto played along, "we passed by the neighborhood and Shuichi remembered he needed to drop off your books, so we stopped by!"

"You're here for Kaori's sake, aren't you?" she asked bluntly.

Naturally, the three of them froze.

"Wh-What? What gave you that idea?" Makoto tried his best to play dumb, "you already told us we should drop that case."

"Yeah, yeah, we're all friendly here!" Komaru began to sweat again, "and we wouldn't betray your trust like that, would we?"

"Guys...I know I said all that, but I had a feeling you were here to snoop around," Kaede sighed, "not only did I remember telling Shuichi when my mom wasn't here, I literally just checked all my textbooks. They were all accounted for."

"Oh..." Shuichi was defeated.

"Look...If you guys wanted to come here to find evidence of Kaori's past and find a link to her crimes," Kaede made a depressed smile, "you literally could have just asked me."

"Wait, really?" Komaru perked up.

"I'm not an unreasonable person! Unlike my mom..." Kaede chuckled, "if the police need my help with an investigation, I'll cooperate."

"Well...we're grateful for that," Makoto relaxed, "truth be told, we're actually here to find proof that Kaori ISN'T responsible for the crimes leveled against her."

"All the more reason then!" Kaede ushered them inside, "Come in, quick!"

Shuichi, Komaru, and Makoto quickly shuffled inside. As Makoto passed her, Kaede suddenly grasped his shoulder, her eyes wide.

"Is...Is that a bunny!?" she gasped excitedly. Monomi tensed up, realizing she'd been caught. Makoto chuckled and pulled her out.

"Yeah, this is my pet rabbit Monomi," Makoto introduced her, "she kind of...doesn't leave me alone?"

"C-Can I...F-Floof...!? Lil' Floof!?" Kaede stuck her hounds out, clearly eagerly wanting to pet the rabbit. Monomi sighed.

"Ordinarily I'd be fine with it, but we have a job to do," she said, scratching herself, "we can cuddle all we want later."

Makoto parroted these words to Kaede.

"AWW! No floof..." Kaede sobbed.

"Sorry for the roundabout way of doing this," Shuichi simpered, "to be honest, we don't really have clearance to search the place."

"Then you'd better hurry before my mom gets home," Kaede tensed up and prepared for action, "if she catches you, you're not gonna like what happens. I might be able to talk you out of it but as for what comes after..."

"Hm? What comes after?" Komaru parroted. Kaede waved her hands in denial.

"N-Never mind!" she laughed, "come on. I'll show you around."

Kaede led the group throughout the house and took them to various rooms to search. As Shuichi said, the house wasn't exactly castle-sized, but it was undoubtedly a very big house with many rooms.

"Kaori left ages ago but...Mom never really went out of her way to get rid of her bedroom," Kaede explained, leading them inside said room, "the whole place is really just collecting dust. She never comes in here, but I do, even if just to...reflect. I don't know what you're looking for specifically, but if you want to find anything related to my sister, it's in here. She left a lot of her treasures behind when she took off."

"Treasures?" Makoto parroted.

"Like...photos of us when we were kids. Me, Kaori, Mom, and Dad," Kaede explained, "and also some toys...and I'm not half-convinced there isn't a rotten box of chocolates in that cupboard from when Kaori and I would hide away and eat."

"You really were a happy family..." Shuichi observed, "it's...jarring...to see how much things have changed."

"Yeah..." Kaede sighed, "Dad's gone...Kaori dipped...now it's just me and Mom left. We're the only ones each other has to support one another."

"Forgive me for saying this, Kaede..." Komaru chimed in, "but your mother doesn't seem like the friendliest person. If I had to share a roof with a woman like her, I'd crumble very quickly."

Desire for Execution - Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc

"Haha! That's brutally honest of you! Though you're not exactly wrong..." Kaede laughed, but that laugh quickly gave way to a much sadder sigh, "I did kind of mention this before, but she wasn't always like this. It wasn't until Dad passed away that things really changed for her...I guess the pressure of being a single mother really got to her..."

She walked over to the closet and started pulling things out, handing them to Shuichi to examine.

"What about Kaori?" Makoto asked, "was she always as much of a fire starter as she is now?"

"Hahaha! Kind of, though to be honest, our personalities as kids are very different to what they are now," Kaede snickered, "I don't know if you've ever noticed this, but people's personalities really do a 180 when they grow up. Gentle kids are the one's who grow up to be wild, and the rambunctious and rowdy ones become quiet and reserved."

"And you're implying you were the quiet and reserved one?" Komaru asked. Kaede nodded.

"Kaori and I are the same age, obviously, but when we were younger, she was always the one leading me by the hand. Every time she'd scheme something up, she made me a part of it," she lifted her eyes to the sky in reflection, "now though, she's a lot more...meticulous and cunning than she used to be."

"What do you mean by that?" Shuichi asked.

"Well, obviously she's always been a bit of a punk, but as you know, she's the kind of punk who thinks with her brain and not her fists," Kaede played with her hair, "we've always been a pretty well off family, and back in the day, my Dad liked to host parties and banquets to celebrate their political victories, and he and Mom would invite all their friends around. Unless I was playing piano for them, Kaori and I were usually forbidden from taking part in the "adult parties" and forbidden from drinking or eating any of the party food. Which infuriated us..."

"Ok, where are you going with this?" Komaru was eager to hear the rest of the tale.

"One time, Kaori convinced me to team up with her so we could sneak into the party and steal some of the snacks for ourselves," Kaede smiled, overcome with nostalgia, "unfortunately, it didn't work out. Dad told me much later that while I was trying to distract him, he could clearly see my sister guiding me through the whole thing. When Mom found out though, she got REALLY angry...We both got punished pretty harshly. Kaori was made to write an apology letter for all the party guests that had attended, while I was stuck scrubbing the party dishes all day."

"And what happened after that?" Makoto egged her on.

"Well...I was only 5 years old or so at the time. There's no way I knew how to properly clean a plate at that age, nor did I know how to work the dishwasher," Kaede explained, "Mom really set me that task just to teach me a lesson, but against her expectations, Kaori ditched her duty so she could come and help me. Originally I was planning on covering for her again, but Mom and Dad did catch on. They were pretty understanding of the situation though, so they told Kaori she didn't have to write her letter anymore. Then, they decided to make some of the same food that was at the party for us to enjoy personally.

"I bet it tasted a lot nicer after all that!" Komaru beamed. Kaede chuckled.

"Uh...Not quite...The food actually had alcohol mixed in it, and at that age, we couldn't stand the taste," she said, "my parents were kind, but also pretty spiteful. We sure learned our lesson in the end. But...do you guys see my point?"

"I think so...What you're trying to say is that Kaori has always been a simple and gentle person, despite her nature, right?" Shuichi asked, "she was still planning on writing that apology letter way into the night even after she helped you out with the dishes."

"Yeah...She's never ever been the kind of person to boast about the good deeds she does for other people," Kaede nodded, "so with what happened to my old piano...I can't say I really forgive her for it, but like I said...I understood where she was coming from. If anything, if our roles had been reversed...I know she would have been there for me, whereas now, I'm a little too late to help..."

"Don't say that Kaede," Makoto shook his head, "don't let anyone tell you you're a bad sister and a terrible person, because it's simply not true."

"Thank you Naegi-senpai," Kaede smiled apathetically, "but like I said, things are different now...With just us here, I've had to play piano and go through the motions for a different purpose than just my own personal love of the instrument.

"You know, that is something I kind of noticed," Monomi whispered, "we've been through the mansion of the Ultimate Pianist, and I've yet to see any sign of an instrument or music-related thing ANYWHERE..."

Makoto considered this point and then relayed Monomi's observation to Kaede, who let out yet another deep sigh.

"To be perfectly honest, my mother has never shared my passion for music. If anything, she's in it for the business," Kaede explained, "again, she didn't used to be like that, but I'm not playing piano to get rich and famous, or to become some well-known pianist idol. I'm playing it because I love playing it, and becoming an Ultimate wasn't really in my life plan. But every time she sees an opportunity, my mother seizes it by any means necessary. I for one am just looking out for what remains of my family. If my mother hadn't blown up on Kaori like she did, maybe she'd still be here...And maybe things would be a lot easier with my sister having my back."

"I can understand that..." Komaru affirmed, "Makoto and I quarrel like...well, like brother and sister, but I know he's always got my back if I really need him."

"Now I just feel awkward being the only child here..." Shuichi chuckled.

The mood had been like a rollercoaster, constantly going up and down as Kaede talked. However, this sentence brought it to an abrupt stop, and Makoto looked at her with a frown.

"Wait a second...What did you just say?"

"Huh?" Kaede gasped, "wh-what did I say?"

"You just said that Kirie blew up on Kaori, and Kaori left as a result," Makoto asserted, "I thought it was the other way around? You told us before that Kaori had instigated it."

Kaede froze and her face went pale.

"U-Um...Well...I-In regards to that..."

"KAEDE!"

Let's Kill Each Other! - Danganronpa V3: Killing Harmony

An overwhelming feeling of dread washed over everybody in the room, as a familiar, angry shout echoed throughout the house. Everyone immediately entered panic mode, and looked towards the door where the shout had come from.

"U-Um...Yeah!?" Kaede called back, "what's up Mom!? You're home earlier than I thought!"

"You should know by now that I am on time, every time!" Kirie shouted back, "the meeting went out as long as it should have done, and you'll be happy to know everything is still well in place!"

"Oh really!? That's good!" Kaede called, "I thought you'd be longer!?"

"What does it matter, I'm back," Kirie sighed, "now there's something I need to talk to you-!"

There was a split silence as Kirie cut herself off. The sounds of her heavy footsteps could be heard even all the way up in Kaede's room.

"Kaede!" Kirie hollered, "is anybody else in the house!?"

"Huh? N-No, I'm alone!" Kaede called back.

"Then tell me...Why is there white fur on the stairs!?"

Makoto could feel his heart somehow sinking even lower in his chest than it was. Monomi's fur must have come out a little when they climbed the stairs earlier. She sometimes scratched herself and this happened as a result, just like any other animal would. It was starting to get hotter out with the approach of summer, so it unfortunately made sense.

"Oh no...! I'm so sorry!" Monomi, coming to this same realization, whimpered.

"Don't worry about it...! We need to get out of here before she catches us...!" Komaru hissed, "Kaede! Any ideas...!?"

"Did you invite somebody over!?" Kirie shouted, "I specifically forbade you from having friends around!"

"Why would my friends be here!? You're imagining things!" She quickly yelled back to her mother downstairs, then rounded on the thieves again, keeping her voice low. "There's another set of stairs at the end of the upstairs hallway. It takes you downstairs into the kitchen," she hushed, "go down the hallway, down those stairs, and out the kitchen door into the garden, then run as fast as you can to the gate."

This seemed like a pretty reasonable plan, all things considered, made even more ideal when Kirie's loud angry footsteps started stamping up the stairs. Shuichi went first, and quickly, but quietly, scarpered down the hall, with Komaru and Makoto very close behind him.

Unfortunately, a problem arose immediately that they, nor Kaede, had accounted for. The staircase she mentioned just so happened to be a staircase within a boiler room, with several appliances such as electrical boxes and boilers on the wall. As such, it wouldn't have been an area that was often visited, and as a result, was CLUTTERED with random bits and bobs that served as obstacles down the stairs.

One wrong move and they would have been in for a nasty awakening. To make matters worse, Kirie had reached the top of the steps, and her heel noises were getting louder as she drew closer.

"If anyone else is in this house, show yourself!" she demanded.

"Mom, no one else is here!" Kaede sighed, "For crying out loud, just come here for a moment!"

Fortunately, Kaede's distraction provided them some time to make their way carefully down the stairs. Just as Kirie was about to turn the corner into the boiler room, Kaede's call moved her back down the hallway toward the room they had just escaped from.

Makoto breathed a sigh of relief, but no sooner did he do so that his foot shifted slightly, and ended up colliding with the base of a mop. That mop then toppled over into a box, which fell onto another box, which created a huge domino effect, causing all the obstacles in the stairwell to collapse and make an egregious din!

An overwhelming feeling of dread washed over Makoto as he heard Kirie's feet grind to a halt upstairs, not helped by the fact that Shuichi and Komaru both shot him a look of unbridled frustration as they picked up the pace.

"What was that!?" Kirie snarled "who's there!?"

"Mom! Wait!" Kaede was also starting to panic.

Shuichi wasted absolutely no time in flinging open the kitchen door as soon as they got down the steps. They successfully made it outside, and as Kaede instructed, made a beeline for the gate.

But things didn't go as smoothly as they would have liked.

"Uwawah! HELP!"

To Makoto's horror, through the stress and constant moving in the situation, Monomi's tight grip on Makoto's hoodie loosened, and suddenly she went tumbling out, falling on the floor!

Makoto, immediately realizing this, turned around to quickly grab her!

But just as he did...he felt a sudden shot of pain course up his arm, as the heel of a high-heeled fancy shoe STABBED him in the back of his palm, pinning his hand to the ground!

A Dead End to the Ocean's Aroma - Danganronpa 2: Goodbye Despair

Shuichi and Komaru stopped and span back around, seeing Makoto groveling at the feet of a very sour-looking Kirie, crying in pain while Monomi tried to free him! Meanwhile, mercilessly, Kirie's pressure on his hand increased, as she gradually began putting her full weight onto him.

"Give me one good reason why I should TURN YOU INTO CHOPPED LIVER!" she was so enraged that she was visibly foaming at the mouth! Kirie's heel was fairly blunt, but if she applied any more pressure, it was likely she was going to completely impale Makoto's hand all the way through! It was definitely painful enough!

Kaede then showed up, her face pale and panicked as she tried to rescue him!

"Mom! Wait! Stop!" she exclaimed, "leave him alone, it's not what it looks like!"

"I said no friends...you lied to meeee...! YOU LIED TO MEEEE!" Kirie now appeared almost completely deranged, tilting her head towards her daughter like an insane person!

"He was just here to get his pet! His rabbit hopped into the garden and I let him in to get her back!" Kaede fibbed, but her panic was realistic enough to be believable, "I said GET OFF OF HIM!"

With the situation having already escalated to violence, Kaede did the only thing she could do at this moment and SHOVED her mother, finally releasing Makoto from the grip of her shoe. Makoto clambered to his feet, grabbing Monomi and clutching his sore hand, which was bruised, bleeding, and left with a heel mark.

"Naegi-senpai," Kaede glared at him, "you need to go!"

Kirie, rage in her eyes, suddenly grabbed her daughter by the back of her neck, squeezing her tightly, her nails digging into her! Kaede winced in pain!

"You, young lady, are in SO MUCH TROUBLE!" she spat.

"Hey!" Makoto couldn't hold himself back from seeing this blatant abuse, "let her go!"

This ended up being a bad move, as Kirie retaliated by backhanding Makoto across the face! It wasn't a half-baked slap either, it REALLY hurt, so much so that Makoto almost fell over again. Shuichi and Komaru supported him to his feet, and the three of them glared at Kirie.

"I said just go!" Kaede demanded, "before you make things worse!"

Despite wanting to help her, it was clear the situation was out of their control. Kirie let go of Kaede and gave them all a wild and delirious glare, and with no other apparent option, Makoto, Komaru, Shuichi, and Monomi turned tail and scurried out of the Kaede's garden.

Veins were popping out of Kirie's head from unbridled rage, but once the three of them were out of her sight, she pinched the bridge of her nose and took some deep breaths.

"Mom...They were just here to grab their pet..." Kaede tried to speak to her mother softly, so as to not invoke her wrath, "I didn't invite them around, I just let them in..."

"Then why did you try to hide them?" Kirie asked.

"To avoid THIS! I knew you'd be mad regardless of what excuse I gave you! You almost broke his hand!" Kaede gestured around them, making her point clear, "I'm really sorry...Don't be mad..."

What happened next should have been comforting to Kaede, but given the circumstances, as well as what just happened, she was left with the complete opposite feeling...Kirie...started laughing...

It started as a quiet chuckle but gradually ascended into a maniacal giggle.

"No...I'm not mad..." she grinned.

"You're...You're not...?" Kaede asked.

"No..." she replied, leaning in with darkness in her expression, "because I have a few questions about your friends I need to ask you..."

Despair Syndrome - Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc

[THE NEXT AFTERNOON...]

A day passed, and the mood had remained bitter for the whole time. After leaving the Kaede's abode with no definitive proof of Kaori's innocence or guilt, Makoto, Komaru, and Shuichi split off and went their separate ways without so much as a goodbye, thinking it was all they could do for the moment.

Even throughout the following day at school, Makoto was in such a bad mood he could barely retain his focus. Sayaka, Junko, Hina, and a few others had tried to help him out, but he just wasn't feeling it. Not to mention Toko wasn't in the best mood either and Kyoko wasn't even around today.

So by the time he returned to his dorm room, he flopped onto his bed and buried his head into his pillow. That mission could not have gone worse.

"Um...Makoto?"

Makoto lazily lifted his head and peeked out from the gap at the pink and white bunny rabbit sitting on his bed next to him. Monomi had her head bowed, looking very guilty.

"I know this is overdue but...I wanted to apologize," she said, "between Kirie finding my fur and falling out of your hood...I take full responsibility for our failings yesterday."

Makoto sighed and stroked his companion.

"Don't Monomi. It wasn't your fault, just a fair bit of bad luck," he assured her, "I'm just glum that from start to finish, that went so badly. We didn't even find anything to do with Kaori, just Kaede's stories."

"Well, I imagine this is the most we can do with the Kaede family at the moment," Monomi contemplated, "for now, we should try to prevent this situation from getting any worse..."

As Monomi said this, Makoto felt a vibration on the desk in his room and looked up to see that his phone was ringing. He heaved another exasperated and depressed sigh, then picked up his phone to see who it was that was calling him, only for his face to form into a frown when he got his answer.

It was Komaru. Now, for the most part, it wouldn't be weird, but Komaru rarely ever called him. Usually, they spoke over text. So why would she be calling him now? He answered the call and raised it to his ear.

"Hey sis," he said, "what's up?"

"Makoto!" Makoto backed up as Komaru's voice was much more panicked and loud than he expected, "are you free!? Doesn't matter...You need to come home, NOW!"

"Wait, what?" Makoto scowled in confusion, as did Monomi, who was hearing the desperate conversation with her big ears.

"No time to explain! It's an emergency! Mom and Dad are in trouble, and so are we! You need to get home, as soon as you can!"

Before Makoto could ask for further details, Komaru hung up. He and his rabbit friend looked back at one another with worried expressions.

Makoto did as he had been requested and after packing some things, hurried back to his family home with Monomi. He stormed into the house and found his family crowded around the table in the living room.

Komaru looked despaired, but happy to see him. Kotoko was shyly poking her head in from around the corner. Both his parents were sat at the table with their heads in their hands. His mother had been crying, while his father looked stressed and anxious.

What the hell had happened!?

"Komaru...Guys...What's going on?" he flustered. Komaru replied by taking a piece of paper off the middle of the table and handing it to her brother.

"Read this..." she said.

Makoto took the paper, then unfolded it, and began to read the note. The more he read, the deeper the pit in his stomach formed...

----------------------------------------------

PENALTY NOTICE

Ensure you read this note carefully.

You are believed to be the parents/guardians of Naegi Makoto and Naegi Komaru, who are registered pupils at Hope's Peak Academy and St. Koa Girls Academy respectively.

On 06/19/20XX, your children were caught trespassing on the property of Kaede Kirie.

Ms Kaede has presented a case to the court and your children have been found guilty of the crime. Ms Kaede has decided to press charges against you.

This notice gives you the opportunity to pay a penalty instead of being prosecuted for the offense as detailed above. The amount of the penalty results in a total of 10,000,000¥. Failure to pay this charge to the offended party within the set limit of 3 weeks will result in further action being taken.

You may receive multiple chances to pay the fine should you fail to meet the deadline, but know it will rise in price should it come to that.

----------------------------------------------

A bunch of other information was detailed below, but Makoto didn't read it. His hands were shaking too much, and his vision was too blurry, and he could do nothing more than let out a singular sound...

"WHAAAAATT!!?"

Weekly Despair Magazine - Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc

10 million yen...

His family was being sued for 10 million yen, more than any of them had in their pocket right now, possibly more than anything they owned was worth.

That...or face court charges.

This was utterly ridiculous. How could Kirie Kaede DO this!? Getting mad at him was one thing, but to go as far as to PRESS CHARGES against his WHOLE FAMILY, for a CRIME that DIDN'T EVEN HAPPEN!?

NO WONDER Komaru sounded so desperate! This situation was bad! It was REALLY bad! Quite possibly the worst thing this family had to contend with EVER!

"How could the court rule something like this?" Makoto's mother lifted her head, sadness and despair in her eyes, "they know we don't have that kind of money! Nobody just has 10 million yen lying around!"

"Hey...You two..." Makoto's father turned his tired head towards his two children, "would you care to explain this?"

The siblings were overtaken with a feeling of guilt, which lessened, and helped when Kotoko came over and took them both by the hand. She didn't understand much of what was going on, even though she was a smart kid, but she knew the situation was bad just from a glance, so she was helping where she could.

Makoto gave Kotoko's hand an affectionate squeeze, then resolutely looked at his sister in acknowledgment. They turned back to their parents and decided to explain the full story to them.

Leaving out the parts that involved the Phantom Thieves, they explained how they had been requested to help Kyoko with a case, and how they had become friends with Kaede Akamatsu. They explained that Kaede had willingly let them into her house, yet despite that, Kirie was now suing them for trespassing, for seemingly no reason other than what they could assume was spite!

Once they finished their explanation, Mr Naegi went back to holding his head in his hands.

"I don't blame you if you don't believe us," Makoto clenched his fist, "I'm sorry Dad...Sorry Mom...

"No, I believe you," Mr Naegi looked up at them, forcing a smile, "you two are good kids. And between a couple of good kids, and a crappy government system rotten to the core...I think my choices are obvious."

It was a small comfort, but a comfort nonetheless, that their father was so willing to believe them. Makoto and Komaru smiled at each other, as well as their father.

"But it doesn't change the fact that we still owe this woman, who we've never even met, 10 million yen," Mrs Naegi reminded them, "even if we choose to take the matter to court, or write an appeal, if this person thinks 10 million is a reasonable amount to charge a person..."

"Yeah, I can only imagine what kinds of lawyers her money can buy," Mr Naegi grabbed his head, "we might as well put any money for an attorney towards the fine..."

Though he retained his composure on the surface, Makoto was absolutely LIVID. How DARE that woman not only twist the truth and punish him for her own ego's sake but to rope his own innocent FAMILY into this! What he wouldn't give to land a heavy blow on that bitch's face right now!

Still, that would all things considered, probably make the situation a lot worse. And he couldn't risk that right now. But what to do instead?

"Mom...Dad...Don't worry about it. Komaru and I got us into this mess, and we'll do whatever it takes to get us out of it!" he swore.

"Are you sure?" Mrs Naegi asked, "this is a big deal Makoto. I don't think you're to blame, but to take so much responsibility..."

"Mom, I really don't know how to say this...But Makoto and I aren't gonna be kids forever," Komaru backed him up, "as we said, we know Kaede's kid. We'll make an appeal, or try to talk Kirie out of it. She could always take back the charge, right?"

"Do you really think that a woman who charges someone 10 million yen for a fake case, that clearly has some power over the legal system, will bend over so easily?" Mr Naegi asked.

"No...But what else can we do?" Makoto glowered, "mark my words, we are NOT giving that woman a single yen, let alone that much...!"

Mr Naegi nodded, clearly not completely convinced, and went back to talking to their mother about scraping the bottom end of each other's bank accounts or taking extra shifts at work.

It didn't matter though, and they knew it. Even with the million yen that Makoto had received from Fuyuhiko and given to his parents, 3 weeks wasn't enough time to get THAT much money, even if their job was well-paying. Makoto told Kotoko to go sit in the living room and read, or play a game, or something, then pulled Komaru into the hallway.

"We need to act...And fast...!" Monomi emerged from the hood and asserted her opinion. The Naegi siblings nodded, and Makoto turned to his sister with ferocity and determination in his eyes.

"Get Toko, Shuichi, and Kyoko down here now," he demanded, "we're holding an emergency Thieves meeting...!"

"Already on it Leprechaun..." Komaru nodded, pulling out her phone.

The other thieves promptly arrived at the Naegi's house. Their parents didn't mind, though they were too stressed out about the fine to say anything. Kyoko was the last to show, clearly having just gotten off the clock.

"I came as soon as Komaru told me it was an emergency," Kyoko said, "what's going on? Did you find something on Kaori Kaede?"

"No, but...That can wait," Monomi stated, "Makoto and Komaru, as well as their whole family, are in a real stew! Kaede's mother, she-"

"May I take a guess?" Shuichi cut her off, "did she charge you 5 million yen for trespassing on her property?"

"Well, 10 million actually...but wait...how did you know that...?" Komaru asked skeptically. However, the situation was made all too clear to everyone else.

"Don't tell me...!" Makoto gasped, the first to piece two and two together.

"We officially all owe the Kaede family 5,000,000 yen. You two double that because there's two of you under the same roof," Toko scowled, "in total, our fine goes up to 20,000,000 total."

"Why!? A-And how!?" Makoto exclaimed, "you weren't even there Toko!"

"She probably knew who I was from when we met her in the park and sued me by association! Kyoko managed to avoid it because she never met her," Toko snarled, "I'd be mad at you guys, but it's such a stretch that I'm just...CONFUSED!"

"I'm SO sorry...!" Shuichi looked like he was on the verge of tears, "I had NO IDEA the repercussions for this would be so great! This is all my fault..."

"No, Shuichi, it's MY fault..." Komaru sobbed, "trying to infiltrate the house was my stupid idea in the first place...!"

"No, I'M the one to blame!" Monomi squeaked uncomfortably, "we would never have been caught if I hadn't messed up! I'm a horrible excuse for a thief AND a teacher..."

"All of you STOP! It's NONE of your fault. No matter how you slice it, even if we did drop by unannounced, this kind of fine is too great for four normal families!" Makoto exclaimed, "there's got to be a way out of this!"

"But that's the problem," Kyoko gripped her sleeve, "there isn't. The courts have already accepted the charge and clearly, the judges have Kirie's back."

"WHY!?" Makoto snapped, more angry than anyone had ever seen him before.

"If the courts have accepted her charge, it must mean Kirie Kaede is an influential woman with great industry power," Kyoko said, "and she's an upstanding citizen, whereas, in the eyes of the law, you're all uninvited trespassers. They're taking her side on this one. However, I do agree that a fine of 20 million is far too incorrigible."

"Makoto, didn't you get a big paycheck from Kuzuryu-senpai recently?" Toko asked.

"Yes, but that was only one million. It's not nearly enough to pay it back," Makoto panicked, "and I genuinely CANNOT believe I just said that!"

"The SDA might be getting more traction, and we have money to put food on our plates now, but still, we're nowhere near wealthy enough to pay this kind of fine," Shuichi glowered, "my uncle even tried to get it lessened or appeal to the courts, but even his detective influence is useless here."

"We need to do something about this. None of us can afford to pay this much money," Toko gripped the collar of her shirt, "we need to think of a plan."

"I must apologize as well," Kyoko seemed defeated, "even I didn't expect something like this would happen. I would never have asked for your help if I knew it would lead to this..."

"Don't worry Kyoko. If there's nothing you can do, we'll just have to think of another way," he said, "but I'm still struggling to believe it. Not only did she charge us such a stupid amount, but to think she'd have the audacity to rope our FAMILIES into this! Even being as bold to sue a DETECTIVE AGENCY!"

"She's deranged and psychotic...!" Toko snarled.

"You weren't there. You don't know the HALF of it," Komaru took Makoto's hand to show off the mark Kirie made with her heel, which was still there and still bruised "she almost broke Makoto's hand and even attacked her own daughter!"

"She's rotten and vile...Preying on innocent families and painting them as the villains while she remains the figurehead," Shuichi glowered, "she's...she's just like..."

"Just like Fuhito..." Kyoko finished his sentence.

"AND Towa..." Makoto added, "she's put us in a terrible situation. Best case scenario, we get taken to court and prove our innocence, but that still won't wipe the slate clean and Kaede will be in a lot of trouble."

"And worst-case scenario..." Komaru shuddered, "we end up getting fined, and...maybe we'll lose custody of Kotoko-chan!"

"I really hate to say this Komaru, but that's FAR from the worst-case scenario. If we don't meet the fine's deadline, the police and city investigators will be forced to arrest us," Shuichi proclaimed, "if they do, they'll search our homes and places of residence for any suspicious evidence."

"That would include your cellular devices which contain your Phantom Thief conversations, as well as turning up any tools, gear, or evidence of your identities," Kyoko followed, gritting her teeth angrily, "either way, you can kiss your secret identities goodbye, and your sentence will be even more severe if you're found to be enacting vigilante justice. Not to mention, the KDA and myself will be in great trouble for collusion."

"It's not just us," Makoto trembled with rage, "that gear can be traced back to the likes of Fuyuhiko, Seiko, and Kokichi who provided that gear to us. Maybe even Chihiro too as our top supporter. If we don't stop this, we'll be putting everybody we love at risk!"

"Then what the hell are we gonna do!?" Komaru snapped!

Before anyone could say anything else, there was a sudden knocking sound that came from the front door. With them having just been let in, Komaru reached over and opened it, with all of them surprised to see who was standing on the other side.

It was Kaede. And notably, she was red in the face and tears were streaming down her eyes.

"Kaede!" Shuichi wasted no time in grabbing her by the shoulders and pulling her into a comforting hug, "wh-what are you doing here!?"

"HOW did you get here?" Komaru added.

"I...I found out your address from the school..." Kaede admitted, "I'm...I'm really sorry but...can I come in?"

Makoto looked around at his friends, who all gave him a nod of approval.

"How about we take this somewhere more private?" he suggested.

Makoto led his friends up to his bedroom, letting them in, as well as Kaede. Makoto offered Kaede his bed, which she sat down on.

"I'm assuming you're here in regards to the fine, right?" Kyoko opened with. Kaede's face tensed up and she nodded.

"I...I came to apologize..." she said, "this situation is all my fault."

"No, it's not," Shuichi sat down next to her and patted her shoulder, "we were the ones who showed up unannounced, even though your mother had-"

"That's not what I mean..." she cut him off, remaining quiet. Everybody was afraid to ask her what she meant while she was in this state of mind.

"Damn...She really does seem kinda down about it..." Komaru remarked as Kaede curled up into a ball on Makoto's bed.

"I have an idea!" Monomi exclaimed, "Makoto! Toss me to her!"

"Huh? Um...sure..." Makoto picked Monomi up and held her carefully in his hands, "Kaede! Catch!"

Kaede lurched up as Makoto gently tossed Monomi to her. As soon as Kaede caught her, the little rabbit started nuzzling her. Kaede's face of depression quickly changed to one of delight.

"SHE'S SO WEEEEEEEE!" she gleamed, rolling around on the bed for a different reason as she cuddled and ruffled Monomi. Her grip, based on Monomi's expression, was very tight, but Monomi didn't try to escape.

"Well, THAT was easy," Toko scoffed, "Kaede. If you're not talking about the fine, what did you mean when you said you wanted to apologize?"

Kaede stopped rolling around and sat up straight, letting Monomi sit in her lap. Her sad expression returned, but at least she was no longer crying.

"I mean...It's my fault you guys got fined in the first place," she confessed, "I'm the one who gave my mother details on your families and your homes, so she could track you down and present her accusations to the court..."

Silence once again reigned following this confession.

"Why did you do that?" Komaru asked, "didn't you tell us to leave to protect us?"

"I did...But then...Mom threatened me..." she said, "she told me she would force me to drop out of Hope's Peak and attend a private school to prevent me from ever seeing anyone at Hope's Peak ever again! I love my classmates! I didn't want that!"

"Your mother THREATENED you with that?" Komaru gasped, "your OWN MOTHER threatened you!?"

"I always felt that Kirie-san was two-faced, but I didn't know her abuse ran this deep..." Shuichi clenched his fist.

To be honest, Makoto couldn't help but feel a little bit bitter towards Kaede for selling his family out. However, he acknowledged that she had her own ends to meet, and it was likely even if she refused Kirie, her mother would undoubtedly find something even worse to threaten her with.

"Even so, it's still not your fault," Makoto assured her, "your mother doesn't define who YOU are. And if she thinks she can take your life away from you, then she's talking out her-"

"You don't get it!" Kaede snapped, "you don't get it at all!"

"What's not to get?" Komaru asked, "what's really going on?"

Kaede reached down and gripped her sleeve, her eyes squinting together like she was choking back tears.

"Do you guys really think..." she said softly, "that you are the first people this has happened to...?"

Everyone froze.

"I'm...I'm sorry...what?" Makoto trembled. With nothing to lose, Kaede let the tears and the words flow.

"My mom PREYS on people like you! If there's any way she can extort you for all you're worth, she will! And she's powerful and rich enough to get away with it! You can't beat her in a court case, especially not like this!" she exclaimed, "I've seen this happen to a lot of people, for even the smallest slights! If someone dares threaten her or my career, she'll ruin their lives and take their futures JUST to prove that she's the alpha!"

"Are...Are you serious...!?" Komaru's face went pale, "we're seriously not the first victims of this!?"

"Even if you raise a complaint against her, that's enough of a reason for her to act against you. If you try and call her out or raise a case against her, she'll turn it back around on you, and break you and your families from the inside out," Kaede continued, "everything she does is for the sake of achieving fame for both myself and her, and if anyone dares threaten that goal, she'll snuff them out without a second thought. She can do it because she has powerful connections, lots of which I'm not even sure are in safe businesses. I asked her about it, but she said the same thing every time. "If you truly strive for greatness, you must travel your path by any means necessary.""

"Even if it means destroying others..." Shuichi clenched his fist, finishing the thought.

"And what if we were to find evidence of these scams of hers?" Toko asked, "surely even a court case can't look past that?"

Kaede scoffed.

"Feel free...if you don't want her doing the same in kind and blackmailing you into silence," she grit her teeth, "you seriously don't get it. My mother is dangerous...! Not someone you guys could ever hope to beat! Not even you, Kyoko-senpai!"

It was worth noting in this moment Kyoko had a...defeated look on her face. Even she couldn't deny there was truth in Kaede's words.

"My mother knows that people can't afford to pay that much money to her..." Kaede asserted with a scowl, "she presses those charges with the sole purpose of RUINING people's lives! She's competitive to a horrible fault, and won't stop until she crushes anyone that stands in her way! She's been like this for a while..."

"Hm..." Kyoko frowned and made a noise after a short time, "let me ask you this then, Kaede. There's a theory I've had for a while now, and I'd like to see if you can confirm it for me."

"I'll be as honest as I can be..." Kaede promised.

"The reason why I even involved myself in this case is because rumors were circulating around about your sister Kaori being an extortionist, and threatening people into shady deals and robbing them for all they're worth," Kyoko explained, "but at this point in time, due to the complete and total lack of evidence...I'm starting to think that such rumors are untrue. And as it so happens, I took things up with my father who originally assigned the case to me, and his response confirmed my suspicions."

"So you decided to check for more details after all," Shuichi nodded, "what did Headmaster Jin say about the source of the rumors?"

"Apparently, as it so happens, like I briefly mentioned before," Kyoko pulled on her glove, "the rumors first reached his ears when some letters were sent straight to his office...by an anonymous parent of one of the Ultimates."

"Wait a second!" Komaru jumped to her feet, "are you trying to say that that parent was-!?"

"It must be Kirie!" Toko exclaimed.

"I'm afraid it's exactly what you think," Kaede sobbed, "not just with Hope's Peak, but everywhere. The rumors of my sisters' illegal practices were...they were started by my mother."

"But why would Kirie-san DO that!?" Shuichi asked, "isn't Kaori her own daughter? Whom she disowned? What benefit does she have from spreading rumors about her?"

"A few years ago, after my father died, that was when my mother went on a tirade about me achieving the fame she never could. I think it might have come about due to the desperate situation, but Kaori didn't like it and accused her of playing favorites...And I guess she was right. Kaori wasn't as interested in instruments as I was and didn't have as much going for her, so my mother naturally gravitated to me," Kaede explained, "they ended up in a huge fight and...I think it might have even gotten physical."

"Jesus..." Toko bit her thumb, "so that's why Kaori left?"

"Not only did she leave but...well, that was when she destroyed my grand piano in our garage. You already know that story," Kaede explained, "my mother was waiting for Kaori to come home so she could force her to pay for damages. But...that day never came. Mom severely underestimated just how far Kaori's friends were willing to go for her. She started rooming with one of them who already owned an apartment and never came back."

"So that's why your mother is reluctant to let you make friends like us?" Komaru asked, "she didn't want you turning into a delinquent like your sister..."

"It's true that Kaori caused property damage, but this is more of a familial quarrel than anything. I can't believe Kirie was really thinking of forcing her own daughter to make money and pay for the damages..." Kyoko pursed her lips.

Makoto felt himself gripping the edge of his bed in frustration and decided to speak his mind.

"Kaede..." he spat through gritted teeth, "I'm truly sorry to say this directly to your face...But your mother is a horrible, despicable person!"

"You're right...I know that..." Kaede gripped her sleeve, "but...what can I even do against her!? I don't want you guys involved in this any longer, so I'll try and do something about the fine. Please, just back out of whatever this case is before things somehow get worse!"

There was a heavy silence that filled the room following her desperate plea. This was eventually cut through, as Makoto stood up and addressed the young pianist girl.

"Kaede. Sorry, but would you mind giving us the room for a moment?" Makoto asked.

Kaede was puzzled at first, but then silently nodded. She placed Monomi on the bed, turned, and left Makoto's bedroom, closing the door behind her. Makoto waited to hear her footsteps down the hallway before he turned to the thieves and huddled them all up.

Old World Order - Danganronpa 3: The End of Hope's Peak Academy

"I think it's pretty clear what we need to do now..." he said.

"I concur," Shuichi glowered, "it seems to me that the heart we need to change is not Kaori's...but Kirie's."

"If what Kaede said just now is true, the result of all this suffering and the struggles of all sides of this conflict can be directly traced back to that woman," Komaru asserted, "we need to stop her before she hurts anybody else!"

"Not to mention that our lives are on the line if we don't do this," Toko reminded them, "she'll literally sue the pants off us if we don't stop her before her deadline, and if we don't, our lives, as well as the lives of those close to us, will be done for! We don't have much of a choice."

"You consent to this too, right Kyoko?" Monomi's ears perked up. Kyoko, though her face was sour, nodded.

"Kirie Kaede is too rich and influential, and she's far more powerful than I thought the mastermind of this case would be. Even if I did raise an investigation into her, by the time I find anything concrete, it will be too late. So I can't do anything to her unless she confesses herself, so I'm counting on you to do that."

"Then it's a unanimous vote!" Makoto smirked, pulling out his phone, "let's not waste any time and get right into it!"

He loaded up the Metaverse Navigator and its search engine came up. Makoto immediately entered the information he had on hand.

"Kirie Kaede, mother of Kaede and Kaori Kaede."

[CANDIDATE FOUND!] said the app.

"It worked!" Komaru said, "she really has a Shadow in the Metaverse!"

"And Mementos isn't working when I try and enter it," Makoto stated, "that can only mean one thing..."

"She has a Palace...!" Toko snarled, "heh...I guess I shouldn't be surprised."

"Hmph...Looks like I'll finally get to see one of these real "Palaces" for myself," Kyoko smirked, "so if I understand this correctly, what we need to do now is figure out the location of Kirie Kaede's Palace, and what she sees it as."

"Huh? You mean you're coming with us?" Komaru's eyes widened in surprise.

"Well, of course. I'm already here, aren't I?" Kyoko asked, "if you're heading in, I might as well come with you."

"Regardless of whether Kyoko-chan comes or not, she's right. We need to figure out the location first and foremost, and luckily, we have a few more options than we did with Kaori-san," Monomi chimed in, "like...the Kaede house."

[CONDITIONS HAVE NOT BEEN MET.]

"Hm...This is a complete shot in the dark, but..." Shuichi pondered, "what about the Tokyo Dome? Where Kaede is performing?"

[RESULTS FOUND!]

"And that's a hit!" Makoto pumped his fist, "we're 2 and up!"

"Are you kidding me!?" Komaru snapped, "how big does this woman's ego have to be that she's seeing herself as the ruler of the Tokyo Dome!?"

"Right!? Unlike Towa and Kirigiri's Palaces, that place doesn't even belong to her!" Toko snarled, "then again, I guess we shouldn't be complaining. Now all we need left is what Kirie sees the dome as."

"I don't suppose she could just see it as a stadium that she rules over, could she?" Komaru inquired. Monomi shook her head.

"Her mind wouldn't be distorted in that case," she told her, "it must be something else. Something related to Kirie's personality."

"Actually, I think I have an idea..." Shuichi raised his voice to make himself heard, "Kaede told me her mother was always a party person. Whenever she held events for her shows, she would invite as many people in her social circle as she could, even sometimes getting in contact with famous celebrities, influencers, and stuff like that."

"With that in mind...There's only one thing it could reasonably be," Kyoko calculated, "it must be a gala!"

"What's a gala?" Komaru asked.

"Like Shuichi just said," Toko explained, "it's a social gathering to celebrate important occasions, with special entertainments or performances. Basically, it's one big party."

"But does that really count as a location?" Komaru scratched her head.

"I guess there's only one way to find out," Makoto looked back towards the app, "Kirie Kaede...Tokyo Dome...Gala!"

[RESULTS FOUND!]

"Swing and a hit!" Monomi drummed the bed excitedly, "that went far more smoothly than I thought it would!"

"Hell yeah!" Komaru punched her open palm, "we've got our next big target!"

"Then what say you all?" Shuichi frowned with determination, "daylight's burning, so why don't we head to the Tokyo Dome and infiltrate the Palace now? If only to scope the place out."

"No objections from me." Kyoko nodded.

"Approved!" Toko gave a thumbs up.

"Affirmative, UHUHU!" Monomi giggled, "what about you Leader? You're naturally in too, right?"

However, to the Thieves' surprise, Makoto's face bore a look of reluctance and apprehension.

"What's the matter?" Komaru asked. Makoto sighed and lifted his head to look them in the eyes.

"I've been thinking about something..." he admitted, "and I plan to run it by you guys, but I'm already guessing you're not going to be on board with it."

"And...what's that?" Shuichi raised his eye with some skepticism. However, what Makoto followed up with didn't fail to catch him by surprise.

"I think...I think we should take Kaede into the Palace with us."

"What!?" Komaru choked, "you're not serious are you!?"

"Kyoko is one thing, but do you really expect us to protect Kaede from the Shadows inside?" Toko growled, "besides, do you really think it's a good idea to bring her into a place where her own mother's true evils are personified? She's a strong girl, but do you think she can handle that pressure?"

"Actually, about that...Given how cognition works thus far...I don't think the Shadows will attack Kaede," Makoto asserted, "be it as her daughter or her ticket to fame and fortune, Kaede is Kirie's key instrument in achieving her goals. I don't think she would want to cause her any harm considering."

"Alright, maybe that's a good point, but that doesn't mean she won't get kidnapped or something like that," Toko added, "no matter how you look at it, it's too dangerous."

"But that's not all. It may well be a risk that we HAVE to take..." Makoto explained, "we may very well end up needing Kaede in order to get through Kirie's Palace in the first place."

"And why is that?" Kyoko asked.

"As it is with Mementos, the inner workings of the Palace can be changed and influenced by our actions in the real world," Makoto explained, "for example, in Fuhito's Palace, we were stuck behind a large stage door that prevented us from getting any closer to the treasure..."

"The door in question was the cognitive version of the door to Fuhito's study, where he was keeping all the hidden evidence on Shuichi's harassment, amongst other things," Monomi continued, "so when Makoto opened it in reality, the door unlocked in the Palace too. Because Kirigiri became cognisant that it COULD be opened."

"Ah. I see where you're going with this," Shuichi considered, "you believe if we take Kaede with us, we'll be able to bypass any traps or contraptions similar to that?"

"Our biggest disadvantage against Kirie Kaede right now is that we don't know her as well as we know Haiji Towa and Fuhito Kirigiri," Makoto concluded, "having someone who's lived with her for her whole life would be beneficial to us in the long run."

"I get your point, but still..." Toko bit her lip, "this is risky. It's not the same thing as bringing Kyoko into Mementos. She's not as capable and I...don't want her getting hurt. Even if she did backstab us, she's a victim in this too."

"None of us do, Toko-chan," Komaru asserted, "but Kaede, even after the fact, tried doing everything she could to cover for us and help us out, despite how much she sucks up to her mother. We owe her the reality as a sign of gratitude at least."

"And even if Kaede isn't fully on our side yet, one look at her mother's Palace will put the situation into full perspective for her," Shuichi explained, "like it did for me."

"Ultimately, there are more benefits than drawbacks to bringing Kaede along with us for the ride," Kyoko finalized, "I believe Makoto's proposal is worth considering."

"Alright, fine...!" Toko spat, "but I don't want an innocent death weighing on my conscience. I still have grey hairs from when Shuichi got set on fire in the last Palace."

"He WHAT!?" Kyoko exclaimed.

"Sorry about that," Shuichi chuckled, "everybody wait here. I'll go fetch Kaede."

"Huh? Wait, why are we here?"

It didn't take the group long to gather their stuff and get to the Tokyo Dome with the train. With Kaede in tow, they got off the platform and made their way to their location on foot until they were standing right outside it. Kaede looked up at the dome and then back at the Thieves, immediately sensing they were plotting something by bringing her here.

"Look, guys, I don't know what it is you're planning by coming here..." she said, "but I already told you, I'll find a way to convince my mom to let go of your debts. Just don't get any more involved in this incident than you already are, please?"

"Forgive me for being so blunt, Kaede, but I sincerely doubt that will get us off the hook, even if you are successful," Shuichi told her, "besides, you said there were countless victims already, and there's sure to be countless more if we don't stop Kirie Kaede."

"Stop her? Wait, what are you guys-!?" Kaede became alarmed upon realizing the team was up to something. Makoto couldn't help but smirk.

"I need you to listen to me, Kaede," the Lucky Student stated, "what we're about to show you is top secret to everyone, including our close friends and families. Only us here know about it, and if we take you there, you must promise not to say a word of it to anyone."

"But we also need your help if we're going to pull this off," Komaru added, "so we're asking you to trust us."

"Trust you? I-I mean I want to but...What? Where are you taking me? What are you talking about!?" she was noticeably getting more and more tense with every vague claim.

"Kaede," Shuichi stepped forward, "please?"

Shuichi might as well have been giving Kaede the puppy-dog eyes. She palmed her forehead and sighed.

"Fine...I trust you Shuichi...And I promise I won't say a word to anyone about...whatever you're gonna show me," she promised, "I just need you to promise me that whatever you're doing won't get anybody hurt."

"Don't worry about that," Toko assured her, "we promise. Now let's get going."

"Ok, seriously though..." Kaede's face was still visibly uncertain "where are you actually taking me?"

Makoto pulled out his phone and opened up the MetaNav, which already had the previous prompts automatically filled in.

"To another world..." he said mysteriously, "within your mother's heart..."

[BEGINNING NAVIGATION.]

Chapter End Notes

The stakes are high, and the hype is even higher!
Lots of you saw this coming, and I congratulate you for sussing Kirie out right from the get-go, some before Kaori was even introduced.
Without spoiling too much of the future plot, Kirie Kaede, while representing quite a few of the deadly sins, such as her lust for power, Kirie primarily is made to represent spite and envy. Though a lot of it can be attributed to the loss of her husband and thus the loss of control over her life, Kirie became obsessed with attaining fame and fortune and making a name for herself and her family, for what reason nobody knows. However, it has resulted in her disowning her daughter, Kaori, as well as spreading rumors around to make trouble for her and cut her off from the family. Additionally, she puts focus on her successful daughter Kaede's talents and makes use of them to achieve her ends, and her ultimate plan is to make Kaede a pianist idol and reap the rewards of her youth and abilities, that she inevitably lacks.
One last quick shoutout I want to give is to thank RandomRex6 for checking the story out. I hope I can do your characters justice.
Thanks for reading. I love to get feedback from my readers, so feel free to leave a comment, and some kudos if you feel up to it.

Sins of the Mother

Chapter Summary

With everything to lose, the Phantom Thieves, accompanied by Kaede Akamatsu, dive into Kirie Kaede's Palace to stop the spiteful woman...

Chapter Notes

See the end of the chapter for notes

Through the Halls of History - Hi-Fi Rush

Kaede blinked once...Then twice...And then several more times as she took in the sudden change of scenery around her.

She rubbed her eyes and continued blinking to make sure she wasn't seeing things. She even pinched herself for reassurance, and when the reality was set in stone that she WASN'T dreaming, her jaw dropped and her eyes popped wide open.

The Tokyo Dome was GONE! And now, in its place, was a similarly structured, equally as huge, if not bigger, building with flashing lights, and a gaudy, blinding golden exterior, with signs and posters shaped like musical instruments and music notes lining its walls. A long red carpet snaked all the way up to the front doors, and on each side were strange silhouetted people, holding things like flash photography that were going off constantly, despite no one actually being on the proverbial catwalk.

The streets around her were busy too, but for some reason, everybody was dressed very strangely. They were wearing fancy suits of a variety of shapes and colors, and every person who passed her by was wearing a mask on their face.

"I wonder what that's about...?" someone next to her said.

"It could be symbolic of Kirie Kaede's ideals to people," a female voice responded, "she has high expectations for everyone, which is why everyone is dressed so fancily. Yet at the same time, she isn't easily deceived by outward appearances, so everyone is wearing masks to hide their true intentions."

"Interesting analogy as always, Kyoko-chan!" said a third voice, also female.

Hearing a familiar name, Kaede finally snapped out of her bewildered trance and turned to look at the people standing by her side. However, this only resulted in her entering ANOTHER bewildered trance.

Around her were 5 other individuals. She recognized one of them as Kyoko Kirigiri, but the others were all wearing masks and strange outfits, just like the people around her. However, these ones felt...different somehow.

"Kaede!" the one with spiky brown hair and dressed in a bright vibrant green was the first to greet her, "are you alright?"

"Huh? Oh, yeah, totally fine, everything's AOK here, I do just have one question though, WHAT THE FRESH CHEESECAKE HELL IS GOING ON RIGHT NOW!?" her emotions went from 0 to 100 in a few seconds flat when she found she couldn't contain her panic and confusion any longer.

"Uhuhu! Good, good! Looks like you were able to come to the other side totally fine! A lot of potential in this one I can already tell!"

An unfamiliar voice suddenly joined their conversation, and Kaede had to look around to find its source, until her eyes finally settled downwards to a stubby pink and white, tutu-clad creature, staring up at her with its hands on its hips and a big smile on its face.

"YOU-!?" Kaede exclaimed, only to be cut off.

"Now HOLD ON!" the creature, Monomi that is, quickly went from pleased to frustrated, "this is usually the part where the newcomer calls me a "Demon Bunny" and I'll have you know that I will be taking no more of that-"

"YOU'RE SO CUUUUTEE!"

However, Monomi's, and everyone else's for that matter, expectations were massively subverted as Kaede rushed towards the plucky rabbit and scooped her up into her arms. She nuzzled her face against the creature and squeezed her tightly.

"What are YOU!? You're so adorable! Who's a widdle guy!? WHO'S A WIDDLE GUY!? Is it you? IS IT YOU!? MMMMMGH!"

"Well...I'm at least happy she's not freaking out anymore...Well, not PANIC freaking out, I guess I should say..." Leprechaun scratched his head, understandably perturbed by Kaede's abnormal reaction, "and for the record, Kaede, that's actually Monomi, the rabbit you were cuddling with earlier."

"And for your information, I am a GIRL!" Usami pried herself free of Kaede's clutches, "normally I would be more than happy for you to squeeze my adorably soft fluffy fur, but we regrettably don't have time for that right now. We're on a mission!"

"Oh, right! Sorry..." Kaede crossed her arms and stood to attention, getting another look at the people surrounding her, "so...is that you, Naegi-senpai?"

"That's right," Leprechaun nodded, gesturing to his fellow thieves one by one, "and that's Komaru, Toko, and Shuichi."

"Um...Hi..." Sleuth seemed a little flustered for Kaede to see him in his Phantom Thief outfit, worried about how she might react. However, Kaede's eyes twinkled with excitement.

"NOICE Shuichi! The white's a good look for you! Very cool! Very DIFFERENT!" she enthused, "but uh...Where did you get it...? And when did you have time to change into it?"

"Actually, it's the same case as Monomi," Sleuth explained, "I gain this outfit and appearance whenever I come here."

"And...where is "here?"" Kaede asked, taking a second look at her surroundings, focusing on the fancy building in front of her.

"Well, it's as I told you already," Leprechaun explained, "this is the world inside your mother's heart. It's how everything looks through the eyes of Kirie Kaede personified."

"It's another reality where Kirie's distorted and warped desires are given form," Razor clarified, "everything you see here is symbolic of her true nature as a person."

Kaede processed these words and then took yet another look at her surroundings. To be frank, despite the golden sheen of the building, as well as the crowd of people lining up just to get inside, the place felt very...disturbing. Something was off about it, and Kaede wasn't quite sure she liked whatever it was.

If what they said was true, this place was her mother's true mind taking physical form...It was a hard pill to swallow, but it made sense...

"Ok...Let's say I believe you for now..." Kaede clutched her aching brain, not sure what really to make of all this, "I've got the where and the what, so now I want to know WHY are we here?"

"Put simply, your mother became our next target now that we know what she's up to," Highwayman explained, pointing up at the gala building, "which means we're going to break into that place and steal the Treasure that lies within!"

"Treasure? Steal?" Kaede parroted. Highwayman giggled.

"Oh yeah! Should've probably mentioned this but SURPRISE! We're the PHANTOM THIEVES OF HOPE!" she beamed, making a jazzy gesture with her hands.

Kaede's eyes widened, and she looked like she was about to make a lot of weird noises...But then she stopped and almost immediately relaxed.

"I...Um...Ok, actually, that makes a lot of sense..."

"Talk about a boneless reaction!" Komaru hoping to pop off, instead deflated.

"Sorry, it's just...now that I give it some patient thought," Kaede admitted, "the idea of you guys being a group of vigilantes really isn't that ridiculous. It at least explains why Kirigiri-senpai roped you guys in on investigating my sister."

"She's quite logical. I'm impressed." Kyoko gave her a smirk and a thumbs up. Thinking it was the right way to respond, Kaede winked back at her.

"And...I'm only just now realizing that I totally fangirled back there in front of you guys..." her face went red, "I'm...really embarrassed now..."

"Oh, don't worry about it," Highwayman patted her shoulder, "we hear that kind of stuff all the time. It's really hard to resist crying tears of joy over it."

"Maybe for YOU, it is..." Razor scoffed.

"Ok, but the real question is if there's a treasure in there, what happens if you guys steal it?" she asked, "...is that what triggers a change of heart?"

"Got it in one," Makoto affirmed, "if we steal the treasure, we steal Kirie's heart, and when that happens, she'll be forced to confess her crimes with her own mouth. Every last one of them. AND it'll hopefully get our debts to her canceled."

"Oh..." Kaede deadpanned, "o-ok...I see..."

Her reaction was rather noticeably sullen. Kyoko was the first to point this out.

"You seem somewhat...dismayed...by this information..." she observed, "could it be that...you don't WANT us to change your mother's heart?"

"Huh!? Oh um...No, I wouldn't say that!" she waved her arms around trying to reassure them, "my mother has done terrible things, and if the law and society can't touch her, then I guess you guys are the only ones that can...It'll be justice for Kaori too, after everything she put her through..."

Despite saying this, Kaede's expression remained uncertain. None of the thieves really knew what to say to this...except Sleuth, who stepped forward.

"I understand why you're worried, Kaede...But as much as I'm sure you want to hide from the truth, you need to accept it..."

"Huh? What do you-?"

"I was the same way...I was worried about turning my back on Fuhito Kirigiri because I was scared of change...And this is a big change for you, isn't it?" Shuichi inquired.

Kaede paused and clutched her sleeve, lowering her head and trying not to cry.

"Dad died years ago...And even if Mom confesses to the horrible things she did, I don't know if I'll ever really bury the hatchet with my sister..." she sighed, "with all that...Kirie Kaede is the only family I have left...and the same is true vice versa. She may be corrupt, but...she wasn't always this way...I think she's just as lonely as I am deep down..."

There was another brief silence, as Kaede took a deep breath in, then exhaled it, turning back to the thieves after wiping her eyes.

"But you're right. Our happiness is not worth the lives my Mom has trampled on to achieve our...HER goals...If you plan on stopping her, then by all means."

"Great to hear!" Highwayman tipped her hat to the pianist, "this mission works out for a lot of reasons. Not only will we be saving our families and getting justice for the people who have suffered because of Kirie's actions, but if we pull this off, we could be the talk of the town!"

"At first glance, Kirie doesn't seem like a target as big as Towa or Kirigiri, but inadvertently, her exposure will result in a scandal with the court system," Sleuth contemplated, "after all, charging someone a total of 20,000,000 yen could only be pulled off with influence and bribery. It would show favoritism and collusion with smaller parties in an act of subverting justice."

"And hopefully, it'll shut the critics like Ikusaba up by proving our righteousness and asserting our justice as resolute." Razor played with her scissors.

"You guys seem very focused on making a name for yourselves..." Kaede observed. Usami giggled.

"Why of course. The goal of this team is to give people like you, who have suffered at the hands of others and been in rough situations before, the Hope and strength to carry on!" the bunny asserted. Kaede smiled.

"Funny...That's exactly what my Dad used to say about his job..." she admitted.

"Oh...really?" Usami shifted in her place awkwardly, "sorry..."

"No, don't worry about it," Kaede crossed her arms, put her game face on, and turned towards the building, "we need to get inside there, right? Let's get a move on then."

"Wait, wait, wait!" Highwayman tried to stop her as Kaede marched towards the red carpet, "are you seriously gonna just walk through the front door!? Shouldn't we sneak around!?"

"No, wait, let's play this one out," Usami interjected, "I've got a good feeling about this."

"Me too." Leprechaun nodded.

"I concur," Kyoko also nodded, "let's let Kaede lead the way."

Komaru, as well as Toko, and even Shuichi, were understandably a little concerned about this. However, the suspicions of the other three were confirmed, as instead of being halted by the large beefy bouncer Shadows at the door, Kaede was instead greeted with...a standing ovation?

"What's going on?" Razor glowered.

"I knew it!" Makoto pumped his fist, "Kirie holds Kaede in high regard because of her talents and abilities! So in her Palace, Kaede is treated like a celebrity! In fact, I'm pretty sure this red carpet is here for HER!"

Kaede passed the threshold of the carpet, not paying any attention to the excited shouts, clapping, cat-calling, or whatever else was flung her way. However, when the others tried to follow, the two bouncer Shadows grabbed some batons from their belts and held up a barrier in front of them, blocking their entrance.

The thieves grabbed their weapons ready to fight, but the battle was interrupted as Kaede witnessed the situation.

"Let them through. They're with me."

And with that, the Shadows did as instructed. They lowered their guards and returned to their original positions, letting the rest of the Phantom Thieves through.

The Gala inside was as busy as it was outside, possibly even more so. The entering room was massive, and the red carpet continued to roll towards the staircase. On the left and right were what looked like those celebrity photoshoot backgrounds that you usually see in celebrations or red-carpet events.

"That went better than I expected," Kaede wiped some sweat from her forehead, "when you said I might have some influence on this place, I thought I might take a gamble. Even I wasn't expecting that to work out so well."

"It's wise to not lower your guard," Usami asserted, "if we're not careful, the Shadows might assault us the moment they get the chance."

"Shadows?" Kaede parroted.

"Creatures that live in this dimension like those two bouncers. They're usually hostile, so if we're attacked, stick to the rear with me," Kyoko told her, "do you know any combat techniques Kaede?"

"Um..." Kaede scratched her chin, "I'm a good pole dancer. Does that count?"

"What!? No, that doesn't-! What!?" Razor was bewildered by this brainless comeback. Highwayman patted her shoulder to ease her, "where would you even have LEARNED that?"

"You don't know my life!" Kaede winked mischievously, "but no, aside from that..."

"Then yes, stick to the rear with Kyoko-sama," Sleuth demanded, "for now, our top priority should be finding the location of the Treasure, and to be on the safe side, the location of-"

"Myself?"

Rise of the Ultimates - Danganronpa V3: Killing Harmony

As the Phantom Thieves approached the staircase in the center back of the room, an imposing, distorted voice cut through the air like a knife. As soon as it spoke, every creature and character in the room stopped making noise, and attention was turned towards the stairs.

Several bouncer Shadows stepped down the stairs and stood in a line on either side of the carpet. The Phantom Thieves stood in defensive stances, waiting for the source of the imposing voice to show itself. And just as they had expected...SHE arrived.

At first, they were blown away by how BIZARRE the specimen that descended down the steps towards them appeared. She was slim and tall, yet her aura was bloated and menacing, snidely glaring at them with piercing golden eyes. Her short, ash-blonde hair covered her right eye, while the other side that was swept back descended down her body and wrapped around her leg, with music note-shaped hairpins lined down it. The right half of her body was colored white while the other half was hot pink. Her costume consisted of a deep, vibrant blue leotard with a pink breast covering on her right side and a white one on her left, misaligned with the colors of her body. Slung around her neck was a fluffy scarf that looked to be made from animal fur. She also wore a pair of high-heeled boots with very sharp heels, and her fingernails were painted a variety of dark colors. She wore bracelets on her wrists and ankles, had similarly shaped earrings, and something like a crown on her head, signifying her authority. In her right hand, she held a thin, smoking pipe, a la Cruella de Vil, which she casually fiddled with with a smirk on her face.

The differences in appearance were remarkable, and yet despite all that, it was all too clear who this authority figure was.

"Mom!?" Kaede gasped, "no...wait...That's not right...You're not my Mom! Who are you!?"

"That's your mother's Shadow, Kaede!" Highwayman explained, "It's not the same as the one in reality, but it's her true self that symbolizes the wicked side of her that she hides from society."

"I must confess, her appearance is...unexpected..." Kyoko had also taken a defensive stance, "from what I remember, Akira Saji's Shadow looked very much the same as him."

"Palace rulers are a different case," Usami briefly elucidated, "primarily as a result of how distorted they are. Not only can they shape their own world, they can shape their own appearance as how they see themselves."

"It isn't on me if you have poor taste, girlie," Shadow Kaede sneered, "greetings, my dearest Kaede! What do you think of the place? Impressive is it not? Definitely a worthy place for our status and prowess, no?"

"Is that supposed to be a joke!?" Razor snarled, "do you even know why we're here!?"

"I know why YOU'RE here...But seeing as you're all a bunch of lowlife scum who I don't care to converse with right now" Kirie's expression darkened, "know your place and stay in it. I'm in the middle of FAMILY matters right now. I'll get to the matter of your debts when I'm READY."

"Oh, you don't have to worry about that!" Komaru scoffed, "it'd be much easier to steal your treasure! THAT will get things sorted much quicker!"

"And you just...brazenly admit that right in front of me and my loyal guards?" Kirie's Shadowy form frowned, "are you braindead or something?"

"Nah," Komaru shrugged, "I'm just not scared of you!"

"A poor decision, really," Kirie shrugged the sentiment off, "mark my words, I WILL run your family through the GROUND, and there's NOTHING...you can do about it..."

"But why do that!?" Makoto glowered at her, "we never caused you any harm, nor did we damage your property, and you KNOW we were invited in! And yet you still tried to sue us, despite knowing that?"

"Oh...to be honest?" her face contorted into a sinister, sadistic smile, "I didn't really have much of a reason; I just don't like you~"

"You two-faced skinny bitch..." Razor gritted her teeth, "you're basically just trying to kill us all in that case!"

"Who cares?" Shadow Kaede retained her malevolent grin, "the world's better off without punks like you around to be bad influences on prestigious and talented girls like my Kaede. Honestly, I feel even Hope's Peak is too plain for someone of my daughter's capabilities. All of you coming to my house and entering like you're just...ALLOWED to...You're no different from that complete and total failure who struts around the streets kicking trash cans...A complete waste of oxygen...that's what you all are!"

This was what got Kaede to step in.

"How could you say that!?" the pianist snapped, "Kaori Kaede is every bit of a daughter of yours as I am! How could you talk about her like that!?"

"It seems you don't understand the way the world really works, my sweetheart," Kirie placed an impudent hand on her hip, "Kaori wasn't good enough for this world, and when she realized that, she had a little teenage strop that went out of control. Like most naive little children, she doesn't know what's good for her. The same is true for the rest of you..."

"And you think you have a right to decide what's good for her then!?" Kaede snapped, "Kaori might not have had the same talent in music as me, but that doesn't mean she isn't valuable!"

"It almost seems to me," Kyoko chimed in, "that you didn't really have any interest in being Kaori's mother."

"That's simply not true! KAORI had no interest in being MY DAUGHTER," the horrifying hostess asserted, "all things considered, I've been a rather terrific mother! I've endlessly supported my daughter and her endeavors! I even created this whole gala JUST for her!"

"Yeah, that's pretty cool..." Leprechaun clenched his fist, "except that's a complete lie, isn't it!?"

Kirie's head snapped towards him.

"Excuse you?" she hissed.

""For Kaede's sake!?" "Endless support!?" Give me a break!" the Lucky Student snapped, "this has NEVER been about Kaede! If you care about music so much, why haven't I seen a single instrument since I stepped in!? If this is a music venue for Kaede, surely there'd at least be a piano, right!?"

Kirie crossed her arms and didn't respond.

"No...Of course there isn't. This isn't Kaede's Gala, it's YOUR Palace," he continued, "and that's all it's ever been. Not Kaede. You. You, you, you, you, YOU! YOUR power, YOUR fame, YOUR money, YOUR needs! If you were really the gracious mother you pretend you are, you would NEVER have let Kaori go, nor would you have hurt so many people! The only reason why you want her to return is so she can take responsibility for an argument YOU started! Nothing like worrying that your daughter hasn't been home for years!"

He took a defiant step forward.

"In fact, I'm fairly certain the ONLY reason why you even keep KAEDE around, is because her talents with the piano are making YOU rich and famous! I'm sure if she ever gave you a reason to stop using her, you'd cast her aside without a second thought!"

"Mom...!" Kaede hadn't honestly considered all this, but now that her senpai had stated it so openly, it left her in a thinking state. Struck with nerves, she looked up at her mother's Shadow, who diverted her gaze and suckered her lips. "I...I can't believe it! I can't believe YOU!"

"All I ever did...was to help you..." Kirie clutched her pipe, calming her expression and choosing to respond, "I wanted you to live a life you were proud of. So why talk back to me in such an impudent way?"

"Because the happiness you've given me was built on the suffering of others!" Kaede cast her arm aside, "I refuse to live a life like that! No matter how ideal it may be, I WON'T live in luxury every day knowing that people were kicked down by you just to obtain it!"

"You ungrateful little brat! You think your father or your sister would've given you anything even close to the kind of life I've provided you!?" Shadow Kaede snarled at her, "the only reason you even have food, clothes, a home of this splendor, and the opportunity to attend Hope's Peak is BECAUSE OF ME! And what I'VE done for YOU!"

"Do NOT speak of my father like that!" Kaede glowered, "nor my sister!"

"That's absolute bullshit!" Shuichi asserted with an unexpected curse, which was rare for his timid personality, "Kaede got to where she is because SHE worked hard, and because SHE loves the piano! You, on the other hand, don't give a damn about music or instruments, and are just leeching off her hard work and passion!"

"Leeching off...? Such a ridiculous statement I can only laugh..." Kirie did indeed smirk, "was Kaede the one who scored it big at the Tokyo Dome or any other big venue? Was she the one who got her noticed by Hope's Peak? No...That was ME! I'M the one who's in charge of her commercial value! Say what you will, but Kaede wouldn't get ANYWHERE in the world if not for MY efforts! And I expended a LOT of effort getting past the competition just to secure this venue. On my good conscience, I will NOT let you take it away from us!"

Kyoko suddenly stepped forward in response to these words with a terrifying glare on her face.

"And...what happened to those people?" she asked, "the competition I mean? That you eliminated?"

This statement was concerning enough on its own, but the situation was made all the more tense when Kirie threw her head back and started cackling in the sky, lowering her head only to glare at the detective girl.

"Well...What ELSE would you do with BROKEN USELESS TRASH...!?"

To emphasize her point, she crushed her pipe in her hand. The Phantom Thieves were gradually getting more and more enraged the more of this woman's endeavors they heard, and the same was true for Kaede...

"You...You monster...! HOW COULD YOU!?" the pianist girl snapped, "those people had just as much right to perform in that dome as I did! WHAT DID YOU DO TO THEM!?"

"Survival of the fittest, my dearest daughter!" Kirie snarked, "eliminate or BE eliminated! That is the natural order of things in this world! And it's a real shame you young punks don't see that! Creatures of all kinds are always competing to survive, and humans are no different! All I'm doing is trying to keep my family ALIVE in this rotten world since I seem to be the only one who can DO IT!"

She took an enraged step down, her sharp heel digging into the step.

"But do YOU care? No, of course you don't! You'd rather spend your days playing useless games, reading dumb stories, and watching TV like a brainless chimpanzee! You don't have the drive to secure your own future, and when that time comes, you'll regret it!"

"By "drive" do you mean "sadism!?"" Usami growled, "because if that's really how you see the world, then I don't think I want any part of it! Especially since YOU seem to be the biggest problem! Ruining people's lives just to protect your own isn't survival of the fittest, it's egotism at its finest!"

"SO WHAT!?" Kirie's shout caused the entire room to quake, which was enough to even cause the abrasive Kyoko to back off in nervousness, "3 years ago, my life began FALLING APART! I was losing EVERYTHING! I lost my husband, my opportunities to get a job, and my child, EVERYTHING was crumbling to dust and I was going to be left with nothing! Nothing except a young daughter, who I had to raise BY MYSELF! Did anybody help me? No of course they didn't! Because who would go out of their way to ACTUALLY help a grieving widow if they didn't get something in return!?

She took another step, and this time a crack appeared in the floor from her step. She cast out her hand, and all of a sudden, the doors to the gala slammed shut, and several more bouncer Shadows emerged from out of nowhere. Even some of the guests at the gala morphed into the hideous forms of the Shadows, clearly hiding in plain sight.

"Selfish, good-for-nothing WORMS like you don't know a FUCKING THING about what it's like to have the responsibility of ensuring your family's survival thrust on you! You wouldn't have what it takes to protect it, and let my fine PROVE that!" she glowered, "it's sad. Really sad. Sad that the last thing you felt you could do was come into my Palace and BULLY me just so you can feel more proud of yourself and your aimless mission to reform society! You claim you want to give youth the courage to stand up, but there's no place in this world for the likes of those cretins...If you want my opinion? You, Kaori, and all those you're trying to protect...? They should all BURN IN HELL...!"

As if it wasn't obvious before now, this really solidified it.

This woman...was PURE EVIL.

Even if there was some sympathy to be found in her words and grievances about having to shoulder her family's responsibilities, Kirie was so unbearably malicious and spiteful, that there was no denying her sadism and forceful superiority. It made the Thieves want to vomit, but right now, their top priority was making sure the enemies that were currently surrounding them didn't make any funny moves.

"Thank you for the oh-so-pleasant chat, but as I've said. I make it my business to off my most fierce competitors," Kirie cast out her hand again, "so...with pain in my heart...for the sake of the heights that I and my daughter are to reach...! DIE...!"

The bouncer Shadows drew closer, some of them readying their batons and others pulling out guns. Expecting a fight to kick off immediately, the Phantom Thieves all readied their weapons and surrounded Kyoko and Kaede, with there not being any reasonable way for them to escape just yet.

However...against expectations, Kaede pushed past the thieves and strode closer to the steps where her mother glared down at them.

"Shut...Up...!"

Shadow Kaede was understandably perturbed and frowned at her daughter.

"I'm sorry..." she hissed "What did you say...?"

"Oh...Sorry, I kind of forgot your own voice drowns out everything else you here," Kaede scoffed, "let me try that again...!"

And with no word of warning, she stamped her foot hard on the ground and screamed at her mother!

"SHUT THE FUCK UP, YOU SELF-CENTERED PIECE OF SHIT!"

New World Order V3 - Danganronpa V3: Killing Harmony

It wasn't just Kirie who was baffled and caught completely unaware by this outburst. The Phantom Thieves were similarly shocked at the girls' audacity.

"Did you hear me THAT time?" Kaede smirked, "or do I need to say it LOUDER?"

"How...How DARE YOU-!" Shadow Kaede attempted to snarl, but Kaede audaciously cut her off.

"Oh HUSH!" she spat, "you can do whatever the hell you want to me, and I'll hold my tongue and bear it...But when you hurt my friends, innocent people, and even my own twin sister? I'm not putting up with this garbage ANYMORE! I am NOT your MONEYBAG, bitch!"

"You really think you're so great!? You've got a big head, daughter of mine!" Kirie snarled, "I'll say it once again for good measure! The reason why you are famous-!"

"I don't WANT to be FAMOUS! I NEVER DID!" Kaede once again unashamedly split her mother's sentence, "because the prospect of fame and fortune turns people into self-centered, arrogant, loathing control-freaks like you, who makes her problems everyone else's problems, and hurts innocent people for no reason other than her god damn INSECURITIES!"

Kaede's body was now visibly trembling with rage, as was her mother's.

"And you want me to say the REAL reason why you're doing all of this!? You're still quite young, but you've missed so many opportunities over your life that you're JEALOUS of MY abilities, JUST LIKE KAORI WAS! Except SHE had the human decency to not USE me to her advantage!" Kaede snarled, "you did EVERYTHING YOU COULD to put me on a leash and submit me to your beck and call! Because you can't accept the fact that you are lonely, evil, and UNWANTED!"

"ENOUGH! IIIII'VE HAAAAD ENOOOOUUUUGHH!!" Kirie shrieked like a banshee on crack, "I've changed my mind! KILL HER TOO! She's USELESS to me!"

Go figure. It looked like Makoto had a point. On the one hand, Kaede felt a weight had been lifted off her chest that had been weighing her down for a while, and a chance to call her mother out on all her bullshit had done wonders for her. She felt so light and free.

On the other hand, said outburst was now going to serve as the potential catalyst of her demise, as the Shadows now rounded on her, ready to pounce...At least, that's what she thought for a split second...

"No, Kirie Kaede...WE'VE had enough of YOU...!"

Discussion -PANIC- - Danganronpa V3: Killing Harmony

A sharp jolt of pain suddenly rushed through Kaede's head, and she very nearly collapsed from the intensity of it.

"Kaede!" Shuichi instantly noticed her sudden fatigue and tried to help her, but surprisingly, Kaede pushed him back and took a few more steps forward, Shadows surrounding her.

"Kaede!" Kyoko exclaimed, "what's going on!?"

"No, wait! Let her cook...!" Komaru, with a recognizing smile on her face, held out an arm to stop Kyoko from interfering.

"The path ahead to vengeance is fraught with undesirable outcomes, misery, and despair," the voice returned, "are you prepared to walk it with me, no matter what you may lose?"

Kaede smirked and her eyes gained a golden gleam...

"Yes..." she said, "YES I AM"

Within a second, the sharp pain came back, much worse this time, and it remained. Kaede's head rang with the voices and the pain, and she felt her entire body start to give way!

But she didn't let it! Before she could collapse on the floor, she stamped hard on the ground and retained her balance, tensing her body up, clenching her fists, and fighting through it!

"Good girl...It seems there is no reason to delay our contract any further...After all, you're finally willing to take your life and the lives of those others back into your own hands," the voice chuckled "I am thou...and thou art I...! Live freely, and free others by becoming the arbiter of Hope and salvation they need against crooks like HER!"

Kaede screamed in agony while everyone stared at her with looks of both anticipation and concern. The pianist raised her head, for everyone to see that she was now wearing an extravagant and fancy theater mask on her face. And without hesitation, she grabbed it with both her hands!

"I WILL MAKE! YOU! SUUUFFEFEEEERRR!" she screamed, her voice reaching its zenith, yanking the mask off her face INSTANTLY, blood flying everywhere until she was embellished in powerful azure flames!

They dissipated, and once they did, two figures were standing there. The first was Kaede, now dressed in an elegant purple dress with a small frilly skirt, tied with a bow around her slightly exposed cleavage. She wore elbow-length purple gloves and shiny purple high-heeled shoes with no visible socks or tights. In her hair, she had a clip-on white flower with black feathers attached to it.

The creature by her side took the form of an elegant, beautiful woman, with long hair that was the same ash blonde as Kaede herself. It had a tall, curvaceous figure accented by her dress; a deep blue one with an open chemise on the front. Her arms and legs appear to be covered in blue crystal which resembles the shape and color of her flames. Her arms and legs appeared to have long winding music sheets wrapped around them like bandages or bracelets, and floating around its form was a winding piano.

"What's going on!?" Shadow Kaede shrieked, "what IS this garbage!?"

"THIS...dear mother..." Kaede opened her eyes, still glowing gold from her transformation, "is who I really am!"

With a fearful scream, one of the Shadows surrounding the thieves lunged at Kaede, only to be sucker-punched in the face and knocked back by Kaede's new Persona! It dropped its baton at the girl's feet, which she picked up. As soon as she did, it suddenly changed shape from a baton, into a long, stylized polearm with a curvature end. She spun the weapon around and slung it over her shoulder, cockily cocking her head to the side.

"Huh...So THAT'S what she meant by pole dancing..." Razor whistled.

"I won't let anyone be hurt for my gain ever again...!" Kaede asserted, "I will blow through anything that gets in my path toward salvation!"

!" Kaede asserted, "I will blow through anything that gets in my path towards salvation!"

"Right IRENE!?"

"Kill her...! KIIIILLL HEEEEEERR!" Kirie screamed, the look of abject horror on her face upon witnessing Kaede's new power! Despite what happened to their cohort, the Palace ruler's word was law, and the Shadows rushed her.

! KIIIILLL HEEEEEERR!" Kirie screamed, the look of abject horror on her face upon witnessing Kaede's new power! Despite what happened to their cohort, the Palace ruler's word was law, and the Shadows rushed her

"MARAGI!"

Only for the lot of them to be blasted into oblivion by a wave of explosive crimson flames to the face! Irene danced around in a circle and spewed said flames all around, with the Phantom Thieves having to duck underneath to avoid being turned to ash themselves!

"What in the world...!?" Kyoko was blown away by what she was seeing. This display of power from the previously kind-hearted and relaxed Kaede Akamatsu was a sight to behold, to say the absolute least.

"That's incredible!" Usami beamed, "you're amazing, Kaede!"

"Well, we can't let her have all the fun!" Leprechaun pounded his fists together, "let's lay waste to 'em Phantom Thieves!"

There was a HURRAH followed by Usami, Sleuth, Highwayman, and Razor all jumping in to attack. With Kaede's flames having made an opening, Kyoko jumped back to safety and prepared the supplies should the team need them. At the same time, what Shadows remained burst open into their true forms, swarming the team, going for the kill!

At the same time, what Shadows remained burst open into their true forms, swarming the team, going for the kill!

"PSIO!"

"GARULA!"

"ZIONGA!"

"BUFULA!"

After their training in the Metaverse, the Thieves had buffed themselves up a bit, now their attacks were stronger than ever, and they blasted away the incoming Shadows. However, some of them were strong enough to tank the attacks, especially the big, beefy ogre-looking Shadows, who rushed straight through towards the group!

"Oh no you don't!" Kaede cried, "SWIFT STRIKE!"

She and her Persona moved at a blinding speed to attack the incoming enemies, but despite their speed, the enemies were still able to leap over her attack and pounce on the rest of the Phantom Thieves! Fortunately, they were able to dodge in time.

"TRIPLE DOWN!" declared Highwayman, summoning her own Persona and hailing them with bullets. It held them back, but despite that, it didn't take them down, "damn, these guys are tough!"

"Stay on your toes! Remember, this is Kaede's first battle!" Usami reminded them, "and she's exhibiting more power than the rest of you did on your awakenings, so-"

She was unfortunately cut off as a fourth ogre Shadow suddenly jumped out from behind some seats and set a course to crash straight on top of Kaede, brandishing its giant blade.

"AT LEAST LET ME FINISH!" the lagomorph larcenist guffawed.

With her having only noticed the enemy above her just as it was about to strike, Kaede didn't have time to counterattack or block. Moving at the speed of a bullet to save her, Makoto rushed forth and delivered a deadly uppercut to the monster, knocking it flying back into the air! He followed up by swiping his hand across his mask and summoning a Persona.

Moving at the speed of a bullet to save her, Makoto rushed forth and delivered a deadly uppercut to the monster, knocking it flying back into the air! He followed up by swiping his hand across his mask and summoning a Persona

"NUE!" he cried, "MUDO!"

The chimera Persona was summoned and used its powers to suspend the Shadow in the air. A straw doll appeared in front of it, which was run through with several magical nails. The voodoo effect took hold on the Shadow, and it instantly died, turning back into black ash.

The voodoo effect took hold on the Shadow, and it instantly died, turning back into black ash

"Thanks...!" Kaede breathed a sigh of relief, "now...AGILAO!"

*FWOOOM!*

"ASSAULT DIVE!"

*CRAAASH!*

"RAMPAGE!"

*BASH!* *BASH!* *POOOW!*

Kaede didn't hesitate to round on the other Shadows that she'd failed to defeat earlier and go to town on them with her Persona's powerful physical blows and fiery magic. They all disintegrated into nothing, and Kaede's body quaked with rage!

"Man..." Toko trembled, "she is...surprisingly scary when she's mad..."

Kirie's own Shadow clearly shared the same sentiment, as she had retreated far back up the stairs and now resided on the safety of the balcony above them, glaring down at her daughter and her newfound posse with complete malice and tension.

This feeling was then heightened within her when Kaede spun her head towards her and glared back with a face like raging thunder! Shadow Kaede felt the sweat roll down her forehead, and her chest and body tensing up.

"YOU'RE NEXT!" Kaede was huffing and puffing, clearly running low on energy by now, yet retained her ferocious mojo, and looked like she was ready to pounce up onto the balcony and rip her mother a new one. Before she had the chance, however, Shuichi stopped her by grabbing her shoulder.

"Don't!" he exclaimed, "there's no point in fighting her right now! If we want to change her heart, we have to steal her treasure! Attack her Shadow and you might end up killing her in reality!"

This was enough to get Kaede to cease LITERAL fire. Even if she was angry at her mother, naturally she didn't want to KILL her. Kirie however, despite being at a disadvantage, did not share the same mentality.

"What are you all DOING!?" she roared, "when I tell you to put them down, PUT THEM THE FUCK DOWN!"

With her demand, even more Shadows armed to the teeth with magic and weapons burst into the room. Even with their new ally and her Persona, taking all these guys down was an impossible feat right now.

"We can't waste any more time here if we want to reform Kaede!" Kyoko exclaimed, "we need to get out of here!"

"But how!?" Razor spat back, "she barred the gate shut! We're not gonna be able to-!"

*KA-BOOOOOOM!*

This argument was cut very short when a giant crackling blast of fire flew forward and blew the doorway to the gala building WIDE open, breaking down the wall and creating a large hole! The people around the door were all disgracefully blown back. Everyone turned their heads to look at Kaede.

"Did none of you seriously think to do that?" she asked, judgmentally.

"Well...sorry, we're not really the "go in guns blazing" type..." Leprechaun scratched his face.

"Save it!" Usami exclaimed, "we've managed to infiltrate the building! We should go!"

"I'll hold them off!" Kaede summoned Irene to her side once again, "you guys get out! I'll catch up!"

"Wait, Kaede!" Highwayman exclaimed, "you can't just-!"

But Kaede wasn't listening. As the Shadows rushed forward in a wave, Kaede spun round and took a stance, pointing a hand towards the incoming wave of Shadows and crackling with energy!

As the Shadows rushed forward in a wave, Kaede spun round and took a stance, pointing a hand towards the incoming wave of Shadows and crackling with energy!

"MARAGIIII!"

She then proceeded to blast off the biggest and fiercest flaming attack she had achieved so far! A wave of crackling flames spewed out all across the gala floor, burning any and all approaching enemies to cinders! As she did this, Usami quickly transformed into her vehicular form, and the Phantom Thieves scrambled inside. The only two who didn't enter immediately were Leprechaun and Sleuth, who looked back towards her, worried and anxious.

"I WON'T LET YOU HURT THEM!" she screamed, "I won't...I...won't...let you...! hurt...ugh..."

High Pressure - Persona 5

"KAEDE!" Shuichi cried, running over to his classmate, who after letting out this ferocious attack, expended what remained of her energy, and subsequently collapsed! He picked the unconscious girl up into his arms and made a mad rush to the Usamobile, with Makoto offering him cover fire with his pistol!

"DRIVE!" he dived back into the car just as the enemies were on top of them and issued this commanding shout. Kyoko, sitting in the driver's seat, slammed her foot down on the pedal, and the bus sped off as fast as it could go! As soon as they burst out of the gala, Toko procured her phone and warped the rest of them back to reality.

Meanwhile, with the foyer of the gala crumbling apart and covered in ash and burn marks, Shadow Kaede stood at the top of the previously pristine stairway. She clenched her fist so tightly that her nails dug deep into her palms, and caused some black blood to come seeping out.

"M-Ma'am!" one of the surviving Shadows hurried up the stairs and bowed in front of her, "I'm...I'm sorry...They got away..."

"Hmph...No matter...Defiant runts like them don't give in easily, even when disciplined. They'll be back...and when they do come back...we'll finish them off..."

Kirie descended the stairs, retaining her composure, but boiling with fury inside.

"They were right about one thing...This is MY party. And it's fitted with the tightest security my influence can afford," she smiled slimily, "the day they get this Treasure will be the day I DIE...!"

[SEVERAL HOURS LATER...]

"Well...SOMEBODY had a rowdy night..."

Break it Down - Persona 5

Kaede Akamatsu lurched awake when she lazily opened her eyes and found her face to face with the fuzzy visage of a pink and white bunny rabbit. She would have panicked, but she didn't have any immediate feeling in her arms or legs. Recognizing the rabbit as Monomi, she focused her efforts on thinking and talking.

"You just...talked..." she observed, "that's uh...neat, but not normal..."

"I get that a lot," Monomi giggled, "hold on, I'll go get the others."

Monomi hopped down from where Kaede was lying, and she used the opportunity to observe her surroundings. She was lying down on a single bed and saw she was in a room with blue walls and a white ceiling with star stickers on it. She recognized it as her senpai's bedroom at his own home.

They had just been at the Tokyo Dome though, right? Did they carry her all the way back to the house?

"Kaede!"

These thoughts were interrupted as some familiar faces came hurrying into the room. Her senpai, Makoto Naegi came first, now dressed in his regular school uniform, with Monomi sitting on his shoulder. He was followed by a relieved Shuichi Saihara, then Komaru Naegi, then Toko Fukawa, and finally, Kyoko Kirigiri.

As everyone else crowded around her, Kaede sat herself up and tried to stand up...Which was unfortunately followed by her legs giving way and her collapsing, faceplanting on the wooden floor beneath her.

"Kaede!?" Shuichi exclaimed, trying to help her back up, "are you alright!?"

"Noooooo..." Kaede groaned, "I hurt EVERYWHEEEEEEEEAAAAARRE..."

"Well, no doubt about that," Monomi frowned disapprovingly as Makoto, Kyoko, and Shuichi hoisted her back up onto the bed, "you went completely haywire after unlocking your Persona's power. It's honestly amazing you're not DEAD."

"Well, I definitely FEEL like death," Kaede chuckled, "but at the same time, I feel...light...Like I've finally gotten clarity after so many years of living a lie..."

"Yep, sounds like you're dying..." Komaru joked. Kaede played along and mockingly lifted her aching arms in faux anguish.

"Noooooo..." she groaned. Everyone laughed, happy that she was in stable enough condition to play around. However, her face suddenly became serious as she looked back at them all, "hey...What just happened wasn't a dream, was it?"

"Did the talking rabbit not give it away?" Makoto asked, "we went to the Tokyo Dome and entered the world inside your mother's heart. When we were there, you awakened to your Persona and expended yourself of energy."

"You've been out for a couple of hours now," Kyoko added, "we didn't really want to risk taking you just anywhere since we didn't know how long it would be until you woke up again. So I helped carry you back here and we let you rest on Makoto's bed."

"Thank you, Kirigiri-senpai..." Kaede nodded in understanding, "I guess I owe you guys another apology..."

"For what?" Toko asked, "you really came through for us back there. That's some impressive firepower you're packing."

""Impressive" is not the word I'd use," Komaru scratched her face, "let's just say that I'm never getting on your bad side. I like my skin, and I don't want it burned off."

"C-Cut it out...!" Kaede blushed, causing more hearty laughter in the group.

The conversation was interrupted by the sudden sound of a vibration. Realizing it was from her skirt, Kaede took her phone out of her pocket and checked the lock screen. Her face immediately darkened, which said it all.

"Let me guess," Toko crossed her arms, "mommy dearest?"

"Yep..." Kaede pursed her lips, "I'm almost afraid to open this and hear what she has to say about what happened back there. Is it even safe for me to go home right now?"

"Oh you don't need to worry about that," Monomi explained, "Kirie Kaede's Shadow that we battled back there in the Palace doesn't share memories with her real-world self. She won't know anything about what happened in that other world."

"Oh thank God..." Kaede felt a wave of relief wash over her, which was almost enough to make her collapse again, as she opened up her phone and read the message. It was little more than checking up on her condition, which was a normal text for her mother. She pocketed her phone and looked back to the team, choosing to answer it later.

"But even so," Kaede queried, "that other place is connected to her brain, right?"

"Technically her cognition." Shuichi clarified, "how she views the world around her and herself."

"So even though she doesn't remember what we do there, things that we do within the...Palace...can affect her in this world, right?" Kaede asked, "we could even get her to confess the things she's done like Towa and Kirigiri did?"

"That's right. You catch on pretty quickly," Makoto affirmed, "but...am I to take this as a sign that you want to help us out?"

"I think that's the least I can do. Not just for you, but for the countless people my mother has hurt," Kaede scowled, "with Dad gone, Mom gone off the rails, and Kaori who knows where, I'm the only one who can take responsibility for my family now. And I WILL make things right."

"You know, I do think it's impressive," Komaru smiled, "impressive that you're so willing to admit the things your Mom did, despite her being a close family member."

"Being a close family member is no excuse for her using me for her own gain," Kaede asserted, "I'm just sorry it took so long for me to discuss the truth openly with you...Please understand...Kirie Kaede is really the only family member I have that stuck around. Even if she IS an evil lunatic...she's not a TERRIBLE mother."

"If the stories you told us about your family back at your house are anything to go by, she hasn't always been like this," Makoto pondered, "she seemed happy in the past. I guess your father's death changed her."

"Honestly, I just wish I could tell what she's really thinking...I'm not sure I even really believe a lot of what that evil version of her said," Kaede pouted, "but still, it doesn't matter what her reasons are. Mom...I mean...Kirie...has to be stopped. I always knew that...but I didn't think it would be happening like this..."

"It appears there's more to you than meets the eye" Kyoko smirked, impressed with her attitude. Kaede smirked back.

"I'm just tired of being being a Momma's Girl," she said, "I'm sure you can relate?"

"Indeed I can," Kyoko nodded, "well? What's the call Makoto?"

"I say we let her join," he replied bluntly, "just like Shuichi and Kyoko, she's a primary victim in this, and as she said, she plans to take responsibility. I don't want to deny her that. Any objections?"

"Nope!" Komaru beamed.

"None." Toko added.

"Of course not." Shuichi grinned.

"In that case," Monomi's ears twitched excitedly, "welcome to the Phantom Thieves, Kaede!"

"Just like that? No...induction or test or anything?" she chuckled, "well, whatever. I'll make sure I'm of use to you guys!"

She turned and shot Shuichi a determined look, who shot her an approving one back. She then diverted that look toward the Phantom Thieves' leader.

"So?" she asked, "where do we start?"

Mementos (Middle Layer) - Persona 5 Royal

[TWO DAYS LATER...]

"So...THIS is Mementos?" Kaede inquired as they entered the shadowy depths of the public's palace. She took in her surroundings, including the blooded red walls and intimidating aura, "I can't believe we came to this place using a smartphone app of all things..."

"If we're gonna stop Kirie Kaede, we'll need to do it before the deadline of the fines we've been charged, otherwise we'll be in real trouble," Sleuth explained, "so we have just under three weeks to infiltrate that Palace and secure a route to the Treasure inside. In the meantime though, we need to train and prepare."

"Our Personas are our greatest weapons in battle," Razor explained, "but using them puts a lot of strain on our bodies and tires us out quickly. Use them too much and we won't have enough energy to spare to even summon them."

"Aside from that, we have our regular weapons to help us fight Shadows, including things like your spear or my fisticuffs," Leprechaun added, "speaking of which, I have a gift for you."

Kaede held out her hands and took what Makoto handed her. It was a rather fancily decorated Victorian-era antique rifle, which Kaede then strapped to her hip.

"Where'd you get this?" she asked.

"I have a deal with the owners of a thrifty store in Shibuya. These guns are fake, but they're realistic enough that creatures in this world perceive them as such. Therefore, they fire real bullets. They're useful if you need to take enemies down from range."

Kaede nodded, then looked back down the deep stairwell leading to the darkness below.

"So what exactly is this place?" she asked, "you mentioned something like how it's a Palace that everyone in the general public shares?"

"That's right," Highwayman affirmed, "while we hunt down big fish, we also come here to steal the hearts and stop the crimes of smaller targets than the likes of your mother."

"The last time we came in here, we cut our journey short to avoid any potential dangers deeper below," Leprechaun explained, "but with you by our side now, we should be more than enough of a challenge for the Shadows on the lower levels."

"Just as a word of warning, the place is very deep, and the deeper we go, the creepier it gets," Highwayman added, "but if you need any help, we'll have your back. Any questions?"

With now being a less stressful time than it was dealing with the Shadows in her mother's Palace, Kaede took the moment to get a better look at her Phantom Thief attire. The long, elegant purple dress, and the fancily-shaped theater mask on her face.

"Hm...Well, I do have one that's been on my mind for a while," Kaede contemplated, "what am I gonna be called?"

"Huh?" Shuichi asked.

"When you come to this other world, you call each other by different names. Like...code names or something, right?" she clarified, "if I'm really part of the squad, shouldn't I get one now?"

"Hmph...Quite perceptive," Shuichi complimented her

"This one's a difficult one though...There's not a lot to go off of." Makoto observed.

"How about keeping it simple and just calling her "Pianist?" Or maybe "Purple?"" Komaru asked.

"Why are you always naming us after colors?" Toko asked.

"Okay, in that case, given the mask...How about "Theater Kid?"" she tried again.

"Absolutely not..." Toko, Shuichi AND Kaede all said in unison. Komaru pouted.

""Symphony?"" Makoto suggested.

"That's too long..." Komaru jerked.

"Komaru, it's the same number of syllables as yours." Shuichi pointed out.

"I'd prefer something a bit shorter as well though, so...vetoed," Kaede shrugged, "anything else?"

"How about "Keyboard?"" Toko suggested.

"I'm a piano player, not a keyboard player. The two careers are fundamentally different, even if the instrument is similar," Kaede frowned, "vetoed again. Give me better stuff to work with, jeez."

"This is one tough customer..." Monomi scratched her nose, ""Madame?""

"I'm not an old woman! Vetoed!" Kaede spat, "is this seriously the best you've got?"

"Any ideas Shu?" Komaru turned towards Shuichi, as did everyone else.

Kaede looked towards him expectantly, becoming a little self-conscious as Shuichi tilted his head and observed her, but let him do it.

"Hm...I might have one...Given Kaede's Ultimate Talent, as well as her high-class appearance, we should give her a name honoring such a thing," Sleuth elucidated, "with that in mind...May I suggest...Mozart?"

"Mozart?" Makoto parroted, "like the classical composer?"

"That actually works pretty well!" Komaru beamed, "it's a pretty sick name!"

"Yeah, that's not bad..." Toko added. Kaede herself also seemed impressed.

"Mozart huh...The creator of Rondo in D..." she instinctively stuck out her purple-gloved hands and let her fingers dance around in the air as if she was playing the song on command, "you know what? I like that! Let's go with it!"

"In that case, let me say it once again," Makoto smiled, "welcome to the Phantom Thieves of Hope, Mozart!"

"Glad to be here, Leprechaun!" she winked back, "now come on! Let's go!"

"Hey Kaede-! I mean-Mozart! Don't run ahead!" Shuichi called out desperately as the other thieves chased the excited new addition to their group down the steps.

Chapter End Notes

And thus another Phantom joins the squad!
I don't know if I ever mentioned this before, but Kaede Akamatsu, at least right now, is probably my favorite character in the entire Danganronpa series. So you know I could never have passed on an opportunity to make her a Phantom Thief. This entire story may has well have been made for her.
And it was definitely interesting writing a (almost) completely original take on a character since...we don't really know much about Kaede's backstory, so when bringing her into this single-universe.
Anyway, her thief attire and Persona. As stated in the chapter, the name Mozart comes from Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, the classical composer, and Kaede's thief attire is based on the dress she wears during her argument armament in Chapter 1 of V3.
Her Persona is Irene Adler, a fictional character in the Sherlock Holmes stories written by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. She's a former opera singer and actress, and while she's not technically a criminal and bears no malice towards Holmes, she outsmarts him and evades his traps on frequent occassion. Sherlock Holmes refers to her afterward respectfully as “the Woman.” One of her main design inspirations is Brighid from Xenoblade 2.
Much like the likes of Ryuji or Chie, Kaede's Persona specializes in physical damaging skills as well as Fire magic (which in retrospect is ironic because Ann is the fire user in P5, and she's also an attractive blonde girl voiced by Erika Harlacher-Stone). Her Arcana is Temperance.
Thanks for reading. I love to get feedback from my readers, so feel free to leave a comment, and some kudos if you feel up to it.

Gala of Obsession

Chapter Summary

While Makoto makes preparations for the big job, the Phantom Thieves begin to slowly but surely make their way through Kirie Kaede's Gala Palace, now joined by Kaede Akamatsu AKA Mozart. However, Kaede's addition to the team brings about more than a few simple changes...

Chapter Notes

See the end of the chapter for notes

Beneath the Mask (Rain) [Instrumental] - Persona 5

Kirie Kaede was doing everything she could to make sure Kaede's performance at the Tokyo Dome went ahead. With that in mind, Makoto realized, she had set the deadline for their twisted fine for the date after the event.

If they didn't steal her heart and change her ways by the day of the show, their lives as they knew it, would be over. To be frank, this situation was a lot more serious than with Haiji Towa and Fuhito Kirigiri.

Which made Makoto glad that with the new arrival of Mozart, they had an additional pair of hands.

Speaking of whom, Makoto just so happened to run into her outside the station, not too far away from Hope's Peak. Meeting up with her had been made a little difficult by the fact that she wasn't going to be able to meet them at school, but at the very least, Kirie hadn't banned Kaede from going out. He supposed that if people heard about it, they'd come to the conclusion that Kirie was locking Kaede away and forcing her to practice, and that was a scandal she was hoping to avoid.

It was raining, so he sought shelter under the walkway and watched her for a while. He saw that she was talking to two other girls with dark hair wearing different school uniforms. The girls chatted for a few minutes in what looked to be a serious conversation before both of them waved her goodbye. Kaede waved him over, having noticed him beforehand, and he joined her in her shelter.

"Friends of yours?" he inquired.

"Well...sort of..." Kaede hummed, "they're fellow students in the music industry. Performers like me."

"What were you talking about?" Makoto asked. Kaede sighed, clearly a little disgruntled.

"After hearing what my mother's evil self said in the other world, I was worried and a little curious," she said, "I mean when she said about the people she'd had to stomp through in order to get me my shot at the Tokyo Dome...I dunno, I guess I just wanted to see if they were ok..."

Makoto replayed that situation in his mind. It had indeed been a pretty terrifying confession, and the Shadow had been quite possibly the most sadistic person he'd ever had the DISPLEASURE of meeting...

"And...what happened to those people?" she asked, "the competition I mean? That you eliminated?"

"Well...What ELSE would you do with BROKEN USELESS TRASH...!?"

"I haven't known you for very long, Kaede," Makoto said, "but I've known you long enough to know you're very aware of people's feelings. I think that's a good thing about you."

"While I appreciate that, I'm afraid that's not really true...I live life on my own terms, but I tend to be ignorant of everyone else's if I deem my better judgment to be the way to go," she gripped her sleeve with a guilty face, "it's made me do stupid things and rope innocent people into it, and I wish I hadn't...But seeing what I saw back there made me realize that I can't be this selfish girl anymore..."

"You're giving yourself too little credit," Makoto assured her, "even if that's true, it could be a lot worse. Your better judgment CAN be often right, and you're NOT a bad person."

"I know..." Kaede nodded, "but I can ALWAYS be BETTER. I guess my real problem is I don't really understand the way other people think because I've been sheltered my whole life. I only know what I know and I just naturally make the assumption everyone else knows what I know as well. Insight. That's what I'm looking for."

Makoto pondered on this for a moment. This girl really was something special. She came off as a perfect person who everybody idolized and looked up to, but she herself was all too aware of her own flaws and wanted to fix them. Not to meet expectations, but to be a better friend and companion to everybody.

"Well...If that's the goal..." Makoto stepped forth, "are you busy right now? Why don't we hang out, just the two of us?"

"Huh? Like...on a date?" Kaede's expression was flustered, but also a little cheeky. Makoto waved his hands.

"No...Well...Kind of, but not the way you're thinking," he said, "we're teammates now, and though we've talked a bit, I want to get to know you better. That's fine, right?"

"I'm ok with it but..." Kaede scratched her head, "are you sure? We're kind of on a deadline, aren't we?"

"Yeah, but we've got around 3 weeks. If we work hard, use our resources wisely, and pace ourselves, we can probably clear the place out in about half that time," Makoto explained, "besides, I need to make a few preparations anyway. I need to grab some emergency medicine and see if I can upgrade our guns. Plus, I still need to get you your own grappling hook."

"No chance I can just grab onto you and rely on your big strong manly arms to carry me?" Kaede asked mischievously.

"We tried that when we first formed," Makoto told her, "we did NOT take to it."

"Alright, fine," Kaede winked, "I'm just messing around. You're right though. No use crying over milk that hasn't been spilled yet. Where were you planning on taking me?"

"I was hoping to ask you that," Makoto told her, "I figured you'd want to go to like...an instrument or piano museum or something like that?"

"Do I look like a Victorian to you?" Kaede scoffed, "I may love the piano but that doesn't mean I was born in the era it was made."

"Okay, what DID you have in mind?" Makoto was a little offended but held his tongue.

"Heh...Where else would typical teens hang out after school?" she asked.

Beautiful Lie [Program World Edition] - Danganronpa V3: Killing Harmony

"Man! How did you get so GOOD at this game!? And the car game too!" Kaede exclaimed, trying her best to aim the toy gun at the screen and shoot down all the incoming enemies before they killed her.

"Practice!" Makato said back, then leaning in to whisper, "lots of shooting Shadows and driving in Monomi."

"Ah, checks out..." Kaede nodded, "why can Monomi even do that? Turn into a bus I mean?"

"I have LITERALLY no idea..." Makoto told her.

Kaede had taken Makoto to the arcade on Shibuya central street. Besides the Karaoke place, this was indeed the kind of haunt where school kids would usually hang out with each other after the day was over, and Makoto couldn't help but admit he was having a lot of fun.

Kaede was understandably miffed that Makoto was able to completely swamp her high score, but it made sense in retrospect. Guess she had to get a bit of practice with guns herself first.

"Hoo..." she huffed, brushing her long hair out of her face, "I REALLY needed this..."

"I had a feeling things might be stressing you out," Makoto patted her shoulder, "you get used to it."

"To be honest, I do think I'm starting to get the hang of this whole...Metaverse thing," she said, "that's not really what I'm talking about."

"What's the matter?" Makoto asked, "if anything's eating at you, I'm willing to listen."

"No, no, it's nothing that serious, it's just..." Kaede sighed, "Mom..."

Through the Halls of History - Hi-Fi Rush

"Oh...right...I guess it's pretty awkward living with her now that you know the full scope of her wickedness," Makoto scratched his face, "has she been giving you any trouble?"

"No trouble outside of constantly reminding me every waking hour of the day that I need to practice, and randomly dragging me off to meet her rich shady friends," Kaede deadpanned, "I'm used to all that, but after exploding on her Shadow like that and coming to terms with my true feelings I...It really just does make my teeth itch..."

She smirked and patted the arcade game.

"This was hella good for blowing off steam."

"I know Komaru kind of said this already," Makoto trembled, "but an angry Kaede is a scary Kaede. No offense..."

"I'm just as surprised as you. Never in my life have I EVER blown up on someone like that, especially not my own family," she admitted, "for the good little pianist who always fell in line and did as she's told, these kinds of feelings are just...unthinkable. And I guess I have you to thank for helping me change that."

"I really didn't do much," Makoto told her, "but I'm glad I can help."

"Well, I'm sure everyone else in the gang thinks the same as me," Kaede smiled, "I mean, you're the leader right? There's a reason for that, I'm sure."

"I mean I hope there is..." Makoto sighed, "and hey, if you really think that, you could always make it up to me by showing your stuff off in the Palaces."

"Sounds like you have high hopes for me," Kaede smirked, "guess I'd better not disappoint."

"Well, your awakening and joining of the group was...LITERALLY explosive, so yeah, I guess I'm looking forward to seeing what you can do," Makoto crossed his arms smugly, "but in all seriousness, talking about all this now, there's actually something I really need to make sure you're aware of with this mission. Do you know why it is we're hunting the treasure in Kirie's Palace?"

"The Treasure is the source of all the distorted desires of the Palace ruler," Kaede recalled the explanation her new teammates had given her before, "stealing it removes that source, and as such, the distorted desires no longer have roots to hold themselves up on. Without the source, the desires begin to vanish, and when that happens, the Palace ruler becomes fully conscience of their terrible actions, and can no longer support the weight of them, forcing them to confess everything."

"Exactly. Good on you for remembering all that," Makoto was proud of her, but retained his stern expression, "but aside from that, if we do this, I really want you to know something else..."

"Is it about how if we slip up or kill my Mom's Shadow, she could die in the real world?" Kaede asked, "Monomi kind of already told me that."

"I'm glad you're aware, but that's not what I meant. Regardless of what happens, even if we do steal the treasure and successfully change her heart, the person who you know now as your mother will cease to exist," Makoto explained, "and not just that, but we can't even be sure she'll revert back to the way she was before she became distorted. She might just end up becoming a hollow, guilt-ridden husk of herself."

"In other words, even if we're able to change Mom's heart without any consequences..." Kaede clenched her fist and squinted her eyes as she listened, "the Mom I loved...the one who raised us with love and care...she might never come back, right?"

"That, and if she confesses to everything...the scams, the crimes, the blackmail...she'll be arrested and receive a heavy charge," Makoto added, "I know you still care about her and that you want your family to go back to the way it was before, but unfortunately, I doubt we'll be able to fix your family situation even with our methods. With all that in mind, are you still willing to help us?"

"I would rather have no Mom..." Kaede steeled her expression, "than to have a Mom who uses me for her own gain and hurts everyone to make ends meet. Even if I didn't want to lose her, Kirie HAS to be stopped. And we're the only ones who can stop her."

"Good to hear," Makoto raised his hand, "glad we're on the same page."

Kaede raised her own hand and high-fived Makoto. As her hand made contact, he heard something inside his mind.

I am thou...Thou art I...Thy hast acquired a new vow.

It shall become the wings of rebellion that breaketh thy chains of captivity.

With the birth of the Temperance Persona, I have obtained the winds of blessing that shall lead to freedom and new power...

Kaede lowered her hand and crossed her arms behind her back, smiling at her senpai.

"I'm glad we're on the same page too," she said, "thanks again Naegi-senpai."

"You're a fellow thief now, so you don't have to be so formal with me anymore," he said, "just Makoto is fine."

"In that case "Makoto,"" she winked, "where do you plan on taking me next?"

"So is this kind of situation normal for you guys!?"

"Huh? What is?"

"Not to overstep my boundaries or anything but...for a group of Phantom Thieves, you guys sure aren't great at stealth!"

"The funny thing is I was thinking the same thing!"

"I don't see either of YOU guys helping with that, so shut it!"

This was a casual conversation happening in the midst of the entire Phantom Thief group running for safety down the white, quartz hallway of Kirie Kaede's Gala Palace, as a blaring security alarm ruptured their ears, almost completely covering the sound of angry yelling and violent footsteps coming from the Shadows that were giving chase to them.

The group, joined now by both Kaede and Kyoko for both girls' first official Palace excursion, had returned to this world, finding a couple of things had changed from their last visit. The front entrance had been completely blocked off, not just for repairing the damage Kaede had caused the last time, but also to stop the Thieves from getting back in the Palace that way should they come back. Much like they had done with Kirigiri's Palace, they were forced to find a back route by scaling the outer walls.

Fortunately, Kyoko turned out to be pretty athletic despite not being capable of the same feats as the others were, so it wasn't much of an issue.

What WAS the issue was that Kirie's Shadow had evidently tightened security ten-fold, and while this was fairly normal for a Palace Ruler once they were on edge, this was an extraordinary level of security. Though, they supposed it was fitting for someone like Kirie Kaede. With her competitive streak and the shady things she had done to get on top, it was understandable she was perpetually cautious.

"Don't worry everyone!" Usami called out as they scuttled down the hall, "there's a safe room on our left here! Everyone get inside!"

Makoto, who took the lead, hurried over to the safe room and flung it open, ushering his teammates inside. They all poured in, and just before the Shadows could get on top of them, he swung his body inside and slammed the door. The Shadows pounded on the safe room door for a bit, leaving the Lucky Student a little hesitant. However, it wasn't long before the pounding stopped and he heard the sound of footsteps becoming gradually more distant.

Have A Short Rest - Persona 5

He breathed a sigh of relief, as did his teammates, but admittedly, they all jumped as they heard a loud slamming noise behind them. They all turned towards it to see that Kaede, or rather Mozart, had bellyflopped on the table in the middle of the Safe Room and lay there face down, groaning.

"You holding up alright Mozart?" Highwayman asked hands on her hips. Mozart replied with muffled words, gently kicking her legs up and down.

"Running...Feet...Hurt...Heels...Ouch..." she grumbled.

"Oh yeah, I kind of forgot your outfit has like...5-inch heels or something..." Razor played with her hair awkwardly, "what about you Kyoko? You holding up alright?"

She made note of Kyoko's boots, which also had heels that she had been running in. Kyoko nodded.

"I've worn these boots for several years of detective work. I'm more than used to their feel by now, even running in them," she assured her, "I understand the feeling though. I can't recall exactly how many times I almost bent my ankle out of shape when I first started out with them."

"Here, take one of these..." Sleuth reached into Kyoko's emergency pouch and handed Mozart a strange berry. She took it and frowned at it for a moment.

"What's this?" she asked.

"It's called a Devil Fruit. Eat it. It'll help perk you up a bit." he said.

Mozart glared at the fruit for a second, but trusting Sleuth, she ate it anyway. It certainly did the trick though. She clearly enjoyed the taste and her muscle pain appeared to be residing quickly.

"Since we're here and already eating, why don't we stop for a quick break?" Leprechaun suggested.

This was a well-received idea for everyone. Makoto went to the right side of the room and sat down on a puffy sofa, which was a very comfortable spot to sit indeed. As for the rest of the team, Komaru and Toko went into the other corner and sat on the floor and compared one another's weapons, as well as doing a gear count. Kyoko, Kaede, and Shuichi sat around the table while Monomi explained to the latter two the functions of the safe room.

Makoto took the opportunity to make note of his surroundings. They'd moved pretty hastily through the beginning parts of the Palace and hadn't had much time to take in the scenery. This was undoubtedly the cleanest Palace they had come across. The quartz walls and floor were squeaky clean and pristine, free of any sort of grime or dirt; like even the tiniest speck of dust was required to be eradicated.

Kaede was a perfectionist. It made a lot of sense.

There was also the aura of the wealthy and high-society; the exact kind of life Kaede was aspiring for. Perhaps she figured her move of getting Kaede into the Tokyo Dome in the first place was her shot at her grand ideal of fame and fortune. All the more reason she needed to be stopped before the deadline.

Makoto wanted to get this over with as soon as possible, but he also knew that being hasty would only lead to more trouble. So he had paced himself and taken ample time to plan out the infiltration and get his own personal affairs in order.

"So my Persona is kind of a physical manifestation, even though it's a spirit, right?" Mozart inquired, "couldn't I just...summon it and have it carry me around the Palace if I get tired?"

"Were you not paying any attention or did you just forget you passed out the last time?" Razor scoffed, hearing this conversation out of the corner of her ear, "using your Persona too much will only tire you out more!"

"Well, sorry..." Mozart chuckled, rubbing the back of her head, "these superpowers are just so fun, you know? It's hard not to get a little power-hungry with them."

"I know, right!?" Highwayman beamed. Razor scowled.

"You're insatiable..." she grumbled, "that kind of carefree attitude is going to get you killed, and don't expect me to be at your funeral if it does."

"Hey now, there's no need to be so harsh," Leprechaun snapped, noting that the pianist's expression had become guilt-ridden "Mozart's still getting the hang of all this. She's not trying to throw her life away."

"Given how the name of this game seems to be "break it til you make it," that kind of mindset should honestly be favorable," Kyoko remarked, "do all of your missions go like this?"

Usami shrugged.

"Well, Palaces all rely on the same logic, but we don't really know the layout or the kinds of traps we'll come across without coming inside and seeing for ourselves," she explained, "so yes, we go in, look around, take anything that's worth taking and..."

"Beat the crap out of any Shadows that we might run into!" Komaru pumped her fist, "or what, is that too primitive for you?"

Kyoko smirked and rolled her eyes.

"Whatever works for you. It's not my place to say," she said, "though it does surprise me just how fast you can all move. Is that a result of the power you get in here as well?"

"Well, yeah, our athletic abilities are heightened exponentially," Makoto affirmed, "but...I have had a bit of extra training..."

Beautiful Days - Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc

"Come on Makoto-kun!" Aoi Asahina demanded after blowing a whistle, "you can run faster than that, surely!"

"I'm TRYING!" Makoto groaned back, "I'm a little out of shape today!"

Noticing his slacking, Hina slowed down until the two of them eventually came to a stop. As part of their joint training, they'd just done two laps of the school building. Hina had been aiming for three, but Makoto wasn't at his best today, so they stopped in the middle to take a breather. Hina, also panting a little bit, handed Makoto an energy drink, which he swiftly downed.

The running training he had done with Hina had proved to be very helpful in increasing his body's vitality and stamina, but honestly, sometimes it felt like he was just getting better at running away from his problems. He didn't quite know what that said about him, but...

"It's really good, isn't it?" Hina asked, "not the drink I mean. The training. Staying healthy is good for your skin and emotional health too!"

"You know, sometimes I think you can read my mind..." Makoto smiled, "I was just thinking that."

"Yeah...But to be honest, I wanted to apologize Makoto-kun..." Hina scratched her face awkwardly, "it...kinda dawned on me that I'm being a bit selfish. You've probably got better things to do than run with me and you're not exactly trying to become an athlete..."

"Hm? Oh, don't worry about it," Makoto smiled, "it's fun hanging out with you if nothing else."

"Sakura just told me I should be more mindful of other people's feelings. She said you might not want to do the chronic training and that I shouldn't be leading you on..." Hina explained, "I'm glad to hear that, but..."

"Well, she might have a point," Makoto stood up, "but living by your own terms and conditions is very much like you, Hina-chan. And I don't think I would change that about you."

"That's good," Hina smiled, "I know not everyone is the same way, but for me? I feel like if I wasn't exercising or doing sports constantly, I'd collapse and die!"

"You know, usually it's the reverse..." Makoto chuckled awkwardly, "actually, that reminds me. I meant to ask this before, but how many sports CAN you play Hina-chan? Clearly, you're capable of much more than just what you've shown me."

"Good question; let me think..." Hina crossed her arms and pouted, "I'm not really the type who likes to sit still, so I joined about six different sports teams in middle school..."

"SIX!?" Makoto spluttered, "well, I guess that makes sense, but jeez, you're not kidding!"

"Hold on, give me a second...Aside from track, I can do basketball, volleyball, tennis, softball...and there was another one...What was the other one?"

Makoto's face deadpanned.

"Swimming?" he asked, "you know...Your ULTIMATE TALENT?"

"Oh, YEAH that's right!" Hina giggled, "god, I'm so stupid! Though to be honest, even if swimming is my specialty, I don't really prefer it over most other sports. Maybe only by a little bit."

"That's fair," Makoto nodded, "I don't define people by their abilities or what sports they like and don't like."

"What's your favorite sport, Makoto-kun?" Hina asked. Makoto scratched his face.

"Up until now..."Going home?""

"Hey, that's not right!" Hina snapped, "Going Home isn't a sport! You've got all this time to get active. What're you gonna do if you just go home!?"

"Play video games? Study? Relax? Stuff like that..." Makoto shrugged.

"Oh, yeah, I guess that's pretty fun too...Well, to each their own..." Hina said, "but still, Going Home is DEFINITELY not one of my top sports!"

"Sorry if I offended you," Makoto apologized, "it's just...I'm not like you. Nor am I really like any of our classmates. I'm not the kind of guy who rises to the challenge or whatever..."

"Oh, I don't believe that for a SECOND..." Hina glared, "and besides, the struggle is where most of the fun lies!"

"It is?" Makoto asked, "I always figured that struggling was the worst part..."

"No one wants to suffer," Hina acknowledged, "but both life and sports aren't about winning. It's about having to fight and struggle and give it all you have to reach the top. It's that excitement, that fear that you might suffer a heartbreaking loss, that really makes you feel ALIVE! Besides, struggling together is how you make friends. If you're watching a movie where a guy goes on an adventure, he doesn't make friends or meet people AFTER he's reached his destination. He meets them along the way, right?"

This was honestly a pretty in-depth, philosophical, and admirable outlook on life. Surprising coming from THIS meathead. And it was true! If it wasn't for their oppression at the hands of Haiji Towa, Makoto, Toko, and Komaru would never have met Monomi and formed the team. They would never have met Shuichi if Fuhito wasn't causing him pain and suffering, and they likely wouldn't have gotten to know Kaede so well if Kirie hadn't put them in the tight spot they were in now.

Hina was right. Life wasn't always fair, but there were good things that came even in the darkest times. Even though she was mainly talking about sports, Makoto could strongly relate to her at this moment.

"So that's why I want to push myself as hard as possible when it comes to swimming. I want to aim for the very highest mountaintop!" Hina declared.

"You mean the Olympics, right?" Makoto smiled, "I did hear you'd received offers to be scouted."

"But I don't just plan on participating! I'm going straight for the gold medal, of course!" she puffed out her obnoxiously large chest, "aim for the gold, even if it means I'm a super gold spaz!"

"Don't call yourself that..." Makoto deadpanned again, "but if that's the case, I guess I HAVE to keep training with you?"

"Huh? How do you figure?" Hina asked.

"You said I was your rival," Makoto confidently pointed to himself, "I'm not the only one getting stronger with this training. In fact, if you get too lax, one of these days I might be agile enough to surpass you in ALL your sports. You don't want THAT do you?"

"Ohohoho! Now THAT'S a challenge!" Hina's brow furrowed competitively, "you're on Naegi! There's not a snowball's chance in hell I'll ever let you surpass me!"

Without really waiting for his approval, Hina took off running again like a bat out of hell. Makoto sighed, tossed his energy drink to the side, and kept pace with her. She recovered exactly as fast and strong as he would have expected...Despite his exhaustion, he intended to see this run to the end.

Last Surprise - Persona 5

"Alright...Are you ready?"

Mozart nodded back to Leprechaun as the two of them stood suspended above a catwalk. Usami and Sleuth were with them both, staring down at the ground below where several enemies were guarding a security room

"That one on the right doesn't have any known weaknesses," Sleuth explained, "Usami. You and I will get that one."

"Got it..." Usami nodded, "on your word, leader!"

"Just follow me...!" Leprechaun said with a smirk as he fell off the catwalk. As he dropped down, he landed on the shoulders of the center Shadow, grabbed its mask, and ripped it off!

The Shadow and its allies all exploded into black grime until they took the shape of several different creatures, ready to fight. But having been caught off-guard, the Thieves had the advantage!

"Matador! MAGARU!" Leprechaun summoned a fashionable Spanish Grim Reaper Persona, which waved its long red blanket and summoned a gust of wind that damaged all the enemies and swept the ones in the center off their feet. Sleuth and Usami moved in to strike the one on the left!

"Marin Karin!" Sleuth declared, brainwashing the Shadow, which prompted Usami to jump over him and blast it with Psychic energy!

"PSIO!" she exclaimed, destroying the Shadow completely as its mind collapsed from the pressure. Lastly was the group on the right, which Mozart was more than capable of taking care of.

"MARAGI!" she shouted, burning them up with a wave of flames! The flames hurt the Shadows immensely and knocked them to their feet. Leprechaun looked back and smirked at his team.

"You know what to do guys!" he boasted, "let's GET IN THERE! Mozart, just follow our lead!"

The All-Out Attack was initiated, and the Shadows didn't stand a chance. The Thieves on the ground swarmed around their enemy, like a mad dance of blades and blasts, until they all landed on the ground. Mozart for her part, landed rather elegantly, spinning around playfully and pumping her fist.

Mozart for her part, landed rather elegantly, spinning around playfully and pumping her fist

"That's what I call a FINALE!" she beamed.

Through the Halls of History - Hi-Fi Rush

With the threat taken care of, Highwayman and Razor, along with Kyoko who had remained in the rear, carefully dropped down from the catwalk to join the rest of the team. The two Thief girls dropped down first, then stuck out their arms to catch the detective as she dropped down. Kyoko then strode past the group to get a closer look at the security panel.

She reached out and touched it a little bit, then turned around to the group with a smirk.

"That should have disabled a lot of security measures, like the laser mines and the cameras," she told them, "however, based on the way things are looking, I doubt this Treasure is anywhere on this floor."

"Thanks for the help, Kyoko." Leprechaun smiled, raising his hand for a high-five. Kyoko decided to play along and returned the gesture.

"That makes sense actually," Sleuth contemplated, "given how on-guard Kirie is at all times, it's unlikely she would leave the Treasure in a place anyone could easily reach."

"Then where is it?" Highwayman asked.

"Well, according to this same map, there should be several floors below this one," she said, "we'll need to find an elevator or stairs of some sort to get down to the lower levels."

"Then let's get going! There's no time to lose!" Mozart tried to run ahead, but then stopped herself and turned around looking sheepish, "sorry...You go ahead. I'm getting ahead of myself again."

Everyone chuckled. The Phantom Thieves remained in the same marching order they had been in. Leprechaun first, followed closely by Usami, Sleuth, and Mozart, with Highwayman and Razor sticking to the rear with Kyoko. As they walked past, Razor stared at Mozart for a moment, the latter who was bearing a determined and serious look on her face despite her jovial attitude.

"Are you worried about her?" Highwayman asked, almost instantly noting the concerned expression from Razor. She looked over at her partner and shrugged.

"No, why would I be?" she asked, "she's strong enough to handle herself clearly."

"Razor..." Highwayman said, "I know I'm always saying this to you, but you can say what's on your mind, you know? Kaede won't judge you for anything you might say or do to her."

Toko held her tongue, not offering Komaru a reply. Instead, she quietly followed, though her expression of concern and doubt remained the same.

No More What If's [Instrumental] - Persona 5 Royal

"Woah! You've sure dolled this place up!"

Kaede's eyes sparkled excitedly like a young child receiving ice cream, as she stepped into the Thieves' den the following day, accompanied by Shuichi. The previous weekend night, Makoto, Toko, Komaru, and Monomi had hung out and worked together to redesign Toko's apartment to look more like a secret headquarters.

The apartment, while already pretty neat and tidy, had been rearranged to be more elusive, shady and now had several pieces of various merchandise stuck all over the place, including posters, action figurines, stickers, and more. Though most of it was random bits and bobs of action movies or media characters or whatever, some of it was even related to the Phantom Thieves themselves.

"I didn't know they were making merchandise of us..." Shuichi picked up a little badge in the shape of the team logo, that they had always put on their calling cards.

"Honestly, it's a little bit out there to me," Toko bit her thumb, "sure, no MAJOR companies are profiting off of us, but we still are technically vigilantes who act outside the law. Won't people get in trouble for buying that stuff?"

"Says the one who bought that stuff..." Komaru remarked.

"I'm sorry!" Toko snapped at her, "YOU were the one who wanted it, you just ran out of cash!"

"Guys, I could have paid for it you know?" Makoto tried to put out the fire, "I still have some money from the things we sold Fuyuhiko."

Kaede had a quick exploration of the room. Several other little things had been set up around the room too for leisure and mission purposes. There was a whiteboard featuring all the information on potential targets, with a hastily drawn toon of her mother's face in the middle (Komaru's work). A pull-up bar had been suspended between the doorway to the shower for some exercise, as well as a punching bag set up in the other corner for training. Several nifty tools had been placed on the desk for Makoto to use for his crafting. Since this point in time, aside from improving his craft with lockpicks, Monomi had also taught him how to make smoke bombs and a strange item called a Goho-M, which allowed them to exit the Metaverse immediately if they were ever in a pinch. There was also a beanbag in the corner with a shelf full of books next to it for some leisurely reading, and near that was a small TV with a games console hooked up to it.

The team had really gone all out. Just looking at this place made her feel so excited!

"Kyoko said she'll come back into the Palace today with us," Makoto told the team, "but she doesn't get off the clock until a few more hours, so we'll have to wait here. I'm sure none of you mind though?"

Nobody did.

"I mean, working hours aren't over for a while," Komaru looked at a clock on the wall, "what should we do in the meantime? Maybe play some games or something?"

"Or study?" Toko remarked, "I'm guessing you could do with some."

Before Komaru could bite back, a low grumbling suddenly echoed around the room. Shuichi's face went pink with embarrassment.

"I-I'm sorry..." he stammered, "truth be told I was busy around lunchtime today and had to skip my meal..."

"That's alright!" Monomi sprang onto the desk, "we can eat something while we wait!"

"Actually, if you want food, you're gonna have to go buy some. We kind of chowed through all the snacks I had while we were doing DIY yesterday," Toko explained, "there's a supermarket a mile or two down the road from here."

"Then should we all go together and get some stuff?" Komaru asked.

"We don't ALL need to go," Kaede told her, "honestly, I think I wanna stay here and look around a bit more. This place is awesome!"

"Suit yourself," Komaru nodded, "what about the rest of you?"

"Actually...I think I'll stay here too," Toko raised her hand gingerly, "I still had some things I needed to do here. Like cleaning the bathroom."

"But you don't use the bathroom..." Makoto observed.

"Maybe I don't, but what if we have to pull an all-nighter here for any reason?" Toko said, "none of you guys want to use a run-down shower or wash your hands in a shitty little sink, do you?"

In the end, Makoto, Shuichi, and Monomi all agreed to go with Komaru to the supermarket to grab snacks, leaving Toko and Kaede alone by themselves. For the most part, Kaede kept to herself, not really making any attempt to hold a conversation, respecting Toko's privacy as she took a brush and towel into the bathroom. At least up until she approached the TV.

DSO_Welcome to Despair - Danganronpa Another Episode: Ultra Despair Girls

"I didn't really know you played video games, Fukawa-senpai," Kaede said, "where'd you get this old console?"

"Alright, first of all? Don't call me that," Toko said, "a senpai is an upperclassman that you look up to. You shouldn't aspire to be like me in any way, shape, or form..."

"Oh...sorry..." Kaede pursed her lips. Toko shook her head.

"No, I'm sorry, that came out wrong," she sighed, "I mean you don't have to be formal with me. Just...Toko is fine. Also, that's Komaru's console. She doesn't really play it anymore, so she brought it here in case we end up bored or something."

"It's ok," Kaede assured her, "so...Toko. Do you PLAY any video games?"

Toko thought for a moment. She wasn't a gamer, but she had played with the Naegis sometimes when she'd been around their houses.

"I guess I'm not bad at Chikken..." she told her.

"I don't think I've played that," Kaede told her "do you know what it's about?"

"It's a fighting game about Chickens and other farm animals that know martial arts for some reason. It has a campaign, but I've never played it," Toko explained, "from what I can gather, it's about this thing called the "King of Omelet Fists" tournament. The main character Kluck-uya Chick-shima is trying to get revenge on his father, Hen-hachi, for making his childhood hell. I think...?"

"Sounds cool!" Kaede's eyes sparkled, "do you want to play it while we wait?"

"Uh...Maybe later...I don't think we could have much fun with just the two of us..." Toko told her, "I didn't really want to talk about this though...Honestly, I wanted to...apologize..."

"Huh? Wait, what about?" Kaede tilted her head. Toko sighed.

"You know...when I called you...insatiable..." she said.

"Oh, that?" Kaede smiled, "kinda stung, but I understand. You're just trying to look out for me, so I get why you were so harsh."

"No, I was harsh because I just...can't speak to people like a normal person," Toko said, "Komaru was telling me I need to be more honest with myself and the people around me, so I'm trying...My point is...I'm just worried about you."

"Really?" Kaede asked.

"Yeah...I guess I'm nervous because I can't really relate to what you're going through...I never really got along well with my parents. Especially my Moms..."

"Moms?" Kaede checked, "were your parents a lesbian couple?"

"No, I had two moms and a dad. Complicated birth circumstances, I'd rather not go into it right now..." Toko explained, "they both hated me though and...did a lot of terrible stuff to me..."

"That's horrible..." Kaede clenched her fist.

"But it's not the same kind of thing that your mother is doing. At least I was the only victim of that," Toko told her, "and...I know you care about your mom, even after everything she did...You don't want to lose her, do you?"

"She's the only family I have left...Considering Kaori won't talk to me..." Kaede affirmed, "but that's no excuse to just turn a blind eye to the horrible things she did. I'm...scum...for having done it for so long while so many others suffer. I just hope it's not too late."

"From experience, those who call themselves scum are anything but," Toko smiled, "and...I don't think it's ever too late. At least...that's what Makoto taught me. I can change even though I've spent a lot of my life like I am now...It's a start at least."

"So even you're trying to change," Kaede smiled softly, "I guess that's what we all need, huh? Me, you...Komaru and Shuichi...Thanks to Makoto, a lot of us have come a long way from what we used to be..."

"You might be right..." Toko acknowledged. However, Kaede suddenly gained an excited look on her face, and she gasped, a twinkle in the corner of her eye.

"Wait...If changing really is the name of the game, I might have an idea!" she beamed.

"Um...should I be worried?" Toko was understandably perturbed by her sudden excitement, though given what she'd seen from this girl so far, she supposed she'd have to get used to it.

Rise and Shine, Ursine! - Danganronpa V3: Killing Harmony

"You know something I've noticed Fukawa-se-I mean...Toko?" she raised an inquisitive finger, "you're always looking down at your shoes and you usually wear pretty dark clothing, and you have this moody aura about you. Don't get me wrong, it very much suits you, but how do you normally take care of your appearance?"

"Well um...That's the thing..." Toko twiddled her thumbs, "I...kinda don't..."

"Hm...I thought as much..." Kaede pursed her lips again, "do you at least condition your hair?"

"No, not really...I don't wash my hair...Hell, I barely ever wash my body on my own, since I'm afraid of hot water," Toko told her "childhood trauma and all that."

"Oh..." Kaede bit her tongue, "I'm...sorry to hear that..."

"It's ok...Everyone else already knows the full story. And hey, if you decide to stick around, I'll definitely tell you one day too," the Writing Prodigy said, "why are you asking anyway?"

Kaede leaned in and whispered, even though no one else was around to hear them.

"After we leave the Palace today, can you stick around for a bit?" she asked, "or well...I guess I should be asking if I can stick around. I want to try something..."

Rebuttal Showdown - Danganronpa V3: Killing Harmony

"IRENE! Burn them to a crisp!"

"Now COOL THEM OFF Casanova!"

Back in the Palace, the Thieves were able to make their way underneath the Gala by descending down a hidden elevator shaft. The deeper into the pit they went, the more dangerous the Shadows became, but fortunately, Mozart was always raring for a fight.

She'd taken the others' advice to not be so over-reliant on her Persona and had gotten a lot more capable of fighting with her spear and gun. That being said, for the much stronger enemies, it was pretty necessary.

Take this large golden giant that blocked their path for instance. Physical attacks weren't going to do an awful lot against it and its minions, but fortunately, there were other ways to take down such hefty foes. Mozart opened by blasting it with a wave of flames, then passed her turn over to Sleuth, who coated them with ice, achieving this sort of freeze-thaw effect.

Some of the minion Shadows were killed, but that didn't stop the big guy. Despite aching, he still charged in towards them. Both first-years backflipped out of the way of a piledriving attack, with Sleuth pulling out his gun and shooting him in the eye. As he landed on the ground, he moved his hand and his Persona cast another blast of ice on the Shadow.

The blast was strong enough to freeze its legs over. As it struggled in place, it was unable to defend as Mozart brandished her spear, and suddenly flew forward at a blinding speed! With a single slash of her polearm, she completely dissected the Shadow from the bottom half of its body, and with the top half unable to balance the weight, it collapsed and died as soon as its head hit the ground.

Victory - Persona 5

"WOOP WOOP!" Mozart pumped her fists in the air excitedly, running over and giving Shuichi a double high-five.

"Wow...Just...wow...!" Usami squealed with excitement, "that was so...!"

"Scary?" Razor tried to finish the sentence.

"I think she was going to say "promising,"" Leprechaun shot her a glare, "it's a PROMISING combination."

"Yes, they certainly make a very good team..." Kyoko nodded.

"No, I think I'm gonna have to agree with Razor on this one..." Highwayman trembled...

"Well, admittedly, I did feel a chill up my spine...But I had assumed that was Sleuth's ice..." Usami stated.

"You know, we CAN still hear you..." Kaede frowned, "how long is it gonna take for you guys to get used to me?"

"How about the two of you take 5 and stick to the rear with Kyoko for now?" Leprechaun suggested, "let me, Usami, Razor and Highwayman take point and deal with the enemies for a while until we come across some really tough enemies. You two have helped us get through the majority of this place."

"I suppose I am a little tired," Shuichi acknowledged, "alright Mozart. Let's hold off for now."

Kaede nodded, as she and Shuichi went to the back of the charge, the rest of the Thieves and Kyoko taking the lead. They put a fair bit of distance between themselves and the group in case of any surprise attacks, and as they did, Kaede nudged Shuichi's arm with her elbow.

"They're right you know..." she smirked, "we make a pretty darn good team."

Sleuth chuckled, but then his face retained a tired smile. Mozart frowned and tilted her head.

"Something wrong?"

Memoirs - Persona 5 The Animation

"Huh? Oh, no...Just been thinking about a lot of things," he took off his hat and wiped some sweat from his brow, "I'm glad you think so, really, and I agree...It's just a lot to take in, that's all."

"What is?" she inquired.

"Us fighting together as Phantom Thieves," Sleuth told her, "I'll be honest...saving people like you, or people like me, was the reason why I joined this team in the first place...I was...rather hoping to keep you away from all of this..."

"Shuichi..." she sighed.

"A-And don't get me wrong, I'm very glad you're here...You're invaluable to this team, really...! It's just..." Shuichi lowered his hat and tugged on the end of his sleeve, "you are...important to me...And ultimately, it's up to you whether you decide to stick with this team after we take down Kirie or not, but...I'm still kind of shocked that this all even happened...And I don't..."

"...want me to get hurt, right?" she finished his sentence.

He sheepishly nodded. "I want to protect you," he said, "even though I know you don't need me to. And I feel like that's discrediting you and that just makes me feel worse and even if you couldn't defend yourself I feel like trying to protect you would be a lot harder to do in the Metaverse and..."

"Breathe Shuichi, BREATHE...!" Mozart cut him off by suddenly grabbing his hand, "It's ok. There's nothing you need to feel ashamed about."

Her hand was soft and warm, though Sleuth considered it might have just been her gloves.

"I get it, alright?" she said, "you're earnest to a fault, Shuichi. I don't think you could ever say anything that would truly hurt me because I know you'd never mean it. And just because I'm more than capable of blasting Shadows and cutting my enemies down, doesn't mean I can't depend on you. You're far more inquisitive than I am. You fight by thinking smart instead of brute force, like me. In that way, I think we balance each other out perfectly."

Without realizing it, she interlocked her fingers with him.

"A part of me thinks..." she smiled like the sun, "we were made for each other."

Shuichi's face turned pink in the wake of this whole situation. It was only when Kaede noticed this and realized what it was she was doing and saying that made her turned pink in kind.

"Hey, you guys!" Leprechaun hurried back to check on them, "are you two ok? You're falling a little behind..."

He then noticed their hands locked together and stood there stunned for a moment, before immediately spinning around 180 degrees and going back the way he came.

Beautiful Dead - Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc

"Never mind!" he flustered, "take your time!"

"WAIT SENPAI, IT'S NOT LIKE THAT!" Sleuth and Mozart exclaimed at the same time, letting go of each other and scrambling to catch up.

"Alright, I got the things!" Komaru hurried into the Thieves Den with a small plastic handbag stuffed with random bits and bobs, "are we really doing this?"

"Doing what?" Toko, having agreed to Kaede's request to wait after the day in the den, was now waiting nervously, heightened when Komaru suddenly barged in, "what are you doing here? What's going on?"

"You'll see soon enough. I'm glad we cleaned the bathroom earlier because we're going to need to use it," Kaede asserted, "do the shower and the sink work?"

"You mean I need to take a shower? Now?" Toko bared her fangs.

"No, no, not a SHOWER shower," Kaede assured her, "I just need to wet your hair a little."

"I...Alright fine..." she growled, "I'll play along."

"I got everything that was on the list you gave me," Komaru reached into the bag and started taking out the items one by one, "products, gel, hairbands, ribbons, contact lenses...The only thing I didn't get was scissors. Apparently, I'm not allowed to carry them around in a bag like this."

"Oh, you don't have to worry about that," Toko said, "I literally have them lying all over the place. Just look in any drawers and I'm sure you'll find a pair."

"Awesome! Then if you don't mind, can-" she started to say, but cut herself off as the realization hit her, "Wait...By that, are you talking about...Genocide Jack's scissors?"

"Yeah..." Toko frowned, "is that a problem?"

"No, no, it's fine..." Kaede sucked air through her teeth awkwardly, "just gotta...make sure I wipe my fingerprints when I'm done..."

"Well, what exactly are you doing?" Toko glowered, taking a closer look in the bag, "is that perfume I smell? Why is it so...pungent...Wait...uh oh...! Ah...ACHOOO!"

Mr Monokuma's Lesson - Danganrona: Trigger Happy Havoc

The other two girls lurched upwards as soon as Toko let out a very loud sneeze. The writer shook her head, and immediately they saw that her disposition had changed. Her look was more malicious, and a long red tongue rolled out of her mouth and hung out in front of her face.

"Hah? What's going on?" she looked around the room, "this place is snazzy, is this my old joint? Oh hey, Dekomaru! And...Oho! You must be Kaede! You're a lot more annoyingly pretty than I thought you would be! Nice to meet you, name's Jill!"

Genocide Jill grabbed Kaede's hands and started shaking them violently, yet politely.

"Oh..." Kaede, despite having never seen Toko's transformations before, immediately understood what this meant, "this...kind of complicates things."

"Actually, I think this makes things a bit easier," Komaru smirked, "Toko's a little rough around the edges, but Jill is cool with anything so long as she gets to see funny things happen to people...including her other half."

"Oooh! Are we pranking Miss Morose!?" Jill clapped her hands together, "count me in! What are we doing!?"

"Well, if you're curious, come right on in here..." Kaede smiled, beckoning Jill into the bathroom. The Murderous Fiend played along and stepped into the recently cleaned and dusted bathroom. Jill was rather curious about why it looked so different than the groggy and mostly unused shithole it was before, but Komaru gingerly grabbed her shoulders and sat her down on a small black seat facing the mirror. Kaede then wrapped a bib around her neck and stood behind her with a smile, scissors in one hand and a comb in the other.

"Ta-dah~!" she winked, "Beauty Salon Kaede is now open for business!"

"Wait...you're giving me...I mean us...a makeover?" Jill bit her obnoxiously long tongue.

"Is there something wrong with that?" Kaede asked. She was jumpscared as Jill reeled back her head and started cackling!

"KEHAHAHAHAHAHA! You kidding!? Milk Towel's needed one for a while now!" she scoffed, "just one request. Make her as sexually appealing as possible! She'll hate that!"

"Can do...!" Jill's mischief was rubbing off on the pianist girl, who had a sadistic smirk of her own. Komaru was understandably worried, but she decided to leave the bathroom and let Kaede do her thing. She closed the door behind her, but sat against it, taking a water bottle she'd bought for herself and starting to slowly drink it.

Confession Secret [Piano Ver] - Persona 5

"You know, I've always wanted to try and give Toko-chan a makeover, but she never let me!" she crossed her arms and talked to the Pianist through the door, "how did you manage to convince her?"

"I'm sure she would have considered if you'd asked," Kaede carefully started cutting Genocide Jill's hair, who sat there surprisingly patient and still, "Toko's probably a lot more open-minded than she was a few months ago before she joined the Phantom Thieves...Well, I guess it might have more to do with meeting you and her classmates at Hope's Peak that changed her mind...And what can I say? Maybe the sister in me had the itch to give it a try?"

"I ain't your sister...!" Jill spat.

"Stay still!" Kaede demanded, "these scissors are sharp! I could stab you accidentally."

"Did you do this for Kaori as well then?" Komaru asked, leaning on the sink, "when you two were younger I mean?"

"No, not really," Kaede shook her head, "Kaori was always a lot more tomboyish than me, even before she took to the streets. She didn't do her hair or take care of herself like I did, and it drove Mom crazy...She's actually the one who taught me how to do this. She'd always cut our hair and give us nice clothes and stuff like that..."

"You know, the more I learn about your sister and your mom..." Komaru rested her head on her arms, "it makes it hard to believe that they ever got along."

"Believe it...We were a loving family at one point..." Kaede assured her, "but things are different now..."

"You're really strong Kaede," Komaru curled herself up into a ball, "Makoto said he'd already told you, but even if we do this, your mother isn't gonna be herself ever again...And there's no guarantee Kaori would forgive you even if we stopped her...I don't want you to be subjected to Kirie anymore, but loneliness isn't exactly a comfort..."

"I can't turn back the clock, as much as I wish I could..." she was sad, but retained a smile as she started cleaning Jill's face, "I know I'm never ever going to get that bliss back, but..."

She gestured to Jill to roll her tongue up into her mouth so she could apply some shine to her lips.

"My life was already set down that road when Dad died, and I can't bring him back, no matter how powerful I am," she finished, "this seems like it'll change a lot, but it changes nothing...I've always felt so lonely...I'm doing this because I don't want people to get hurt anymore."

"What are you talking about?" Genocide Jill asked, "ain't you got a family right now?"

"Maybe you've missed a few details..." Kaede chuckled, "but my Dad's gone, my sister left and my Mom isn't in her right mind, so we're changing her heart. They're all I really had and...they've all left me in some way..."

"That's not what I'm talking about..." Jill glowered, "you're part of the Phantom Thieves now. Ain't that a family of its own?"

Kaede stopped what she was doing, stunned by these out-of-character words from the Murderous Fiend. Even Komaru on the other side of the door raised her head curiously. Jill stuck out her long tongue and jittered.

"Gah! What am I saying!? That was so gross!"

"Maybe...But I needed to hear it..." tears began to form at the corners of Kaede's smiling face, "thank you, Jill..."

Kaede moved Jill's glasses to the side and helped insert the contact lenses into Jill's eyes. It was a squeamish process, but Jill was a lot more willing and able than Toko would have been, no doubt about it. Kaede decided to apply the perfume last, knowing the product would make her sneeze if she wasn't warned. Before she did, she let Jill take a good look in the mirror, who nodded with an evil smile. Kaede undid the bib and sprayed the perfume. As expected, Jill sneezed, and Toko returned to them, who was very confused and dazed, not knowing what had happened.

Komaru, hearing the commotion, stood up and moved away from the door. Kaede stepped out first, then led the confused writer by the hand until she was in the light of the room. She rubbed her eyes and opened them.

"So?" Kaede winked, "how's she look?"

"Huh? What...How do I look?" Toko trembled.

Komaru's eyes widened and she felt her face grow hotter and more red. Her first reaction was to take her bottle of water and squirt its contents over her face, doing so without so much as blinking.

"WOAH MAMA!" she blurted out before she could stop herself, "it sure is HOT OUT OUT TONIGHT!"

"Wh-What are you talking about!?" Toko panicked.

Scrambling around in a worry, Toko retreated back into the bathroom and glared at herself in the mirror. Not recognizing who it was, she started poking her face, but as the reality set in, said face went pale, and her eyes widened in horror...

"WHAT DID YOU DO TO MEEEEEE!?" she shrieked, as Komaru panted and Kaede giggled maniacally.

[THE NEXT DAY...]

Toko hated this...

She was grateful to Kaede and it was her own fault for allowing the girl to pretty her up, but she hadn't expected she would be THIS good at it!

This was the one single time in her life that Toko was regretting haven NOT taken a bath. After all, that would have washed away the smell of the perfume that was still lingering on her, and clearly, it was having the "desired effect."

Kaede had also stolen Toko's glasses from her so she had no choice but to use the contact lenses. She initially considered not putting them in out of spite, but then quickly realized that that would do nothing but make the situation worse. After all, they were barely noticeable.

Toko was so used to being blatantly ignored by others, and if anyone noticed her, it was either to marvel in disgust or because of her rotten smell most of the time. However, a lot of the Ultimate Students at Hope's Peak had already gotten quite used to her presence...and yet today, the spotlight was on her in a different way. Boys and girls, men and women alike were turning their heads, confused, amazed, and wondering who this "newcomer" was.

She hated these kinds of gazes more than one's of contempt. At least she was USED to those...But this was the reality now, and she had little choice but to accept it.

She stepped into her homeroom class, slowly sliding the door open with as gloomy a look as she could manage...However, that didn't stop exactly what she had expected. Everyone was having their usual morning greeting conversations, but all stopped to turn, look, and stare at her as she entered.

"G...Good morning..."

The pressure of their gazes was overwhelming. She figured if she could do anything to alleviate it, it was to treat this like it was normal and greet them casually.

On the other hand, Class 78-A, Makoto and Kyoko included, were bewildered and confused at the sight of this apparent new person. She was wearing their school uniform but looked unlike anyone they had ever seen before. She had dark, clean, purple hair that cascaded down to just below her shoulders, kept in place on her head by a headband. Her face was flawless save for a single cute mole on the side of her chin, and her skin was practically glowing. She was almost giving the likes of Sayaka and Mukuro a run for their money with how fresh and pretty she looked, which notably impressed both Ultimates.

"I should've stayed in my room..." she grumbled.

The girl kept her eyes glued to the ground, shuffling past them until she got to her desk by the window. No one quite knew how to react to this initially, and the first person to step forward ended up being Sayaka Maizono.

"Um...Hey!"

"Hey..." Toko said back, barely opening her lips to speak.

"Nice to meet you!" Sayaka, blissfully unaware as to who she was talking to, gave her a welcoming smile, "did you transfer here? Or do I know you?"

"Oh, don't you fucking dare...!" she rounded on her and hissed, "don't you dare tell me you don't recognize me...!"

These words were enough to get the puzzle pieces to fall into place. Sayaka's nerves shot up through her body like a rocket, recognizing the familiar sour speech patterns of the beauty in front of her.

"TOKO-CHAN!?" she shrieked, "is that YOU!?"

Like a Dream Come True - Persona 4

Pandemonium completely broke out in the class as almost everybody screamed and yelled in realization, shock, awe, and a little bit of horror as they struggled to comprehend the complete transformation that was standing in front of them. Everyone who might have been sitting down practically leaped off their desks and surrounded the Ultimate Writing Prodigy.

"YOU'RE KIDDING! YOU'RE TOKO FUKAWA-DONO!? REALLY!?" Hifumi Yamada shrieked.

"What in the world HAPPENED to you!?" Celestia Ludenberg was so shocked that her typical gambler facade and corresponding accent shattered apart.

"No way! NO WAY! HOW DID THIS HAPPEN!?" Aoi Asahina's eyes sparkled in amazement.

"WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON!?" Mondo Owada boomed.

"DID YOU GET PLASTIC SURGERY OR SOMETHING!?" Leon Kuwata cried.

"ARE YOU POSSESSED!?" Yasuhiro Hagakure panicked.

"OF COURSE SHE'S NOT POSSESSED!? IS SHE POSSESSED!?" even Chihiro Fujisaki didn't know what to think anymore.

Toko's vision began to go topsy-turvy. This was worse than she could have ever possibly imagined, and she felt that she might faint. Which wouldn't have been a huge problem if it didn't mean unleashing Genocide Jill upon her classmates.

Then again, Jill was as bad at taking care of her appearance as Toko was, possibly even worse. If she caused a ruckus, it would make a complete mess of how she looked right now, and that would have definitely solved a few of her problems. So yeah, it was pretty tempting.

However, the tirade of screams and surprised yells were interrupted as a large, hulkish figure suddenly stood in front of her and grabbed her shoulder. She looked up to see Sakura Ogami body-blocking everyone from getting to her. Not only that but both Makoto Naegi and Kiyotaka Ishimaru were standing in the way with their arms outstretched as well.

"That's quite enough!" Sakura boomed, "Everybody, calm down!"

"Yeah, can't you see you're freaking her out!?" Makoto added.

"You should all be ashamed of yourselves!" Taka shouted, "Relax yourselves this instant!"

The rest of the class did as they were told and immediately calmed down and backed away, most of them ashamed or embarrassed for getting too worked up. However, there no denying that Toko's sudden dramatic change in appearance to her usual gloomy self was shocking, to say the LEAST.

When things went quiet again, everyone being left in suspense, Sakura let go of Toko and looked down at her to check if she was okay.

"Are you alright, Fukawa-san?" she asked, trying to look as relaxed and comfortable as possible.

"Y-Yeah...Thanks Ogami-san..." Toko, still feeling a little frightened, still had the decency to thank her for the support. Everyone felt their heart skip a beat as the now very cute girl let out a small, shy smile. Even Sakura looked slightly perturbed to see such a genuine and timidly sweet expression on the face of who was apparently Toko freaking Fukawa!

An awkward silence followed.

"...You're very cute..." Mukuro finally said, very quietly.

"NO, I'M NOT!" Toko spat, nowhere near as quiet, with Mukuro's random comment causing some giggles to outbreak among the group, "stop calling me that, it hurts me inside so much!"

"Well...Guess she didn't change THAT much..." one corner of Junko's mouth curled up as she shrugged.

"Hey! Don't be such a jerk!" Sayaka gently punched Junko's arm. Junko turned to look at her, offended.

"What!? What did I say!?" she spluttered.

"This is unreal though!" Mondo grasped his forehead and wiped his sweat away, slightly pushing his styled hair up, "you LOOK so DIFFERENT!"

"Yeah, well, you'll be glad to know I hate it as much as you do..." Toko tried and failed to let her cut bangs fall in front of her eyes, in any sort of attempt to disguise her face.

"Then why'd you do it? Who's your stylist?" Hina pushed forward, giving Toko a light-skinned stare.

"Or did you get corrupted by Nicki Minaj's ghost!?" Hiro, unlike everyone else, had retreated FURTHER AWAY from Toko, completely creeped out by the whole situation. Toko's face scrunched up spitefully.

"First of all, I don't look like Nicki Minaj, second of all, Nicki Minaj ISN'T DEAD, and third DON'T BE SUCH AN IDIOT!" she shrieked, which just terrified Hiro even more.

"It was Kaede from Class 79, right?" Kyoko, who had been one of only two people who HADN'T gone coo-coo for coco pops, asked, "I noticed the two of you talking in the hallway the other day."

"Um...Yeah..." Toko played with her loose hair, "turns out KaaaaaeeeaaAAAKamatsu-san is a pretty good beautician! I think...I guess..."

She just about caught herself before she was able to address Kaede informally.

"What about your glasses?" Junko waved her hand in front of her face, "can you see alright?"

"I'm wearing contacts..." Toko admitted, "kind of got convinced to switch and also that bitch stole my glasses, so I didn't have much of a choice."

"Well, it's definitely an interesting change, if nothing else!" Junko grinned, "don't you think...Byakuya-kun?"

Toko's heart jumped. She had been so focused on how everyone else would react, that she hadn't even considered how her dreamboat Master would react even though he was sitting right next to her! Everyone's attention was turned to the Ultimate Affluent Prodigy. However, he had his spectacled face glued to the book he was reading, and he barely seemed to be paying any attention. He had been the OTHER person who hadn't gone crazy. In fact, he'd barely reacted at all.

"Since when have I ever been interested in your antics?" he waved his hand dismissively "frankly, I'm more interested in this book..."

"Aw come on bro!" Leon, with a frown, slammed his hands on Byakuya's desk, "Don't you see how cute she is!?"

"I'm not your bro. And don't drag me down to your level..." Byakuya threatened, "Even if she is...different...the repulsive and masochistic person she is inside is the same. Her appearance hardly matters..."

Toko curled up into a little ball wishing to die. She had expected as much, but she was still slightly hoping that he might react SOMEHOW differently from this.

"Hey, that's uncalled for!" Hina put her hands on her hips and bloated her cheeks, "you can't just treat her like that!"

"I'm treating her the same way I've always treated her," Byakuya lowered his book to turn his head and glared at the Swimming Pro, and everyone else with her, "but "Oh. She's beautiful now! We can treat her like an actual friend because she changed how she looks!" Appearances are all you ever care about. I'm not so shallow..."

There was...something of a truth to what he said. No one was willing to admit it, but the reality was despite none of the classroom thinking Toko was "ugly" like she had accused them of many times in the past, she wasn't as pretty when compared to the likes of Sayaka and Junko, or even Hina and Chihiro, to get people to turn her way.

Toko knew this, and for the longest time, she was content with it. It just...hurt for someone, ANYONE, to say it out loud. No one had any time to come up with a response though, as all of a sudden the morning bell rang, and Koichi Kizakura stepped into the class for the lesson. Everyone decided to put aside the morning surprises and get ready for the day.

"Fukawa..."

Toko turned her head back just before she went to sit down. Byakuya still wasn't looking her way. His eyes were still glued to his book, but he slightly turned his head to let her know he was addressing her.

"It is an improvement," he mumbled, "I'm...at least glad you're taking better care of yourself..."

This was all Toko needed to make her train of thought ride off the tracks and run back the way it came. Fireworks went off in her mind, and she was caught by bliss catatonia. Junko had to guide her back to her seat.

"That was oddly nice of you..." Kyoko observed. Byakuya smirked and scoffed.

"I'm just in a good mood," he told her, "at least I'm not going to be followed by a skunk anymore."

Chapter End Notes

Makeover time!
Yeah, so, I kind of did this in some other stories I write where Toko takes a central lead, the more emotionally stable she becomes and the more she faces and gets over her past trauma, her looks change along with it. I kind of wanted to employ a similar thing here, but not exactly on the same scale.
I also want to dismiss some concerns that I'm trying to cure Toko of her DID. Especially since I don't seem to include Genocide Jill in the story as much as I do Toko in her regular form. I'm not.
Genocide Jill is a very big part of Toko's whole character, and even in her own right, she's a spectacular addition to the DR cast. Removing her would be detrimental to both personalities, and it would be kind of ableist too to just straight up ignore the trauma and the condition that the girl is in.
I do seriously just want Toko to be happy though, that's my goal here.
That aside, Kirie's Palace is going to be a bit more of a venture. From this point on, I'm going to start committing more time to the Palace exploration segments instead of just focusing on the plot and skipping through most of it. Apt because this is where the Palaces start to increase in difficulty in the OG game, and the same is true for here.
All in all, this is just a pretty fun filler chapter to set up events to come and to get Kaede officially inserted into the group.
Thanks for reading. I love to get feedback from my readers, so feel free to leave a comment, and some kudos if you feel up to it.

Flight of the Phantom Thief

Chapter Summary

The Phantom Thieves get everything set and ready, and prepare to send out Kirie's calling card...with a little bit of unexpected help.

Chapter Notes

See the end of the chapter for notes

Beethoven - Piano Sonata No. 14 "Moonlight Sonata": I. Adagio sostenuto

----------------------------------------------

PTChat

Toko: KAEDE!

Kaede: YEZ!?

Toko: I HATE THIS WHAT DID YOU DO TO MEEE!?

Shuichi: What's going on!?

Makoto: Shuichi, have you not seen what Toko looks like now!?

Shuichi: I haven't seen her since the last time we went into the Palace. What's going on!?

Makoto: Hold on a sec.

Makoto Naegi has sent a Photo

Shuichi: What in the world!?

Toko: WHEN DID YOU TAKE THIS!?

Makoto: I didn't!

Makoto: Sayaka-san sent it to me!

Toko: WHEN DID SHE TAKE THIS!?

Kyoko: When you weren't looking.

Toko: UUGAAAAHAHAAGH!

Toko: WHY!?

Toko: WHY DOES EVER SO SLIGHTLY CHANGING HOW I LOOK ILLICIT THIS MUCH OF A REACTION!

Shuichi: I understand your pain and the pressures of having attention on you, Toko, but this is most certainly more than "slightly changing how you look!"

Shuichi: You look incredible! Completely different from how you were before!

Toko: I should take a shot every time I hear someone say that to me...

Makoto: We're too young to drink.

Toko: Law can't take me, I'm a Phantom Thief bitch.

Kyoko: Law aside, if you try and drink underage, I WILL stop you.

Toko: That's not even the worst part though!

Toko: I literally got cornered in the hallway by four hot guys from the other classes, and they all asked me out on a date!

Kaede: That's...a bad thing?

Toko: It is when you have ANXIEETYYYYYYYYYYY!

Shuichi: Yeah, I'm with her on this one. Attention on you isn't good if you have our disposition.

Shuichi: This is kind of how I felt a few weeks after the Kirigiri scandal happened. I was quite literally the talk of the town, and...didn't much care for that reputation.

Kaede: Well, I'm sorry. I didn't intend for THIS to happen.

Kaede: Did you accept though?

Toko: NO!

Toko: OF COURSE I DIDN'T ACCEPT!

Toko: These guys looked at me like dirt before! And I was FINE with that! The idea of going on a date with guys that handsome is a nightmare I don't care to repeat!

Kaede: Repeat?

Toko: Long story, tell you later.

Makoto: I guess you changed so much, they didn't recognize you.

Toko: Do I really seem like an entirely different person to you guys?

Kyoko: I recognized you almost immediately.

Toko: Well of course you did, because you're YOU.

Kyoko: That has little to do with it. I suppose your skin does look a little healthier, and you smell different, and you look quite odd without your glasses.

Kyoko: But it's easy to tell who you are. Your disposition and personality haven't changed at all.

Kaede: It'll be fine Toko.

Kaede: People will get used to you after a while.

Kaede: And like Kyoko said, you're still you!

Toko: I guess.

Toko: I'll keep it up for now, but if things get more out of control, turn me back.

Kaede: There's not much I can do about your hair, unfortunately.

Kaede: But I'll give you your glasses back the next time we meet up.

Kaede: By the way, since I'm now on the messenger and since now's as good a time as any to ask about it.

Kaede: How come you guys use your regular names on this chat?

Kaede: If this is a business chat, I get it, but it doesn't seem as formal as that.

Komaru: We can change our names?

Komaru: It just automatically registered me as my name when I downloaded the app.

Kaede: Oh Komaru! You're here!

Kaede: How are you feeling after the other day?

Shuichi: What happened?

Makoto: Komaru kind of had an aneurysm when she saw Toko's glow-up and she ended up getting weirdly ill.

Komaru: DUDE-

Kaede: Yeah!

Kaede: Wait, how did you know that?

Makoto: Toko called me to pick her up. Also, I know my sister, so I was able to connect the dots.

Shuichi: Are you alright!? What caused that!?

Kyoko: The serotonin perhaps?

Komaru: WE DONGOTTAFHWAGH LATER LATER!

Komaru: Important matters!

Komaru: Kaede! You were saying?

Kaede: Yeah, it's part of a recent patch for the app.

Kaede: People can change their names to a username or nickname that differs depending on what server they're in. So they can call themselves something cute or funny.

Kaede: Oh, and the admin of chatrooms, in this case Makoto, can change other people's nicknames.

Makoto: Oh CAN I now?

Komaru: Oh god, why did you say that?

Kyoko: Please don't change mine to anything inappropriate. I have my father and several other important persons saved as contacts on here.

Makoto: Nah, I'm only kidding.

Makoto: I'm not gonna do that. I'm not that bad a person.

Komaru: Debatable.

----------------------------------------------

Makoto was about to type something, then stopped himself, and decided to type it in Direct Messanger instead.

----------------------------------------------

Sis

Shut up, lesbian~

YOU SHUT UP, HAS-BIAN!

Look, just be thankful I didn't say this in the chat.

You really haven't told anybody?

No.

But you're acting pretty obvious. I'd be surprised if at least Kyoko hasn't figured it out by now.

But if you're crushing on Toko now, I can help out.

Dude.

She's

Really hot now!

She's REALLY SMOKING HOT!

This sucks!

I hear you.

You have my support even if you don't want my help.

Thank you very much, jerk.

----------------------------------------------

He then returned to the Phantom Thieves chatroom

----------------------------------------------

PTChat

Makoto: We should probably give it a try.

Komaru: Yeah, what should we name ourselves?

Shuichi: Why don't we just use our code names? Like Sleuth, or Mozart, or Leprechaun?

Makoto: Because I don't want anyone asking me why I named myself "Leprechaun" on a friend chatroom.

Makoto: Also, Kyoko doesn't technically have a code name, so she'd be left out.

Kyoko: You don't have to worry about that.

Kyoko: I don't intend to change my name to anything. I'll keep it as is.

Komaru: Aw, SISSY!

Toko: Makoto, change her name to something dumb!

Makoto: Do you want me to die/get arrested?

Kyoko: I wouldn't do that.

Kyoko: But there WILL be consequences of some kind of you try.

Kaede: I can feel the danger through my phone screen.

Komaru: How about we have a theme? Like...

Komaru: Makokonuts, Tokokonuts, Kokomaru, Kyokoko...

Toko: Why are you LIKE this!? Where do you even think of these!?

Kyoko: I just said that I wasn't nicknaming myself.

Shuichi: And Kaede and I don't have a "ko" in our names.

Kaede: Well, I could always be Akokomatsu?

Makoto: Kaede, don't encourage her. Komaru's always sucked at naming things.

Komaru: Nobody in this house loves me... (╥﹏╥)

Kaede: I love you!

Komaru: KAEDEEEE! .·°՞(≧□≦)՞°·.

Komaru: Hug me!

Kaede: I can't.

Kaede: I'll hug my phone screen, how about that?

Komaru: Ghost hugging HURRAH!

Kyoko: You two are extraordinarily different over text than you are in person.

Makoto: Most people are, to be fair.

Shuichi: Why is this somehow the hardest task we've ever done?

Shuichi: I'm just gonna go ahead and be the first one to drop the ball.

Shuichi Saihara has changed their nickname to "Sweetchie"

Sweetchi: Before anybody asks...

Sweetchi: my classmate Tsumugi Shirogane, the Ultimate Cosplayer, called me this once when we were doing a roleplay activity together.

Sweetchi: It kind of stuck and a lot of my female classmates call me it now.

Kaede: It is a cute nickname!

Kaede: If that's our logic, I'm gonna go with...

Kaede Akamatsu has changed their nickname to "Pian0Fr3ak"

Kyoko: Piano freak?

Pian0Fr3ak: Basically what I am.

Kyoko: I don't know if it's accurate to call the Ultimate Pianist a simple "piano freak."

Pian0Fr3ak: But when you boil it down, that's all I am. Just a nerd who likes the piano a little too much.

Pian0Fr3ak: I used to see it as an insult, but I roll with it now.

Toko Fukawa has changed their nickname to "Bookworm"

Komaru: That's kinda lame...

Bookworm: Screw you, I'm keeping it.

Sweetchi: Now what do we do for you two?

Pian0Fr3ak: Egg 1 and Egg 2.

Makoto: No.

Komaru: Who's Egg 2 then?

Makoto Naegi has changed Komaru Naegi's nickname to "Dumaru"

Dumaru: DUDE! You said you weren't gonna do that!

Makoto: Changed my mind. This is your punishment for being dumb.

Komaru Naegi has changed their nickname to "Shoot2Thrill"

Shoot2Thrill: I AM a pretty good shot~

Pian0Fr3ak: So now it's just the one true Egg left!

Bookworm: Petition to have Makoto's nickname be One True Egg.

Makoto: You know what...

Makoto: Fine...

Makoto: Just so I don't have to argue with you guys.

Makoto Naegi has changed their nickname to "OneTrueEgg"

Shoot2Thrill: Wow, you gave up pretty quickly.

Sweetchi: I guess you could say that egg...

Sweetchi: "Cracked?"

OneTrueEgg: Oh mY GOD!

Pian0Fr3ak: YES Shuichi YES!

Kyoko: Sometimes I really don't like you people.

Shoot2Thrill: You say "you people" as if you aren't part of the trash pile homie.

Kyoko: Fair...

Kyoko: Actually, if we can get serious for a moment...

Kyoko: The deadline is coming up for Kirie Kaede's fine and Kaede's performance at the Tokyo Dome.

Kyoko: I trust you have everything in hand right now.

OneTrueEgg: One more push.

OneTrueEgg: We'll go into the Palace tomorrow and do one last big push to the Treasure's location and secure our route.

OneTrueEgg: Then we'll take a day to prepare and send the calling card, and begin our operation the day after.

Bookworm: Believe us, we're not trying to slack. Our lives are at stake here.

Kyoko: As is my case.

Kyoko: This might be my only chance to expose Kirie Kaede's corruption. The fine aside, I'm counting on you all.

Sweetchi: We'll be counting on you as well, Kyoko-sama.

----------------------------------------------

Seeing Kaede play the piano was truly an extraordinary sight, even if you barely knew squat about the piano, or had little interest in the instrument itself. It was literally music to one's ears when her fingers danced across the keys.

Not to mention, it helped in the Palace too. It turned out that on the lower levels of Kirie's twisted Gala, there was an entire maze full of music-related traps. While this was an unfortunate encounter, Kyoko observed that it might be a sign that they were getting closer to their goal.

Having Mozart on the team made it a lot easier to get past these traps as she could play songs to perfection, and she was pretty good at guiding other people on how to play as well. So much so that the maze was tedious and time-consuming, but hardly a challenge. It was really just an assortment of memory games.

Kaede slowly finished her quick sonata and bowed as the other Thieves applauded her. The piano she was playing lit up with green lights, and the wall next to it slid open to reveal a hidden passage in the center of the maze.

"Awesome!" Highwayman pumped her arms, "we finally made it!"

"I can't..."

"What was that!?" Razor dropped to a defensive stance as an eerie and twisted, yet familiar voice echoed around them...

"That's Kaede's Shadow!" Sleuth exclaimed, "but where is she!?"

"I don't think she's here actually," Kyoko asserted, "if I had to guess, I'd say we're currently listening to her inner thoughts..."

Recognizing this in kind, the rest of the team stayed quiet to listen out for any information.

"I need to get more powerful..."

"I need to get richer...!"

"I'm a loser...I can't BE a loser...!"

"I can't let this society outdo me...!"

"I'm not a weak misguided girl anymore...!"

"Yep, that sounds like Kirie Kaede alright..." Sleuth bit his bottom lip as the team walked through the entrance. Mozart clenched her fist and her hand began to shake.

"She's so misguided that she believes using me to achieve fame and fortune is the only thing that defines her worth," she hissed "what a pitiable woman..."

"Well, the good news is we won't have to worry about her after this," Leprechaun asserted, "look..."

Everyone looked up to see a misty, glowing light suspended in the air just above them, on a platform in the center of the lot.

"What's that?" Mozart asked.

"That's the treasure," Usami told her, "the thing we're looking for."

"That thing?" Mozart gestured towards it, "It looks different from how I pictured it..."

"That's because it hasn't materialized yet, right?" Kyoko inquired, "the next step will be sending the calling card to Kaede. That will change her cognition to tell her that her desires are threatened, thus it will be made manifest."

"Oh! So the calling card isn't just some theatrics! We actually HAVE to do it!?" Mozart exclaimed.

"That's right," Sleuth said, "don't worry about that though. We'll leave that to Highwayman and Razor."

"Actually, just a quick question, but is there anything you wanted to write on it, Mozart?" Highwayman asked, "I mean, this is your mother after all. If anyone has the right, it's you."

"I appreciate that, Highwayman, but I trust you guys," Mozart told them, "just make sure it's a good one and I'll be alright."

"Actually, there is a more pressing matter that we need to consider," Leprechaun interjected, "how are we going to deliver the calling card to our target?"

"What do you mean?" Kyoko asked, "can't you just have Mozart deliver it to her?"

"No, I'm with Leprechaun on this one," Usami asserted, "it's not completely impossible for the influence of the calling card to be casually swept aside. A reveal needs to be somewhat theatrical for big targets like her or Kirigiri, otherwise, we risk the Treasure not materializing into what it should be."

"Then we have to make sure this has an impact," Razor contemplated, "we need to make sure it's as flashy, if not flashier than the calling cards with Kirigiri and Towa."

"Hm...Actually, assuming we just need my Mom and other people to see it, then why don't we just do what you guys did before?" Mozart asked.

"I don't follow," Sleuth turned to her, "what do you mean?"

"It's simple!" she pumped her arms excitedly, "we just need to make a whole bunch of copies of these cards and stick them everywhere!"

"Stick them where?" Highwayman asked, "on your house? On the streets? In the city?"

"No!" she smirked, "in the DOME! Where I'm performing!"

"You want us to break into the Tokyo Dome and commit vandalism!?" Razor exclaimed, "that's even more ridiculous than Kokichiru's plan of breaking into your house!"

"I must agree...That feels pretty risky, Mozart..." Sleuth was also hesitant. However, Kyoko dwelled on it for a moment...

"Hm...I think...I might be able to help..." she said, "it might be possible for me to give you guys a window to plaster the calling card wherever you need to."

"Wait, really!?" Highwayman exclaimed, as did everyone else, "you can really do that!?"

"Even with my grandfather's scandal, the KDA is still a very influential security firm. Many people hold me in high regard and I have a decent amount of influence," she said, "so yes if I can feed the security guards at the Tokyo Dome a story, I can probably pull them all out and give you the perfect opportunity to pull off that plan."

"UHUHUHU! Splendid Kyoko!" Usami clapped her mittens together and beamed cheerfully, "you truly are an invaluable asset to this team!"

"I'm glad you think that," Kyoko smiled, "but there is one catch. The most amount of time I can buy you is 30 minutes. I won't be able to keep them off-duty for any longer than that, and that's still reaching it."

"Hm...The Tokyo Dome stadium is huge," Sleuth pondered, "if Kyoko is keeping them distracted, that would mean the 6 of us would have to stick the card up all over the place by ourselves. That's a decently sized group, but it's still not enough power or enough time..."

"So...it's a no-go after all?" Highwayman asked.

"No...We're not stuck yet..." Mozart lowered her head, a shadow cast over her eyes, but her glare noticeably determined, "I have an idea. I know exactly where we can get help."

"You do?" Kyoko asked, "what did you have in mind?"

Mozart turned towards Razor and Highwayman.

"When you two finish the calling card, would you mind giving me a copy of one?" she reached out a hand, "I want to show one...to my sister..."

"To Kaori?" Leprechaun frowned, "wait, are you saying you want to-!?"

"Yeah! I wanna get her and the Broken Instruments to help us out!" Mozart asserted, "if Kaori learns the Phantom Thieves are going after our Mom and finally putting a stop to her wicked ways, that might be what I need to finally get through to her."

"Bold move Mozart...and it's risky..." Razor bit her thumb, "you'd better pull it off, or else we're boned."

"I will..." Mozart raised her head with a glare of fury in her eyes, "I will get through to my sister, and I mean it this time...!"

Nightmare in the Locker - Danganronpa V3: Killing Harmony

"Welp! Here you go, Naegi-senpai! It's all yours!"

Kokichi Oma jovially tossed a brand new grapple shot to Makoto. Makoto had asked to meet him in his homeroom classroom when it was empty so he could pass over Kaede's grapple to him.

"Thanks..." Makoto nodded with a smile, "you might not be slick, but at least you get the job done."

"Now hold on a moment," Kokichi somehow managed to get in his way when he turned to leave the classroom, "I did as you asked and upheld my end of the deal. I think I've earned some quality time with you, don't you?"

Makoto rolled his eyes.

"I figured you'd say that..." he grumbled, "fine. Just make it quick. I have other places I need to be today."

"A wise decision," Kokichi smirked, holding his arms behind his head, "I wouldn't suggest ever turning down a request from someone like me...I AM the Ultimate Supreme Leader after all."

"Yes, I'm aware...You mentioned this before," Makoto affirmed, "but does that really mean anything? And what exactly IS this organization you run?"

"Hm? Didn't I tell you? I'm the supreme leader of a secret evil organization!"

"Yes, you've said that, but-"

"It's pretty impressive, too. It has over 10,000 members!"

"Yes, I know that as well. What I'm asking is-"

"I mean, at least that's what one might think. I AM a liar after all~"

"I KNOW! Will you PLEASE let me speak!" Makoto was embarrassed that his patience had run out so quickly, "what I'm asking is what does your organization, assuming it even exists, DO!?"

"Pardonez Moi?" Kokichi tilted his head. Makoto had thought it last time, but simply communicating with this kid was exhausting!

"You've told me about your organization. You've told me it has lots of members, and you've told me you're a liar. I KNOW this...!" Makoto asserted, "What you HAVEN'T told me is what the PURPOSE of your organization is. If it really exists, WHY does it exist?"

"OOOH! THAT'S what's been bugging you! I get it!" Kokichi smirked, "well, since you asked so nicely, I guess I can tell you."

Kokichi kicked the leg of a chair, turning it around and plopping himself down in it, legs and arms both crossed.

"My organization controls the entire world. But of course, it's behind the scenes. All the world's crime syndicates, vigilante or otherwise, are under my command," the pint-sized punk boasted, "for example, the Kuzuryu Clan, the Phantom Thieves, the Broken Instruments, you name it!"

*Well, I KNOW that's a lie...* Makoto thought, indignantly.

"They'll get into turf wars if I don't control them. And that's just trouble for everyone," Kokichi examined his nails, "it's a real pain in the keister, especially since peace is the best thing for the world."

"You expect me to believe that the Ultimate Supreme Leader of an evil organization cares about world peace?" Makoto scoffed, "I think you mean the opposite..."

"Bingo! You're absolutely right! ...Almost..." Kokichi made playful finger guns, "truth be told, I maintain the laws of both order and chaos in this world. Not only do I manage criminals this way, I do the same thing with the government! I control politicians with blackmail, I manipulate the stock market on a whim, and I have subordinates all over the world. The White House, Kremlin, Beijing, Wall Street, London...And even the Tokyo Stock Exchange!"

The boy suddenly leaped onto his chair and crowed over Makoto, who quickly realized his stout figure was a lot more imposing when he had the high ground.

"Just let me know if you ever get bored living life the way it is...I can change everything with just a snap of my fingers..."

For emphasis, Kokichi indeed snapped his fingers. Makoto resisted the urge to pull a face. There was no way this was true, not by a long shot.

"You just thought... "There's no way this is true, not by a long shot!" right!?" Kokichi leered.

Makoto deadpanned.

"What, nothing?" Kokichi pursed his lips, "I was expecting more of a reaction...I mean...I can read your MIIIIND Naegi-senpai! Shouldn't you be freaking out!?"

"A good friend of mine already does that routine, trust me, it won't work on me," Makoto sighed, "let's flip this on its head and say I believe you for now. Let's say I believe that you have multiple world embassies and organizations under your control. How exactly did you achieve something like that?"

"Well, I mean, does there really have to be a story to it?" Kokichi played with his long hair, "I mean, how did you out of 125.7 million people in Japan end up getting picked out of the lottery and attending Hope's Peak?"

"This and that are different," Makoto waved his hands, "unless you're trying to suggest you took over the entire world from the shadows purely by chance?"

"No, of course not! Ugh...fine, since you're so annoyingly curious," Kokichi spat, "I inherited the organization from my parents."

"And who are your parents?" Makoto inquired.

"Hey, that's a personal question senpai," Kokichi faux glowered, "besides, it doesn't matter. I had to kill them to take over the organization, and boom, all the power in the palm of my hand, just like that."

"You WHAT!?" Makoto choked.

"Don't worry, I'm lying~" Kokichi smirked, "I ACTUALLY killed my older brother!"

"Cut that out!" Makoto flustered, "stop giving me reasons to stay the hell away from you!"

"Oh RELAX, Naegi-senpai! That was a lie too!" Kokichi smacked him on the back, "How I rose to power is top secret! I'd have competition if you copied me; so I might have to kill you to prevent you from telling anyone about it~"

"You're not ACTUALLY going to kill me, are you?" Makoto frowned.

"Well..." Kokichi rubbed his hands together, a demonic expression on his face, "since we're alone, I COULD get away with it in here?"

"But you didn't even tell me anything!" Makoto snapped, "sure, I might've asked, but you just fed me more of your goddamn lies! I have no idea what you're even talking about anymore!"

"Oh, yeah! I'm such a ditz! Eto...Bleh~!" Kokichi stuck out his tongue, "then I'll let you live for now since I messed up..."

Makoto pinched the bridge of his nose and sighed, but panicked for a split second as Kokichi grabbed his hood and yanked him close to his face, his eyes wild with mania and his smile reaching across his face.

"But I'll kill you eventually~ And take your crown...Mark my words..." he whispered.

"My...crown...!? What are you on about now!?" Makoto shoved him back, "you can't be serious!?"

"I AM serious! You know I hate lies and jokes!" Kokichi's demonic smile quickly turned back into a playful one "...just kidding! I lied again!"

*I hate this kid...* Makoto clutched his aching head.

"Kaori! Come out, we need to talk!"

Kaede confidently strutted into the empty lot where the Phantom Thieves had encountered her twin sister before, putting on her no-nonsense face and barging in, no fucks given.

Fortunately, the Broken Instruments were hanging around this area again, and naturally, they were caught heavily off guard by her entrance. Even Kaori, who sat on her trash throne, swiftly spat out her gum from the surprise meeting. She got to her feet and stood to attention, grasping her pipe.

"I'm right here..." she stated apathetically, "what brings you here?"

"I knew you'd be here, that's all," Kaede smirked, "look. It's just me today."

"I can see that..." Kaori sighed, "and you know what else I can see? Someone who's STILL chasing dead ends. I'm pretty sure I made my stance clear last time we spoke. I want you to leave us alone, but for some reason, you're STILL here trying to get me to change my mind!?"

Kaede didn't do anything but sigh, smile, and shake her head.

"Not this time..." she said.

"Sorry?" Kaori turned back, surprised by this response, and lifted an eyebrow. Kaede reached into her purse and, with a flourish, pulled out a small card.

"I'm here to show you something," she asserted, "and if possible...I'd like your help..."

Thankfully, curious about her sister's new approach, Kaori played along and took the card off of Kaede. She folded it open and began to read its contents.

To Madame Kirie Kaede, a notorious Envious sinner.

In light of events from the past, you became a narcissistic woman and a foregone soul, trapped in a mental maze made from your obsession with success.

We pity you. But we're going to stop you because the harm your actions have done is far too great.

You are always prepared to trample on the lives of others and destroy them, and everything they stand for, all for the sake of your own personal gain and to elevate your life status.

This will not continue. We will see to it that your distorted desires are taken from you. And you won't ever hurt anyone ever again.

From

The Phantom Thieves of Hope~

The punk girl's eyes widened, and she lifted her head up to glare at Kaede.

"The Phantom Thieves!?" she exclaimed, "they're going after Mom!?"

There were murmurs of surprise and confusion from the other punks in the empty lot as Kaori's words explained the situation to them. Kaede nodded.

"It's all true...I was approached by the Phantom Thieves secretly and they explained the plan to me," Kaede told a half-truth, "Mom's their next target. And I was asked to do a favor on their behalf. But...I need your help. And not just yours, but the rest of your gang's as well."

"Let me get this straight..." Kaori scowled, "you're telling me that the Phantom Thieves asked YOU to help them change mom's heart? How?"

"By showing her THAT card, and several more copies of it," Kaede pointed a finger to assert her mission, "and to do that, we're gonna stick several copies of it around the Tokyo Dome's...EVERYTHING! If there's a surface we can put that card, we'll put it there."

She spun around and looked at the other members of the Broken Instruments.

"However, we've got lots of cards and the dome is a big place, but we've got too few people on hand to pull it off," Kaede said, "and too short a time window. Which is why I'm here to ask for your help."

Kaori dwelled on her words for a moment. Kaede didn't have to explain in detail what exactly it was that she was planning, she could easily put two and two together. But this situation was...odd. In response, she merely slung her pipe around her shoulders and scoffed.

"Heh...You sure you want to do that?" the troubled twin smirked, "if Mom turns out like those other two mooks that got changes of hearts did, you'll probably stop living the high life. I'm surprised they approached you, considering."

Kaede pursed her lips and clenched her fist, but tried to steady her breathing.

"Care to explain?"

"Would you really want that? To lose the one person that still loves you?" Kaori taunted, "unless you plan on taking to the streets like me, I can't really see how this benefits you...I wouldn't jump at every opportunity, even if it means doing something fun."

"Like you did when we were kids?" Kaede asked. Kaori snarled.

"I ain't a kid anymore, Kaede...And you aren't either..." she said, "you need to grow up and figure out who's on your side and who isn't..."

Kaede closed her eyes...inhaled a deep breath...exhaled said breath...and narrowly opened her eyes...

"Alright..." she tutted.

Then proceeded to HAMMER Kaori in the face with her fist!

Heaven of Almost Hell - Danganronpa V3: Killing Harmony

Kaori was so stunned by the act of violence she fell backward onto her throne and broke it to pieces! There were panicked shouts and cries from everyone else in the lot, and some even tried to rush Kaede, but were halted when Kaede glared at them, waving her fist in the air like she was ready to go another round!

"Wh-What the fuck was that for!?" Kaori snapped, "what's your problem!?"

"What's my problem!?" Kaede glowered, "My problem is that you still act like you know everything about me! YOU KNOW NOTHING! How could you!? YOU'RE the one who LEFT ME BEHIND!"

"Left you...What!?" Kaori struggled to her feet, rubbing her sore spots, "Kaede, what are you talking about!?"

"Ok, let me try and put this in a language you understand...! Mom! DOESN'T! CARE ABOUT ME!" Kaede shrieked, "She is just USING me for her OWN BENEFIT! My titles...My awards...My public image...All of it was provided and perfectly planned out by HER so SHE could PROFIT OFF IT! I barely even feel like my "talents" have earned that shit!"

Kaede's rant was so angry and violent that despite their leader being at her mercy, none of the Broken Instruments stepped forward to try and stop her. In fact, they were all quite terrified of the Ultimate Pianist! However, it didn't matter. It was enough to get Kaori to seriously listen.

"Mom...Kirie Kaede...I'm NOT her favorite child! I'm the one that makes her money, THAT'S why she pampers me! It's not because she likes me more than you, it's because she thinks I'm USEFUL! You have it GOOD being able to hang out with your friends so casually like this, free of problems, but for me to live in the same house as her being used as her moneymaking machine is HELL EVERY DAY!" she snarled, "You...were the one person...THE ONE PERSON! Who I could trust! From the start, you were the only person I could put my faith, trust, and hope in...and YOU! ABANDONED ME! AND LEFT ME WITH HER! TO BE HER SLAVE! Do you STILL think I'm the monster here...!?"

Kaori was speechless. Understandably so. But Kaede's words had indeed driven a cold knife straight into her heart. She crawled to her feet, and faced her sister, but didn't pick up her pipe.

"Is that...really true...?" she clenched her fist.

"Yes...But despite how angry I am at you...You're not the bad guy here Kaori...And neither am I," Kaede pointed to the green letter lying at her feet, "The calling card says it all. Mom is so obsessed with attaining fame and fortune by taking advantage of me, that she's gone as far as to ruin everyone else's chances of greatness. Even my close friends have fallen victim to her, and their families are in DANGER! Her tyranny affects more than just me and you. We aren't the only people in the world, and I'm DONE letting her walk all over us! She HAS to be stopped..."

Kaede also clenched her fist and lifted it in front of her face, putting on an expression of malice to show she wasn't fucking around.

"After this is all over, I promise on everything I've ever known and loved, that I will NEVER talk to you again if that's what you want. We can go our separate ways, live our own lives, and never think about one another," she said, "and I don't blame you. I was the only one around to stop things from getting out of control and...I didn't even try. So if you hate me, that's fine. I just need your help...One last time..."

Kaede approached her sister and prodded her shoulder, staring into her eyes.

"Because the one thing we share other than looks and blood...is our HATRED for that woman...!"

Kaori was, frankly, floored by this spectacle. She could barely even formulate words in response, positive OR negative. Never in her life, even before she left her family behind, had she EVER seen her sister like this.

What the hell changed?

"What's the call, Boss?" Veronika, the dark-haired chick who previously had given Kyoko a ride on her bike, was the first of the Instruments to speak up. Kaori looked behind her and stared at what remained of her trash throne. She lowered her head and looked down at her feet.

"I named our gang the Broken Instruments to serve as a reminder of what I was leaving behind...and that I could never go back, no matter how much I may have wanted to..."

She reached down and picked up her pipe, turning around to her sister with a smirk.

New World Order V3 - Danganronpa V3: Killing Harmony

"But you're right...I DO hate her...And I DO have some unfinished business...!"

"Tokyo Dome..." Kaede smirked back, "biggest place any punks like you could ever DREAM to vandalize! What say you!?"

There were some excited yells and rounds of applause from the other instruments. The prospect of getting a shot at this to stick it to Kirie was exciting them all, not just Kaori. The Instruments leader herself started to cackle excitedly.

"Bet...!" Kaori raised her fist for a bump, which Kaede returned.

Butterfly Kiss - Persona 5

"Ugh...My head..."

At the same time this was going on, Makoto was sitting on a bed in the nurse's office, undergoing an examination from the Ultimate Pharmacist. She had asked him to try out a new concoction, and he had complied in exchange for being able to buy medical provisions from her. The new medicine definitely made his body feel sturdier, but it came in a pack with an ear-splitting headache.

"I see...migraines may be a side effect..." she quickly scribbled down some notes on a pad and paper she had with her, "here. Drink some water. That should help."

She slid him a bottle of water. Makoto grabbed it and chugged it, feeling ever so slightly better.

"You know, I'm surprised you haven't invented a drug that counters the side effects of a procedure," he pointed out, "you're more than capable of that, surely?"

"It's not wise to take multiple different medicines or pills at once unless they're prescripted," she told him, "this medicine was developed based on the feedback from the last time we did this examination. Don't worry about the headache. It might linger, but it's to be expected."

"Not to sound condescending, but just make sure you uphold your end of our bargain..." the Lucky Student grumbled.

Makoto reached into the pocket of his hoodie and handed a small wad of cash to Seiko. Seiko took it, and in exchange, handed Makoto a pre-prepared paper bag full of the medical items he'd asked for.

"I would like to run some physical tests, but they aren't necessary. I assume you have somewhere you need to be soon," Seiko smiled under her mask, "if you can, come find me later, and-"

She was cut off suddenly, interrupted by a knocking on the door to the nurses' office.

"Is anyone in there?" a moody and deep voice came from the other side. Seiko immediately tensed up, which Makoto noticed.

"Who is that?" he gestured to the door. Seiko shook her head and waved her arms to tell him to be quiet.

"Come in!" she called out.

The Mystery of Where and Who - Danganronpa 3: The End of Hope's Peak Academy

The door to the nurses' office slid open, and in walked a boy with a tall, lean build, pale blonde hair, sharp brown eyes, pale skin, and a serious expression. Over his school uniform, he wore a heavy-looking red trench coat.

Makoto recognized him. This was Sonosuke Izayoi, a third-year in Class 77-B, the same as Seiko. He was the Ultimate Blacksmith.

"S-Sonosuke-kun..." Seiko stuttered, "W-Welcome..."

"Friend of yours?" Makoto queried.

"Quiet kid..." Izayoi glared at him, "I'm here to talk to Seiko, this doesn't involve you."

"Don't "kid" me, I'm only a year or so younger than you, probably not even that," Makoto did feel he might be getting too big for his britches, but the words came out before he could stop himself, "and I'm in the middle of a medical examination right now. Can't it wait?"

"I-It's OK, Sonosuke-kun!" Seiko interjected as Izayoi's glare darkened, "W-We were just finishing up! Wh-Whatever it is, I-I'm all ears! Are you feverish!? Coming down with a cold!?"

"Neither," Izayoi replied, deciding to turn his attention away from Makoto, "Ruka-chan's absent today, so I'm here to pick up the usual goods. They're here, right?"

"Um...Yes, here..." Seiko whimpered, quickly reaching into the drawer next to her and pulling out a smaller paper bag, handing it to him. Izayoi raised an eyebrow...Or he would have if he had one; Makoto noticed he'd shaved them.

"This looks like less than usual..." he stated.

"A thank you would have been much nicer..." Makoto asserted.

"Naegi-kun, please, shut up...!" Seiko pulled at her mask, baring her braced fangs at him, "Sorry Sonosuke-kun. Ruruka-chan's medication is taking longer than I thought, but I'm working with Naegi-kun here to see if I can make it even better than it is now. But I've been tight on time with both his checkups and my schoolwork, so I only have the first half right now. The second will get to her as soon as possible."

"Fine...Just make sure you get your priorities sorted out..." Izayoi quietly snarled, "and don't blame me if she comes down here herself to chew you out."

"All I can tell her is the same thing I just told you..." Seiko nodded.

Izayoi sighed, apathetically waved, and left. Seiko turned back to Makoto and sat back down in her seat.

Butterfly Kiss - Persona 5

"For the love of God, can you stop involving yourself in other people's personal matters!?" she snarled.

"Hey, it happens whether I want it to or not, I just own it by now," Makoto shrugged, "I'm sorry though. What was that about?"

"Don't worry about it," Seiko assured him, "it's just a favor I'm doing for a good friend of mine. That guy who just walked in, Sonosuke Izayoi. I, him, and his girlfriend Ruruka Ando have been friends ever since we were really little."

Ruruka Ando was another third year, who Makoto recalled was also in Seiko's class. She was the Ultimate Confectioner and had made a wide variety of pastries, sweets, and the like. Some of them were even commercially available to the student body, and though Makoto had only eaten them once or twice, they were on par with Teruteru Hanamura's cooking, no doubt about it.

"I thought you weren't allowed to distribute drugs among the student body? Or what, do you being friends count as an exception?" Makoto asked.

"Cut it out! You're right, I'm not REALLY allowed to do this," Seiko whispered, "but yes, I'm making an exception for a really good friend. She's been suffering from...a condition...since she was a kid...And all I want to do is help her with it. Is that so bad?"

"What kind of condition?" Makoto asked. Seiko glared at him.

"Has anyone told you you ask too many questions, Naegi-kun?" she spat, "I can't tell you that, otherwise I break the laws of personal data protection or something! As a medical practitioner, I'm not allowed to explain details of someone else's condition to just anyone, even if they ARE helping me as a test subject/assistant!

"Aren't you kind of already breaking the law?" Makoto pointed out.

"Ok, let me put this a different way..." Seiko's eyes darkened, "shut up, or else this is the last batch of medication I'm EVER giving you...!"

"Ok, ok, fine!" Makoto swiftly realized this wasn't worth it, and stopped himself, "I won't talk of it anymore. Just...for an old friend, that guy was kind of a dick..."

"Don't worry about him. He talks like that to anyone who isn't Ruruka-chan," Seiko assured him, "he knows it's an issue; he's working on it."

"I see..." Makoto nodded, "fine, I should get out of your hair for the time being, shouldn't I?"

"Just wait for a moment while I finish up my report..." Seiko smiled.

Tokyo Emergency - Persona 5

Makoto had to admit that, while yes, technically he was committing a crime, the act of performing a special ops heist in real life was exciting!

The time had come to put the plan into action, and after making a quick pit stop at his family's house to grab some stuff, as well as pick up Komaru, they took the subway to the Tokyo Dome. When they finally got outside of the huge stadium, Makoto put on a group phone call connected to the Phantom Thieves chatroom. Fortunately, Shuichi, Kaede, Toko, and Kyoko all picked up almost immediately.

"We're here," he stated, "how have things been without us?"

[Kaede and myself are already inside,] Shuichi's voice was the first to come from the other side, [does Komaru have the copies of the calling card?]

"I have one half," Komaru said through Makoto's phone, lugging a heavy rucksack full of cards over her back, "Toko's got the other."

[If you Naegi's are outside, we can find a rendezvous point to meet up and head in together,] Toko said, [I trust things went well with security?]

[You'd better be grateful. I'm going to have to spend the next week writing a report, and depending on how this goes, an apology for the local agencies.] Kyoko grumbled, [really, I'm just hoping that whatever the repercussions are of Kirie Kaede's ensuing scandal will be enough to make the system forget about it...]

[I believe it will,] Shuichi stated, [the staff at the Dome will need to take care of themselves first and foremost. If Kirie confesses on the day of, they'll need to issue a public apology and statement that they will no longer be working with or associating with her. They'll have higher priorities than getting you to write a letter of apology.]

Kyoko responded with a grunt of affirmation.

[Regardless, it's just as I said before,] her voice quickly became stern and serious, [the excuse I offered was that I'd be sending public safety officials connected to the KDA to make sure everything was in proper working order for Kaede's show tomorrow. You've got about 30 minutes before those guys have to get back to work.]

[I just really hope that Kaori doesn't fuck us over on this...] Toko spat.

[She'll come,] Kaede said, [I know she will.]

"I've been meaning to ask about this, but what happens after they do come back?" Monomi inquired, "assuming we're able to pull this off and get away, what's stopping the in-house security from just taking all the calling cards down again?"

[If the KDA deems it a crime scene, they'll open an investigation and preserve it until the next morning,] Shuichi said, [that will buy enough time for Kirie to come in the next morning and see it.]

"Great!" Makoto beamed, "then let's get to it, and not waste any time!"

[Makoto, Komaru, and Toko, do me a favor,] Kaede explained, [open up your map app and head to the top right-hand corner near Block A02. There's a small flight of stairs leading to a fire escape. Go down it, and Shuichi and I will let you in from the inside.]

The other thieves did as instructed. Komaru, Makoto, and Monomi ran into Toko just as all four of them arrived at the door. Toko pounded on it, and as soon as she did, Kaede quickly flung the door open, beckoning them inside. They stepped into some kind of backstage storage corner, which was filled with dust and made Monomi splutter and sneeze a bit.

"I've had a few days to look around the place, and I quickly figured out no one else comes here," Kaede explained, "I kind of started to use it as my own space whenever I needed to get away from things."

A foldable table was already out in the corner, so Komaru and Toko took out all the calling card copies and dumped them on the table. There had to be several hundred dozens of copies.

"I seriously am gonna need to buy a lot more printer ink after we're done with this crap," Komaru sighed, "though I guess that's the least of my problems. Shall we get started?"

"You may, but we're not going to get very far without Kaori and the Instruments," Shuichi pointed out, "we just don't have enough manpower with just the 6 of us."

"I told you guys," Kaede asserted, "she's GOING to be here."

And no sooner did she say this, that there was another pounding on the door.

"Kaede!" a familiar voice called out from the other side, "open up, loser!"

With a giggle, Kaede quickly scrambled to the fire exit door, pushed down on the bar, and opened it. Gradually, the dusty corner started to be filled with thugs, all armed with things like spray paints and glitter glue, ready for action! The figure of Kaori Kaede slowly pushed through them, standing at the front. She turned halfway towards Makoto and the rest of the group and gave them a nod.

"Figured you guys would be here too..." she nodded to them. Makoto nodded back.

"Didn't think I'd be saying this after our last encounter...But I'm glad you're here," the Lucky Student told her, "your help is greatly appreciated."

"Just let the record say that I'm not doing this for you or Kaede's sake. I just want to stick it to a crotchety old woman who's made me miserable for oh so many years," she scoffed, turning back to her friends and raising her imposing voice, "'aight everyone, listen up! Our main goal is to make sure those cards go everywhere and anywhere! Spray as much as you want but try to keep damage to a minimum; we don't want trouble with the cops! We've got half an hour, tops, so get a move on!"

The Broken Instruments didn't need to be told this twice. They all grabbed the cards and scattered, running through the halls and preparing to wreck the joint.

"What are you guys standing around for!?" Kaede pumped her arms excitedly, "let's do this thing!"

Her enthusiasm was infectious, even to the usually quiet types like Shuichi and Toko. Now was the time to completely let loose.

Even with the half-hour window, it really only took about half that time for the Broken Instruments and the Phantom Thieves to do their thing. The Tokyo Dome was a huge place, but the calling cards ended up almost everywhere where there was space. Outside the shops, on the walls, in the big stadium, both in the seats AND on the field,

Ironically, Kirie's influence and tight demands for the event had made it so the entire stadium and the area around it had been closed off from the public for a few days before the event, which meant there was no one around to stop them and the entire shopping district and amusement park staff had gotten the weekend off. They'd be back tomorrow, and the timing could not be more perfect.

Granted, Kaori had proven while commanding her team that she was more amenable to reason than expected. She understood that the people who worked here were innocent and just trying to make a living, so even though the Broken Instruments threw glitter glue and sprayed graffiti all over the walls, she made sure that they didn't break anything like the shop windows, nor did she let them damage any property unless it was related to Kirie's big scheme. Those who were just running regular businesses in the dome were barely affected.

Admittedly, the Phantom Thieves were having fun being rebel teens as well. They even participated in this vandalism and got to know the members of the BIs more personally than before, like Toshiro and Veronika. It turned out, just like their boss, they weren't actually bad people.

Makoto couldn't help but sit down in one of the stadium seats and gaze out over the vandalized field full of calling cards. They had really done good with this one, and it was all thanks to Kaori and her team.

"My finest work..."

Rather coincidentally as he thought this, he turned his head after hearing Kaori's familiar sour-tasting voice, as she folded out the seat next to him and lazily sat down on it as well. Makoto smiled.

"Yeah, you should be proud," he said, "and...before I miss my chance, I really want to say thanks for this...I'm really glad you were willing to hear Kaede out..."

"Hm..." Kaori nodded, "so like...I'm just gonna assume that you either ARE the Phantom Thief, or you're just working with 'em 'cause they can't show their faces in public...Either way, are you sure your girlfriend's ok with that? You helping out her police force and also a gang of vigilantes?"

"She's not really my girlfriend. Just my classmate," Makoto told her, "and it's actually thanks to her we even had this window of opportunity."

"Man, she's more devious than I thought..." Kaori whistled impressed.

Before either of them could say anything else, Shuichi suddenly slid along the seats towards them, sitting down and offering them both some drinks.

"Thanks for the hard work, Kaede..." he smiled. Kaori scoffed and snatched an energy drink from him. Makoto took the bottle of juice.

"You're welcome...or whatever..." she huffed, "hey, so like...you're Kaede's classmate at school, yeah?"

"Yeah. Shuichi," Shuichi introduced himself properly for the first time, "honestly...your sister has done a lot for me. She has this...effect, which pulls me out of my moods when I'm going through some of the toughest times of my life...Now...she's going through one herself and...I want to pay that kindness back..."

Kaori's response to this was strange. She nodded haphazardly and then lowered her eyes to the floor.

"Kaede?" Shuichi tilted his head, "what's the matter? Are you alright?"

"Yeah, I'm cool, I'm just...thinking about a lot of stuff..." she admitted, "I'm starting to look back on everything that's happened between us and...Well...I'm seeing things differently than I did all those times before..."

"If you want to open up about it, that's fine. We won't tell anyone else," Makoto assured her, with Monomi hopping onto his shoulder, "but if you'd rather not tell us, that's fine too. We understand."

Desire for Execution - Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc

"No, it's...thanks...But it's just...after the whole thing that happened with Dad passing away and...me, Kaede, and Kirie having that falling out and all...I felt like me and my sister were kinda...drifting away from each other...Like all those years of us being inseparable kinda...didn't happen all of a sudden..." Kaori confessed, "it was lonely, and kinda blamed her for putting me to the side while she did everything she was told to do but...now I realize that I was the one pushing HER away...She only fell in line because I wasn't strong enough to help or smart enough to see she was struggling too..."

"That's not how it is Kaede..." Shuichi assured her, "honestly, I don't blame you. Most of the time, Kaede is so bright, happy, and overwhelming with positivity, it's hard to imagine she has any problems with the world..."

"Didn't know you were on a first-name basis with my sister..." Kaori observed with a curious expression. Shuichi blushed.

"Well, like I said, I owe her a lot..." he said, "but seriously, I found out about her troubles by sheer coincidence. Even though I'm a detective myself, I couldn't see how much she was struggling in silence, and...I feel very guilty for that...But Kaede herself admitted that SHE was the one who was too weak. She thought she was the one who wasn't strong enough, and the reason why she's doing all this now is because she's trying to change for the better."

"Kaede may seem like the perfect person, but she's far from it, and she knows that," Makoto added, "so she's trying to fix whatever flaws she may have. And not for anyone else's sake. Only for her own."

"Well...even if that is true, I know I definitely didn't do much to help..." Kaori sighed, "Dad's death caused a lot of change in our lives. Mom- I mean...Kirie became a lot more closed off, and even aggressive, not just to me but to everyone. Kaede always seemed to be busy with one thing or the other and...a lot of our old friends kind of stopped hanging out with us after a while."

She clenched the edge of her seat and bit her lip.

"I dunno, I was just really angry...I couldn't accept that life just kept moving on so casually after all that sadness and despair..." she growled, "like Dad was really only important when he was alive, and when he moved on, everyone just forgot about us...And I thought they were the same way, just trying to force herself to move on and forget..."

"I don't think that's it," Makoto shook his head, "they were just dealing with the pain of his loss in their own way."

"Yeah, I know that now...But...everything just sucked..." Kaori spat, "I've always been jealous of Kaede. Despite how we look the exact damn same, I still felt like she was much prettier than me, and kinder, smarter, more sociable, and DEFINITELY more gifted. She was better than me in every way I could see and I didn't understand why she could do it while I couldn't..."

"And Kirie made that a lot worse I'd imagine," Shuichi glowered, "pushing you to the side while she focused all her effort and attention on Kaede...Even if she was in mourning initially, what she became is inexcusable..."

"I still remember it clearly you know...The night I left that godforsaken place...Before me and Kirie had our argument, I remember confronting Kaede in our bedroom," Kaori began to explain, "I asked her how she could so easily handle it; all the pain and sadness, and how much things had changed...And I remember her telling me this..."

"Just because I'm sad, doesn't mean I'm gonna run away! I gotta move forward! We may not be able to move on now, but we'll do it eventually, somehow...Everyone just has to cooperate if we all wanna get through this!"

"That sounds like her alright..." Shuichi smiled.

"Yeah...She's always had the best of intentions, and she was trying to cheer me up...But I didn't see it that way..." Kaori snarled, "I was confused...and angry...I thought she didn't care! I thought she was crazy!"

"That's why you destroyed her piano..." Makoto contemplated...

Suddenly, however, tears began to form on the edge of Kaori's eyes, and she scrunched up her face like she was trying to force them back inside.

"I was such a huge fucking jerk to her...!" she sobbed, "Kaede has never cared about herself over everybody else! She wants nothing more than to make everyone else around her happy, and that includes me! How could I have forgotten that!? I turned on her; I didn't even BOTHER trying to understand her!"

"Kaori-san..." Makoto didn't know if it was right or not to even pat the girl on the shoulder as she started crying. He felt bad for her and wanted to help, but for once, he didn't know how...

"I'm...I'm scum for that..." Kaori sniffed, "I'm probably no better than Kirie for the things I've done to her..."

"No...That's not true at all..."

Shuichi suddenly stood up and glared at Kaori, though this wasn't a spiteful or angry glare.

"You REALIZE WHY you might have been a piece of garbage. That alone makes you better than your mother," the detective boy asserted, "Kirie is fully conscious that what she's doing is bad, and she's choosing to take her anger and depression out on the world by hurting as many people within reach as she can, including you and your sister. And you can STILL fix this! Kaede regrets not being able to stop Kirie before now, but she knows she can STILL fix this!"

Kaori couldn't hold back the tears much longer. Shuichi's comforting assertion had really done the trick. However, it caught the attention of the other Broken Instruments nearby.

"Boss!?" Toshiro exclaimed, "what's going on!? Are you alright!?"

"The hell happened!?" a tanned boy with black hair glared daggers at Shuichi, "what did you do to the boss!?"

"N-No! Li, d-don't..." Kaori spluttered, "It's not their...fault..."

"Oh...This again?" Veronika sighed, "This happens a lot actually, though never really in front of anyone other than us. Kaori's always regretting the things she's done before, and sometimes it gets too much for even her. She's just human after all..."

"H-Hey!" Kaori's face went red, "don't TELL them that, asshole!"

"C'mere..." Veronika, though she looked like she was getting Kaori in a headlock, hugged her team leader tightly, ruffling her untidy hair. Following suit, Toshiro and the other boy, apparently named Li, hugged her as well.

Despite her tears, this was the first time the Thieves had seen Kaori...happy...Shuichi couldn't help but smile warmly, and neither could Makoto or Monomi.

Despair Syndrome - Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc

"Guys! We've gotta get a move on! Those guards could be back any minute!" Kaede suddenly rushed in to deliver this news, "huh? Kaori, what's wrong? You feeling ok?"

"Huh!? Um...I-I'm fine...!" Kaori quickly jumped up, wiped her eyes, and cleared her throat, "you heard her! Everyone, wrap it up! Let's move!"

Kaori and her goons made a swift getaway before Kaede could be clued in. Out of respect for her, Shuichi and the others decided to keep their lips sealed.

"What's going on? Did I miss something important?" Kaede inquired.

"No, no, nothing like that...We were just getting to know your sister a bit more." Monomi explained.

"Oh god...She didn't tell any embarrassing stories about me when we were kids, did she?" Kaede sweated. They all chuckled.

"Well, my curiosity is peaked..." Shuichi joked, prompting Kaede to gently punch him in the arm, "but no, she's not really the type to do that."

"Okay, good..." Kaede breathed a sigh of relief, "listen though, since we're wrapped up here, I was thinking of maybe taking you and the rest of the gang out for a meal. As like a...celebration of a job well done. What do you think?"

"Are you sure?" Shuichi asked, "does that include Kaori and the others?"

"Only if they're up for it," Kaede smirked, "not that I'd really be able to pay for everyone's meal on my own allowance..."

"We can pay for ourselves, it's fine," Makoto smiled, "and I'm down if you're offering."

"Yes, me too!" Monomi beamed, "I'm in a very good mood after all that nice talk!"

"Huh? Ok, seriously, what were you guys up to just now?" Kaede gave the three of them the stink eye, "why does it feel like everyone but me is privy to secrets hanging in the air?"

"Hm...I wouldn't be so sure..." Shuichi acted coy in response, "it must be the breeze. You're probably imagining things."

"Yeah, for real," Makoto forced a smile, "we were just reflecting on our handiwork, that's all."

"Oh come on, you guys are totally in on something!" Kaede puffed her cheeks and pouted, "hey, how about this Shuichi? If you tell me on the sly, I'll lend you my favorite mystery novel! I bet you'll love it!"

"Sorry. If it's that good, chances are I've already read it before..." Shuichi raised his nose to the sky in defiance. The team was then swiftly joined by Komaru and Toko.

"Guys, let's get a move on!" Komaru demanded.

"Kyoko just called! Said security was on their way back!" Toko asserted.

"Yeah, let's hop to it!" Monomi squeaked, "we should get out of here before the only secret conversations we have are with our cellmates!"

"Secret-!? Ok, that does it!" Kaede cried as the team made a swift escape, "I call shenanigans! Something DEFINITELY went down back there!"

[THE NEXT MORNING...]

"Today will be one of our last chances to make ourselves presentable to the Tokyo Dome staff. Your big show is in but two days' time, my dear, and I want to make sure everything is perfect for when it comes around."

"Are you sure about this Mom? We've already looked around the place a dozen times. I don't think it would have changed that much."

"I suppose it was foolish of me to think a child like you would understand...You will get it when you grow up, but we need to make sure that the staff don't regret this deal between us."

This was the casual conversation between Kaede and Kirie Kaede as the two made their way to the big stage. As per usual, her mother was ranting up a storm of hubris and bossiness, prattling on about how everything had to go according to plan, and how she wouldn't tolerate failure of any kind, not from Kaede, nor from anybody else.

It was alright though. She had put up with this bullshit for years; she could stand to deal with it a little bit longer.

And for what it was worth, it was pleasant for Kaede to see the expression on her mother's face as they rounded the corner and came across the entire Tokyo Dome building cordoned off with police tape.

The color visibly faded from Kirie's face, and she, in a panic, stomped towards the tape and started to shout at the inspectors behind it!

"What is this!? What are you doing!?" she snapped, "did the staff approve of this!?"

"M-Mrs Kaede!" one of the staff of the Tokyo Dome, a short balding man with round glasses, quickly pushed past the inspectors to greet her, "I'm terribly sorry for all of this! P-Please, do not be alarmed!"

"Sir! What is the meaning of all this!?" Kirie snarled, "what happened!?"

"Is everything alright?" Kaede did her best to look worried.

"Don't worry good sir. Allow me to explain this...This is very important to her, after all..."

Kirie raised her head to see a girl with pale hair and purple studded gloves stride towards them, confidence in her step. Her professional aura was enough to get Kirie to calm down, at least somewhat.

"Senpai!" Kaede exclaimed, "what are you doing here!?"

"Senpai?" Kirie parroted.

"Yes, she goes to my school!" Kaede explained, "she's my upperclassman by one year."

"Ah, y-yes of course, Ms Kirigiri...This is Mrs Kirie Kaede, and her daughter, Kaede. They're the ones in charge of the performance in the coming few days..." the presenter introduced her.

"Hello, ma'am...I believe this is the first time we've met in person..." Kyoko stuck out a hand for a handshake, "Kyoko Kirigiri, CEO and Head PI of the Kirigiri Detective Agency...I'm also an Ultimate, like your daughter."

"What's...going on?" Kirie chose not to return the handshake, so Kyoko lowered her arm.

"Well...I suppose I have no choice but to show you..." Kyoko said, commanding her subordinates to lower the tape, "A word of warning though...Try not to freak out..."

"What...IS...this...!?"

Kirie was shocked and horrified by the scene she came across. The trademark card of the Phantom Thieves was lying all over the place, stuck to the walls alongside some messy graffiti art and symbols made from glitter products. All of them addressed her, and everywhere her eye could see, no matter which way she turned.

She wasn't the only one either. Today, most of the staff and owners of the cafes and stores in the dome, as well as the amusement park runners, had returned to work. The calling card was EVERYWHERE; on the stores, on the field, on the noticeboards, in the seats. No matter where she looked, there were cards everywhere, and by now, everyone around had read one.

"We believe this to be the work of the Phantom Thieves of Hope...The same people who targeted Haiji Towa, the heir to the Towa Group...as well as the previous CEO of the KDA, my grandfather, Fuhito Kirigiri..." Kyoko put on a sour expression, "it seems they've taken quite an interest in you..."

Kaede and Kyoko looked towards the former's mother, whose body was trembling with rage...She clutched one of the calling cards in her hand, reading the contents, then ripped it into pieces. As she did, they noticed the air around her emitting a familiar distortion, and the image of her Shadow self took form in her mind.

"Those blasted brats really think they can steal MY PERFECT DESIGNS!?" she snarled, "these are MINE! MIIIIINE! AAAAAALLLL MIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIINEE!"

"What the fuck do you think you're DOING THEN!?" the real Kirie Kaede started on both Kyoko and the staff member, who almost curled into a ball in fright, "why do you simply choose to stand there? Remove EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THESE AT ONCE!

"Ma'am, I'm afraid that will take time," Kyoko remained calm, even though the urge to smack the woman around the face was looking more promising by the second, "we have to keep these around so we can preserve this abnormally large crime scene for the investigation."

"I DON'T GIVE A FUCK ABOUT YOUR INVESTIGATION!" Kirie snapped, "DO AS I SAAAAAYYY!"

"M-Mom..." Kaede awkwardly pointed to the door they had just come through, "I think I'm gonna...take a walk...Is that cool?"

Kirie didn't seem to be listening, so Kaede made herself scarce. She ducked into the shady corner, looking back over her shoulder to see Kyoko giving her a secret thumbs up. Once she saw it, she grabbed her phone, dialed a number, and burst out of the fire escape door.

"The operation is a-go!" she declared as she hurried down the streets, "I don't think I've ever seen Mom so panicked. That'll materialize the treasure for sure."

"Good work Kaede," Makoto said from the other end of the line, "rendezvous with us as fast as you can. We're going into the Palace as soon as you get here."

"Looking back on it, Kaede's plan to place the calling card in the Tokyo Dome was genius," Monomi complimented her as Makoto hung up, "Kirie won't be able to escape the influence now that almost everyone there has seen it, and it'll make headlines for sure!"

"We could all stand to learn a thing or two from dedication like that," Shuichi beamed, "she's serious about this, and it shows."

"That's all well and good, but we still had to be the ones to stick them all up in the end...She barely lifted a finger!" Toko grumbled, "quit your simping, kid."

"Toko, you are the LAST PERSON who should be telling someone to stop simping..." Komaru made an actually decent point.

"Look, forget all that!" Makoto cut through their arguments instantly, "the stage has been set, and the time is upon us! We've got families to save and a tyrant to stop! If we fail, ourselves, our families, and everyone we love will be put in grave danger!"

"Our target this time is a villain through and through, tragic as she may be..." Shuichi waxed poetic.

"And that's just the way we like it!" Komaru punched her open palm.

"Agreed," Toko nodded, "not to mention we've got a lot of other personal reasons for this, including our bigshot rookie..."

"Regardless of how this turns out, I'm done letting that woman control me for her own ends," Kaede exclaimed as she finally joined the rest of the group, "I'm ready to burn that whole gala to the ground if I have to!"

"No objections right?" Monomi smirked.

"Then LET'S GO!" Makoto cheered.

Chapter End Notes

For the record, "Flight of the Phantom Thief" is a parody name of "Flight of the Bumblebee" by Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov.
I know you've all been waiting for it, and now it's officially GO TIME! The pacing of this arc is a bit different than it normally is, so the next chapter will most likely be entirely dedicated to the confrontation of Kirie's Shadow. I hope you're looking forward to the team's most dramatic fight yet!
Thanks for reading. I love to get feedback from my readers, so feel free to leave a comment, and some kudos if you feel up to it.

The Hostess of Envy

Chapter Summary

The Phantom Thieves break into Kirie's Palace one last time to steal her treasure and come face to face with the horrible hostess herself in what is probably their most intense fight yet.

Chapter Notes

See the end of the chapter for notes

"Ok, here's the plan everyone!" Leprechaun declared as the team rushed through the maze, "Kirie's security will be looking all over the Palace for us, so we beeline it straight to the treasure, smash through any Shadows that get in our way, grab the treasure and get the hell out!"

"Quite a plan!" Razor remarked, "not sure why I was ever worried!"

"We're gonna have to hustle!" Sleuth cried, "it's a good thing Usami took notes of our route to the center! It's a lot easier navigating through the labyrinth the second time around!"

"You're most welcome!" Usami winked.

"Here we come Mom...!" Mozart grinned with determination, "your reign of terror ends today!"

However, this bravado and determination were cut heavily short by a rather significant setback. The Phantom Thieves finally got to the center of the maze to claim their prize...Only to find that said prize was NOT THERE!

"What!?" Usami spluttered, "wh-where's the treasure!?"

"It can't be!?" Leprechaun exclaimed, "it was right there! What happened to it!?"

"Do you think Kirie moved it?" Sleuth suggested.

"Guys! Look! Up there!"

Mozart's cry caused all her teammates to look up to the ceiling high above them. They saw a gleam of something round and shiny slowly ascending upwards from a crane. The cable carried the ball through a hatch in the ceiling and closed once it passed through.

"Is that...A Disco Ball?" Mozart tilted her head, confused.

"There's no doubt about it! That's the treasure!" Usami asserted, "I recognize it's scent!"

"Welp! There goes our genius plan!" Razor scoffed, throwing her arms up to heaven.

"Then I guess we've gotta do what we always do!" Highwayman cocked her gun, "Improvise!"

"If my memory serves me correctly, just above this maze area is the center stage hall where everyone is gathered for important events at a gala," Sleuth contemplated, "the treasure is probably heading there!"

"Which means Kirie's Shadow will be there too...!" Leprechaun growled, "dammit! She must be taking it away from here so she can keep a close eye on it!

"That makes sense, unfortunately. Mom said herself she wasn't about to let anyone put our show at risk," Mozart clenched her spear, "looks like she plans to hold her special event preemptively to stop us from pulling our heist off...!"

"If that's really the case, then I'm afraid we only have one more option," Usami frowned, "we have to confront Kaede's Shadow head-on, and forcefully take the treasure from her hands. If we don't, the real Kaede might do something similar, and force Mozart's recital to happen earlier!"

"Sounds good, but we'll still need to find a way to take her by surprise..." Highwayman considered, "we need to think of a backup plan, and quickly."

"Oh, I don't think we need to worry," Mozart winked, "I've got us covered."

"You've got something?" Razor crossed her arms, "let's hear it!"

"Well, let me just put it this way," the pianist grinned, "if that woman's gonna pull this off, there's one big piece of the puzzle she still needs...!"

With everything to lose and not a moment to spare, the Phantom Thieves split up as soon as they navigated their way back through the maze and to the floor above. Mozart rushed off on her own, while the rest of the Thieves rushed into the party zone.

Similarly to how it was with Kirigiri's Palace, Shadows and cognitions sat comfortably in seats and around tables, watching the big stage where Kirie Kaede's funky Shadow self was strutting up and down it, nattering away into a microphone. None of the Thieves really cared for what she was saying though, and before anyone or anything could notice their presence, they used their grappling hooks to zip to the scaffolding above the room. As soon as they were perched, they activated their team radio.

"Mozart!" Sleuth called through his comm, "we made it to the party zone. Where are you?"

[Making my way backstage and up to you. I should be coming on any moment now!] Mozart's voice whispered back.

"Hurry!" Razor hissed, "Big Mamma's on stage right now!

"There's no time to be subtle about it, Kaede...!" Highwayman added, "whatever it is you've got in store, forget about buttering her up, just go at her!"

[Trust me...Subtelty went out of the window a LONG time ago...] Mozart sighed, [just don't leave me hanging!]

Leprechaun felt sweat running down his face. This was easily the most intense operation they'd ever pulled off; somehow even more intense than their heist in real life. If Mozart screwed this up, they were done for. Not that he was expecting her to...

"What an absolutely wonderful evening it is, ladies and gentlemen! As the head hostess of this fine gala, I would love to extend a warm, welcoming hand to everyone who helped make this magic happen!" Shadow Kaede beamed, "Everyone! Put your hands in the air and give ourselves a round of applause! And a pat on the back while you're at it!"

The audience did as prompted and all cheered for the walking artistic mess on the stage, as she strutted her stuff.

"Tch...Look at her...Hamming it up like the bitch she is..." Razor spat.

"Seriously Mozart...!" Leprechaun hushed, "you've gotta get up here and fast! She's gonna catch on eventually!"

[I'm almost there!] Mozart assured him, sounding rather out of breath, [this is just a lot harder out of costume!]

"Out of costume?" Highwayman parroted, "what are you up to?"

Turns out she didn't have to wonder this for how long. Mid-Shadow Kaede's theatrics, the curtains behind her were suddenly flung wide open, which surprised even the hostess.

Behind said curtains was the familiar form of Kaede Akamatsu, not in her Phantom Thief attire, but in her regular clothes. As soon as she appeared on stage, the audience once again rose to their feet, clapping and cheering. Shadow Kaede looked a little awkward and tense but tried to play along with the excitement of the audience, introducing her daughter to the stage with gusto.

"Oh yeah..." Leprechaun raised his eyebrows, "I forgot we could do that..."

"We CAN!?" Highwayman spluttered.

"I see...the performance can't happen without Kaede...Kirie must have expected a cognition of her to come on stage at any moment, but our Kaede has replaced her..." Sleuth contemplated aloud, "she probably took her outfit off to avoid anybody getting suspicious..."

Back down on the stage, Kirie's Shadow strode towards Kaede, gritting her teeth as she tried to retain a smile.

"You know I love you dear girl, but WAIT for your QUEUE...!" she hissed, "and also next time, don't come out looking so unpresentable!"

"Oh, you don't like my clothes? How about THIS then!?" Kaede scowled, bursting into blue flames as her Phantom Thief attire flamed back onto her, and she pointed an angry finger at her mother, "hand over the treasure! NOW!"

Blooming Villain (ATLUS Konishi Remix) - Persona 5: Dancing Star Night

"You!?" Kirie's furious eyes practically bulged out of her head in shock and rage, "how dare you ruin-!? No...Wait...Actually...!"

Kaede frowned as her mother's sourness became a smile. Kirie brushed back her hair and turned back to her audience.

"Rejoice, dear ladies and gentlemen! You're all in store for a very special gig today! My good friends, the Phantom Thieves, have come to be the life of our already glorious party!" she declared with a smile, which excited the audience even more.

"Are you serious!?" Mozart spat, "you're really gonna do this now!?"

"Improvisation has always been one of my strong suits, darling..." Kirie smirked. Kaede rolled her eyes.

"Psh...Your only strong suit is manipulation and spite..." the pianist crossed her arms and scowled, "it doesn't matter what you say or do to me. I'm telling you now, I CAN'T do this anymore! I'm never going to be your golden ticket again!"

"You can, and you WILL...!" Kirie pointed her smoking pipe at her with a glare, "I am your mother and you are my daughter! You EXIST purely to be my own little star!"

"You know, I really can't believe that's how you really think of me...I can't even be mad, I'm just...disappointed..." Mozart pinched the bridge of her nose and sighed, "you really think that just because you gave birth to me that I automatically serve your beck and call?"

"Well, why wouldn't that be the case?" Kirie snarked, "that's how you've been all this time, after all..."

"Yeah, you're right..." she sighed again, heavier this time, "but not anymore...Making me a famous pianist and leeching off my work ISN'T going to make you happy, no matter how much you think it might..."

"Happiness is an emotion I haven't felt in a long time, my dear..." Shadow Kaede dismissively waved a hand, "it seems you underestimated me...Happiness for our family was never my goal..."

"Somehow I had a feeling..." Mozart grit her teeth, "so what WAS the ultimatum? Just satisfying yourself? Living the high life and casting me aside once you were done with me?"

"Don't be so crass..." Kirie examined her nails, "I only said I wasn't after happiness, not that I was looking out for myself..."

"Then tell me exactly how this twisted, bass-ackwards scheme of yours benefits me!" Mozart pointed her polearm at her mother's twisted distorted form, "because for the life of me, I don't see what I have to gain!"

"Because you simply haven't realized one simple fact, my dear Kaede...That you are incapable of existing WITHOUT me! Not just because I'm the one who brought you into this world, but because I'm the only reason why you even have a meal on your plate every night!" Kirie pointed a shaking finger back at her in retaliation, "you honestly think you were able to become the Ultimate Pianist at Hope's Peak on your own merit! Nobody would have noticed you if I hadn't taken the responsibility of shining that spotlight on you!"

"What are you saying...!?" Kaede trembled.

"It was me who got rid of your rivals! All those big scores, like the Dome, are the results of a lot of money spent by ME! I'M the one who made the big decisions and signed contracts with the scumbags who assisted me in destroying your competitors!" Shadow Kaede glowered, "you became a commercial sensation because of ME! It was ME who turned you into a celebrity! ME who silenced anyone who dared to disagree with us or stand in our way! Yes, I did it! ME! ME, ME, ME!"

"I knew you were up to something shady...! DAMMIT Kirie!" Kaede spat, "even if you can butter me up and try to convince me you did all that for my sake, I'm NOT yours to use, daughter or not! And you STILL haven't told me WHY!"

"Because I'm not going to let either of us turn out like your father, crushed by the oppressive society that he had blind faith in...!" Kirie clenched her fists, "being kind and compassionate is not enough to get by in this harsh and icy world! Nobody will listen to you, not even when you try to ask for help in your hour of greatest need! All they'll do is stare at you with cold eyes! The world is against us, Kaede and I would sooner obliterate everyone else than give them the opportunity to do the same to us! I will use my own two hands to hold this family together if necessary because there isn't a safety net to catch us if we fall!"

"Dad died of an illness!" Kaede cried, "what the hell do you mean he was "crushed by society!?""

Kirie looked like she was ready to spit back, but then suddenly, forced herself to be composed.

"It doesn't matter...I don't expect you to listen to me any more..." she snarled, "you want the treasure? You want to stop this? You're going to have to kill me first...!"

"Don't be stupid...! I'm not going to kill you...!" Kaede brandished her weapon, "but if it's a fight you want, then it's a fight you'll surely get!"

"Hmph...Music to my delicate ears...All of you out there!" Kirie cast her hand towards the onlookers, "get ready for the most spectacular performance of YOUR LIVES!"

Despite her gleeful grin, Kirie's face quickly shifted into a look of brief terror as she saw a young man clad in white drop down from the scaffolding above, staring her down from the scope of a sniper rifle!

"I agree!" Sleuth declared, "LET'S HIT IT!"

He fired a bullet straight at Shadow Kaede, but was unpleasantly surprised when the horrible hostess stuck out a hand. That hand grew to an exponential size and blocked the sniper's bullet, and she spun around and used it to backhand Mozart, who splatted against the wall!

Shadow Kaede then rounded back on the other Phantom Thieves, who all dropped to the ground. Her human form had remained mostly the same, save for her face beginning to contort into something demonic...Though that could easily have been her pulling an ugly expression, as she often did.

"Watch out guys!" Leprechaun called, "we don't know what she's capable of!"

"All you need to know..." Kirie chortled, "is that I'm capable of MORE THAN YOU CAN HANDLE!"

And with that, something unexpected happened. Shadow Kaede bent over, her body started to morph weirdly, and additional pairs of white and pink arms suddenly burst out of her back! The sight was horrifying, and some of the guests at the gala got up and made a run for it!

The Thieves, on the other hand, weren't about to back down!

However, Kirie's transformation clearly gave her more than just a few more limbs to spank them with. She lurched forward towards the Thieves below the stage, and only at the last second were they all able to dodge out of the way! ...Save for Highwayman, who wasn't so lucky.

She grabbed her with all of her arms and flung her into the air! While Highwayman was airborne, another horrifying occurrence happened! A GIGANTIC pink hand burst out of the ground and grabbed her whole body, squeezing her tight and crushing her ribs!

"I'm gonna plant a BITCH TREE!" Shadow Kaede declared! And with that, the hand reeled back and SLAMMED the cowgirl straight into the ground.

"HIGHWAYMAN!" Razor exclaimed, "are you alright!?"

To answer, Highwayman burst with energy, summoned her Persona, and threw the pink hand off of her, glaring down Kaede's Shadow form with a thirst for vengeance!

Highwayman charged swiftly at Kirie, smacking the area around her with her lasso! Kirie deflected the cracking whip by smacking it back with her large hands, but it still evidently hurt her a little.

"Guess you're not as tough as you act, huh!?" Highwayman taunted.

"Hey! Wait! Behind you!" Mozart let out a cry, which fortunately reached the cowgirl in time! Komaru turned her head, and rolled forward just in time before another large hand could flatten her like a pancake!

"Phew! That was close...!" she huffed with relief.

"This's been a long time coming, old lady!" Razor brandished her scissors, "here we come!"

The Murderous Fiend, unfortunately, let her bravado get the better of her. She leaped towards the Palace Ruler, only for Kirie to inflate her hand again and grab her by the neck. This kept Razor at too far a distance to cut her with her scissors.

Kirie cackled as she tried to crush the girl in her huge palm, but she was distracted as she suddenly started to be shot at with bullets. Leprechaun and Mozart circled her and started firing at her from opposite angles. Kirie raised all her hands to protect her blind spots but had to let go of Razor first to do so, so she reeled back and tossed her at the wall.

Fortunately, Highwayman cast out her lasso and caught her before she could suffer the impact.

"Thanks!" Razor spat out quickly "Sorry! Not my finest moment!"

"This isn't good!" Mozart cried as her mother launched towards her and tried to smack her, backflipping out of the way of her attacks, "our bullets are doing basically nothing to her!"

"Stand back! Let me try something!" Sleuth shouted, "Usami! Stick with me!"

"Got it!" Usami nodded, and the two of them jumped into the fray!

"Hold up guys!" Leprechaun cried, "I'll help too!"

Sleuth rolled towards Mozart, and just as Kirie brought down a massive hand on the pianist, he jumped in the way of the attack and parried with his baton!

"Marin Karin!" he snapped his fingers and summoned Casanova, which immediately cast its brainwashing skill on Kaede. Kirie clutched her head with two of her hands and swung wildly in front of her with the others, but by that point, the first years had already put some distance between them and her.

"Mr. A!"

"Leanan Sidhe!"

"PSIO!" Usami and Leprechaun cried in unison, both blasting Kirie with psychic energy. And just as it had done to Fuhito Kirigiri previously, the psychic blast had an added effect, hurting Kirie more than usual, and giving her an ear-splitting headache!

Leaving her perfectly open for an attack! Mozart ran at the several-appendaged slimeball, then used her polearm to propel herself over her, getting behind her and pointing at her back.

"AGILAO!" she snapped, with Irene appearing and launching a crackling blast of fire at her.

With a grunt, Shadow Kaede was able to relieve herself of the confusion and fatigue, and with a crazed look in her eyes, spun around and clapped two large hands. The fire was caught and extinguished, and the force was enough to create a gust of wind that blew Mozart backward!

"Don't say I never gave you a chance, Kaede! In fact, I gave you several!" Kirie snarled, "this is what you deserve!"

Mozart was unable to move in time as Kirie pointed a finger at her, then pointed upwards, prompting a pair of huge hands to burst from the ground right beneath her, and clasp her inside them! Mozart pushed with all her might as the walls around her started to close in on her!

"Rakshasa! Giant Slice!" Leprechaun cast a hand out, switched Personas, and had duel-sword-wielding Persona fly towards the hands and sever them from the ground with its blades! This got the hands to let go of Mozart, and she fell to the ground, tucking and rolling to safety.

However, more curiously, slashing the arms caused Shadow Kaede to cry out in pain.

Before anyone could react to this information, or follow up on it, Kirie spun around and did the same clapping attack she did before on a different target; the first person she spotted was Razor, who braced for the impact.

"Wind Wall!" Leprechaun snapped his fingers and pointed toward his scissor-wielding teammate. Rakshasa flew at blinding speed toward the writing prodigy and put up a spectral barrier in front of her, which significantly reduced the effect of the attack.

"Thanks!" Razor quickly called back "alright Barrow, DORMIN RUSH!"

Kirie winced in pain as Barrow dashed forward and slashed her multiple times with its multiple blades, which somewhat drained the energy from her body, though not enough to stop her completely. She slammed her palms on the ground and used them to launch herself forward, raising two other fists and preparing to bring them down on Razor.

"DIE YOU LITTLE PRICK!" she shouted!

Unexpectedly, however, Barrow reappeared in front of Razor and blocked the impact...Razor lifted her head with a smarmy smirk.

"Heh...Counter!" she spat.

And just like that, the heavy damage Kirie inflicted was forced right back onto her! At least some of it was. Enough to do some significant damage and propel her back at least!

Leprechaun, the final person up to bat, used this as his opportunity. Shadow Kaede positioned herself to block a potential blow as the Lucky Student raced towards his adversary, but he instead swiped at his mask and called forth another Persona.

"Take-Minakata!" he cried, "ZIONGA!"

An armless gargoyle-looking Persona crashed down and shocked Kirie's Shadow with several bolts of electricity. Kirie grunted, then screamed something unpleasant at him.

Leprechaun then found himself surrounded by gigantic, hideous arms, which burst out of the ground around him and smashed down on him, trying to turn him into a Makoto sandwich. However, by now, he had already caught onto the trick, and with Take-Minakata still at his side, he lifted his fist into the air.

"SWIFT STRIKE!" he declared! The Persona moved at lightning-fast speed, cutting and attacking the arms. Shadow Kaede cried in pain, and the arms immediately retracted back into the ground. Leprechaun then made a tactical retreat away from her before she could catch him off guard again.

"Everyone, watch yourselves!" Usami called out "Media!"

Summoning Mr. A, Usami cast a gentle healing light on her allies, rejuvenating their bodies and cleansing their wounds. Everyone watched as their Shadow adversary backflipped, then used her arms to hoist herself up onto the stage, brushing her outfit free of some dirt.

"What is this bitch made of!?" Razor snarled, "no matter what we hit her with, she won't stay down!"

"At least we know attacking the arms hurts her too!" Mozart chimed in, "they seem to be connected to her somehow."

"Correct...You figured it out sooner than I would have liked..." Kirie used one of her arms to scratch her head and another to rub her chin, "I guess I need to change my approach, though I was rather hoping to save this little spectacle for the after party...!"

Before the Thieves could stop her, Kirie hopped back, then disappeared down into a hole in the middle of the stage. Mozart tried to chase her down it, but no sooner did she approach the stage, than the ground beneath her suddenly exploded!

"Kaede!" Sleuth blurted out! Thankfully, just before Mozart could stumble, Highwayman once again grabbed her teammate with her lasso and hoisted her to safety.

"I'm one of our Main DPS you know!?" she grumbled, "why am I stuck playing support this match!?"

Nobody paid much attention to her complaints, as their attention was more focused on the horrifying scene on what was previously the center stage, as an enormous structure slowly began to rise from it, with Shadow Kaede's body halfway submerged in the top, grinning at them maliciously as she rose high above them! Now, whatever the hell this structure was, it was like a titanium tower or impenetrable fortress; so big that it crashed straight through the ceiling, high into the sky! It appeared to have 5 layers, kind of like a cake, but...significantly more deadly, and significantly less edible.

"What do you think of my best dress!?" Kirie taunted from way up above. Despite how far away she was, her jeers were still very audible.

"That's supposed to be a DRESS!?" Highwayman choked.

"You have terrible taste...!" Usami jerked.

"It was a mistake to ever defy me! Now it's going to cost you your lives and then some!" Kirie snarled.

"BACK UP!" Sleuth shouted, sensing the danger before it arrived. And it was a good thing he did too.

On the second layer of the dress, some panels opened up and rockets fired out, homing in on the Thieves! They were all able to dodge the brunt of the ensuing explosions, but only just barely.

To make matters worse, the other segments did much the same thing, though each layer had a different kind of weapon that fired at the Thieves. The base level had flamethrowers, the third level had machine guns, and the fourth level tossed bombs down from above! The only layer without any weapons was the 5th layer where Shadow Kaede was, but at the same time the dress was firing on the Phantom Thieves, she was still remotely controlling the giant hands.

"Uwawawa! What kind of secret weapon is THIS!?" Usami cried as she ran away from the line of fire, moving so quickly that her stubby little legs looked like a blur.

"Well, whatever it is, we need to take it out!" Mozart dived out of the way of a rocket and aimed her hand at the base of the fortress, "Irene! Agilao!"

"WAIT! MOZART, DON'T!" Sleuth tried to stop her, but Mozart's Persona fired off some crackling fire before his words could reach her.

It became apparent why he had tried to halt her attack as no sooner did the blast of flames hit the fortress dress, the spell rebounded and fired right back at her! Mozart would have borne the brunt of some heavy flames if Sleuth had not dived in and knocked her out of the way, the tip of his cape getting slightly singed.

"Are you alright!?" he asked her.

"I'm fine! Thanks for the save..." she spat out, exasperated. This was followed by a shout, as a giant pink hand almost squashed the two on the floor, but Sleuth grabbed Mozart and rolled out of the way. He lifted his head and swiped his mask off his face.

"Mabufu!" he commanded, and his Persona launched several chunks of spiked ice at the dress. However, unlike Mozart's previous attack, it actually did some significant damage, leaving a crack in the metal.

However, parts of the ice hit the layer above the dress, and those chunks of ice rebounded back just like Mozart's fire. Sleuth, still holding Mozart tightly, backflipped out of the way of his own spell flying back at him, narrowly dodging it before it could hit him.

"Sleuth..." Mozart deadpanned, "can you please let me go? This is very uncomfortable..."

"O-Oh! I'm sorry...!" Sleuth gently released Mozart and the two rounded back towards the Kaede's fortress.

"It looks like different sections of the structure have different elemental affinities and weaknesses," Leprechaun asserted, "everybody! Try to prioritize physical attacks until we can gauge them!"

The Phantom Thieves did exactly this, dodging out of the way of all Kirie's attacks as much as they could. Leprechaun, Highwayman, Razor, and Mozart struck at the tower with their Persona's physical abilities, while Sleuth and Usami sniped at it from a distance. However, despite that none of their attacks came back at them this way, they clearly weren't doing enough damage.

"Even if we strike the towers' weaknesses..." Razor slid back along the ground alongside Leprechaun, "we're not gonna be able to deal enough damage unless we get close!"

"You're right...We might be able to get some good hits in if we find a way to get up to Kirie herself...But the weapons of that fortress dress aren't making that easy..." Leprechaun affirmed.

Usami dived out of the way of the flamethrowers and rolled back to join them.

"I believe a distraction of some kind is in order..." she added, "but what and how?"

"I've got an idea!" Highwayman used her Persona to shoot down some incoming missiles, "I'll charge in and try to create an opening! The rest of you use that to take care of the weapons!"

"Hold on! I don't think that's necessary!" Mozart interjected, "I might have a plan of my own...We really don't need to go that far."

"What do you mean?" Highwayman asked. Mozart smirked.

"Right now, there's nothing more important to my Mom than making sure the plans with the Tokyo Dome remain intact," she asserted, "and this Gala Palace is supposed to represent the stadium itself. Do you see what I'm saying?"

"Ah...I getcha...!" Makoto grinned as the puzzle pieces fell into place, "in that case, let Mozart and myself create the opening! As soon as we do, give that thing everything you've got!"

The other Phantom Thieves saluted. Shadow Kaede though, harumphed and crossed her arms.

"I believe this is indeed the GRAND FINALE!" she thrust out an arm, and all of a sudden, an array of sharp blades burst out from the foot of the fortress! Not only that, but the base of the fortress started spinning like a propeller, and advanced towards the thieves.

"Ooooooh SHIIIIIIIIT!" Razor screamed, as did the rest of the team as they all made a mad dash to get away from the spinning blades! The fortress moved faster than they could have anticipated, and if it wasn't for Kirie trying to minimize damage to the hall, they would likely have all been ripped to shreds!

"MOZART!" Leprechaun cried, "it's NOW OR NEVER"

Mozart nodded back and the two cast their grappling upwards, and Leprechaun helped hoist Mozart onto the catwalks above the hall, putting them out of range of the blades.

"Yo, Mom! Watch this!" she taunted, which was enough to get Kirie to look up at them. Going back to back, Mozart and Leprechaun summoned their Personas, and thus the fireworks were lit...LITERALLY.

"IRENE!"

"OROBAS!"

"AGILAO!"

Going all in on their plan, and with everything, most notably their lives here and now, to lose, the two Persona-users threw out the BIGGEST and MOST POWERFUL blast of flame that they possibly could; so much so that they very nearly both collapsed from exhaustion following it. It definitely did the trick though, as the blasts trigger an explosion that would have easily vaporized anybody at its epicenter, causing the surrounding tables and chairs to spontaneously combust.

"WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING!? NOOOOOOOOO, MY PARTY!"

Kirie's Shadow did exactly what they were hoping for, and began to freak out! She panicked at the sight of her perfect party being set ablaze, and she could only hyperventilate as even her blades weren't enough to put them all out. She rushed forward, destroying the catwalk, prompting Leprechaun and Mozart to drop and roll to safety.

Several giant hands shot out of the ground at once, and before either of the Thieves could dodge them, they were swiftly scooped up and began to be crushed in their palms. Shadow Kaede raised the hands high up until they were level with her, and she glared at them, foaming at the mouth in rage!

"You little SHIT-STIRRIRS!" the hostess's gleaming gold eyes were bloodshot with rage and desperation, "AFTER I'M DONE WITH YOU, I'M GOING TO DESTROY YOUR FAMILIES, BREAK EVERYTHING YOU LOVE, AND WIPE EVERY TRACE OF YOU FROM EXISTENCE FOR THIS!"

"Hahaha..." Leprechaun scoffed, though he choked slightly from the pressure being applied to his ribcage, "Big talk for a dainty woman in a skirt..."

"Does THIS LOOK LIKE A SKIRT TO YOU!?" she spat back. Leprechaun shrugged.

"It will...In juuuuust a second..."

断鎖 -break- - Megumi Ogata

It was too late for her to react as she suddenly felt herself go lopsided. She quickly looked down at the foot of the fortress to see Sleuth at the base, now having gotten in close from behind, placing his hand on the crack he made originally, and unleashing his power!

She quickly looked down at the foot of the fortress to see Sleuth at the base, now having gotten in close from behind, placing his hand on the crack he made originally, and unleashing his power!

"CASANOVA! BUFULA!"

The base of the dress where the blades and flamethrowers were originally is completely encased in ice, and with a hefty blow with his fists, Sleuth completely shatters it! Kaede's Shadow yelped out in shock as she suddenly dropped down a solid few feet, and the stress was enough to get her to let go of Mozart and Leprechaun!

"The second layer is weak to fire!" Sleuth cried as he outran the bombs that were rapidly falling down on him, "You're up Mozart!"

"Roger!" Mozart ran towards him and the two leaped high into the air to avoid an explosion underneath them! While high up in the air, Sleuth passed the baton, and used his hook to pull himself to safety, while Mozart cast out hers to get into a good position.

Shadow Kirie tried to swipe at her daughter with a supersized hand, but Kaede slipped through the cracks in her fingers and summoned her Persona for increased damage!

"IRENE! AGILAO!"

Layer 2 of the fortress dress was smashed with flames so fierce, that the tail end of them licked Kirie's Shadow who was high above them, and she winced in pain. The increased power from the baton pass was enough to completely obliterate the second segment and its RPG launchers.

Mozart cast out her hook and landed safely on the ground, breaking out into a run. In the middle of said run, she raised her hand as high as she could and high-fived Usami, who soared past her and rocketed up into the air with her Persona!

In the middle of said run, she raised her hand as high as she could and hi-fived Usami, who soared past her and rocketed up into the air with her Persona!

"MR. A! PSIO!"

A swirl of psychic energy spiraled down towards Shadow Kaede on top of the fortress, hitting her dead on and causing her to writhe around, screaming in pain!

This had the adverse effect of causing all the crazy arms on the ground to retract and stop swatting at the team, as Kirie's head was pounding too ferociously for her to focus on using them. Usami gently fluttered down and with the energy still swirling through her, scuttled forward and slapped hands with Razor, passing it onto her.

Usami gently fluttered down and with the energy still swirling through her, scuttled forward and slapped hands with Razor, passing it onto her

"BARROW! ZIONGA!"

Streaks of powerful lightning traveled along the ground, smacking into the base of Kirie's dress, destroying the machine gun layer and bringing her even closer to the ground. With one layer left to go, the Shadow was now within reasonable attack range and without most of her defenses remaining. However, she still wasn't going to go down easily.

"Don't you dare...UNDERMINE MEEEEE!" she shrieked, using two giant hands to grab bombs from the final layer of the fortress and rapidly throwing them towards Razor, who dashed forward and outpaced the explosions that closely followed behind her.

"Take over and finish it!" she demanded, crossing Highwayman who received the proverbial baton and didn't hesitate to go charging straight in! The bombs fell down on her, but Parker countered them by firing its rocket launchers back and destroying them before they could make contact.

"PARKER! GARULA!"

Sharp blades of wind cut through the bombs and straight into the final layer of the dress, powerful enough to rip it completely apart!

"GAGH!"

Shadow Kaede with nothing supporting her anymore, fell down and faceplanted on the cold marble floor! She was now expended of most of her strength, unable to even call forth her arms for assistance, and trembled as she tried to get back on her feet...in the perfect line of fire.

"This is our chance!" Highwayman flipped back, "FINISH IT BRO!"

As she flipped backwards through the air, Highwayman stuck out a hand and high-fived Leprechaun as he ducked down and beelined it towards the horrible hostess! He firmly swiped at his mask, and Kirie Kaede's Shadow looked up just in time to see the fiery determination, rage, and lust for vengeance within his eyes...!

"And this last one's for my Mom and Dad!" he declared, "NUE! MEGIDO!"

Leprechaun, at the highest peak of power, blasted Kirie's Shadow with...something...It wasn't quite an attack that aligned with any element, more than it was raw, unbridled, uncontained energy! She was enveloped in the light, and let out the most shrill scream she had presented yet, taking every ounce of the pain from the combined energy of all the Thieves!

"Checkmate...!" Leprechaun cocked his gun, and as the dust parted, the thieves finished the battle with an All-Out Attack! They swarmed Shadow Kaede with everything they had, thirsty for justice! But even THAT didn't take her down!"

"No...I never lose...! I'M...NOT...DONE...YEEEEEEEEETT!"

"She's unbearably tenacious...!" Sleuth snarled, "Mozart...! It's time to shut her up once and for all!"

"Hah...I'm with you...!" she nodded back, the two of them summoning their Personas and facing Kirie down, "this is it Mom...! THE END OF YOUR FUTURE!"

FROZEN FIREWORKS!

Taking each other by the hand, Sleuth and Mozart soar forward on an icy pavement created by the former, elegantly dancing along it as they approach their opponent.

The elegance is cut swiftly short however, as Mozart blasts the enemy with a wall of crimson, burning flames! This is almost immediately followed by a similarly styled wall of ice from Sleuth!

While their opponent is frozen in place, Mozart flies forward and uses her Persona's raw strength to launch them into the air!

Above them, Sleuth lets loose a big chunk of ice, which Mozart detonates with a flaming bomb. Large chunks of ice fly everywhere as a result of the collision, some of which strike the enemy as they crash land back on the ground.

As the finisher, Sleuth blasts the opponent, pinning them to the ground while freezing their limbs with sharp icicles! After carefully running her hand along her polearm and setting it ablaze, Mozart throws her weapon as hard as she can! When the polearm strikes the enemy, a massive mushroom-shaped explosion cloud is created.

Mozart finishes the dazzling spectacle by taking Sleuth by the hand and gracefully dancing with him.

When the dust cloud settled, Kirie Kaede stood there, her eyes just barely cracked open and twitching...and with barely any fighting strength left in her body...she collapsed, slamming into the ground face-first.

Mozart looked down at the figure of her mother lying helpless on the floor as the Shadow began to cry. It was almost enough to distract the team that they barely noticed the disco ball suspended above the stage snap off its strings; the pressure of the fight having weakened them up until now.

"I've got it!" Usami cried, running as fast as she could towards the stage, and diving to catch the ball before it came crashing on the ground.

"Ok, seriously..." Highwayman said as she, Razor, Leprechaun, and Sleuth all aimed their guns down at her, surrounding her as Usami strode back over with the treasure, "are you DONE!?"

A Dead-End to the Ocean's Aroma - Danganronpa 2: Goodbye Despair

"...Yes...I'm done...I'm well out of options by now..." Kirie lazily crawled and sat on her knees, lowering her head in surrender, "but honestly...couldn't you have at least left me with SOME dignity...? To be at your mercy is...revolting..."

"After all the things you did to us and our families? For barely any reason at that? You're LUCKY I'm even CONSIDERING showing you mercy...!" Leprechaun threatened, thrusting his golden pistol into her forehead, which did seem to freak the Shadowy hostess out a fair bit, "

"Pfft...Then you might as well put a bullet in my head and be done..." Kirie spat, "if you take my treasure and this Palace goes down with it...I have nothing left to live for..."

"Why do you say that?" Sleuth asked, "you know that's not true...!"

"I don't expect children like you to understand...but I suppose I can at least try to explain," she growled quietly, "you were all born with a lucky ticket that society calls "talent." Hope's Peak Academy has always lived on the principle that those without talent have no reasonable worth in greater society, and to be honest? It's kind of true..."

Kirie fell to all fours and scratched at the ground in dismay and depression.

"Fame and wealth is the only way I can make us stand out and restore our family to the way it was before I lost Kai...! Look at me! There's NOTHING about me that I can genuinely be proud of! Nothing that would make people want to be in my circle of trust, or that would make them inclined to help me! SO WHAT THE HELL AM I SUPPOSED TO DO!?"

Kirie Kaede wasn't the same sort of foe as Haiji Towa and Fuhito Kirigiri, and it was clear here why. The way she presented herself when all was lost was...pitiable...and honestly, Makoto felt rather sorry for her. Naturally, it didn't excuse anything she had done to his family, but it was clear that unlike their other adversaries so far, she was, in some regards, a victim of the same poor circumstances as he and the rest of his teammates.

"Kai earned his trust and fame...He owned it and he had every right to," she continued, "I, on the other hand, was always second fiddle...A loser...And I just wanted to taste success once...But I couldn't, because I didn't, and never could have what it takes..."

"Which is why you used Kaede, right?" Razor snarled, "you didn't even bother trying to understand her feelings or think about her happiness, did you..."

"No...I didn't..." Kirie chuckled quietly, "I know I'm a terrible mother, you don't even need to say it...But I felt like I was driven into a corner when Kai died...And nobody would ever believe me even if I told them the truth...Without Kaede's talents...I am nothing..."

Mozart sighed. She quietly pushed past her teammates and stood in front of Kirie, who looked up at her in dismay.

She knelt down in front of her mother's Shadow and dealt her one final slap to the face with her hand, which stunned the hostess.

"You...MORON!" she spat, the floodgates under her eyes opening, unable to hold back, "you're right...As much as I try to turn my eyes away from it, the world is filled with horrible, selfish people who don't extend a hand unless they have something to gain from it! But all you've done is BECOME that kind of person to me, just because YOU struggled to get by! Do you really think I could ever be proud of myself with a Mom as twisted as you as my only family left!?"

"Kaede..."

"Kai Kaede was OUR family too! We ALL lost him, not just you! And it's not just us either! EVERYBODY loses people! EVERYBODY struggles! We AREN'T special!"

Shadow Kaede sighed, sitting up straight and crossing her legs.

"Maybe I'm not...But YOU are, dear daughter of mine. You've always been special, and that's what I've always hated...How could I, someone so useless, give birth to someone so bright and wonderful...?" she sobbed, "even now, look at you! You're a Phantom Thief with the power to manipulate people's hearts as you wish...! Don't you realize that you can basically do anything you want!?"

"I do...But it's not a matter of can I, can't I. The difference between you and I is that I won't let my desires dictate what I do with my powers," she asserted, "but the truth is...you do too. I know you do."

"Huh?" Kirie's golden eyes widened.

"You've lost your way, Kirie Kaede...But I know originally you wanted nothing more than to protect the family you held so dearly. Me and Kaori. You loved us, and deep down, you still do," Mozart reached out and placed a hand on her mother's shoulder, "you lost the man you loved. You didn't want to lose us too, right?"

"But I..."

"And I can't forgive you for what you did to everybody else..." she concluded, "but nothing is ever going to stop me from loving you, Mother. You stuck by my side for so long when I had nobody else left. I can't hold onto my regrets or my detest any longer...And the only reason I even became so good at the piano is because the woman who raised me allowed me to explore my passion! So no matter what you've done, and even if this is shallow of me, nothing in this world could ever hope to stop me from loving you!"

Unable to hold back, Kaede pushed forward and hugged her mother's Shadow. Despite her tears, Kirie's Shadow chuckled. She carefully raised her hands and returned Kaede's embrace.

"You really are just like your father..." she heaved, "if that's really how you feel...I'll change...I'll apologize to the people I hurt, atone for my crimes, and...start over, if possible..."

"Mmhm!" Kaede beamed, "If I can do it, the woman who raised me can! I don't know what's going to happen to you after all this, but please...come back one day, ok?"

Kirie nodded, and the purple-clad thief finally released her of her embrace. She stood up, lifted her mask, wiped her eyes, and faced her companions.

"I'm sorry..." she said, "I know I probably shouldn't be letting my guard down but...I needed to get that off my chest...It's so stupid, she's not even going to remember it..."

"Don't you dare apologize Kaede..." Highwayman wiped her own eyes which were tearing up upon witnessing the wholesome situation, "none of us can blame you for this."

"It'll all be over now anyway," Razor affirmed, "we all know what we have to do."

She looked back and forth between mother and daughter. Both nodded back to her.

"Hey...Before we leave, I have just one more question..." Leprechaun looked towards Kirie's Shadow, "there's something that's been bugging me this whole time..."

"And that is?" the hostess asked.

"Somethings that you said earlier have been picking at the back of my mind..." he explained, "so I have just one important question for you..."

Kirie raised her head curiously. Makoto took a deep breath and let his thoughts flow out.

"How did Kaede's father REALLY die?"

"What?" Mozart looked back at him, "S-senpai, what are you talking about?"

"So you noticed that, huh?" Kirie pouted, "why should I tell you? I told lots of other people, none of them believed me..."

"Because some things seem weirdly out of place here...From the way it sounds, Kai's death was the reason why you became so obsessed with fame and fortune, but we never really figured out how or why," Leprechaun explained, "even if it sounds ridiculous, we've seen the tail-end of what "weird" can be. So we'll hear you out, even if nobody else does..."

The corners of Kirie's mouth turned up slightly.

"What did your parents do to deserve such a humble son like you?" she coughed.

"Mom?" Mozart stepped forward, "what's going on? Is what he's saying true?"

"Nobody believed me when I told them, but the way your father died wasn't normal...!" Kirie explained, "in his last moments, there was some...distant look in his eyes...I was by his bed the whole time; I KNOW it wasn't a heart attack! And it wasn't an accident either, I'm sure of it! It's like somebody went inside him and...and..."

"Shut him down...!?"

Sleuth's words caused everybody else's chests to seize up, the implication hitting them instantly.

"Yes!" Kirie pleaded, "yes, exactly! I don't know how or why, but I'm certain of it! Kai was perfectly healthy! He didn't die of an illness, he was MURDERED!"

"Dad...was..." Mozart's eyes widened in horror, "what...?"

"It can't be...!" Usami trembled, "Kai Kaede was a victim of a mental shutdown...!?"

"I'm no detective...But I did look into the theory for a while, even if there was nothing I could do about it," she said, "and now that I know your Metaverse powers exist, I'm almost certain..."

Kirie's Shadow looked back towards Kaede.

"Somebody out there must have the same powers as you," she asserted, "but unlike you, he, she, or they don't share your sense of righteousness...They're killing people, causing chaos, and bringing about Despair to the world...Anything like that..."

"That sounds a lot like what Kyoko-sama was looking into...!" Sleuth asserted, "So there really must be someone else out there...!"

"And Kaede's dad was a victim of this person!?" Highwayman gasped, "How...!? Why!?"

"You had better not be spouting bullshit right now...!" Razor pointed her scissors at Kirie's Shadow, who laughed as she started to glow white and slowly disappear into the air.

"I knew you wouldn't believe me...You're just like everyone else..." she whispered, "but don't say I didn't warn you...The Ultimate Phantom Killer...Watch out for them...!"

The air was unfortunately left very heavy as Kirie's Shadow finally dissipated. Leprechaun looked down at the floor where she once was and clenched his fist.

"Ultimate Phantom Killer..." he parroted quietly.

Brain Drive - Danganronpa V3: Killing Harmony

This thought was unfortunately cut off as the ground began to quake, and the metal catwalk above them gradually came crashing down on the party room, which Highwayman only narrowly dodged!

"This is bad! It's coming down!" Usami cried, tossing the disco ball to Sleuth and transforming into a bus lickety-split!

"I know we just got hit with a bombshell, but move first, think about it later!" Sleuth cried.

Leprechaun grabbed Mozart, who was still stunned by the revelation, and quickly hurried her inside the Usami bus! Sleuth tossed the disco ball back to him in the back seat as he took the wheel, and Highwayman and Razor tumbled in at the same time!

Sleuth put the pedal to the metal and drove full speed through the hallways as the Palace began to come crashing down on them! Fortunately, Sleuth turned out to be a very good driver, and darted the Usamobile around the falling debris, leaving the team relatively unscathed!

"Oh CRAP CRAP CRAP!" Highwayman screamed as they got back to the lobby, "THE ENTRANCE IS CLOSED OFF, I FORGOT!"

"Ho boy...Alright, everyone BRACE FOR IMPACT!" Sleuth declared!

With no other apparent options, Sleuth drove towards the barricade full speed and RAMMED into it, completely obliterating it and bursting the Usamobile outside, much to the dismay of his teammates who all screamed in terror!

No sooner did they get out, however, the world around them began to shift, and all of a sudden, the thieves found themselves back in the real world...

However, considering they were still driving and Usami reverted back to her bunny form as soon as they crossed over, they all came flying out, suspended in the air...

Proceeding to collapse and roll on the ground, grunting in pain.

Makoto fell flat on his face, and with a pounding headache and aching muscles, was just barely able to crawl up to his feet and let out a pant, as he clutched his phone in his hand and looked at the screen, showing the MetaNav on it.

[THE DESTINATION HAS BEEN DELETED] it read aloud.

"Is...Ugh...Is everybody ok...?" Kaede, now back in her dress which had become very muddy from the impact, clambered upwards, taking Makoto by the hand and helping him to his feet.

"Yeah...We're...We're good..." Komaru stood on her feet, bending over and panting as she let Toko support herself using her shoulder.

"Aaahahah...We're getting some dodgy looks, everyone..." Shuichi chuckled in embarrassment as the bystanders and passersby all turned their way, "w-wait! Where's the treasure!?"

"And for that matter, where's Monomi!?" Makoto gasped, realizing that the rabbit would most likely have gotten the worst of it, and was nowhere to be found.

"Mmmphpmhpmmmph! MMMPHGGHMMMPPHH!"

A weird noise that sounded to be echoing suddenly entered the leader's ears. He looked down at his feet as something bumped into his leg, and saw the familiar fluffy body of the team's resident cottontail. However, she rather notably had something round and gold stuck on her head, firmly planted on her.

"Whoops! Haha, I gotcha buddy!"

Kaede leaned down, picked up Monomi, and carefully plucked the golden thing off her head. The rabbit inhaled a deep breath and started spluttering.

"Oh thank goodness!" her face looked traumatized, "I could barely breathe in there!"

"What even is that?" Toko asked, tilting her head to get a better look at it. Kaede handed Monomi over to Makoto and examined it, her eyes widening with realization.

"I recognize this...! I haven't seen it in forever, but..." she explained, "this is the first ever trophy I won as a pianist!"

"Really?" Komaru asked.

"Yeah. When I was in grade school, my school had a music competition for all the years. I entered it and ended up winning the grand prize. Which was this trophy..." she explained, "it was the first time anyone realized that I had a talent for playing the piano..."

"Then that must mean this trophy is..." Sleuth realized.

"Kirie's Treasure!" Makoto finished.

"This is the Treasure?" Kaede looked back at it in confusion, "so this was that disco ball we stole in the Palace? The source of my mom's distorted desires?"

"Like you said yourself Kaede. You winning that trophy would have been the first time everyone, including your mother, recognized your talents for what they were," Monomi explained, "I suppose the most logical way to think about it is that's when you first became the Ultimate Pianist, and she could never get that out of her head..."

"So...How much do you think we can sell it for?" Komaru asked. Kaede turned to her, looking offended.

"Sell it!? What!? It's mine!" she hugged the trophy like Komaru was about to snatch it from her. Shuichi chuckled.

"No, Kaede...It's fine. This is just a copy of the original trophy that we brought home from the Metaverse. You still have the real one lying around somewhere in your home," he explained, "we can't typically keep the treasures, so we pawn them off for some money which we then use to buy more supplies and gear."

"Ah, I see..." Kaede acknowledged.

"Sooo? How much would it be?" Komaru rubbed her hands together, deviously, "no, no, wait, let me guess...3 million!"

"Eeeh...Not much..." she smiled awkwardly, "I'd say like...100 yen at least...It is only plastic gold after all..."

"100 YEN!?" Komaru choked, "Oh COME ON! Seriously!? That's dirt cheap!"

"I won it in grade school!" Kaede snapped, "what were you expecting!?"

"C-Calm down girls!" Makoto cut into the scuffle, "we still have the other treasure we stole from the Palace. We can fetch a good price for all of that."

"Ah! You guys!"

DISTRUST - Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc

Everyone turned their heads as they heard the sound of a familiar voice approaching them. Still dressed in her uniform from the morning, Kyoko Kirigiri arrived and greeted them. Everyone was pretty happy to see her after everything that just happened.

"I admit, I was starting to get worried when I couldn't get back to you," she told them, "where have you guys been? I was worried that Kirie's Shadow had killed you!"

"She nearly did," Makoto admitted, "but it's fine. We weren't expecting to be in there for so long, but things got pretty complicated."

"It sucks that you missed it!" Komaru enthused, "Kaede was AMAZING in there!"

"Damn straight," Toko nodded, "couldn't have done it without her."

"Is that right?" Kyoko smiled at Kaede coyly. Kaede blushed and shook her head.

"Come on...It was only because you guys were with me," she told them, "still...after everything that happened in there, I hope Mom will be alright..."

"I don't see why she wouldn't be. The same thing happened every other time we've defeated somebody's Shadow before," Toko told her, "Actually, Kyoko? You were with Kirie here in the real world, right? Where'd she go?"

"Kirie didn't stick around for long once she got the true scaling of the damage you'd caused," Kyoko explained, "she demanded that the staff work to clean the Dome up in time for Kaede's show and told them not to stop until it was spotless. She then stormed off to make a bunch of angry phone calls and I haven't seen her since. However, based on recent intelligence, she seems to have safely gotten home."

"There's no doubt that your feelings finally reached her, Kaede," Monomi assured her, "I'm confident that her heart has changed for the better."

"Personally, I'm still rather skeptical," Shuichi added, "I would like to at least make sure that Kirie is okay, especially after everything we just uncovered in there..."

"Well, if Mom's at home, why don't you just come with me?" she asked, "if she's really had a change of heart, I'm sure she won't mind you dropping by. Besides, I would like for you to come and see me practice..."

"Sorry, hold on a second," Kyoko crossed her arms, "what do you mean "everything you just uncovered in there?" What happened?"

"I'll explain the details to you if you have time right now," Makoto told her, "but to summarize...Kirie's Shadow seemed to imply that Kaede's father was a victim of a mental shutdown..."

"And that the cause is indeed a criminal using the Metaverse..." Monomi added. Kyoko nodded.

"I see..." she said, "then you'd best tell me everything..."

"You guys go on ahead," Makoto waved to his teammates, "we'll catch up with you later."

Makoto and Monomi then both went with Kyoko to detail the events that had happened during their infiltration into the Palace. Komaru, Toko, Shuichi, and Kaede were all left with one another with Kirie's Treasure still in Kaede's hands.

"If you do feel like selling that copy, just give it to Makoto and he'll take it to Fuyuhiko," Toko told the pianist, "anyway, what now? You guys wanna go chill somewhere?"

"Actually, I want to get home and check up on Mom and Dad," Komaru told her, "they've barely been able to sleep these past few weeks because of Kirie. You wanna maybe come with?"

"I can help diffuse any situations that might happen, so yeah, I don't see why not," Toko smiled, "and I'm guessing the two of you are gonna drop by the Kaede house to check up on her?"

"Yes, ideally," Shuichi nodded, "though to be honest, I think I would like to stop and get something to eat first...That battle certainly made me hungry..."

"Oh, yeah, now that you mention it, I'm starving...!" Toko rubbed her belly, "hey, are any of you guys up for barbecue?"

"You like BBQ!? Pull the other one!" Komaru snapped.

"Oh, give it a rest!" Toko snapped back, "I may be a nerd, but that doesn't automatically mean I'm vegetarian! I was even considering treating you this time..."

The upcoming argument was interrupted when Kaede burst into laughter.

"You guys are ridiculous..." she said, beaming from ear to ear.

"Hey now!" Toko smirked, "don't say "you guys" like you're not part of the family, amigo!"

"Part of the family...?" she parroted.

"You remember what Jill said, right?" Komaru smiled, "you're a Phantom Thief now, Mozart! And for the record...I really like it when you smile like that..."

"I like your smile too," Shuichi admitted, "I was really worried that after everything that just happened, you'd be weighed down and depressed...But I underestimated you as always..."

Kaede blushed but wasn't quite sure of what to say to this as she and her teammates made their exit.

[EARLIER...]

However, one thing that the Phantom Thieves had been blissfully unaware of the whole time they were fighting against Kaede's distorted mother...was that they were being keenly watched from the Shadows...

A figure stood in a surveillance room, carefully watching the Phantom Thieves battle through the security cameras. Their face was entirely covered by a black mask which resembled a sadistic smiling face with large eyeholes and a red symbol on the forehead. The outfit itself had the appearance of a tactical spy or assassin from today's world, with a modern take on the ninja theme. In addition, the figure's outfit included a hood which was currently lowered to improve visibility in the dark.

If you had been standing next to the figure, you wouldn't have been able to tell what kind of thoughts they were thinking or what kind of expression they hid under the mask, but the appearance alone was enough to be intimidating, like just being in the same room as this creature made you feel like the floor was collapsing or the air was weighing down on you.

The silence was only cut through when a remote communicator strapped to the figure's hip started to crackle. They picked it up and opened the line.

[Off screwing around again, are you?] the voice on the other end of the line asked, [how typical...]

The Phantom Killer scoffed.

"Kind of...I must admit, it wasn't what I was hoping for, but I am kind of enjoying it..."

They turned around and slowly and quietly made their exit.

"But just kind of..."

Chapter End Notes

Gala of Envy...Busted!
Well, sort of. This chapter is a little different because usually, I would have a change of heart in the same chapter, but this time around the pacing of the story flowed a little differently and we're going to spread it across two chapters now, so...yeah.
That aside, as I often do whenever we end an arc or take down a Palace ruler, there are a few things I want to say. I just wanted to say thank you to everyone who has continued to follow this story despite the schedule changes for uploads. It's amazing to read what people have to say about their feelings and ideas, and I hope to share with you many more amazing adventures involving Makoto and the gang in the future.
As a second tidbit, and I notice that some of you have already noticed, THE STORY NOW HAS A TV TROPES PAGE! I helped some people out in making it but didn't announce it before now because it contained spoilers for the current chapters. Anyway, the link is here, and I'll post it in the story's actual description too: https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Fanfic/PhantomThievesOfHope
I also need to ask a favor in that it would be really swell if you guys could update the tropes page as the story goes along for us. No pressure to do so obviously, we're just not very good at using the website, since it's kind of messy, and there may be some relevant tropes that we missed, so we're counting on the audience to give us a hand here.
As always, once again, thank you SO MUCH for reading. I love to get feedback from my readers, so feel free to leave a comment, and some kudos if you feel up to it.

Home is Where the Heart Is

Chapter Summary

Kaede's big recital day is upon the Phantom Thieves, but Kirie hasn't shown her face yet...Did they fail, or is the dramatic twist taking its sweet time?

Chapter Notes

See the end of the chapter for notes

Everyone's Killing Graduation Ceremony - Danganronpa V3: Killing Harmony

"I'm home!"

Makoto quickly came to realize that after the event with Kirie was over, his parents would, hopefully, be able to return to their normal lives. His Mom and Dad had been losing a lot of sleep ever since their debts and had even been working later hours to wrack up more money to reach the frankly impossible quota.

It was all Makoto's fault, and yet they hadn't blamed him for it once.

He felt like scum...He didn't deserve to have parents like them.

"Hey, welcome back!"

Komaru had clearly been antsy. She had been waiting at the door for him to get back. She looked more relaxed than she had been in recent times, but still decently stressed out from everything. Playing the waiting game for Kirie's change of heart was just as hectic as the mission to do so. Fortunately, Toko had come to the house to keep her company and calm her down.

"What's up?" Makoto asked them, "where are Mom and Dad?"

"Mom, Dad, and Kotoko-chan are all upstairs in bed right now. It took me like a whole hour to convince them to put down their accounts and get some shut-eye," she told him, "seriously Makoto. We need to take them out to dinner after this is all over."

"Agreed, 100%," Makoto nodded, "by the way, have you guys heard from Shuichi and Kaede since splitting up?"

"Actually, yes, we did. Listen up," Toko spoke up, "Kaede just sent us a message. Kirie's ended up sick in bed..."

"Sick?" Makoto repeated, sweating.

"Don't worry! This probably just means the change of heart is already taking effect," Monomi told him, "remember, Kyoko said Fuhito was very much the same way when undergoing his own change."

"You're right..." Makoto nodded, trying to compose himself. He REALLY didn't want to screw this one up.

"But that's not all," Toko continued, "Kaede and Shuichi are at their home taking care of her for the time being. But apparently, she apologized to Kaede and...told her to contact us. She told us that Kirie wanted us to forget everything. Apparently, she plans on sending an official document to the courts to have her demands turned over. Of course, she'll need to recover first..."

"So...she's calling off our debt?" Makoto asked, "that's good, right?"

"Like Monomi said, it probably means the change of heart is already happening," Komaru played with her fingers, "but we won't know until the day of Kaede's concert. Speaking of which, we did end up getting tickets for it."

"I don't like leaving this until the last second," Makoto crossed his arms and frowned, "but I suppose that's just the biz, huh? Are you guys gonna go?"

"I think we should," Toko said, "I don't really do stadium shows or gatherings, but I wanna show my support for Kaede. Plus, if Kirie's change of heart happens on the day of, then I want to be there in person when it does."

"Good point..." Makoto acknowledged, "I wonder how those two are doing right now?"

Kaede's show was right upon them. Within one more day's time, she would be out in the middle of the pitch of the Tokyo Dome stadium, playing piano in front of possibly several hundred people.

And while she had tried to practice, she and her classmate were busy taking care of her poorly mother, who lay in the bed quiet and still. She had barely said so much as a word to Kaede since she'd gotten home, and despite Shuichi's presence, she didn't seem to be angry.

All she had really told Kaede was to let her friends know that the "deal" was off and that she wasn't going to sue their families anymore. Which she supposed was a good thing...

"Shuichi will be done with the soup in just a moment," Kaede promised, "and I'll brew you some hot cocoa to soothe your throat."

"Mmhm..." Kirie responded with a grunt, not lifting her head off the pillow.

"Oh, and don't worry. I'll get right back to practicing when I'm done. I'll write a new song to get you to feel better, how about that?"

Kirie shifted in the bed, her head moving like she was trying to nod. Kaede sighed and left her bedroom, closing her door and carefully walking down the stairs. She quickly took her phone out of her pocket and checked the news.

As she had expected, there was a lot of buzz surrounding the events at the Tokyo Dome. The Broken Instruments had come up as suspects for the crime, but ultimately nobody knew what their agenda would be. Kirie after all, had never really brought up to the mass media that she had twin daughters. Only Kaede ever came up in conversation.

So even if people knew that Kaori was in charge of the group, not many would know that she was an Kaede girl. And with Kyoko leading the "investigation," there was no one who would really out the names of the Phantom Thieves to the public. It seemed rather crucial to the detective girl, however, that Kirie confessed if it meant cutting the investigation short. After all, she could then write it on as part of an ongoing investigation into the Phantom Thieves.

"How is she doing?"

While she was in the middle of thinking, Shuichi called over from the kitchen, as he prepared Kirie's soup. Kaede nodded.

"Well, she's finally willing to communicate..." she said, "even if it's just a few grunts of affirmation..."

"Does she seem like she's on death's door yet?"

"Hey, don't say that! I didn't want to think about that!"

"N-No, that's not what I meant! I just know you were worried about it so I..."

"I-It's ok, I'm sorry...I get it, I just got freaked out for a second..."

Kaede still hated how awkward things could be around Shuichi. After all, he was undoubtedly her best friend in the whole world right now, but sometimes they could both say and do things that made the air heavy between them, even if they had the best of intentions...

His fault entirely. That's what she thought with puffed cheeks.

"Don't worry about it. Everything is going to be fine..." Shuichi assured her after a brief silence, "your mother will be fine, and when she finally does come to her senses, it will help more than just her. Your sister and all the people she's hurt will be grateful, I'm sure."

"I didn't do this so I could receive gratitude for it..." Kaede pouted, "but...this does really mean we've changed her heart, right?"

"All we can do is believe..." Shuichi replied, "have a little more faith in yourself and your actions."

Kaede quietly scoffed to herself. She didn't think Shuichi, who up until now she had seen as the human personification of a wet blanket, would be giving her advice like this. It had been a rough day, that was for sure. Not only with the fighting, but all of the massive bombs of truth and reality tossed at her, one after another. From the moment she first stepped foot into the Metaverse...nay, BEFORE that...Her life had taken a complete turn, for better or worse.

However, even with all the sudden revelations about her father's death, her mother's true nature, and all that had been going on in her life without her knowing...There was one key thing that tugged on the back of her mind...

What was going to come next? Assuming Kirie was going to admit to her crimes, she wouldn't have a home to go to anymore...Or at the very least, she wouldn't have a family waiting for her...

Her father was dead...her sister was long distant by now...and if her mother confessed, she would go too. Kaede thought she was ready for it all, but...was she really?

"Shuichi...Can I ask you a question? It's kind of...personal..."

"Sure thing," he replied, "what's up."

"How much would you say your life changed after the incident with Kirigiri was over and done with?"

Shuichi's expression was saddened.

"Let me guess," he said "you're anxious about what comes next..."

Kaede nodded sheepishly.

"I don't know why I'm getting hung up on it," she said, "after all, we've already gone and stolen the Treasure...It's too late to just go and put it back now, and I don't think I even want to...I just feel...conflicted."

"That's actually pretty normal I find..." Shuichi said, "the changes in the heart are a rather dramatic twist. It's hard to adjust initially the first time you see one."

"No that's not...what I really meant..." Kaede brushed her hair out of her face, clearly quite stressed, "I just...I don't know...I feel like every attempt I make at trying to make things better for myself, I just do the exact opposite! I failed to convince Kaori so many, and it's really my fault she left in the first place...I wouldn't blame her if she found me annoying...And now, I can't even stop my Mom without overwriting her personality and..."

She wiped her eyes with her sleeve, trying to stop herself from crying...

"I just can't help but feel..." she admitted, "like I'm ruining everything...Like I'm getting rid of everything I have and making everything worse...!"

"Don't say that!"

Kaede was surprised when Shuichi stopped what he was doing and threw his arms around her, pulling her into a soft embrace.

"Fuhito Kirigiri tried to assert his authority over my family by trying to throw us out on the streets," he said, releasing her and grasping her by the shoulders, "it's because of YOU that Kirie Kaede didn't do the same thing! Not to mention you've protected what could be countless more people from suffering the same fate, and avenged those who may already have gone through it!"

"Shuichi, I still-" Kaede tried to interject, but he put a finger on her lips to silence her.

"What do you mean you keep ruining things? We would literally never have been able to stop Kirie if it hadn't been for you...! You've saved our lives countless times, both in this world and the other, and it's because of you that I've become a better person...!" he asserted, "and not just me. You helped Toko come out of her shell more. You've been honest and supportive of the Naegi siblings even when you thought they might spite you for what your mother did. And even when you get nothing out of it, you've bent over backward trying to bring the people around us together, like our classmates! We all became fast friends BECAUSE of you!"

He prodded her collarbone and glared at her assertively.

"The Phantom Thieves were able to help me out of a horrible situation, just like they did with you...But you changed my life, and have made me such a happy guy, simply by being a great friend to me. So last time I checked? You make everything BETTER Kaede."

"Shuichi..." Kaede tried to choke back the tears, but Shuichi just hugged her again.

"Thank you..." he squeezed her comfortingly, "for being in my life..."

Kaede finally hugged him back. She had to admit she was a little flustered, but she was overwhelmed by every other complex emotion she was feeling at that moment.

His words...Even if the reality turned out to not be as dramatic as he laid it out to be, she still needed to hear them.

Shuichi let go of her and returned to the kitchen counter, taking a quick sip of the soup with a ladle, before smiling and handing it to Kaede.

"I'm by no means a good chef," he warned her, "but this recipe does wonders for my health. It's my aunt's specialty."

"If it's Tsubaki's signature dish, then I'm sure my Mom will love it," Kaede winked, "and Shuichi...thank you for everything...You're important to me as well..."

"Anytime..." he nodded.

Kaede turned her head quickly and hid her blush as she jovially skipped up the stairs with a tray, Kirie's bowl of soup, and a glass of hot cocoa placed on top, though she did take care not to trip over and spill all of it on the floor.

She quietly stepped into her mother's room and after making sure she was still breathing, whispered to her.

"Here you go," she said, placing the tray down on her bed, "be careful not to tip it."

Kirie barely moved, so Kaede stepped away, beginning to make her exit.

"It's alright..." she smiled, "take your time. And let me know if you want some more. Shuichi said he might stick around to watch me practice tonight, so he can make you more soup if you like. I would definitely recommend it!"

"Kaede..."

Kaede froze in place at the sound of her name being called. She swiftly spun around to see Kirie sit up in bed, looking at her solemnly, with bags under her eyes.

"...Thank you..." she forced out.

"Y-You're welcome..." she forced a grin, "I'll be sure to tell Shuichi you said thanks too!"

"Do you care about any of this...?"

This question was a little more confusing and she wasn't quite sure what she meant. Kaede raised an eyebrow.

"Care about what? You?" she asked, "of course I do."

"No, not me...About our...MY ideals..." Kirie explained, "About becoming greatness...About achieving fame and riches..."

Kaede had multiple ways she could respond to this. She could salt her response to make it less harsh, or she could be harsh and angry, or she could simply choose to either not respond or even lie about it, kind of like she had done for a long time...

And in the end, she decided to be upfront and honest...

"No...Especially not if it's for YOUR sake..."

"I see..." Kirie looked down at her lap, "do you plan on giving up on the piano? And would you like me to cancel the show?"

If Kaede somehow wasn't certain that a change of some kind was taking place, this query was enough proof. The old Kirie Kaede would NEVER ask a question like this. She would have insisted Kaede continue practicing and go through with the show even if she DIDN'T want to.

"I have no intention of ever giving up the piano. Even after everything that's happened, I still have that passion, and I'm not going to just throw it all away," Kaede told her, "as for the show...Don't worry about it. The Tokyo Dome is expecting it and I'm going to blow everyone's breath away."

"Even if you don't find success?" Kirie inquired.

"I never cared about success," Kaede replied, "I just care about the things and people I love. That's what drives me."

"I see...I suppose that's truly what sets you and I apart..." she scoffed, "it's not that you have talent that makes you better than me...It's that you're humble, and kind, and people have good enough reason to like and trust you...Who you got that from, I have no idea, but it certainly wasn't myself..."

"Mom, what are you talking about?" Kaede asked. Kirie sighed, hanging her head to look down at the tray in front of her.

"I won't make excuses...I regret everything...Really, I do..." she mumbled, "with Kaori...with your father...and your friends...I lost sight of myself, but all I ever really wanted...was to protect my family...But then I became the very creature I was trying to save you from...I'm so sorry..."

Kaede clenched her fist and lowered her head, but she sighed and smiled at her mother.

"After all this time, you still don't understand, do you?"

Kirie only slightly turned her head, her eyes still distant, but at least attempting to look towards her in the doorway. Kaede went to leave the room, looking back at her mother with a look of...satisfaction.

"Family isn't where you're born or who you live with..." she said with quiet conviction, "family is...family is where you feel belonged..."

And with that, she quietly closed the door.

Clair de lune - Claude Debussy

[THE NEXT DAY...]

"KIRIE'S NOT EVEN HERE!?"

"Quit shouting! You know we're not supposed to cause a commotion!"

"Sorry...She was supposed to come with me this morning, but her health hasn't really improved..."

Makoto and Komaru hurried to the Tokyo Dome with tickets in hand, meeting up with Shuichi and Toko, then with Kaede in the backstage area. She had made a request to have a chat with her friends before her show, which would begin in a matter of minutes following the soccer game.

She looked lovely in her pink dress, complete with a flower pin in her hair, much like her Phantom Thief outfit. However, nobody had much time to compliment her before she went out on stage, due to this new news she dropped.

Kirie Kaede had apparently not shown up for the morning, even though the showrunners had been expecting her. Apparently, Kaede had failed to convince her to get out of bed and had decided to just leave well enough alone, not wanting to be late for her show.

"You don't think we failed, do you?" Komaru asked.

"No. I saw the state of Kirie last night. There's no doubt the change of heart worked, and she seems perfectly fine, despite her depressive state," Shuichi explained, "it's more likely that the effects of the change took a greater toll than we anticipated, and it's taking longer for her to compose herself."

"This could be bad..." Monomi, who sat gingerly on Makoto's shoulder, commented, "a lot of our plan was riding on Kirie coming here to confess to the audience. Now we'll need to prepare for what might happen if she doesn't show up."

"What's the worst that will happen if she decides not to show?" Komaru inquired, "genuinely asking here."

"Well, we'll have to lay low for a while," Shuichi explained, "Kyoko-sama was counting on her confession to blow the heat off our backs for the calling card. If Kirie takes too long to make a statement, she might face some heat from PubSec for the scandal with security. Assuming she fails to hold them off her, it might come right back to us."

"I'm certain Kyoko won't sell us out, even if it somehow benefits her in the long run," Makoto assured them, "she might have basically blackmailed us originally, but I think by this point, she's not about to hand us over to the authorities, especially with how deep into our schemes she is. Whether the investigators force an...investigation, though, is another thing..."

"Guys, don't worry. If push comes to shove, I can handle whatever public scandals my family faces, and I'll try to cut you guys out of the equation. But I'm certain things are gonna work out. Mom WILL show up today." Kaede asserted.

"Are you now?" Toko frowned.

"Yeah, for sure!" Kaede pumped her arms, "just gotta stay positive!"

"If you're so certain, why are you shaking so much?" Toko observed, "you're sweating buckets too. It's not that hot in here, so..."

"I promise you, it's not that!" Kaede's pupils widened, "really, it's gonna be ok! I'm not worried about Mom, things will work out! I know they will!"

"I don't think she's lying about her mother...But it's true that you seem nervous..." Shuichi chuckled awkwardly, "let me guess...You're having some slight stage fright?"

"What!? Nah! Performing on stage is no big deal!" Kaede forced a smile and her limbs went stiff, moving them around robotically, "I've done this loads of times before!"

"Never on this scale though, right?" Makoto asked, "Kaede, really, it's fine."

She sighed and clutched her head, both embarrassed and openly nervous.

"Well...alright...Fine, I guess I'm too much of an open book..." she grumbled, "I've had more than enough time to practice and prepare for my recitals, but...with everything we've been doing as Phantom Thieves, I'm really anxious right now...! Honestly, that's...kinda the reason I asked you guys back here...Despite telling you the news on my mother, I mean..."

"That's fair," Komaru nodded, "but with how many performances you've done up until now, I'm still surprised you're so nervous!"

"Ugh! Of COURSE I'm nervous!" Kaede growled, "I'm about to perform on one of the biggest and most important stages in all of Japan! And I'm playing some original songs that I arranged myself; I'm even SINGING one of them! This is a huge deal! There's so much that can go wrong here and I was trying to force myself not to think about it, SO NOW I'M PANICKING!"

"D-Don't panic!" Makoto assured her, "it DOES sound very intimidating...But even so, I'm really looking forward to hearing it."

"Me too," Shuichi smiled, "and honestly...I'm a little bit nervous too...This is my first time ever coming to a concert before."

"You'll be fine. You've got everyone else with you, plus Kaito and Maki said they'd come too." Kaede smiled back.

"Alright, look..." Toko sighed, suddenly taking Kaede by both her hands and staring into her eyes, "at the risk of sounding like your over-enthusiastic aunt or something like that...You're gonna do great. We're proud of you and proud to have you as a friend and teammate. Even if you fuck up massively out there, there isn't anything you could do to let us down."

"Toko's right!" Komaru patted her shoulder, "Kirie's a different issue, but I know you're gonna smash it out there Kaede!"

"Hehehe...Thanks, guys..." Kaede nodded.

"Excuse me!" a lady in a black suit suddenly barged into the room, "apologies, but Ms Kaede is set to go on any second now. I'll need you all to clear out and find your way to your seats.

"Sure thing ma'am!" Komaru saluted, quickly hurrying out with Shuichi, Makoto, and Toko behind her. However, before he could leave, Kaede grabbed Shuichi's sleeve and pulled him back.

"Hey! Shuichi...Just a quick thing before you go," she played with her decorated hair, "if you feel like it, do you wanna go eat somewhere after the concert? I haven't really had a chance to eat dinner yet..."

"Dinner? That sounds nice but...Kaito and the others said that they probably had to go home right after the concert..." he replied.

"Oh..." Kaede's heart sank, "um...what about you, Shuichi? Like, on your own?"

"Well...I didn't call anyone to pick me up and I was going to get the train back..." Shuichi scratched his chin, "but...if it's...okay with you...I could stay behind. I know I'll want to talk about the concert."

"I see..." Kaede's mood improved instantaneously, "then do you wanna go somewhere with just the two of us?"

"Yeah, absolutely!" Shuichi enthused. However, Kaede's high was a split second.

"O-Oh god...Now, I'm even more nervous..." she said.

"Huh!? Are you ok!?" Shuichi flustered.

"I-I'm okay! I'm nervous, but...I'll definitely do my best now!" she assured him, "so...look forward to tonight, okay? I'll make sure this will be the best performance ever!"

Shuichi gave Kaede a comforting high-five before they split up. Shuichi followed the other Thieves while Kaede went with the showrunners, heading to the field stage with newfound courage.

"She really is amazing at this...I know jack about how to play piano or about classical music, but I can still get use to this...!"

"Kaito, for the last time, be quiet...I'm trying to listen."

"Ah...Sorry..."

This was a brief exchange between Kaito Momota and Maki Harukawa, who sat on both sides of Shuichi as they watched Kaede play in the middle of the pitch. Toko, Komaru, Kyoko, and Makoto sat in the row just in front of them, with Monomi perched comfortably on Makoto's lap.

By this point in time, the show had already been running for a while, with Kaede having already played many classical pieces, such as Beethoven's "Moonlight Sonata", Satie's "Trois Gymnopédies", Chopin's "Fantaisie-Impromptu in C-Sharp Minor", and now, a personal favorite of Shuichi's, Debussy's "Clair de Lune", all basically played to perfection.

And as she had said not too long to them before, some of the songs were original compositions she had arranged herself; though they fitted very well with the other numbers. Her face retained a look of serious focus, but a warm, comfortable, and happy smile. It didn't seem like something she was forcing either. She looked genuinely pleased to be back on the instrument again.

Everyone was glad. Even if nothing else, it was comforting to know she was at peace in this moment.

As Kaede slowly came to the end of the song, there was another round of applause from the almost completely full audience. Even if a piano concert was usually considered a bore-fest, there was little reason to pass up the chance to attend the Ultimate Pianists performance, and as Kaito had already said, even though not many would understand the appeal, Kaede served as the perfect catalyst to enter this new, classical, comforting world.

Kaede lifted her head and smiled up at the audience, though she didn't know where her friends and classmates were sitting, she looked jovially up anyway. However, her expression faded slightly when a portly man suddenly hurried onto the pitch next to her with a microphone in hand.

"What's the matter?" she asked "I'm almost finished. Did something happen?"

The showrunner shook his head

"D-Don't worry young lady...I'm very sorry to interrupt, but I have to make an announcement."

There were mumbles of confusion as the man switched on his microphone, checked it a few times, and then carefully spoke into it, the tone of his voice slightly shaking.

"He's nervous..." Kyoko whispered to Makoto as he started speaking.

"You're right..." he whispered back, "what could have happened?"

He asked this, but he could take a few guesses, one of which turned out to be right.

"I am pleased to announce that before we close out this show, there is somebody who would like to exchange a few words..." he held out an arm, "may I please welcome onto the stadium...Lady Kirie Kaede!"

And just like that, with many surprised exclamations and a round of applause, Kirie Kaede, wearing a fancy dress, strode out onto the stage, waving and smiling at the audience.

"She's here!" Komaru enthused, "She really showed up! Thank god!"

"Hold on though," Toko stuck out her arm and said at a level only she could hear, "doesn't she seem pretty normal? Normal by her standards anyway?"

"True...She seems pretty confident and happy. Are you certain the change worked?" Kyoko asked.

"It did! At least...I hope it did..." Makoto replied, "Shuichi and Kaede said that there was some kind of change...! It can't have been reverted, could it?"

These worried feelings lingered in the air as Kirie took the mic from the showrunner, and he himself stood off to the side. Kirie took a deep breath and lifted her eyes up to the audience.

"Thank you very much, everybody who took the time to come out here today, to see my little girl shine like the star she is," she gestured to her daughter, "your support means the world to us."

Kirie was met with quiet applause and a few cheers, and she paused for a moment to collect herself. Makoto and Monomi both leaned forward, tense and nervous.

"Before I get into the meat of what I would like to say...There are three things I would like to apologize for. The first is for my absence and for unpleasantly interrupting the proceedings right when it's on the brink of its grand finale," Kirie said, taking a glance towards Kaede, who looked back at her with concern, "even after everything, she still deserved this chance on stage, and there's nothing I would do to take it away from her...Call it selfish, but it's what I want most right now..."

"What's up with Kaede's mom?" Kaito whispered to Shuichi, "ain't she acting a little weird?"

"Not sure..." Shuichi lied, trying to retain focus.

"The second..." Kirie seemed unable to keep up the smile anymore, and her expression saddened, "is for me making harsh demands onto the staff and having the establishment closed for a few days. I would like to let it be known that it was in light of a rather notable incident that took place here the other night, and I wanted to make certain that it was taken care of by the time of the show..."

Though it was hard to see from a distance, Kirie lowered her head, inhaled another deep breath, and tensed her shoulders, her arms beginning to shake.

"Mom?" Kaede called, "Mom, are you ok!?"

"And the third..." she concluded, "is for...everything else..."

No More What If's (Lollia Cover)

There were lots of murmurs around Makoto and the others, including from Kaito and Maki who had no idea what was going on. The showrunner down on the stage tried to talk to Kirie, but she seemed to ignore him.

"This may come as a shock to everyone, and I'm sorry to just barge in and drop this so suddenly, but...As of today, I will be resigning from my role as my daughters' personal manager, and...turning myself in to the authorities," she unveiled, "you may have thought of me as a caring mother who has done all she can to look out for her family and protect her daughter's future, but in truth...I am no more than a worthless...manipulative, criminal..."

Flash photography started to fire off around the stadium, confirming the presence of news reporters and paparazzi in the stadium. Makoto didn't care though. He blotted out all the confusing murmurs and surprised exclamations, the shutters, the flashes, EVERYTHING...to focus purely on Kirie herself.

"The truth is...I was really out for myself this whole time, no matter how much I tried to convince myself otherwise...I was doing everything I could to increase Kaede's commercial value, all so I could achieve fame and fortune through her..." Kirie confessed, "I don't know where I got so lost...Maybe I was jealous that someone I gave birth to was more popular and talented than I ever was but...I am disgusted with myself for it..."

"What the hell...!?" Kaito gritted his teeth, "is she being for real...!?"

"Hey...isn't this eerily similar to what happened with Haiji Towa?" Maki pointed out, "Randomly just confessing to some horrible crimes and manipulation in front of a large audience?"

"To think...she was making Kaede suffer like this..." Shuichi's dialogue was fabricated, but his anger was genuine.

"There is more, of course...Kaede is far from the only victim I have claimed," Kirie continued, "because of the influence and power I built up that I didn't deserve, I did whatever it took to eliminate anybody who could rival Kaede or stood in my way, even for the smallest of slights...I bribed the Japanese court systems and hired private investigators and even criminal organizations to exploit their weaknesses and destroy them...I will of course, when taken into custody, expose all my contacts..."

The mumblings in the crowd quickly gave way to madness around the Phantom Thieves. Everybody who remained in the audience was now shouting in panic, surprise, disgust, and whatever else this confession may have prompted.

"Mom..." Kaede said quietly. Kirie quickly turned to look back at Kaede sadly, but in spite of the chaos, she continued.

"Lastly...Though I know she has no right to accept, and while I doubt she's listening...I want to give one final apology to my other daughter, Kaori; Kaede's twin sister," she said, "I picked clear favorites with my children and tried to make Kaori think that she wasn't good or useful enough for me...I verbally and physically abused her, and...Well, wherever life takes you...either of you...next...I really hope you can make up and live lives that you're happy with...without me...That is all..."

"Twin sister!?" Kaito guffawed as Kirie bowed her head apologetically, "Kaede never said she had a twin sister!?"

"Maybe she was just trying to hide her family struggles from us so we wouldn't get involved?" Maki suggested, "...She always seemed so happy..."

"She was...But never for her own sake..." Shuichi asserted, "Hopefully now, she can smile for herself as well as others..."

"Looks like Kirie made up her mind..." Kyoko sighed in what seemed to be relief as Kirie was quickly escorted off the pitch, "I suppose it's not only a matter of time until the authorities come for her...At least my paperwork will be significantly decreased..."

"Is that all you care about...!?" Komaru snapped.

Everyone looked towards her, surprised by her sudden outburst, but she quickly calmed down.

"I-I'm sorry, that came out bad I...I'm just really worried," Komaru crossed her arms, "this might be the last time Kaede ever sees or hears from her mother...She won't have any family left after this..."

"You're right..." Kyoko nodded, "I...I'm sorry...You're right...That was insensitive of me..."

"No, it's ok. You didn't mean it like that..." Makoto reassured her.

"That's not true either, Komaru," Shuichi leaned down and whispered from behind, "she has us, remember?"

Komaru quietly nodded as everyone in the audience watched the Ultimate Pianist chase after her mother.

Much to everyone's annoyance, despite the fact that Kaede wasn't playing any longer, everyone was demanded to remain in their seats until the police arrived, just in case witness testimony was needed, or Kirie's supposed shady collaborators were hiding amongst the crowd.

It didn't take long for the police and the KDA to arrive and sniff said people out though, thanks to Kirie's cooperation. The older Kaede was then taken into custody herself, but thanks to her help and her willingness to comply, she wasn't slapped in cuffs immediately.

Fortunately, just before she was taken away, Kaede was able to catch up with her.

"MOM!"

Kirie turned around to see her little girl running up to her to the best of her ability. She briefly wondered how she was moving so well in heels, but pushed them aside as it wasn't important.

"Kaede..." she lowered her eyes, "I'm sorry...I can barely stand to look at you anymore..."

Kaede shook her head and gave her a sad, but comforting smile.

"I'm proud of you..."

"What?"

"I'm proud of you, you know?" she repeated, "I...knew about everything...that you were using me...That you were hurting people...and I'm proud of you for realizing that you were wrong and owning up to it."

"I don't know what happened..." Kirie clutched her head, "it was like...ever since your father died, I've been stuck in this...terrible living nightmare...I don't know when it was that my heart became so...closed off...When we had that talk at my bedside though, I fully remembered who I really wanted to be for you..."

She reached out and took her daughter by the hands, her eyes welling up with tears.

"I wanted to PROTECT you and your sister...You were the only family I had...And I hate myself for ever forgetting that..."

"But you DIDN'T forget," Kaede told her, "you might have been twisted, sure, but if you really forgot what I meant to you, you wouldn't have treated me like a person. But you still washed and ironed my clothes, fed me lovely meals, laughed with me, helped me whenever I was stuck or lonely...You might not be the world's best Mom by a long shot, but you're the only one I've ever known, and I still LOVE you...!"

"Do NOT try and defend me..." Kirie's face scrunched up, trying and failing to hold back the tears, "can you think of how many more people I might have hurt if I hadn't come to my senses? Just because I wanted to feel bigger than everybody? Your FRIENDS Kaede! I could have taken everything away from them!"

"But you DIDN'T!" Kaede's grip tightened, "you came to your senses and...I'm so...happy to have you back...!"

Kaede herself was unable to hold back her own tears. She knew that this wasn't the perfect conclusion...She knew that things would never be the same, and even if she HAD come to her senses, Kirie would never be the same mother that she was those many years ago...She...BOTH of them...knew this...

But no matter what might have happened...no matter who Kirie had hurt or what she had done...Kaede just couldn't help it. This was her mother...and she loved her...

"Well...THIS is awkward..."

Both Kaede and Kirie's eyes widened and their hearts skipped as a third, familiar voice joined their conversation. They turned their heads and exclaimed at the same time upon seeing the punk girl who shared the former's face.

"Kaori!?"

Kirie herself was stunned that after all this time, Kaori had actually shown herself in front of her. It had been almost 3 years now since she'd seen her face.

And it was...peculiar...Even though they shared the same physical facial features, Kirie couldn't look into this girl's eyes and see Kaede. She was different...and yet, she was most certainly still her child.

Kaori looked like she was struggling to look at either of them, and she rubbed her throat as it clammed up. Both her sister and her mother looked at her, patiently waiting for her to open up. What she finally ended up saying was a little crude, but far from unexpected.

"I...saw everything you know? I still had those tickets Kaede sent me way back when and...well, I guess I needed to see it for myself..." she gave Kirie a shit-eating smirk, but it was clearly forced, "You look like shit, old lady..."

"Kaori...I don't mind. Say what you want..." Kirie sighed, "you've earned that right after all this. And I wouldn't take away your last chance to..."

"I have NOTHING I need to say to you..." Kaori glowered, "at least...that's what I want to say..."

The silence returned for a moment, with Kaori unable to make eye contact with her mother for a moment. She had been the one to point out the tenseness and awkwardness in the air, but she had practically dived right into that pool. She kept looking back and forth between Kaede and her feet, but after her twin sister looked her dead in the eyes with a moving look, like she was quietly egging her on without saying anything, Kaori placed a hand on her hip and forced herself to look at Kirie's depressed face.

"You are...a pitiful person..." she stated, "but...seeing as I'm somehow still attached to you enough to wish you good luck later down the line...I guess I'm just as pitiful..."

"Kaori?" Kirie was rather surprised by this, but Kaori's following scowl made it clear she wasn't looking for gratification.

"As much as I hate to admit it, and I really do, I've realized that I'm not much better than you...Maybe I haven't hurt as many people or gone out of my way to do so, but I've still done things that I'm not proud of, and damaged a lot of my relationships beyond repair..." she said, very quickly shooting Kaede a look, though only for a brief moment, "for everything you've done to me...Shunning me, hurting me, all that shit...I don't forgive you for it...I CAN'T EVER forgive you for it...!"

Kirie lowered her head, nodding in a sad mix of anguish and shame, but also satisfaction and understanding...However, Kaori apparently wasn't finished...

"But...I can't hold onto this hatred for you any longer, Mom...It's the only reason I've kept going, and if I keep living life being guided by my hate for others...then one day, I'll turn out exactly like you..." she said, "that...would be a nightmare...So while I'm gonna go and fix the things I've broken, you had better do the same..."

"Kaori..." Kirie's eyes sparkled with a small glimmer of hope and happiness amidst the guilt and shame, "I...I realize it now...You ARE special...Just as important and special as your sister...And I am a fool for never getting that..."

"Whatever..." Kaori spat, turning her back, "you did the crimes, so pay the time. I've said what I wanted to, and I'm gonna keep living life on my own terms, doing what I want to do. You go and live your own life...Bye, Mom..."

With apparently nothing more to say, Kaori turned her back, put her hands in her cardigan pockets, and trudged off. At the same time, the police officers had decided that Kirie had had enough time to say her goodbyes, and took her by the arms, escorting her to the vehicle.

Kaede had said everything she wanted to say to her mother by this point...It was up to Kirie to do with that information and trust what she will...Well...Everything except ONE thing...

"And Mom? One more thing before you go?"

Kirie carefully turned around to see Kaede frowning with determination.

"I'm going to avenge dad...!" she pumped her fist, "count on it!"

Kirie seemed surprised that Kaede knew the facts, but she was escorted away before she could ask her about it. She didn't try to resist, and merely complied; the doors closed behind her, and the escort vehicle drove off...

And that would be the last time Kaede Akamatsu would see her mother for a long time...And realizing this...she cried...

Things were still in a commotion back at the stadium. Everyone had reacted differently, but surprise and concern was the main emotion that was lingering in the air.

In terms of the management, things had been quiet...The showrunners of the Tokyo Dome were most likely panicking backstage with the arrival of the police. Makoto just continued staring down at the empty arena, dwelling on what had happened.

He had forgotten how it felt when witnessing a change of heart in person. Towa had been the only time he'd been present to see it happen. He was glad that Kirie had changed but...now she was gone, something didn't feel right...

The reality was that Kirie was a bit different from Towa and Kirigiri, as well as the other targets the thieves had gone after. She had undoubtedly done some horrible things and got what she deserved for it, but based on all they had discovered about her, it was only because of all the tragedy she had faced as a single mother following her husbands' assassination...

In the end, she was a victim of this deranged society herself. And a victim of whoever it was that was using the Metaverse for evil...They needed to stop them now more than ever.

"I'm starting to get worried..." Toko rested her head in her hands.

"Oh come on, what of?" Komaru nudged her arm, trying to be quiet so Kaito and Maki didn't overhear, "you saw what happened. The change worked! Kirie confessed!"

"It's not KIRIE I'm worried about..." Toko said back, "what's gonna happen to Kaede from this point on?"

"Are you worried that they'll cancel the show prematurely?" Kyoko asked.

"No!" Toko spat, "Just...she's probably gonna have to live with the reputation of being the daughter of a fraud! I know she didn't want fortune, but what if she can't get gigs or a job anymore? What if she gets kicked out of her own home and ends up homeless!? What if-!?"

"Toko!" Makoto cut her off, "You're doing it again...Kaede will be alright, just calm down. We can just look after her if things don't go well. Besides, don't you think that if Kaede had any worries, she would have told us about them?"

"How do you know that?" Toko clenched her teeth, "for all we know, she could have secretly been having an existential crisis this whole time!?"

"At the risk of sounding...crass..." Maki chimed in on the conversation, "if you're that worried about her, Fukawa-senpai, the slot for a parental figure just opened. Maybe you could adopt her and fill it?"

Maki's words certainly cheered everybody up. Everyone chuckled, save for Toko, who turned her head around and shot the Child Caregiver a look of outrage

"Did you just make a joke!?" Shuichi laughed, seriously impressed. Maki scoffed and smirked wryly.

"I'm being serious!" Toko growled, "Kaede...might not WANT to talk to us...If she needs time to get over it...We..."

"There she is!" Kaito interrupted, quickly pointing down to the center of the stage.

Sure enough, still dressed in the same fancy outfit she had when she left, Kaede returned to the center stage. Her reappearance prompted everyone in the stadium to go quiet, waiting in anticipation as to what might happen.

Even in the quiet, she seems deep in discussion with one of the Dome showrunners. They stood and conversed for a moment before the latter nodded, and handed Kaede the microphone again. Kaede turned and readdressed the audience.

Everyone listened closely as Kaede began to talk through the mic. Her voice seemed sad but strong. She didn't stutter or tremble even slightly.

"Thank you for remaining patient...And I'm very sorry you were all subjected to that...You've no obligation to like or trust me after hearing the things my mother has done...Regardless of what becomes of me in the future, I am going to keep living my life with my head held high...Just like my father always wanted me to..."

She bowed and was met with applause, but no noticeable cheering. The mood had clearly been shot with Kirie's confession. Kaede waited for it to die down and continue.

"You may feel however you may wish towards my family...I will not resent you for it...And if you wish to leave, the police and authorities have made it clear that you are more than free...Should you want your money back, you can ask the ticket office too," she said, "but...even if it is selfish of me...I would like to request you stick around for this final number...It's a song I've been looking forward for all of you out there to see..."

Some people did get up and make their exit once given the go-ahead, but the vast majority of people decided to stick around for a little longer and watched as the showrunner placed the microphone on a stand in front of the piano.

Kaede sat down and took a deep breath...But then she suddenly looked up and spotted her friends and classmates in the audience, somehow spying on them even when buried among the many heads. Perhaps it was because the audience had decreased ever so slightly that she noticed them.

Though she wasn't sure they could see her expression, she closed her eyes and beamed at them. Not in a forced way either...Knowing that they had her back, no matter the hardships, was

They were stronger together...a sentiment Shuichi shared as he brought a hand to his heart.

"Go on..." he whispered under his breath.

Kaede obviously didn't hear this, but you wouldn't have thought that from the way she confidently returned to her piano. Her fingers danced eloquently over the keys, and, with her soft, soothing voice, she began to sing into the mic.

♪ People come and they go ♪
Some people may stay with you though
I am all alone tonight and I
♪ Kept on asking myself questions ♪

♪ You could say that I was uptight ♪
I never really doubted my life
But tonight got me thinking 'bout it all
♪ If I am the fool I don't know ♪

♪ I do not ♪
Regret my choices
No, I'm rather proud
Ooh
Yeah I don't need to change
Anything because
I can only be me
♪ So... ♪

♪ How can I be so sure? ♪
At a crossroads moving forward
But I can't let fear get inside my head
Someone once said
♪ Burn my dread bae ♪

♪ Who knows what tomorrow holds? ♪
Just wanna live my life the way I want
Filling up my soul with passionate
♪ Music that makes me want to sing ♪
♪ Like a movie, you're the leading role just like me ♪
Ooh ooh
Who knows what life will bring
What matters most is
Joy you feel from within
♪ So... ♪

Kaede quietly closed out the song...And instigated by Makoto, Komaru, Toko, and Shuichi, was met with the greatest round of applause she had ever received...

She looked back up towards her companions and smiled with tears of joy in her eyes...

It didn't matter what happened to her after this. She had finally found it...a place where she REALLY belonged...

Chapter End Notes

And that's an official wrap.
30 Chapters, wow. I really have to thank everyone for the support they've been showing this story up until now.
Life for me has become a bit more hectic recently, but I'm still going to try and put out chapters where I can. I may need to spend time focusing on other projects right now though.
With only a few more loose ends to tie up in Kaede's story, we'll be officially transitioning into the next chapter and hopefully introducing our next party member. Many have asked already, and I've already stated that this next one will probably be the last.
I've already seen lots of great comments on my story so far and I really enjoy reading them, so keep them coming~
As always, once again, thank you for reading. I love to get feedback from my readers, so feel free to leave a comment, and some kudos if you feel up to it.

Interval of Silence

Chapter Summary

In the wake of Kirie Kaede's confession, everyone starts to adapt to the changes around them...including the Steering Committee, who are plotting behind the scenes.

Chapter Notes

See the end of the chapter for notes

Neuroscience Wing - Danganronpa 0 UST

[A FEW DAYS LATER...]

"Did you watch the news?"

"You mean the stuff about Kaede?"

"Her mother confessed to extortion and stuff like that in front of a crowd of people. Kinda like Towa did here at school!"

"Didn't Kyoko-senpai's grandfather do something similar on a live news show?"

"Do you think the Phantom Thieves were behind it?"

"Yeah, that's gotta be it! There's no other way she'd confess like that!"

"Crazy...Stealing hearts and stuff like that...it sounds like the coolest thing ever!"

Mahiru Koizumi sighed, but let out a small smile, as she sat next to her friends Hiyoko Saionji and Ibuki Mioda at the lunch hall. She took out her phone and began to read the headlines...

"Mmm? What's up Mahiru?" Hiyoko tilted her head, "you look all serious all of a sudden..."

"Yeah, did something happen?" Ibuki leaned in excitedly, "you got a date or something?"

"Don't be ridiculous..." Mahiru shook her head, "I just get the feeling that I'm going to be writing another article very soon..."

Even during the middle of the day, Yasuke Matsuda was alone in the Neurology Lab. He was watching the morning news, and as he had no doubt expected, Kirie Kaede's distraught face showing her live confession was right smack-dab in the middle of the screen.

He sighed. Why did he care so much? It was no consequence to him what these Phantom Thieves were doing.

Was it because he knew of the Metaverse? That they were using it? Even so, it was still none of his business.

And yet he couldn't stop trying to put the pieces together...Though he hadn't really paid much attention, up until today, Kirie Kaede's mask was flawless...And yet she simply turned herself in, confessing all her crimes and exposing some shady collaborators of hers with it. A change of heart was literally the only thing that could have possibly prompted this.

What was the Phantom Thieves' agenda? Even if Kirie Kaede had turned out to be notorious, why go after her specifically instead of someone bigger?

Perhaps it was because she was connected to a first-year Hope's Peak student? The academy seemed to be where they were based after all, and their last two targets had fit into this pattern...Towa had been a collaborator for the academy in funding the building of the Elementary School and Fuhito Kirigiri was the grandfather of the second year Ultimate Detective...

And the real question was...how far would their influence spread before the Mastermind took action?

He didn't know for sure, nor did he especially care...At least that's what he told himself...For if the two Metaverse users were to ever clash...Who knew what might happen?

Even in the 78th Classroom, the Ultimate students were buzzing about the recent events. Mukuro Ikusaba sat at her desk from the back of the class and looked forward as Chihiro Fujisaki and Junko Enoshima excitedly discussed Kirie Kaede's change of heart...

She reached into her shirt pocket and pulled out her, honestly kind of outdated, mobile phone, and used it to search the news on the internet. Kirie Kaede's confession came up almost immediately.

It was uncommon for Mukuro Ikusaba to ever show any sort of tense emotion on her face, so she was lucky nobody was watching when she gritted her teeth, bared her fangs, and quietly snarled under her breath, like a wolf cornering a timid rabbit.

"Damn you..." she spat.

Kaede Akamatsu and her mother quickly became the talk of the school following the incident at the Tokyo Dome. With the Dome's showrunners still trying to clean up the mess that Kirie had left them with and restore her reputation, the pianist had been offered a few more days of absence to recover.

Her reputation had already been sky-high amongst the student body, but with her mother's confession now having hit the news, as well as the following news of her arrest, everyone at Hope's Peak, both among the students AND staff, was talking about it.

This wasn't anything new. Every time this had happened over the past few months, Makoto had carefully overheard the passing conversations and whispers, but this time it was bothering him more than normal. Mainly because for every person who was showing sympathy for Kaede, there was another who was blaming her on an equal, and likening her to her horrible parent, criticizing her for not speaking up about it.

They made it sound so easy...

Makoto really wanted to punch some of them in the face, but he couldn't do so without several complications, so he refrained.

Instead, he focused on the positive side of things. Kirie Kaede's confession had uprooted a large number of corrupt figures in society. Judges, PIs, police officers, and the like, all of whom had taken bribes from the woman to impose her influence on them and commit her crimes. The addresses and names of the criminal organizations she had apparently worked with also came to light.

The government had released a statement that it would be opening a nationwide investigation into its legal system. They were treating it with the utmost sincerity and were determined to crack down on the corruption that had been exposed.

Thank God for Japanese democracy. Though it was annoying that it had taken a titanic entrepreneur, a high-ranking member of national security, and a woman who had been paying off public officials to stay silent all to confess before this happened.

Makoto was exhausted after everything, so he sat in his dorm room alone with Monomi by themselves during lunch, to take a breather. Even so, he still opened up his phone and scrolled through the Phantom Thieves chatroom to hear the latest news.

----------------------------------------------

PTChat

OneTrueEgg: How's everyone doing?

Bookworm: All things considered?

Bookworm: Alright.

Bookworm: Things have been a bit noisy, but at least the way I look isn't what everyone cares about right now.

Kyoko: Yes. Thankfully, the Tokyo Dome and other involved public officials and security heads have asked me to hold fire on any letters of apology or explanation.

Kyoko: Kirie's confession was a big deal. Now that the public knows that people among their ranks have been taking bribes and showing favoritism, it's making them all look like a joke.

Kyoko: They'll need to deal with that first before they deal with me.

Shoot2Thrill: It's been crazy over here at my school too!

Shoot2Thrill: Kaede's confession is getting everyone excited!

Shoot2Thrill: But I am a little annoyed.

Bookworm: About what?

Shoot2Thrill: The police and local authorities are getting all the credit for Kirie's arrest!

Shoot2Thrill: They didn't even do anything! They just came in and swooped her up after we got her to spill the beans!

Shoot2Thrill: No offense Kyoko.

Kyoko: No, I'm with you.

Kyoko: I must admit it's a little bit annoying, as someone who's come to value your hard work.

Kyoko: If it's any consolation though, I've heard the internet is a different story entirely.

OneTrueEgg: Yeah, I heard about that too.

OneTrueEgg: It's Phantom Thieves Fever Time online apparently.

Bookworm: Everyone's backpedaling.

Bookworm: Even those who didn't like us are being like "I'm rooting for you!" or "I always believed in you!" or some bullshit.

Bookworm: I guess I really shouldn't be complaining though.

OneTrueEgg: Monomi is saying that she's hoping that we don't get put on the police's radar as a result of all this.

Kyoko: I can try and take as much heat off you as I can, but I do have my limits.

Kyoko: You should be fine though. Even if someone were to find out that a world like that exists, nobody would believe it.

OneTrueEgg: Speaking of which...

OneTrueEgg: Sorry to bring down the happy victory mood or whatever, but...

OneTrueEgg: We need to talk about what Kirie's Shadow said near the end there.

Bookworm: You mean about Kaede's father being a victim of our Metaverse assassin?

Shoot2Thrill: "Phantom Killer" is what I think she called it.

Kyoko: Ordinarily, I wouldn't so openly believe her.

Kyoko: But there are several reasons to.

Kyoko: A thread of commonality I've seen from this supposed "metaverse crime spree" is that the victims appear to be people who hold a certain level of influence and power. The crimes are either resulting in their deaths or causing them to be at the epicenter of accidents and scandals.

OneTrueEgg: Kaede's father was an influential public morals figure prior to his death. If the goal was to dismantle that branch of people trying to better our world, then he would have been a very high-ranking target.

Kyoko: If Kai Kaede really was killed by an unseen force like a Metaverse user, it would explain why Kirie went crazy.

Kyoko: Nobody would believe her even if she tried to convince them, and the killer would never face justice.

Kyoko: Even without understanding how the Metaverse works, I'm sure Kirie sensed something wasn't right.

Kyoko: But because she had been shunned for what others would consider to be crazy ramblings of a grieving widow, she probably didn't think even Kaede or Kaori would believe her, which is why she became so cold and closed off.

OneTrueEgg: The more we talk about this, I just feel more and more bad for her.

OneTrueEgg: Even if she did try to run our families out onto the streets...

Shoot2Thrill: Guess kids aren't the only victims of twisted adults and horrible people.

Shoot2Thrill: I don't know what to make of Kirie's words, but if they're true, we need to find them and take care of them as soon as we can!

Bookworm: I agree. We can't just ignore her words knowing what we know now.

Bookworm: I don't quite know whether it's a good idea, and I don't want to subject her to more trauma or anything but...

Bookworm: Kaede and her family deserve justice.

Bookworm: I hope she sticks with us. I want to help her get revenge.

Bookworm: Well, assuming she wants it.

Shoot2Thrill: Man, you really ARE like a mom. Maki was right!

Bookworm: Would you give it a rest!? Is it that hard to believe I'm worried about her!?

Kyoko: Speaking of which, where is Kaede? And for that matter, where is Shuichi?

Kyoko: It's lunch break right now. They should be available as well.

Sweetchi: Sorry Kyoko-sama, I just got back to my room.

OneTrueEgg: Is everything alright? Did something happen?

Sweetchi: Yes, you...COULD say that.

Shoot2Thrill: What is it?

Sweetchi: It's Kaede.

Sweetchi: She's back to school today but...

Sweetchi: She's been directly summoned by the Steering Committee members.

Kyoko: What!?

OneTrueEgg: The Committee!?

Shoot2Thrill: Aren't those those assholes that hired Towa to help build the Elementary School?

Bookworm: Yep, those guys.

Bookworm: But it's not often that students like us get summoned directly by them.

Kyoko: This could be bad. The Steering Committee has more power than anyone else in Hope's Peak's hierarchy.

Kyoko: Whenever they make mistakes or need stuff done, they push their problems onto others and make my father take the fall for their mistakes.

Kyoko: But they're the ones who report directly to the government and deliver news and information. They're also the ones who decide which Ultimates to scout out and which ones to let go.

Shoot2Thrill: Let go!?

Shoot2Thrill: You mean like-

Shoot2Thrill: EXPELLED!?

Sweetchi: I thought the same way.

Sweetchi: It's not hard to assume that the committee might expel Kaede for Kirie's confession.

OneTrueEgg: That's not right! That's NOT FAIR!

Kyoko: But it is a surefire way to make sure they don't face any more heat from the public.

Kyoko: However, it's just as likely that expelling Kaede will cause more people to rain fire down on them. It'll reach them directly if enough people call them out for it like it did with Towa's case.

Bookworm: I'm worried but...I guess we'll just have to wait and see.

Bookworm: But...I think things will be fine.

----------------------------------------------

Rise of the Ultimates - Danganronpa V3: Killing Harmony

Kaede was suffering from the same nerves as her teammates as she quietly sat outside the meeting room.

The Steering Committee building was out of the way of any other academic institute on Hope's Peak's grounds. Nobody ever came here unless they were either a very important member of the Academy staff, or in some SERIOUS trouble.

In fact, she might become one of the few students at Hope's Peak who ever SAW the Steering Committee...assuming she was even able to stay as one after this meeting.

So Kaede could only expect the worst. However, she smacked herself, trying to make sure she remained positive. She retained a smile as a man dressed in black left the room and called her in.

She felt her body tremble as she came face to face with Wakaba, Tomita, Ashikawa, and Uragami, all four of them sitting adjacent to her, next to each other, eyeing her up and down. Kaede couldn't even begin to imagine what they were thinking. The man in the suit who had invited her in exited shortly after fulfilling his duty, leaving Kaede alone with the older gentlemen.

"Ms Kaede Akamatsu..." the portly Tomita, who was smiling at her warmly, was the first to open his mouth to speak, "How are you feeling?"

"I'm...alright...I suppose..." Kaede gulped.

"Apologies that we're not being courteous enough to offer you a seat of your own," Tomita reached over on the desk as the other committee members glared at her, grabbing a slip of paper, "truthfully, we would like this to be over and done with as soon as possible, without any sort of fanfare, if that's ok with you."

Kaede nodded, having expected as much. It still hurt her inside though, and no matter what, she had to force herself not to cry.

"Now...To business...Just the other day, you were present at a public performance, showing off your skills in the spotlight at the Tokyo Dome. One of the biggest and most famous venues in Japan," Tomita read from the paper, "reportedly, the crowd was very enamored by your performance, but during the finale, your mother, Kirie Kaede, stepped forward and confessed to a multitude of crimes, including bribery and extortion. Is that correct?"

"Yes sir..." Kaede looked down at her feet, grabbing the hem of her dress with her hands, her body trembling as she tried to choke back her tears and prepare for the worst.

"And are you able to confirm whether such egregious crimes are true or not?" Tomita asked.

"Yes, sir..." Kaede clenched her fist, "they are."

One of the committee members exhaled a sigh, but Kaede wasn't looking to see which one. However, to her surprise, Tomita suddenly started to chuckle.

"I see..." Tomita nodded, "Well...results are results. They won't change. That's the unfortunate reality of our world, but we just have to accept it..."

She suddenly felt her heart jump and looked back up towards them as Tomita handed the paper to Ashikawa next to him, who gave it a quick read over himself.

"In fact, you'll be glad to know as well that we had many positive reports of your performance. So many, that we've come to a decision," Uragami unveiled, "as you are already aware, final exams for this semester will be coming up shortly. We've been gifted a recording of your performance at the Dome and, should you wish, we will submit that to the examiners in place of a demonstration. You may still be required to be present to explain your thinking process, but you won't have to work

"After everything that happened, I believe it would do you the world of good," Ashikawa put the paper down and smiled at her, "just make sure to apply even greater efforts to your piano playing in the future..."

"Um...Thank you..." Kaede nodded, "but...is this really ok? I'm not...going to be expelled?"

"See!" Tomito scowled at Uragami next to him, "I TOLD you she would be worried about that!"

"Kaede Akamatsu..." Wakaba replied, reading off what looked to be a register, "You are classmates with the Ultimate Tennis Pro, is that correct?"

"Ryoma Hoshi? Yeah, he's my classmate...We're pretty good friends actually..." she confessed.

"Then I'm sure you're already aware that before his induction into Hope's Peak, he was tried for the crime of mass murder against a small Yakuza organization, killing its members with a tennis racket and an iron ball?" Wakaba smiled, "and yet despite that, we still insisted that he attend Hope's Peak Academy before serving his sentence proper."

Kaede cringed. She DID know this, but it still made her sick thinking about it. Ryoma was such a chill guy normally, so the thought of him actually doing this didn't sit right with her.

"It is not uncommon for those with prior criminal records to attend Hope's Peak Academy. Such as the likes of your upperclassmen, Kuzuryu, Owada, or Fukawa," Wakaba continued, "We at Hope's Peak believe that they still pose potential, and need only apply it in a good way; and that this is a far better alternative to simply putting them in prison or juvenile hall where it would all go to waste. Essentially, we do not judge people based on their past. Only on what they can bring to the future."

"You, in this manner, are even less of a case," Ashikawa explained, "yes, your mother did indeed cause some societal upsets, but that does not define who YOU are. So long as you continue to prove you deserve the title of Ultimate Pianist, you will be allowed to continue attending this school as a student of Class 79."

"However, we WILL be opening an investigation to uncover whether or not your mother may have bribed our staff into getting you accepted," Uragami told her, "but again, you've more than shown that you are capable on the level of an Ultimate, so even if we do find evidence, we won't be so quick to let you go. There are still people out there who care about you, and the world still needs someone like you. That is all."

"Th-Thank you!" Kaede beamed and bowed graciously. After being handed a few more documents and made to sign a paper as proof that the meeting was held, Kaede was escorted out.

Kaede exchanged some brief pleasantries with the security staff and then watched as they went back inside the building. She didn't quite know what to do from this point on. She supposed she could just wait until the lunch break ended and go to her final lecture for the day.

That way, she'd be able to meet up with Shuichi, Kaito, and Maki, and ask them what they thought about the performance. Then again, she fully expected their minds would be on something else.

She had made good on her promise with Shuichi to go and eat dinner somewhere together after the day was done but had done so secretly behind Kaito and Maki's backs. She wasn't quite ready to face them at the time and wasn't sure if she was even ready now.

"Still...I should probably let Shuichi and the others know that I'm safe..." Kaede reached into her skirt and pulled out her phone to send her classmates and friends a text, but then, she stopped as she heard something from the fence nearby.

"Psst! Oi!"

Someone was whispering, calling out to her in a hushed voice. She lifted her head towards the shrubbery, pushed it aside, and almost fell over when she saw who it was that was poking their head through the gate.

"KAORI-!?"

"SHUSH!" her twin sister spat back, "be quiet, or that beefy dude in the coat will catch me!"

"What are you doing here!?" Kaede exclaimed, keeping her voice down so as to not alert Sakakura or any of the other security staff. Kaori sketchily looked around, being very careful to make sure no one was watching before she turned back and answered.

"Can you come outside?" she asked, "I need to chat with you..."

Kaede complied and quickly stepped out of the academy gates. As established before, she wasn't REQUIRED to attend classes so long as she dedicated her time to developing her skills with the piano, and she did that anyway during her free time.

And based on what the committee had told her, she'd earned some time off anyway. So there shouldn't have been too many complications...At least she hoped.

Swear To My Bones - Persona 5

"Sorry for dropping in so suddenly..." Kaori sniffed.

"I'm just surprised to see you here..." Kaede greeted her sister with a cheerful smile, "usually our roles are reversed, you know? I'm the one who always comes chasing after you..."

"Don't get it twisted...You just got out of a meeting with the academy big shots, huh?" she asked.

"Wait, how did you know that?" Kaede's eyes widened. Kaori crossed her arms and pouted.

"I had a run-in with one of your classmates...I think her name was Shinigami or something?"

"You mean "Tsumugi...?"" Kaede corrected

"Yeah, that sounds more right...Anyway, I think she mistook me for you and then explained everything to me..." Kaori affirmed, "so...uh...how'd it go?"

"Better than I thought! I didn't get expelled if that's what you're wondering," Kaede chuckled, "I really did think they were gonna explode on me or something! But they just told me that they expect greater efforts from me in the future."

"I kinda thought they'd be a lot harder on you too..." Kaori admitted, "but...what kind of demand is that? What are you even supposed to do with that?"

"Hell if I know..." Kaede grinned and shrugged. Kaori pursed her lips and shook her head.

The two sisters stared into one another's eyes in a moment of awkward silence, not sure what to say...However, they ended up stepping forward and opening up at the same time.

"Hey, I'm sorry-"

The sisters said this in unison, which understandably put them both off. They spent what felt like a minute accidentally cutting one another off while attempting to apologize. Kaede chuckled while Kaori blushed.

"I'm sorry...Go on, you go first." Kaede said.

"Alright...Thanks..." Kaori nodded, "I...You were right...about something...I've been a horrible sister...and a horrible person...And I'm sorry for the way I've been treating you..."

"It's...It's ok..." she said, "I think I made it pretty clear how I felt about it all and...I don't think I need to say or do much more..."

"Yeah, my jaw still hurts by the way..." Kaori jeered. Kaede laughed.

"It hurt...a lot...But I understood what you were going through..." the Pianist continued, "so...I don't resent you, even if you did hurt me."

"It wasn't just you I was unfair to either..." Kaori clutched her elbow, still refusing to make eye contact, "As I said a few days ago, I can't forgive Kirie, but I can try to forget...That doesn't excuse me for spitting on Dad's memories like I did..."

"Kaori, that's not-"

"No, please, just...Let me speak..." she interjected, "I didn't want to focus on the fact that Dad passed away because I didn't want to end up like Kirie...She couldn't accept that Dad wasn't coming back and that twisted her into what she became...But ignoring the fact that he's not coming back, and ignoring how he might have felt about this whole situation...That's just as bad..."

"I can promise you...If he's looking down on us right now, he won't take any offense," Kaede assured her, "if I understand, then I'm certain he would too."

"Heh...As always, assuming you can put yourself in the shoes of anyone..." Kaori jerked her around, but still smiled, "but for real I...If I have to say it...I miss him...a lot..."

"Me too..." Kaede sighed sadly.

"And...I just can't stop hating myself for everything that happened...Everything I did and said to you like you don't matter to me!" Kaori's face became desperate and upset, "I mean...I still think you're kinda crazy for believing EVERYTHING will work out in the end, but...you never did anything wrong and you deserve to feel the brunt of my rage like that! And I KNOW it's hypocritical and so SO stupid, but-!"

"KAORI!" Kaede snapped, cutting her off, "calm...down...please?"

Kaori, now slowly but surely beginning to cry, stopped and composed herself. She finally turned her head back to her sister and looked straight into her eyes.

"You were right...Dad wouldn't want us to be like this...He'd want us to help each other..." she said, "but I still can't help but think it's too late for us to reconcile...Even if I really want to..."

"Why do you think that?" Kaede suddenly gripped her sisters' shoulders, "that couldn't be more wrong! I don't care what you've done, or who you become! You're still my sister, and I still care about you! And I know you care about me as well, otherwise, you would never have come here...!"

"You might not think that, but I do," Kaori told her, "I've changed...even if you haven't..."

Kaede paused for a moment, still holding onto her sisters' shoulders.

"Ok...Then let me ask you this," she said, "why did you destroy my piano?"

"What?"

"Sure, you were angry at me because you didn't understand me...and that's on me for not explaining myself..." she told her, "but your fight and disagreements were with Mom, not me. So why did you break my things? Was it because you figured we had the same dream and wanted to spite us both?"

Kaori, though still evidently upset, put her hands in her pockets, tapping her foot as she gave it some patient thought.

"I don't know...I hate myself for ever thinking that was a good idea...but I don't think I was really thinking anything at that time..."

"And why was it you decided to come talk to me, even though I promised you I wouldn't come looking for you?" she asked.

"Again I...I don't know..."

Kaede beamed.

"Well, there you go then!"

"Huh? Th-The hell do you mean "there you go then!?" What are you on about!?"

"You HAVEN'T changed Kaori," Kaede told her, "back then, and even now, you're still doing whatever stupid thing your brain tells you. Living your life by instinct, just like the both of us did when we were kids."

"Hey!" Kaori punched her arm, "who's stupid!?"

Kaede burst out laughing, despite the pain that shot up her arm. Kaori marveled at her uncontrollable hysterics, and then...without realizing it...joined in. The two of them laughed and laughed for what felt like a long time, even though it was only a minute at most.

This was the first time in a while that they had been happy in each other's company.

"Alright...fine...I guess I can be honest with you once..." Kaori admitted, "I do want to...fix things...Even though I was okay with the idea of going our separate ways, I know that...I'm the reason a lot of things are tense between us..."

"No, it's Mom-...Kirie's fault, not yours..." Kaede told her.

"It's mine for letting her get to my head," Kaori brushed this off, "Look I just...Above everything else, I need to tell you I'm sorry...Kaede, I'm sorry for being such a piece of shit..."

Kaede scoffed.

"I was a piece of shit too...I thought I could fix everything on my own...I guess we both need to think about that and work on some stuff..." Kaede suggested.

"You'll be fine," Kaori told her, "you're a nice person. You've got lots of friends who are gonna have your back, even when shit hits the fan."

"Well, that's rich coming from you..." Kaede shot a glance over her shoulder, "Veronika, Toshiro, and Li know that I can see them, right?"

Kaori rolled her eyes and looked over her shoulder. Her three besties from her gang, Veronika, Li, and Toshiro, had apparently tagged along for the ride here. Kaede figured, from the way the three of them were, unsuccessfully, hiding behind a truck that was parked on the side of the road, that they had done so without Kaori's consent and were spying on them out of concern for their leader.

"Those bastards..." Kaori spat.

"Even if you left, I'm still glad you made friends like that..." Kaede smiled. Kaori chuckled.

"Yeah...they're the best...not that I'll ever admit that..." she said, "anyway...I guess I'm done..."

"Wait, you're leaving?" Kaede interrupted her sister as Kaori turned and began to saunter off, "after all that?"

"Yeah, I should...I should probably go..." she sighed, "wouldn't wanna stay somewhere this prestigious and whatever...I'd be way out of my element."

Kaede sighed.

"Even after all this, you're still so worried about status..."

"I'm not worried about it," Kaori stuck her nose to the sky, "you're the special one and I'm not. That's how it's always been, and I'm ok with that now. I don't need, nor want to be special. Especially after all this...So...I'll see you around."

"You'll see...me around?" Kaede parroted.

Kaori kept walking but took one last glance back towards her sister with a smirk.

"This ain't exactly the best time to say goodbye, is it?" she shrugged.

This was probably the best Kaede could hope to get. Technically, she'd done it. She'd reconciled with her sister. They'd both apologized. That was all that really needed to happen.

Pushing for anything else beyond this point would probably put them right back where they had started. Maybe neither of them had changed since they were kids, but that didn't mean their lives hadn't. Now, they were just two girls in the world, no parents to tell them what to do or say, and with their own decisions to make.

Kaori had made her decisions, and Kaede needed to respect them...She knew that imposing herself onto her sister as she had done for so long was, frankly...selfish. And yet...

...

She really was selfish...

"Kaori!"

Kaori stopped as her name was called. She looked over her shoulder as Kaede hurried after her.

"Hey, so um...I just remembered something. Mom promised me after the Tokyo Dome performance was done, we'd go get something nice to eat together..." she explained, "but um..."

"Oh...yeah, that's probably not happening now..." Kaori nodded, sucking air through her teeth.

"Well, I still have the reservation booked at the place..."

"Guess you'd better get to canceling that...Hopefully, you'll get some decent money back?"

"Well, why don't you come with me instead?"

This was enough to get Kaori to fully turn around, raising an eyebrow.

"You want me...to go with you...to some fancy dining?" she asked.

"Well, no, not FANCY fancy! Just like...go there, eat a nice meal and some yummy dessert?" Kaede shrugged, "I just...you know...If I'm gonna go out and eat at a place for two...I want to go with my family."

Kaori's body tensed up, and she couldn't help the corners of her mouth curling up into a smile. Her eyes twinkled with joy, no matter how she tried to hide it.

"Okay...sure...!" she grinned.

And Kaede couldn't help but beam right back at her.

The Biggest Tragic Event in Human History - Danganronpa 3: The End of Hope's Peak Academy

However, at the same time the sisters were planning their date, something else was stirring in the building that Kaede had just left.

The Steering Committee packed up their things but were now joined by multiple men in lab coats, all of whom carried important documents. Ashikawa gave them some instructions and

"See? I told you it wouldn't be that bad..." Wakaba told them. Ashikawa sighed and clutched his balding scalp.

"Kaede wasn't the problem. She didn't do anything wrong, and expelling her would only give us some much-undeserved heat from the public," he grumbled, "which, thanks to these goddamn Phantom Thieves, we're being closely watched by."

"Hey..." Tomita, having dropped his cheerful front to return to his typical cowardly demeanor, trembled and sucked on his chubby fingers, "I-I know you are going to be angry at me for asking this but...with everything that's been going on...How long do you think it will be until the Phantom Thieves come for us?"

Despite often being the most angry at the table, to the other steering members' surprise, Ashikawa inhaled and exhaled a deep sigh, but did little more to show his nerves and frustration.

"I doubt very long...In fact, I wouldn't be surprised if we were that group's main goal..." he eventually replied, resting his chin on his interlocked fingers, "give it some thought for a moment. Be the connections loose or not, every major target the Phantom Thieves have exposed is somehow connected to us here at Hope's Peak. Towa was a contractor we hired to help build the Elementary School, and the flack started when rumors were circulating of us covering up his crimes...As for Kirigiri and Kaede, their family members are Hope's Peak students. That's enough of a connection for the school to earn scornful eyes from the public, so...I can't say we're exactly safe..."

Tomita reacted as one would expect him to and quaked in his boots. Uragami began to sweat bullets and bit his thumb. Even the ever-smiling Wakaba's expression deadpanned in concern. Ashikawa shook his head.

"But that's ONLY assuming we don't play our cards right..." he said immediately after.

Curiously, the rest of the Steering Committee watched him stand up and walk to the corner of the study, taking a neatly packed file off a shelf, then striding back towards the desk, reading its contents aloud.

"To summarize, despite the many rumors, Hope's Peak Academy hasn't committed any crimes. So far, all of the criticisms towards us have been redirected back towards Jin Kirigiri and Kazuo Tengan, god bless their souls," he said, "any other grievances that may have been presented have since been taken care of, and faded into irrelevancy. Of course...that's excluding one thing..."

Ashikawa put the file down and reached under the desk, picked up a laptop underneath it, put it on his desk, and opened it up. In the middle of his home screen was a strange red and black icon that resembled an eye.

"Ah...The Metaverse Navigation App..." Wakaba smirked, "even now, we're still exploring that world and trying to understand it, and the potential it holds for our future...We've taken advantage of it where we could so far, but if the world were to find out that such a thing existed..."

"With the Phantom Thieves clearly utilizing the same application, that's even more likely," Ashikawa remarked, "the police are already on the hunt for them to figure out how they tick, due to the uproar they've created in society. If they do find out, then I dread to imagine how they would react to find out we possess the same method...much less what WE'VE been using it for...And if the Phantom Thieves DO continue to go after targets connected to Hope's Peak, and if they continue to gain influence among society, it won't be long until SOMEBODY calls an investigation into Hope's Peak and discovers EVERYTHING..."

"THEN we're in trouble..." Wakaba contemplated, "I see...If the government and police back the investigation, it will reach us, and there's NOTHING we can do about it..."

"I hope you're not intending to scrap the project," Uragami commented, "even if it would save our necks, the Cultivation Team has already created a near-perfect specimen. We can't just pull the rug out from under them."

"W-W-Worst comes to worst, th-they may unleash that person onto us...!" Tomita trembled, "w-we won't stand a chance!"

"Get it together, man!" Ashikawa snapped, "though...you ARE right...Though there's still so much we don't know about the Metaverse even as a concept, we're so close to achieving our ultimate goals using it...No matter what comes our way, be it the government, the Phantom Thieves, the cultivation team, or something just as bad, we can't afford to lose this..."

"So..." Wakaba sneered, "are you implying that we will hide it?"

Ashikawa went quiet...Between Wakaba's snide grin and Tomita and Uragami's worried expressions, all three stared at him waiting for his response.

"It wouldn't be the first time we've used our influence and power to deflect the blame or cover up whatever conspiracies around us...And it's not inherently difficult for us either..." Wakaba reminded him, "Push comes to shove, we can forge accounts and alibis and silence those who speak out. Of course, it's harsh, and dare I say criminal, but it's in the best interest of humanity and the future, is it not?"

"For once..." Ashikawa sighed, "I wish you were right..."

"What?" Tomita stammered as Ashikawa closed his laptop, "wh-what do you mean?"

Ashikawa once again, after putting his laptop back under the desk, stood up and started to pace the room, collecting his thoughts, unfortunately, and painfully aware that his cohorts were all giving baffled, disgruntled, and confused stares at him.

The stare wasn't piercing. That was not nearly as uncomfortable as it was. Ashikawa could feel every hair on his body tingling as three grumpy old men stared at him as if they were one and the same. He wiped some perspiration from his brow and looked up at his fellow compatriots.

Unintentionally, Ashikawa scoffed and his face broke into a bitter smile. He supposed this was the way things had to be. Well, okay. Not that he was expecting anything different. Those emotions wreaking havoc inside his heart, he stared back at them with determination.

"Let me clarify one thing," he underlined. "I gave the situation a lot of thought before making this decision. Now that things have gotten out of hand, I'm not making this decision at the last minute."

He paused to make sure they were listening. Then he continued.

"Wakaba is right...This is not an irregular choice for us to make, nor is it the first time we have ever opted to cut off a conspiracy that may reach this office," Ashikawa gestured to the ground for emphasis, "but unlike those other times, it will not be easy to deal with this specific incident. Regardless of whether we confess out of fear or whether our hearts DO change, it doesn't even matter if each and every one of us somehow "takes responsibility." We're dealing with a problem that exists in a completely different dimension, and I mean that VERY LITERALLY."

Wakaba quietly nodded. Uragami tapped his foot and scratched his head. Tomita looked like he was ready to burst.

"However, I don't think the premise of Hope's Peak Academy - that talent is humanity's greatest hope - is false. You have to understand that we will probably lose all power regarding the Phantom Thieves incident, as well as the Hope Cultivation Plan if it leaves the school's walls. That would be a tremendous loss for humanity, in my opinion. And I am aware that a large number of graduates feel the same way among the staff and students. Even Jin Kirigiri and Kazuo Tengan would undoubtedly concur if they were present with me."

"Yeah, I understand that..." Uragami affirmed, "so what are we going to do?"

"I have a plan..." Ashikawa stated, "I can take care of the filing, the management of equipment, and potentially compensating the Cultivation Team for the setbacks. The real problem is...that boy."

"So what do you intend to do?" Wakaba asked, "not eliminate him, surely?"

Ashikawa shook his head.

"We have no choice but to transfer him to one of our sister schools. If he stays here, an investigation into the school will uncover the plan very quickly. We need to move all our assets to a safer location, and that includes

"But how do you intend to do that?" Tomita asked, "we can't exactly move so much equipment without being noticed, or with someone else asking what we're doing with it..." However, in response, Ashikawa chuckled.

"Then I suppose we should consider ourselves lucky," he smirked, "within just under a month, we will have the perfect cover. Everybody in and out of Hope's Peak will be far too distracted to notice anything we might be cooking up..."

It took them a second to realize what he was talking about, but it clicked first with Uragami, who gasped.

"The Hope's Peak Academy Summer Sports Festival!" he exclaimed.

"Exactly!" Ashikawa grinned, waving a finger triumphantly, "It's the perfect cover. It's an annual event, and an important one, which means there's no chance anyone will try to stop it without good reason. If we can convince everyone else that we're putting our staff's attention on the Sports Festival, there won't be any causes for concern from either the student and staff body, as well as those from outside the academy walls who are coming in for the event.

"You do realize that some people may use the event as a means of coming to snoop around, right?" Wakaba reminded him, "are you prepared for that?"

"Well, I suppose in that instance, I will have to take your advice..." Ashikawa's expression darkened, "forge accounts and alibis and silence those who speak out...I believe that's how you put it?"

"Very well...Then assuming this is our plan, I won't waste any time in letting the Cultivation Team and our special guest know..." Wakaba nodded.

With that, the elderly man with dark glasses patted Ashikawa on the shoulder and made his exit, leaving him with the slightly more reassured Uragami, and the still-trembling Tomita.

Not many people knew this about Hope's Peak Academy, and not many students or staff really paid attention to it, but within the center of the courtyard was a well-kept statue of a very important figure in Hope's Peak's history. Though even by the standards of the Academy and its prestigious and long-running history, the figure it depicted had long since faded into obscurity.

Not to someone like Wakaba though. The man that this statue resembled was his hero. His very basis for being a part of Hope's Peak Academy in the first place and the future he was trying to make was based on this idol's depiction of it...

Izuru Kamukura...The Founder of Hope's Peak Academy.

Although not much was known about Kamukura, it was known that he founded Hope's Peak Academy with the intention of developing individual talent in order to inspire hope in both the school and the community.

The Steering Committee, who were interested in utilizing the school's initial functionality for a greater purpose, took over and controlled Hope's Peak after he died.

Simply put, Ashikawa's sympathetic speech earlier was little more than a fad, and the rest of the Committee knew it. He was just out for himself. As were the rest of them.

However, that wasn't really what interested the scientists whom the Steering Committee worked with...the team of their master project, the Hope Cultivation plan...

Something else that only a few people knew about Izuru thanks to his legacy fading into obscurity, was the rumors surrounding his own capabilities as a person...His own Ultimate Talents...

Plural.

It was claimed that Izuru possessed all of the talents that Hope's Peak Academy had spent years studying if not all of them. The Academy's trustees declared him the Ultimate Hope because, in their opinion, ultimate talent represents humanity's best chance.

Something like that though, shouldn't have been possible...in theory...

Wakaba sighed, realizing he might as well get this over with and be a good messenger boy. He reached over and pushed a hidden button on the statue with his finger, at the same time stepping on a secret lever with his foot.

Within a moment, a large hole opened up in the ground leading to a hidden staircase under the statue. Wakaba descended the dank, dark stairs with caution to avoid slipping and falling on the wet ones, and at the bottom, he came to a big iron door. A projected voice came from a panel next to the door.

[Who's there?]

"It's Wataru Wakaba. Let me in," he demanded bluntly.

Wakaba's expression changed from serious to pleasant when the door opened. A big indentation of the academy symbol hovered over him as he entered the room, and a few men in lab coats and suits gave him a fleeting nod of acknowledgment before carrying on with their conversation about who really cares what. Wakaba himself approached a lone man in the center, who seemed to be anticipating his arrival.

"Mr Wakaba. Greetings. What brings you here by yourself today? Admittedly, we weren't prepared for you."

"It's fine...I'm not here for anything grandiose," he assured the researcher, "but...there has been a change of plan. Pace yourself, good man."

"Why? What happened?"

"Surely you've heard the news," Wakaba explained, "Kirie Kaede's confession at the Tokyo Dome has given the Committee enough cause for concern. Any more incidents that may arise will result in an investigation into the Academy and this plan being rumbled as a result. We don't wish to put a pause on your research, but we will have to relocate it."

"I understand..." the researcher nodded, "what do you need me to do?"

"First of all, grab every important piece of equipment, documentation, and file and put it somewhere you can safely store it. We'll bring trucks and other such vehicles to transfer it to a sister location on the day of the Sports Festival, so we can do so without attracting attention," Wakaba explained, "and even if the files aren't necessary, don't leave any evidence behind. Even if the investigators discover this place, it won't matter if there's nothing left inside it."

"And what of...you know who?" the researcher gestured over his shoulder, "we can't exactly take him out of here as easily with the rest of our stuff..."

"I'm sure we can stand to leave him by himself for a few days...He's a mature young man, he can stay a few days home alone without getting into any trouble..." Wakaba smiled, "in fact, I'll go and tell him the news myself right now."

"W-Wait! He's napping right now!" the researcher tried to stop him, but Wakaba ignored him. Wakaba walked through a clearing and looked through a glass window into a dark research station. However, knowing what was inside it, he tapped gently on the glass with a smile and said...

"Time to wake up...Izuru Kamukura..."

And within the research station...

Something stirred...

Chapter End Notes

So you guys are getting the chapter early because it's my birthday tomorrow and I have lots of other shit to do as a result.
Happy Birthday to me.
But I figured it would be cool to leave you guys on a bit of a cliffhanger near the end for this one as we finally put the Kaede Arc behind us for real, and step into what may be our most interesting chapter yet. Who could this mysterious character be?
Find out next time! Or rather in a few chapters or so!
Thank you for reading. I love to get feedback from my readers, so feel free to leave a comment, and some kudos if you feel up to it.

Professional Baggage Carrier

Chapter Summary

Makoto shifts away from his Phantom Thief-related missions and starts to tackle some of the problems in his daily life.

Chapter Notes

See the end of the chapter for notes

"I don't believe you!" Toko snapped, "how can you be so talented and yet so unbearably dense!"

"Hey!" Kaede stammered back "I-I said I was sorry!"

"S-Sorry's not gonna cut it!" Toko spat back, her classic stutter starting to resurface due to her frustration, "do you have ANY IDEA how WORRIED we all were! We thought you'd been expelled, and when you didn't show up later in the day, we were even more convinced! But NO! You were just ditching class and goofing off WITHOUT TELLING US!"

She pulled out her phone and opened the messenger app, showing it to Kaede with crazed eyes.

"See that!? That's the SEND button! It just takes ONE TEXT!"

"Hey, look, I really can't say anything other than I'm sorry! I was having such a good time that I got distracted and...forgot!" Kaede was practically on her hands and knees, begging, "I'll buy you some cake and tea as an apology, and we'll call it even!"

"NO!" Toko growled.

"Um...cookies then!?" Kaede continued to bargain. Toko could only pinch the bridge of her nose and grumble.

"Kaede...you are incredibly talented and deserve all the good things that happen to you, but I wish you would think before you act a little more," Toko pursed her lips, "being the responsible one is KILLING me, and the last thing I need is ANOTHER Komaru!"

"Hey!" Komaru sitting next to Toko, shot her a look.

"Alright, ALRIGHT, everybody just calm down!" Monomi hopped in the middle in an attempt to diffuse the situation, "Toko. Even though Kaede did make a mistake, and you have a right to be frustrated, you must consider that she was spending time with her twin sister whom she hasn't been in a friendly relationship with for years. Kirie's arrest may be the thing she needs to rekindle that love between one another, so can you really fault her for prioritizing it?"

"I mean..." Toko shifted in place awkwardly, "when you put it like that..."

"Come now, I think we've berated Kaede enough...or rather, Toko has..." Makoto chimed in, "this is a celebration of a job well done, you know?"

In the Thieves Den, Makoto and the team had set up a horigotatsu on the floor, and Komaru had brought and cooked some tasty food for a celebratory meal in the wake of Kirie's defeat. Kaede had not gotten back to the team until that morning after spending the rest of the evening with her sister, trying to make amends, hence Toko's frustration, but fortunately, Makoto was able to bring them back to the point at hand. He stood up at the head of the table, with Toko, Komaru, and Kyoko on one side, and Shuichi and Kaede on the other, with Monomi at the far end with her own small bowl of food.

The mean consisted of a makeshift buffet, which included pizza, sandwiches, pancakes, hamburgers, smoothies, and basically a smorgasbord of treats made to each member's liking. Makoto cleared his throat and began speaking.

"Now then...In celebration of defeating Kirie Kaede and changing her heart, and in honor of a much brighter future for all of us around this table...CHEERS!"

"CHEERS!" the rest of the Phantom Thieves...cheered, and as Makoto sat back down, they clinked their glasses together.

Beautiful Days - Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc

Komaru and Kaede wasted no time in stuffing their faces, and neither did Monomi, who had a variety of vegetables in her bowl already. Shuichi and Makoto, while more moderate, paced themselves, and even Toko seemed ready to gouge down. Kyoko however, seemed a bit reluctant.

"I know this is a party and that I joined you for hot-pot..." she skeptically picked up a slice of pizza with extra cheese, "but I'm still not quite sure what to make of all these fatty and sugary foods...I wouldn't eat them normally..."

"What's wrong?" Kaede winked, "afraid of the calories?"

"Ah, yes, Kyoko Kirigiri's one weakness - calories!" Shuichi snarked. Everyone laughed.

"For you, that was pretty good!" Komaru beamed, "also, Kyoko, didn't you say you liked sweets?"

"Not this many at once..." she confessed, "with pizza and hamburgers on top of it..."

"It's fine. You deserve a treat for having worked so hard," Komaru smacked her back, "consider this your cheat day! Mm...MANGH THIF IF GUD!"

Komaru grabbed a big slice of cake and tried to eat it in one bite. Kyoko shrugged and slowly began to eat the pizza.

"I don't think I worked THAT hard..." she said beforehand, "your contributions were much more important. Even I can admit that."

"Of course, while in the mood of celebration, we can't forget about who this party is really for," Monomi raised her head and perked up her ears, "we would probably never have been able to get through that Palace so swimmingly if it wasn't for Kaede!"

"I agree!" Shuichi also perked up, "her musical talents and knowledge of her mother's background really came in clutch!"

"O-Oh c'mon...!" Kaede began to become very flustered, trying and failing to hide her blush, "It wasn't ALL me! If I'd been by myself, I'd have been screwed. I know a lot about being a musician, but not much about being a Phantom Thief after all...It was everyone's hard work that made it happen."

"Bua shtill thinkk u weked he hargest Kaeee-an!" Komaru mumbled.

"Kokichiru!" Toko snapped, "don't talk with your mouth full!" Komaru got another slice of pizza, crammed it into her mouth, and quickly chewed and swallowed.

"Sorry!" she blushed, "what I was trying to say was that I still think you worked the hardest, Kaede!"

"I have to agree," Makoto added, "even if you are the newbie, you and that insane power you have was a huge part of why we were able to take Kirie down. Give yourself some more credit at least!"

"When did you guys even have the time to think that up?" Komaru asked. Shuichi shrugged.

"I'm not really sure...It was kind of an improvised technique, but I knew if we leaned into it, we'd seal the deal," he admitted, "but we WERE saying we make a good team."

"We really do!" Kaede gave Shuichi a fist bump, "honestly, it's kind of like you and Toko."

"I guess!" Komaru grinned, "we have a pretty cool finishing move too!"

"Yeah, I didn't notice..." Makoto took a sip of his smoothie, which for some reason tested slightly more salty.

"I detect some sarcasm in that slurp, did I miss something?" she asked.

"Not much...other than the fact that I was the TARGET...!" Makoto shot Komaru a glare.

"You were being controlled by Kirigiri and trying to kill us!" Komaru asserted, "besides, it worked with Shuichi's plan, didn't it? You lived!"

"Barely!" Makoto snapped back.

"Must suck though, huh? You don't have anyone to do fancy double team moves with," Toko decided to join in on the teasing, "how's it feel being the only one who doesn't have a partner?"

"I have a partner! I have Monomi! A-And Kyoko in a sense!" Makoto gestured to the other end of the table, "right guys!?"

Monomi smiled and nodded, but Kyoko on the other hand reacted very differently.

*sob* *sniffle*...

"Kyoko!?" Makoto exclaimed, seeing that Kyoko was crawling up into a human ball, practically sucking on her pizza, a sight which alarmed the other Phantom Thieves as well, "wh-what's wrong!? Are you ok!?"

"Huh...!?" Kyoko lifted her head, her eyes watering.

"Oh no...D-Do you not like pizza!? A-Are you allergic!?" Kaede panicked.

"Who's allergic to PIZZA!?" Komaru exclaimed.

"N-No, no, it's not that! I-I like pizza! I love it in fact!" she sobbed, "it's just...I haven't eaten one in such a long time...! And it's just SO DELICIOUS!"

"That it's making you CRY!?" Toko guffawed, "Kyoko Kirigiri, the cold, stoic, badass Ultimate Detective was moved to tears by a slice of pizza!?"

"It occurs to me that you might be putting me on too high a pedestal..." Kyoko wiped her eyes and couldn't help falling into a fit of giggles, "there's no way around it, it's REALLY tasty."

"There, there," Shuichi comforted her while the rest of the team burst out laughing, "take my handkerchief."

"It's alright...I've got my own..." Kyoko sniffled.

"W-Well!" Komaru wiped her own eyes, which were crying with laughter, "there's still lots left and maybe more to come, so take your time eating it!"

Makoto was laughing too, but relaxed and smiled at his lavender-haired classmate. Honestly, Kyoko was usually so mature and had a mental age that was at least three times that of her 16-year-old body, but even then she sometimes failed to look after herself and was fairly out of touch with her own generation.

No thanks to her twisted grandfather and the fact she spent most of her life growing up around men and women much older than her.

He secretly swore to himself that he'd endeavor to look out for her in the future, though since confessing this would lead to lots of teasing and maybe a punch to the face, he kept his mouth shut.

Instead, he brought the conversation back to the point.

"What I was TRYING to say," Makoto said, "is that Kaede's inclusion in our group comes with basically nothing but benefits. And should she decide to stick with us in the future, it'll let us do a lot more with our heists."

"So? ARE you going to stay?" Komaru asked, "honestly, we'd be pretty boned if you didn't. Well, maybe not BONED, but it'd still suck."

"Wow, way to sell it to me," she crossed her arms sarcastically, "of course I'll stay! I've made lifelong friends with you guys! I don't just let friends come and go so easily."

"We've definitely powered up," Toko nodded, "but...we can't rest on our laurels. Not yet."

"Why not?" Kaede asked.

"Well, aside from the fact that there are still lots of terrible people out in the world, as well as the Steering Committee, let's not forget...we've now basically gotten confirmation that we're not alone in that other world...And our roommate isn't as nice as we are..."

Toko obviously didn't mean to bring down the mood, but she was bringing up the important point. Kyoko had suspected there was another Metaverse user somewhere that was responsible for the mental shutdown instances, but in no universe would they ever have suspected that Kaede's father would be one of the victims.

"Kai Kaede passed away about 3 years ago..." Shuichi crossed his arms, "assuming that he really was a victim of our mental shutdown culprit, that means they've been operating on this and have known about the Metaverse far longer than we have."

"Kyoko. You said you were going to try and question Kirie, right?" Makoto asked, "did you end up getting anything out of her?"

"Unfortunately, nothing groundbreaking. She basically told me exactly what her Shadow told you," Kyoko was dismayed, "Kirie clearly knew of the presence of people in the shadows that killed her husband, but she wouldn't have any way of knowing who was behind it or why. Ultimately, my focus right now is on the questioning of the law officials who took bribes and secretly worked with Kirie to bypass the law. They're the more serious problem here, and thanks to Kirie's confession, a doorway has opened up to interrogate them."

"But I guess we can say for sure that there is a person, or people, behind this, right?" Kaede asked, "I don't think Mom would have lied to us about that, especially after undergoing the change of heart."

"If we find out who this person is, we very well might have to fight them," Monomi crossed her paws, "based on how long we assume this character has been at this, we probably aren't ready to take them on yet."

"But that doesn't mean we can't just ignore them!" Toko snapped, "my biggest question is what the hell is their agenda?"

"Agenda?" Komaro parroted.

"Yeah," Toko nodded, "why are they doing this? What's the ultimate end goal?"

"That's a good question," Shuichi affirmed, "where would we even begin to think about that?"

"Well, there is one thing we can do to potentially find our answer," Kyoko chimed in, "we might have to try going about this in reverse."

"Reverse?" Makoto repeated, "what do you mean?"

"Our current line of thinking is we need to find the motivation, and if we do, it will lead us to our culprit," Kyoko explained, "but doing the reverse would mean we look at people who could serve as potential suspects, and discover if they had the means a motive to pull it off."

"So we're focusing on specific individuals, and trying to sus out whether they had the rhyme and reason to commit atrocities like this..." Makoto contemplated her words.

"So how do we do that?" Kaede asked. Kyoko shook her head.

"YOU won't be doing anything. Not yet at least," Kyoko told her, "I may need Shuichi and possibly Monomi's help at some point, but I'll be handling the investigative work alone for now."

"Why?" Makoto asked, "wouldn't it be better for us to work as a team on this?"

"I'm not trying to push you away," Kyoko assured him, "I have more than a few reasons. Sticking as a group while we investigate places will draw people's eyes, and in the likelihood that our culprit has already caught onto me...Well...I already underestimated Kaori Kaede. I won't be making that mistake again."

"So you're trying to protect us?" Komaru asked.

"Something like that," Kyoko nodded, "the other reason is because currently, there are other things you should all be focusing on."

"Like what?" Toko asked, "what could be more important than this?"

Ms. Monomi's Practice Lesson - Danganronpa 2: Goodbye Despair

"Final Exams and the Sports Festival," Kyoko said bluntly, "both of which are coming up soon, and you should be preparing for them as best as you can. As someone who doesn't take the regular exams, I need no such preparations."

"Oh...right..." Toko grumbled, "Sports..."

"Oh...right..." Komaru sighed, "Exams..."

"Haha!" Kaede puffed out her chest, and her nose looked 3 sizes bigger, "too bad for you! I get to skip my exams!"

"Only because you've already put the work in!" Shuichi snapped, "but...yes...This will be our first Sports Festival...How are they normally?"

"How do you THINK they go?" Makoto asked, "considering we've got beasts like Sakura Ogami and Nekomaru Nidai attending?"

"A one-sided beatdown?" Shuichi gave a not-so-shot-in-the-dark guess. Makoto solemnly nodded.

"Don't worry though, they usually are fun," Makoto assured him, "we should probably focus on our exams first and foremost."

"You know, getting easy exams where I just have to do one thing is the only thing that makes me regret not being a Hope's Peak Student like the rest of you," Komaru rested her head on her arms, "that and also being looked down upon by everyone in Ultimate Society..."

"Have you already started studying for your exams, Komaru?" Kyoko asked. The look on her face said it all.

"IIIIIIIIIIII...waaaaas goiiing to start tonight!" Komaru gave an ok sign with her fingers.

Kyoko chuckled.

"You still have your textbooks, right?" she asked, "you did get out of school not too long ago before coming here."

"They're probably full of doodles..." Makoto remarked.

"Shut up!" Komaru snapped, "they're not...FULL of doodles!"

"If if helps you in any way," Kyoko smiled, "I will help you study."

"Really!?" Komaru perked up, "you're sure!?"

"I'm sure. I don't mind," she nodded, "though I do have to be on my way soon, so I can only stay for a little while."

This was good enough, and Komaru quickly went to retrieve her school bag, taking out and dumping her textbooks on the table. Everyone else talked quietly as Makoto's classmate helped mentor his sister, which seemed to be having a positive effect. The Lucky Student opened his ear out as they worked on her maths paper.

"So, you use this formula here...and then you get this...then you add this to this number afterward...and that should give you the answer."

"Ah! I get it! You're very smart Kyoko!"

"Thank you...Now, as for the Japanese paper, this word here can be translated into this, since it shares the same kanji. Do you understand?"

"Uuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuhhhh..."

"A yes or no would be fine..."

"Ugh! Why do I even still have to learn Japanese!? It's the language I SPEAK! Surely the world can't think I'm THAT dumb!" Komaru groaned.

"Well...how well did you do on your Japanese mock exam?" Kyoko asked. Komaru's eyes widened.

"M-Mock exam?" she diverted her gaze, "did uh...did we do one of those?"

"You should have. The schools usually do them this time around last week," Kyoko recalled, "and...they get the results back today actually."

"Oh, do they!?" Komaru forced a giggle, "Funny that!"

"Komaru...Show Kyoko your scores..." Toko deadpanned.

"What!?"

"You must have them on your person if they were given out before the end of school. You're probably hiding them because your scores are bad, aren't you?"

Komaru had an overwhelming look of guilt and shame on her face that said all everyone needed to hear.

Noticing she was getting oppressive looks from Makoto, Kaede, Shuichi, and Monomi too, Komaru shamefully reached into her bag and pulled out a white envelope that had been stuffed in. She opened it up and put her results sheet out on the table.

Most high schools in Japan have a numerical grading system from 5 to 1 with 5 being the highest grade and 1 being the lowest; with 2, i.e. between 50% and 59% of the score, being the bare minimum to be approved or accepted. Komaru's sheet showed a 3 in math, Japanese, and science, and a 2 in music, English, and Moral Studies. The only two subjects where she wasn't on the verge of failing were P.E. and art.

Makoto rolled his eyes. He expected as much. He always knew that his little sister was never that book-smart.

"Um..." Shuichi scratched his face as he eyed the numbers, "I'm...kind of at a loss for words..."

"Yeah, that's bad..." Kaede remarked.

"I knew it..." Toko sighed.

"ALRIGHT! I GET IT, OK!?" Komaru cried, snatching the paper and stuffing it and the envelope back in her bag, "I'm sorry for being dumb as a box of rocks! I-It's not that big of a deal! It's not like I have to be smart to do what I'm told or to be a Phantom Thief!"

"Komaru-Hey! Komaru!" Makoto tried to stop her as she jumped up and headed for the door, "don't run away!"

"Komaru, don't cry!" Monomi jumped up as well, "you're only in your first year! The results of your mock test don't reflect the final product, in fact, the purpose is to show you your expected goal so you can improve! You can be as successful as anyone else"

"That's easy for you to say! You don't get it!" Komaru snapped, beginning to cry, "everyone here is a Hope's Peak student! Your lives are already going to be successful, whether you want them to or not! Meanwhile, I actually have to put in the EFFORT, and the last thing I want to hear is being reminded that I don't have what it takes! Especially since I'm the only person in this group who's not a natural-born genius..."

The Day Before the Future - Danganronpa 2: Goodbye Despair

"Komaru, that's bullshit! We've been over this before, and I really thought we'd moved past it," Toko told her, "even if we assume that something like the lucky ticket of "talent" has any meaning, do you really think it's all that important?"

"I..." Komaru hesitated.

"If you'll permit me to state some harsh truth..." Toko continued, "talent is irrelevant. You'll miss out on other opportunities if you place too much emphasis on your talent. It will be the sole focus of your life, rigid and unyielding. But people like you who don't have an "Ultimate Talent?" You can travel anywhere and take on any role you desire."

"Not with bad grades I can't..." Komaru stropped. Toko grabbed her bag.

"I'm sorry, does that 5 in art mean anything to you!?" Toko glowered, "Look, you might be a bit thick-headed sometimes, but not being talented doesn't mean you aren't smart in your own way! If anything, I'd do anything to swap places with you right now...

"What, being dumb?" Komaru sobbed.

"You're NOT-! Ugh...That's not what I meant...!" Toko spat, "I mean I'd rather take your tests than go to the Sports Festival. If you're doing well in P.E. maybe you could run or do sports for our class instead of me."

"But why should I bother when your class already has Hina-chan and Sakura-chan?" Komaru frowned, "you know, the people who EXCEL at it! I'm not GOOD at P.E. I just don't suck at it, like everything else!"

"And you really think that someone like me, who can't interact with people normally unless I'm with you, excels in every subject? That I'm some kind of natural-born genius?" Toko sighed, "well, that's just not true! The very thought is ridiculous. Besides, it's not like you FAILED anything, you just need to work on a lot."

"Yeah, Toko's right!" Makoto stood up and joined them, "like...I'm in Hope's Peak, sure, but how? Pure luck! What the hell is up with that? Good fortune? It's not a talent! That gives me nothing on which to build!"

Komaru lowered her head, looking guilty that she'd spilled her guts like that and worried everyone.

"I'm sorry, it's just...It's not funny..." she clenched her fist, "even if I haven't failed anything, I just feel so...pointless compared to you guys...I know I shouldn't but...that's just kind of what Hope's Peak has done to me and how much the world has changed because of it...I don't want to look like I'm slacking because you guys are just so cool, and...I feel like I'm not..."

"Fuck being cool! People who want to be cool are just hiding some insecurities that they don't want anyone knowing about or being brought up, because if they do they get they'll get the urge to crawl up into a ball, suck their thumb and cry for their mommies..." Toko scowled.

"Ouch..." Kaede grit her teeth, "Very true but...still, ouch..."

"Hey...You don't have to be good at everything to be worth a shit. There are tons of things that you know how to do that I don't for the life of me," Toko continued to encourage her, "like cooking, and making friends and stuff like that. And don't you dare think I don't suck at a number of school subjects. There are tons of things about schoolwork that I hate."

"Oh yeah? What subjects don't you like?" Komaru raised a curious eyebrow. Toko, not expecting this question, became awkward and paused as she tried to think of one.

"I...I've never been that good at Language Arts for one..." she admitted

"What!?" Makoto guffawed, "but...you're a WRITER! How can you struggle with LANGUAGES of all things!?"

"It's not the writing part I struggle with!" Toko snapped at him, "it's the actual questions they give during language tests and lessons that drive me up the fucking wall! Like "What are the author's intentions," or "Explain the writer's feelings." How should I know and why should I care!?"

"Admittedly, I find that similarly infuriating..." Shuichi raised his hand, "I'm not the greatest at language either."

"Huh? Really? But you speak so eloquently all the time Shuichi," Kaede remarked, "like you were born 50 years before all of us despite being the youngest person in the group!"

"I'm not sure if that's a compliment or an insult..." Shuichi frowned.

"What about you Kaede?" Makoto turned to the pianist girl, "are there any subjects you struggle with?"

"Well...I suppose maths more than anything," Kaede confessed, "I'm not "bad" at it per se, but compared to everything else the average high schooler studies, my head spins out of control every time I'm forced to look at complicated formulae...But to be honest, I'm pretty terrible at studying."

"Really?" Komaru was surprised.

"Yeah, I try and all, but when I'm at home studying by myself, I tend to get distracted..."

"Ugh! I get that!" Makoto clutched his head, "I always start playing games or something..."

"Right!?" Kaede exclaimed.

"No, it's not "right"," Kyoko scolded them, "sorry to be a nag, but I'm saying this for your sake. If you end up getting bad grades or failing your exams, the academy is going to have a more watchful eye on you to make sure you're practicing your talent. That will make it a lot harder for you to find the time to be Phantom Thieves."

"She has a point..." Shuichi nodded, "I am a little worried about the current state of things for all of us."

"In that case, I have a most wonderful idea!" Monomi bounded onto the table and beamed at the group, "Allow Miss Monomi to be your tutor! I'll help you all out with your bad subjects and help Komaru prepare for finals!"

"You're gonna tutor us?" Komaru frowned, "do you even know anything about human school subjects?"

"Remember what I told you? I'm your squeezably soft teacher! And I wouldn't be much of a teacher if I didn't know a lot about studying!" Monomi boasted.

"Oh really?" Kyoko smirked, "what's 5253612 divided by 476?"

"What kind of question is that?" Toko snapped, "How is anyone supposed to know that off the top of their-!?"

"11037!" Monomi answered almost immediately.

"Uuuuh..." Komaru suddenly pulled a calculator out of her bag and did the calculation as Kyoko listed it "she's...right!"

"Damn..." Kyoko raised her eyebrows, heavily impressed.

"I think having Monomi tutor us is a great idea," Shuichi smiled, "maybe Komaru's the only one who really needs it for her finals, but it's nice to come together as a group over a common goal."

"I agree, sure, but...we don't really have a lot of time before our exams come around..." Makoto pointed out, "it'd be nice to stay somewhere and study real hard..."

Everyone thought about it for a moment, but then Kaede Akamatsu lifted her head, her eyes twinkling with excitement!

"I've got an idea! Why don't you guys all come and study around my place this coming Saturday!?" she suggested, "after my Mom...y-y'know...I basically have the place all to myself now, so you guys are free to come around whenever!"

"So the council let you keep the house?" Toko asked, "that's a relief."

"Well, they weren't about to throw me out onto the street! At least I hope they wouldn't!" Kaede laughed, "The plan is that the government agency that works with Hope's Peak is going to pay the council tax on the house for the next 5 years, to cover my period at Hope's Peak, and after I graduate, but basically I'll spend the rest of my life paying that money back to them by working and earning money from my performances."

"That makes sense, but that still leaves a bit of a bitter taste in my mouth, considering we stopped Kirie because of her obsession with using you to make money..." Makoto sighed.

"Girl's gotta make a living somehow. Love your job and you'll never work a day in your life; that's what I say," Kaede shrugged, but then became a little bit flustered, "but uh...since we aren't about to get interrupted or anything...how would you guys feel about maybe...staying the night?"

"Sleeping over?" Komaru's face lit up, "that sounds like a great idea!"

"Indeed! We would get so much done in that case!" Monomi enthused.

"That's true, but..." Shuichi seemed hesitant, "but, are you sure?"

"Absolutely!" Kaede beamed, "In fact, I insist upon it!"

"I'm sorry, but I'm afraid I won't be able to make it," Kyoko sighed, "I tend to work late hours on weekends. I'm sorry."

"It's not a problem!" Kaede assured her, "We can always do another one when you're free!"

"Alright then!" Makoto grinned, "This weekend it's a sleepover at Kaede's!"

"Not a sleepover!" Toko snapped, "STUDY SESSION!"

"R-Right, sorry..." he stuttered

Break it Down - Persona 5

The next weekend wouldn't be that long away now, but in the meantime, Makoto had to study on his own, prepare for the Sports Festival, and run a few errands for his family.

The way the sports event system worked is that every class would compete across all the years, so it was highly likely that Makoto's class would end up facing Kaede and Shuichi's class at some point or another; but each member of every class had to write down on a sheet of paper with their name on it, which event they would like to participate in, and they would be prioritized over others in the final selection if it was on their sheet.

However, in cases where there were too many or too few people in one event, one student at random would be picked to participate in another event. And given Makoto's terrible luck, he figured that would be the case for him.

Nevertheless, he still put down his choices; Soccer, Relay, and Scavenger Hunt. In spite of becoming Hina's running rival, Makoto still wasn't exactly a sports person unless he and his Dad were watching the game on TV. Playing it was another story.

After the day was done, he walked back to the dorms with Toko, chatting with her for a bit about odd stuff, like the study session and their homeroom teacher's absence thanks to his chronic alcoholism. For some reason, the writer basically barged into his room and faceplanted on his bed, clearly physically and mentally exhausted.

"My! Toko, what are you doing here?" Monomi asked. She didn't get a reply though.

"Can...Can I help you...?" Makoto shuffled in place awkwardly as Toko buried her face into his pillow, "that's my bed you know?"

"Relish the moment while you can Naegi, I'm the only chick you're ever getting in this bed..." Toko snickered with her muffled voice. Makoto glared at her.

"Can you not speak to me normally without dropping in a horrible insult of some kind? Oh wait, I forgot it's you we're talking about!" he spat sarcastically, "what's with you? You look like your soul left your body and had to squeeze its way back in."

"That sounds like something Komaru would say..." Toko remarked, rolling over and staring up at the ceiling "it's just...sports...guh..."

"Is it really that bad?" Makoto asked "the sports festival can be tiring, but it's still fun, right?"

"Do I look like I have one athletic bone in my body?" Toko grumbled, "for some reason, when I'm a Phantom Thief, or when Genocide Jill is in control, it's not a problem. They're apparently super athletic and can do things that go beyond even basic human logic. When I'm ME though!? Forget ALL of it!"

"Well, what sports did you put down?" Makoto asked. Toko shrugged.

"Literally just the scavenger hunt..." she admitted, "and cheerleading...I guess..."

Makoto almost choked.

"Oh that's funny is it!?" Toko lurched up, glaring daggers at him, "Me signing up for cheerleading is funny, huh!?"

"W-Well it's just...!" Makoto felt like his ribcage was about to burst and his eyes were about to pop out from how hard he was trying to suppress his laughter, "cheerleading has always been a lot more complex than people think it is. You need confidence, discipline, work ethic, and the ability to take constructive criticism...Things that you just DON'T have!"

"Which is exactly why I didn't sign up for it!" Toko snapped, "Sayaka and Junko thought it would be really funny to pitch me in on it without me knowing, their exact words being "you've gotten much hotter Toko! Now's the chance to strut your stuff!" UUUUGH!"

"Well, can't you just talk to one of the faculty and ask them to withdraw you?" Makoto suggested.

"I tried! But guess who they put in charge of the verdicts!? YUKI-FUCKING-ZOME! And guess what else!? SHE thinks it's a GREAT idea!"

She collapsed back into his bed and kicked her legs up in the air.

"I HATE the Sports Festival!" she cried, looking like she was on the verge of actual tears, "I've never understood why people WANT to run around and get all sweaty and gross! Wanting to run on a hard track under a blazing sun that hurts your feet and eyes, and boils you alive! Who came up with such an idea!?

"Sports have a long history dating back to 70,000 BCE in the ancient world. Early connections existed between the physical activity that gave rise to sports and entertainment as well as warfare," Monomi explained, "because sport appears to be involved in the development of fundamental human skills, studying the history of sport can teach us about both the nature of-"

"That was a RHETORICAL QUESTION!" Toko snapped at her, which made the little rabbit jump, "anyway, I only picked the Scavenger Hunt on my own because it's the most low-effort sport on the roster..."

"Not because Byakuya also picked it?" Makoto raised his eyebrow.

"THAT!" Toko pointed at him, "is a coincidence!"

"I believe you actually..." Makoto told her, "Here, I'll tell you what. Why don't we go out somewhere and hang out to take our mind off things for now? All we have to do is mentally prepare ourselves so we can power through it, right? Plus, it's been a while since the two of us hung out together; we haven't done it since you first awakened to your Persona."

Toko pondered this for a moment with a frown.

"That is if you don't mind," Makoto assured her, "I know hanging out with me isn't very interesting..."

"No, it's fine," Toko waved a hand, "thanks for offering. I think I'll take you up on that offer."

"Sorry to drop in and dash Monomi," Makoto apologized, "I'll hang out with you next time, I promise."

Monomi shook her head.

"You two go and have fun," she winked, "I'll be just fine here on my own."

Makoto took Toko out for a walk, but even when he started showing her around some food stalls and the two decided to get a snack, Toko bore a constant look of uncertainty and discomfort on her face the entire time.

Thinking about the Sports Festival was clearly making her sick to her stomach, most notably, he guessed, the likelihood that she would be joining the cheerleading team. He thought that if he took her away and let her spend time with just him, then she could calm down about it, however, it was evidently having the opposite effect.

She had been thinking about and worrying about a lot of things, and he could tell by the look on her face. While that was very much like Toko, it still hurt to watch.

"Sorry, Toko..." Makoto suddenly apologized out of nowhere, "I really thought spending time together would help you feel better...I'm sorry if I wasted your time?"

"Huh? Oh uh...n-no, don't be sorry, it's not like it's YOUR fault..." she replied, "even if it is easier to blame it on you, I'm grateful you're trying to help at least. It's not like I'm not enjoying getting some fresh air and seeing the sights..."

"At least you're honest..." Makoto huffed.

"Of course I'm honest!" Toko smirked, "when am I never not brutally honest?"

Fair point.

"I don't really have a plan on what to do, but there's a lot to do around main Shibuya street," Makoto told her, "what do you usually do in your free time when you're not hanging out with us or chasing after Byakuya?"

"I write," Toko replied bluntly, "and study. I'm serialized, so I'm always really busy. It's kinda bold of you to assume that I do normal kid stuff..."

Another very fair point. Though this one was a little sad, knowing that Toko had never lived a day of normalcy before now.

"I guess this must be a refreshing change for you then..."

"Not really, it's not like the topics are foreign to me," she shrugged, "even if I don't participate in them...

"Well most of the time on their time off, high school kids will go to places like the arcades, or the magazine and comic store, or to see a movie," Makoto

"Ugh...movies..." Toko groaned.

"Did...Did I touch a nerve?" Makoto started to panic as he entered this supposed minefield, "sorry, I didn't mean it...It's not like I was trying to ask you out on a romantic date or anything if that's what you're thinking..."

"Don't jump to conclusions, that's MY schtick!" she mocked, "It's ok...It's not like I hate movies, I just have bad memories whenever they get brought up..."

"What DOESN'T give you traumatic flashbacks?" Makoto's comment was snide but his question was somewhat honest.

"Hell if I know..." Toko gripped her forehead shamefully, "when I was a junior in high school, a guy from a different class suddenly asked me out. I, the dumbass, spent three nights up late planning the date after he asked me to organize it. And watching a movie was the solution I thought of."

"Wait...you're telling me you've actually been on a date with someone before!?" Makoto exclaimed, "you actually had a boyfriend!?"

"What do you think? Of course it didn't work out as nicely as that!" Toko snarled, "he vanished in the middle of the movie I picked, so he must have detested it..."

"What!? He just left!?" Makoto exclaimed, "and after you'd put all that effort into planning everything out? That's awful...!"

"W-Well, it is what it is," Toko said with a sigh, "besides, I found out it was just a dare, anyway..."

"A dare!?" Makoto parroted.

"Yeah," she told him, "he had to go on a date with me because he lost a bet with his friends, and there I was, taking three days to think of something to do."

"Well, he certainly wouldn't think that now looking at you like this," Makoto complimented, "I know you don't like it, but I think it's a very good look for you."

"Maybe you're right, but therein lies the problem," Toko pouted, "my looks have changed, but my personality is still as awful as ever. I've only changed on the outside. I'm like...a wild berry now."

"Wild berry?" Makoto copied her words, confused.

"Most berries you find in the wild look very tasty and edible, but eating them can often poison you to the point of death," Toko explained, "like me. I'm pretty now, but most guys who have "dated" me have either blown me off or been killed by Jill, usually both...I haven't really changed that much..."

"I don't think that's true at all..." Makoto crossed his arms and shook his head, "in fact, I'm 100% certain."

"Are you now?" she asked sarcastically.

"Think about it," he pointed out, "if I was having this conversation with the old Toko, she would have been like "This is all y-y-y -y-your fault! You made me remember that t-t-terrible t-t-t-t-t-trauma! D-D-D-Do you like h-humiliating m-m-me that m-m-m-uch? Is th-that how you g-g-get your kicks? Now I've s-seen the R-R-REAL y-you! S-S-Screw y-you and your f-f-festish!"""

"Huh..." Toko looked annoyed, but also amused, "I'll give you credit, that was a good impression."

"Besides," Makoto continued, "if the makeover is such a hassle, why are you keeping it up? Kaede gave your glasses back to you, and you could stop showering and prettying yourself up, but you're still going with it. Why?"

"W-Well, I haven't been putting as much makeup on these days..." Toko told him.

"But you've still got it and you're still using it," Makoto acknowledged, "I just want to know why...Since you've already said yourself that you're oh so brutally honest."

"UGH! You get on my nerves!" she snapped, "you can be really annoying sometimes; you're just like your sister!"

"True, but I'm your friend, and so is she," Makoto told her again, "and nothing is gonna change that; not your past, not what you're doing in the present, and no matter what you look like. Just tell me what's going on and I can help you...

Toko paused to think about this, her face becoming embarrassed and guilty.

"Look Makoto, I..." Toko scratched her face and tried not to look him in the eye, "I'm...I'm making an effort to change...I-I used to always think that the world hated me and that nothing I could do would ever make me more than the human personification of a piece of dirt...But I think I realize now that all of that stemmed from the fact that I've just never liked myself that much...So I'm working to fix it."

"Toko..." Makoto somehow looked happy, sad, and angry at the same time, "the reason you are like this is because of the piece of shit people who treated you like a piece of dirt, warping your mind into thinking you live in a world where everybody hates you. I HATE that world, and that's why I want to use my powers to change it...I only wish I could have gotten them a bit sooner..."

"What could you have done?"

"Change the heart of every bastard who hurt you!" he declared, "then again, that's definitely an abuse of power..."

Toko started laughing.

"The thought is...appreciated..." she said, "well...here's an idea. Why don't we go and watch a really bad movie so we can make fun of it? That'd cheer me up."

"Really? Even after recounting that story, you're still going to see a movie with me?" Makoto asked, "I mean, I'm GLAD, don't get me wrong, but I don't want to force you into doing something that you don't want to."

"Don't worry. Like you said, I'm already a lot stronger," she teased, "if you run out on me, I'll hunt you! No serial killer side personality required."

This threat was genuine, even if it was said in the context of a joke. Not that Makoto actually planned on walking out on her, regardless of how bad the movie was.

In fact...he was happy.

"Alright! The choice is yours!"

"You see, THIS is where I THOUGHT you'd be spending your free time, rather than at the arcade..."

"I told you senpai, I may be a fan of a classical instrument, but I'm a normal high school girl. Not someone who frequents museums. This place is just a vibe."

This was a brief conversation between Makoto and Kaede. After spending his afternoon with Toko, he'd run into his underclassmen on the street. Toko had decided to go back to the dorms after the movie, so Makoto still had some free time and decided to use it when Kaede invited him to go shopping with her.

It turns out that Kaede's specific shopping was in a thrifty music store that sold instruments and other music paraphernalia, like cassettes, DJ discs, albums, etc. Apparently, she liked to frequent this place to look at the variety. The girl led him over to the classical music section, where Makoto was surprised to see a large piano in the middle of the floor.

"It's not nearly as grand as the one at my house," Kaede chuckled, "but I like this one a lot! It's free for public use too, so I tend to play it whenever I come here...I get a little lost sometimes, admittedly..."

"Well, like you said, this place definitely suits the vibe..." Makoto commented, "playing a piano surrounded by so much music stuff is definitely appropriate."

"I've become something of a mascot here actually. The store owner and I are pretty good friends at this point," Kaede looked towards the counter, where her friend would usually be, but someone else was there today, "speaking of which, do you know a lot about music Makoto-senpai?"

"Kind of? If you were to ask me what my favorite song was, I'd usually just answer with whatever's trending at the moment," he confessed, "I'm admittedly not too caught up on the classical scene, even though I can appreciate YOUR music."

"You don't have to worry about offending me; it makes sense after all. Boys in high school aren't typically into classical music..." Kaede told him, "But you must have heard of Chopin, right?"

"Yeah, you played some of his songs at your performance. He is pretty famous so I've heard of him...He made the Nocturne's, right?" Makoto asked.

"Uh-huh! Chopin was an expert in the art of writing and playing 'cantabile,' and you won't find more charming melodies than those of Chopin's Nocturnes in B flat minor and E flat, which are widely regarded as his most famous," Kaede geeked out, "Chopin wrote numerous solos and was dubbed "The Poet of the Piano." You may not understand what that title means at first, but once you listen to his works, you will. He always performed at concerts too."

"A little like you, right?" Makoto smiled.

"Of course! I personally enjoy Prelude, Op. 28, No. 15, also known as the Raindrop prelude," she told him, "and...oh...sorry, I'm going off again, aren't I?"

"Don't apologize!" Makoto demanded, "keep going, by all means!"

"Thanks...and sorry, I know I can get like this a lot..." she blushed, "Oh yeah! Speaking of Chopin, did you know I once performed the three Waltzes, Op. 34 in front of a king?"

"A king!?" Makoto gasped, "No, I didn't know this! When and where?"

"Well, here in Japan. He saw my performance in an international competition on the news and decided to pay me a personal visit. Mom FREAKED THE HELL OUT when it happened!" she giggled.

"I can only imagine!" Makoto

"You know our third-year senpai, Sonia Nevermind?" Kaede asked, "I think it might have been her father or grandfather or something, from the Novoselic Kingdom. But he had to keep his identity hidden, so I never knew for sure, AND he looked like your average Joe. Nothing like a king out of a fairytale, which the younger me would have expected. Fortunately, my Dad was a very charismatic guy, so he was able to talk to him pretty casually and introduce us to him."

"I don't think a king would appreciate being called an "average Joe..." Your casual attitude is gonna get you in trouble one day..." Makoto remarked.

"Well, I mean, he TALKED like a king! His speech and mannerisms were totally not this era!" Kaede exclaimed, "When I played my music, he even bowed to me! And do you know what he said? "It is as if a god dwells within your fingers!" I was speechless...!"

"What do I even SAY to that...!?" Makoto thought aloud, "you must have performed in front of lots of other famous people though. Mainly thanks to your parents' connections and arrangements, right?"

"Well, yeah, I guess..." Kaede suddenly seemed to become a little unsure of herself, "Dad was friends with a lot of well-known and popular people before he died, and...Mom introduced me to a lot of "famous people" but none of which I knew of..."

"Oh..." Makoto clasped his mouth, "sorry I probably said something I shouldn't have..."

"No, you're fine! That's all in the past now. We don't have to worry about it anymore!" Kaede smiled, "there were SOME people I knew. A representative of Juilliard, famous pianists for one...

"And how old were you when you met them?" Makoto enquired.

"I think I was about 10? It wasn't that long ago..." Kaede recalled, "God, I was so nervous back then...Like, what were they gonna tell me after? But in the end, I performed my usual way and hoped they enjoyed it."

"That is amazing," Makoto beamed "if you have followers like that, you must be truly remarkable!"

"Hahahaha! No way, senpai!" Kaede beamed, "I'm an ordinary high school girl who just happens to be a Piano Freak. But if you're so interested in my skills, why don't I give you a performance right now on this baby?"

She gently tapped the piano with her fingers

"Huh? Um...Ok, I guess that's fine?" Makoto felt himself begin to sweat, "just...I'm not gonna stop you from having fun obviously, but try not to stand out too much, okay?"

"Why? Is...Is that a bad thing?" Kaede adjured.

"Not normally, no, but remember what I just told you?" Makoto said, "you're very casual about a lot of things, even though you tend to stick out a lot. If you're friends with the owner, that's fine and all, I just don't want any trouble from the patrons of the shop."

"Ah, I see...Well, don't worry!" Kaede smiled reassuringly, "I know what I'm doing~"

It took Makoto by surprise when he looked at his phone and realized that he had been watching Kaede play for a whole HOUR without him even noticing.

What was even more surprising was that he had barely even noticed the rather notable crowd of men, women, and children

That piano playing was another power entirely. Of course, this was another really great thing about Kaede. She was serious and studious when she needed to be, but even when retaining complete focus, all she was really looking for was a chance to have a good time.

Kaede finished her current track, then got to her feet and bowed to her audience, which earned her a rousing round of applause. She chatted briefly and received compliments from the families that had stopped to watch her before she squeezed past them to get back with Makoto.

"Sorry, that took WAY longer than I thought it would!" she put her hands together in a beg for forgiveness.

"It's alright, but...jeez...!" Makoto whistled, "I thought that after the performance at the Dome, you'd be expended of all piano playing energy, but nuts to that I guess?"

"I'm sorry. I just saw the crowd full of people's happy faces and I couldn't stop!" she laughed, "knowing my music was bringing joy and happiness to all those families made it SO worth it...!"

"It's like you cast a spell on them. Like they had no control over their bodies," Makoto observed, "and not in a bad way either! Like they all loved your melodies and were obliged to listen."

"Yeah I get that...This isn't the first time this has happened..." Kaede sighed, "I think the guys behind the counter are gradually getting more and more annoyed with me."

"I'd disagree! They looked like they were into it too! Plus they can't complain; it's good for their business. They really should consider hiring you!" Makoto laughed, "With a great pianist like you under the roof, it would be a real shame not to stop and watch."

"That makes me really happy actually," Kaede grinned, then lowering her voice, "I want that to translate over into my Phantom Thief escapades too. I want to change people's hearts so I can make lots of suffering people happy in places my music can't touch. That's my goal in life now."

"Good way of thinking," Makoto patted her shoulder, "I'm proud to-...Hm?"

"What's wrong?" Kaede asked as Makoto cut himself off.

The reason was that he suddenly, somehow, heard some distinct whispering behind him. He was able to block out the sounds of the store behind him, and focused purely on the source - Two girls in matching school uniforms who had their backs turned to the two.

Beautiful Dead - Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc

"Can you believe the nerve of that girl? Where does she think she is, the world stage or something?"

"She's probably just vying for the attention...I can't stand people like that Kaede girl..."

"I wish she would just leave already...She's only getting in the way..."

"What's wrong Makoto-senpai?" Kaede asked, "is something wrong with those girls?"

"Yeah, they're saying some pretty rude things about you..." Makoto told her quietly, "this is what I meant when I said it's not always a good idea to stand out like that. Sometimes people like that loiter around and get all antsy-Hey! Kaede!? Wh-What are you doing!?"

To Makoto's horror, Kaede strode past him and approached the two girls, who suddenly turned around towards her with looks of bitterness on their faces. Clearly, they weren't intending to hide their disdain now they had been rumbled.

"Sorry, are you talking about me?" Kaede asked, for some reason continuing to bear a smile on her face.

"U-Uh...! Kaedeee...!" Makoto panicked. This certainly wasn't out of character for the girl, but it was still so frustrating how her outgoing nature was still at play, even now!

"If you're aware of it, you should knock it off!" the first girl spat, "it's really annoying! Can't you see that?"

"Really?" Kaede tilted her head, "but everyone seemed really pleased by my music. Even the shop staff responded favorably to me."

"You know why that is?" the other girl said sternly, "it's because they're taking pity on you. Everyone knows your Mommy got kicked into the crowbar hotel, and you managed to win them over with a big speech and a little diddy. Are you even remotely guilty about all the people she's hurt? All the careers she's destroyed? You're stupid if you think you aren't guilty by association."

Makoto felt like he should say something, but for some reason, he didn't interject. At least not immediately.

"Well...You know what I think is more stupid?" Kaede replied, not breaking her cheerful expression for even a moment, "assuming that I'm anything like my mother. Or that I need her in my life, kicking down my competition to succeed. If you really think I'm a bother, then I guess I'll just have to win you over too, huh?"

"Don't push your luck...!" one of the girls started to advance towards her, "in fact, you-!"

"Hey! Stop right there! That's enough!" Makoto finally got to his senses and stepped in the way, separating the two. The girl who was advancing glared at him.

"What did you say...!?" she leered.

"I SAID that's ENOUGH...!"

Makoto didn't know why, but the girl suddenly staggered back, a look of shock on her face, and the same was true for the other girl.

"Who's being annoying now?" Makoto snarled, "I think you've said enough, don't you?"

"L-Let's go!" the girl in the background grabbed her friend's arm, "he's right...there's nothing more left to say..."

"Anyway, now you know!" the second girl snapped as she was dragged off, "don't you forget it!"

Makoto put his hands on his hips and sighed as he watched the girls dash out of the store. He slowly turned back to Kaede.

"I'm sorry," he said, "it's not that I didn't think you could handle that, it's just...I felt like I couldn't just stand back and watch without saying anything..."

However, he was greeted with a face of complete and utter dumbfoundedness from the pianist, as she just gawped at him with wide eyes.

"What!?"

"WHAT WAS THAT!?"

"What was what!?"

"THAT! That GLARE you gave them!

"What glare? All I did was tell them to go away! I was just trying to get them off your case!"

"Makoto-senpai..." Kaede shuddered, "you are SCARY sometimes without even knowing it...!"

"What are you TALKING about!?" Makoto panicked, "don't tell me I'm scary! That just makes me SCARED! L-Look, the point is...! I'm sorry that was so awkward...I wasn't trying to undermine you, or them..."

"No, it's ok. I know you meant no harm," Kaede scratched her head, "trust me when I say I think those girls are good people really. Thanks for the help though."

"I have to say I'm impressed," Makoto acknowledged, "you didn't even let a hint of frustration or anger show when you talked to them...That was really brave."

"Well, of course I didn't. I'm not angry...like, at all..." Kaede shrugged, "Maybe a little at Mom's name coming up or being compared to her, but...everything they said made sense from an outsider's perspective. Like I told them, all I need to do is prove them wrong on my own merit. The same goes for everyone else too. My mother made a ton of mistakes, and now I'm gonna be the one to fix all of them."

Makoto nodded.

"I don't know if I can say this enough times to make it count," he smiled, "but...it's good to have you along for the ride, Kaede."

"Huh?"

Makoto returned to the dorms as the night time rolled around, and was preparing to head up to his room when he saw something rather abnormal in the lobby.

Sayaka Maizono was sitting in the lounge chair, with a piece of paper and a pen, as well as a cup of what now looked like cold tea, in front of her on the table. She was leaning back and looking up at the ceiling.

Her eyes looked somewhat...lifeless. She was clearly breathing, but she looked like she'd fallen asleep with her eyes open.

Slightly worried, Makoto reached over and tapped her on the shoulder.

"GUAGH!?"

Sayaka made an odd noise as her body suddenly spasmed and her eyes shot awake again, a reaction that scared Makoto as well.

"Are you ok!?" he exclaimed.

"Huh? O-Oh, Makoto-kun!" she sighed with relief when she saw it was just him, "you made me jump..."

"Sorry..." he said for what felt like the umpteenth time that day, "is everything alright? You looked like your soul was trying to leave your body but got stuck halfway."

"Haha! What kind of analogy is that!?" Sayaka giggled, "sorry if I worried you, I'm just a little bit stuck on something..."

"What? Homework?" Makoto looked down at the sheet on the table. Sayaka looked towards it too, her expression becoming more dull and disgruntled.

"Something like that," she said, "the truth is I'm...writing lyrics."

"Lyrics?" Makoto parroted, "for a song?"

"No," Sayaka snarked "for to help my plumber fix my lightbulb."

"NOW who's making weird phrases," Makoto chuckled, "but yeah, you're right, that was a dumb question."

"I'm only teasing," Sayaka laughed with him, "but basically, I'm writing...or at least trying to write...lyrics for a new song. One that I'll be performing with my idol group."

While Sayaka did often perform solo on a lot of tracks, she did have her own idol group comprised of herself and four other members. Ayaka Haneyama, Satomi Aoba, Rumi Shinabe and Minami Fujita. They had undergone a few brand name changes since they formed, and even stated their current one might not be their last, which is why most people just referred to them as the "Maizono Idol Group". Makoto and his sister had been fans for a long time, so they knew a lot about them.

The group reportedly got together in middle school and rose to prominence after putting on outstanding shows around the nation. The girls gained immense popularity not only in Japan but also across the globe. Though all the girls had a large following, only Sayaka, the lead singer, was invited to Hope's Peak Academy and given the title of Ultimate Pop Sensation.

"So yeah, I've been here since around noon brainstorming ideas. In fact, I was quite hoping to finish this by the time the exams rolled around, but...I might have to fall on my backup plan for that," Sayaka grumbled, "because...this really isn't working out..."

"That's..." he considered, "surprising?"

"What?" Sayaka frowned, "what is?"

"Don't take this the wrong way or anything," Makoto stated, "I kind of figured that writing songs and coming up with lyrics would be a cakewalk for you."

"Well, that just goes to show how little you understand about the industry," Sayaka said, not in an insulting way, but in an explanatory way, "to be honest, it's been quite a while since us girls actually sat down to write our own lyrics. Most of our group's songs are written by lyricists and composed by other people, selected by our producer. It's not that I mind; They're all nice people, but it's done in this way to match our group's public image."

"I see..." Makoto reflected, "your group's vocals and dance performances are always so polished. I kind of figured most of it was your ideas and that you went hard when it came to practice and making music too."

"That's kind of why I'm having so much trouble. I got an itch to try and make a new original song, but my constraints are really getting to me," Sayaka explained, "I want to create something a bit different from what we usually do, but I don't want to stray too far from the niche we've established..."

Sayaka let out a heavy sigh. She reached over and closed her notebook, slipping it back into her bag, done for the day.

Welcome to Despair - Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc

"Sorry to ask this after you've had a long day Makoto-kun, but...Do you think you could make time for the two of us to talk?" Sayaka requested, "even just sitting with me here for a while and not saying anything will do me the world of good."

"O-Of course!" Makoto felt his heart flutter, very quickly pulling up a stool and sitting on it next to the sofa, "...But...are you sure I'm what you need? Wouldn't it be better to talk to Haneyama-chan or Aoba-chan, or the other girls in your group?"

"Naturally I've already gone to them about my ideas. My producer too, and they're all giving me as much support as they can," Sayaka told him, "I'm only asking because...because I know I can count on you."

"You being by my side is really making me feel much better. I just don't know what I would do if you weren't here with me. I would be overwhelmed, no doubt," Sayaka told him earnestly, "I'm glad you're with me even though it might be disrespectful of me to only approach you when I'm stressed out like I'm using you to smooth out my wrinkles."

Makoto didn't quite know what to say. Standing here face to face and hearing her say that...It was nice, but...kind of embarrassing at the same time.

"I...know how you feel. You've saved me too...When you found me at my lowest, you came to my house, helped me make dinner for my family, and spent the evening doing everything you could to cheer me up," Makoto smiled, "and even before that, listening to your music and the happy notes you carry have gotten me and my sister out of some dark places in the past...I owe you at least a quarter of my life honestly..."

"Don't exaggerate!" Sayaka gently smacked his arm, flustered, but pleased, "but...Thank you for the flattery~"

That smile...that fascinating smile that made his heart soften...Makoto wasn't flattering her. He meant every word he said, that smile saved him.

"But it's kind of strange, you know? I never thought I'd get a chance to really talk to you like this," Sayaka hung her head back and looked up at the sky, "All through middle school, you never talked to me. In fact, you never even looked at me."

"I think THAT'S an exaggeration. How could I NOT look at you?" Makoto asked, "It's because you were like a celebrity. I couldn't just go around staring at you like a-"

He cut himself off.

"Wait...How do you know I never looked at you?"

"Because I looked at you all the time..."

"Huh...!?"

"I was always looking for an opportunity to talk to you," Sayaka told him, "if there's one thing I can thank Hope's Peak for above everything else, it's giving me that opportunity amongst all the others."

"You...wanted to talk to me?" Makoto asked, still struggling to believe that someone as popular as Sayaka had taken an interest in him even back then. Sayaka nodded.

"But since I always had so many people around me, we ended up graduating without saying a word," she explained, "that was one of my biggest regrets."

"Why me though?" Makoto queried, "Don't get me wrong, I would love to have been friends in middle school, and I'm sorry I never knew this, but...what made me so special?"

"It's...a little difficult to explain," she tried her best regardless, "do you remember during our first year of junior high, that huge bird wandered into the school pond?"

"Actually, now that I think about it...I do sorta remember something like that...!" Makoto recalled, "yeah, it was a...a Crane! It just walked right into the pond!"

"That's right! That's what it was!" Sayaka gasped, "It was a big thing too! The teacher had no idea what to do, but...You led it into the forest behind the school. You helped it find its way out."

"Well I...I'm going to be honest with you..." Makoto scratched his face, "back then, I was already in charge of caring for the animals at school. They basically forced me to do it..."

"I appreciate your honesty, but I still think it was brave of you to approach something that intimidating," Sayaka continued, "I should have said thank you then, but...is it okay if I do it now?"

"Thank me...?" he frowned, "what for?"

To his astonishment, Sayaka suddenly leaned over the arm of the chair and drew very close to his face, making Makoto go bright red.

"It's me..." she said in a mysterious voice, "you see, that Crane is myself. I've come to pay your kindness forward. Allow me to make you a cloak right now!"

"What!? WHAT!?" Makoto stuttered "I...wait...you're messing with me, aren't you?"

"Ehehehe!" Sayaka giggled and winked

"Stop playing with my feelings, I'm a sensitive boy!" Makoto joked, playfully pretending to wipe tears from his eyes which made both of them giggle.

"But to be honest, I was really impressed. No jokes this time," the Pop Sensation continued, "I've always wanted to speak with you, even if it's just once. I never thought here would be the place my opportunity came about."

Makoto couldn't help but agree. It would have been a grand and dramatic reunion if they had crossed paths again at a train station somewhere in the city. But instead, it was this weird and wacky school full of kooky and crazy people.

"And thinking about it now, maybe that's the reason I'm drawn to you," Sayaka smiled warmly at him, "I'm sure you'll help me find my way out, just like that crane. It's just intuition, I know, but I still believe it."

Sayaka suddenly took Makoto by his hand with both of hers. Makoto flustered for a brief moment, but then confidently held hers as well.

"I can't promise much...But I'll do my best to make sure it's more than intuition," he promised, "if there's anything I can do, I'm going to do it...!"

"I believe in you. Besides, my intuition always turns out to be right, since I'm a psychic!" Sayaka winked, "kidding, of course!"

As she said it, she burst out laughing. Makoto felt his heart beat at a steady and soothing rhythm.

The closer they got, the more powerful her smile became for him. It pleased him to feel that way.

Chapter End Notes

So, I notice that a lot of people are wondering how I'm going to handle the social ranks in this story, and to make things brief, alongside running some of the rank stories alongside the main plot or referencing them (since Chapter 20 up until this chapter, I already showed Hina, Fuyuhiko and Kokichi's)
There aren't going to be ranking stories or a specific number of times Makoto is shown hanging out with his friends, just that he'll be doing the confidant stuff on the side as he does his Phantom Thief things.
There's not an awful lot to say; the next chapter will focus on the study group at Kaede's house and the interesting happenings the thieves will get up to there. I hope you're looking forward to it, and make sure to leave kudos and comments if you haven't already.

Phantom Troupe/Study Group

Chapter Summary

To help Komaru prepare for her exams and discuss some Sports Day strategies, the Phantom Thieves meet at the Kaede Household to spend the night for a group study session. But will things go as planned? Probably not...

Chapter Notes

See the end of the chapter for notes

Beneath the Mask [Instrumental Ver] - Persona 5

"Th...THIS is Kaede's house!?"

"Oh yeah, I forget this is the first time you've actually been here..."

Makoto, Monomi, Komaru, Toko, and Shuichi all stood outside the gate of Kaede's house. Toko, who had never seen it before, was bewildered, finally letting it sink in the Kaede Family's wealth. The others found this very amusing.

"Are you jealous or something? I mean, it makes sense...Bet everyone wishes they could be this filthy rich..." Komaru sighed. Toko shot her a look.

"I AM rich!" Toko snapped, "I write like...5 bestsellers in a month! Why wouldn't I have a lot of money?"

"Oh yeah, that's fair..." Komaru realized, "But...wait...If you've got so much money, what do you spend it on? You said yourself that you didn't have any real hobbies besides reading."

"Look, we're not all anime junkies like you Kokichiru," Toko scoffed, "unlike you who spends her allowance, I spend my money on the important things. I'm a simple woman."

"Wouldn't know looking at your living spaces..." Makoto remarked, which caused the look to be rounded on him.

"What's THAT supposed to mean!?" Toko snarled.

Makoto didn't say anything. Despite Toko's claim of being simple and not needing random junk, her dorm room somehow still managed to look incredibly cluttered with books and manuscript pages scattered all over the place shoved in uncomfortable piles. Toko had mentioned before that she'd written over 80 novels, so it wasn't crazy to assume that many of those were her own works.

"Still, I am surprised..." Toko rubbed her eyes, "I kind of figured that all their wealth had been made on dirty money, but it does seem like this house has been around for a while...Kai and Kirie must have been rolling in doe back when he was still alive..."

"A lot of it is probably from Kaede as well. She might not have been aiming for fame and fortune, but she probably makes loads off her performances," Komaru suggested, "you've been quite quiet this whole time and you've been here before. What's your take on all this?"

Shuichi didn't seem to be listening. Komaru snapped her fingers in front of his face.

"Huh? Oh, s-sorry..." he turned his reality switch back on and turned to face her, "I was just thinking what we might be eating for dinner..."

"Why is THAT what you care about!?" Komaru exclaimed.

"Huh? Oh, no, it's just...!" Shuichi seemed to snap out of his trance, "the last time I was here, we made some soup for Kirie while she was bedridden, but I didn't have a proper look around Kaede's kitchen. It's pretty big, especially compared to the one at my home."

"Yeah, your apartment's so small the kitchen is basically one-quarter of the living room..." Makoto recalled, "meanwhile this is basically a small mansion, so it's no surprise the kitchen's big. Now that you mention it, I'm also pretty curious about what she's eating here."

"What does she usually eat for lunch?" Monomi asked. Shuichi shook his head.

"Just the meals from the cafeteria. She usually stays in the dorms, so she just eats the food on campus," Shuichi told her, "she DOES seem to have a taste for Dango, Crepes, and Omellete Rice though."

"Mah Girl!" Komaru pumped her fist

"Of course YOU could relate, fatty..." Toko jeered. Now it was Komaru's turn to shoot looks.

"I'm not fat!" she snapped, puffing out her cheeks, "my weight is below average! Like your looks, until recently!"

"Well if we're applying the same logic," Toko hissed through her teeth, "then that's about to change, isn't it!?"

"Ladies, ladies, you're both pretty!" Makoto mocked, "think about it this way. What kinds of meals do you think KIRIE would be getting for her daughter? I mean, THAT lady was high society."

"If I had to guess..." Shuichi pondered, "I'd say a full-course meal at least..."

"You're getting me excited now!" Komaru beamed, with her stomach's growl being audible, "what are you thinking? Like a fancy Japanese dish or something?"

"No, no, it would be something more traditionally foreign," Monomi shook her tiny head, "Kaede has American ancestry, so it's more likely to be Salisbury Steak or maid-made Omurice. Probably with seasonal ingredients."

"I don't think she has maids..." Shuichi scratched his face with a chuckle, "she's not THAT rich."

"You guys have got some nerve, getting excited about dinner..." Toko crossed her arms, "Hah...whatever...Let's just get inside, it's starting to get chilly out here..."

"Come on Toko-chan!" Komaru scoffed, "I can see that drool coming out of your mouth! You're just as excited, aren't you!?"

"Shut up!" Toko snapped back.

She stepped forward and towards the intercom and hit the buzzer. The speaker briefly crackled with sound before a recognizable voice could be heard.

"Hey!" Kaede called out, "you guys finally made it! I'll open the gate!"

Assuming that she'd probably been waiting next to the intercom with anticipation and excitement the entire time before Kaede could hear a response, there was a loud buzzing sound. Abruptly, the gate opened, and they could see the narrow path leading up to the house.

"This feels weirdly familiar..." Komaru remarked.

"I hope my hand doesn't get stepped on this time..." Makoto joked back.

Kaede greeted everyone excitedly, then single-handedly took everyone's bags and study equipment off of them, carrying them up the stairs to her old bedroom. The house looked surprisingly clean; likely because the pianist had spent the entire day cleaning it.

It occurred to Makoto that this was probably the first time, at least in a long time, that she had ever been able to invite her friends over to stay the night. Abuse and manipulation aside, Kirie had always seemed like a pretty strict parent. Shuichi offered to help out, but Kaede told him not to. She seemed to have everything under control though.

She told everyone to sit down in the living room on the sofas while she finished making her preparations. However, everyone was finding it a little difficult to sit still and not shuffle in place.

Though Toko had never been to the house before, the other Phantom Thieves had only been to the house once, besides Shuichi, and the last time they came, they hadn't exactly had time to make themselves comfy. So now that they were properly being welcomed as guests, as well as staying over for the night, things felt a little...different. A weird sort of different.

Toko, of course, was the first to say it.

"I feel uneasy because I feel so out of place..." she stated.

"Yeah, me too..." Komaru nodded, "see what I mean now?"

"Yeah, I guess..." Toko bit her thumb. As she did, Kaede waddled into the room pushing a trolley with a tray of treats and tea on top; baring a face like sunshine.

"Is everything alright?" she asked, her infectious smile unwavering, "you guys aren't uncomfortable, are you? Is there anything else I can get you?"

Damn that smile...!

"No, not at all~" Makoto, Monomi, Komaru, Toko, and Shuichi all said in unison, beaming right back at her.

Kaede poured and served tea to all of them. While not many of the team drank tea regularly, this blend was really good, even they could tell. Along with some Japanese confections like mochi and pocky, she had also acquired some sweet treats like English biscuits, which lined the tray. Shuichi blushed when Komaru whispered something in his ear, but no one else heard what she said.

"Delicious!" Komaru shoved a small chocolate cake in her mouth, "you really know how to pick these Kaede!"

"Where'd you get all of these?" Toko asked, holding up some caramel chocolates wrapped in pink tinfoil, "I haven't seen this brand of chocolate in stores since I was a little girl."

"Don't worry, they haven't gone off, I made sure to check before I laid them out," Kaede explained, "those actually used to be in the family chocolate box, but...now I'm the only one who really gets to enjoy them. I figured I'd bring them out for you guys!"

"Your family has a chocolate box?" Monomi asked, "why is that?"

"Well, why not? Wouldn't you have a chocolate box if you could?" Kaede beamed.

"I mean..." Komaru shrugged, "she makes a VERY convincing case."

"It was actually Dad's idea originally. It was made to reward the two of us whenever we did our chores or did good deeds. He would take a chocolate after dinner, cut it into four pieces, and distribute one to each of the four of us seated around the table; himself, me, Kaori, and Mom," Kaede explained, starting to chuckle, "I remember Kaori and I used to argue about whose piece was bigger."

Everyone fell silent to picture this in their heads. It was quite a pleasant scene, but clearly, Kaede took the silence the wrong way.

"Oh...crap, I did it again, didn't I?" she laughed in embarrassment, "Sorry, I should stop bringing up depressing stuff...! Do you guys want me to bring out more when we're done?"

"That's nice and all, but I think I'll pass," Komaru smiled, "after all if I eat too much now, I'm not gonna have enough space for our feast!"

"KOMARU!" Makoto punched her in the arm, "Show some TACT, for crying out loud!"

"Huh!? HUH!? Oh! Uh...S-Sorry, that's not what I-!" she stammered, only now realizing what she just said.

"No, you're just talking about dinner, right? Rest assured, I am ON THE CASE!" Kaede triumphantly swung her arm, "I have something really authentic ready!"

"Yes yes yes yes YES!" Komaru and Toko looked toward each other, their eyes sparkling with excitement as they quietly chanted under their breath.

Rise and Shine Ursine - Danganronpa V3: Killing Harmony

However, expectations were MASSIVELY shot when Kaede suddenly sat down, pulled out her mobile phone, and started scrolling on it. She then flipped the phone screen towards the rest of the group and showed them the home page for a food delivery service.

"Alright, what do you guys want?" she beamed, "whatever floats your boat!"

Yet again there was silence. And yet again, Kaede took it the wrong way.

"Wow...don't get too excited..." she said sarcastically, "are you two alright?"

Toko and Komaru, who had clearly gotten their hopes up, had faltering smiles and dead eyes. Every single shimmering dream of a wonderful feast was crushed within a split second.

"You're...ordering online?" Makoto asked.

"Yeah, of course," Kaede nodded casually, "is that a problem?"

"It's not "a problem" it's just...unexpected, that's all..."

"Oh, don't underestimate it!" Kaede enthused, "These guys are the bee's knees! They're so much different than any other fast food or bento service that you can think of!"

"Uh...is that so...?" Toko forced a smile, though her furrowed brow said all it needed to, "I...enjoy fast food...every once in a while!"

"R-Right!?" Komaru let out a loud chuckle, "It's definitely uuuuuuh...authentic! And good, really good, I'm sure!"

Despite being blinded by bliss, Kaede wasn't ignorant of their unwittingly sarcastic tones of voice and forced merriment.

"What's up with you guys? Don't tell me you thought we were going to have some...fancy dinner or something?" she deadpanned.

"Yeah..." Toko couldn't lie.

"Kinda..." nor could Komaru.

"Oh for goodness sake!" Komaru crossed her arms and huffed, "who do you guys think I am, Sonia Nevermind!? I don't eat like a queen just because my family happens to have a little bit of money in their pockets!"

"Yeah, sorry, we were kind of given the WRONG IMPRESSION!" Toko snarled, glaring at Shuichi with pure malice. The young detective simply kept his teacup to his mouth and diverted his gaze, forcing himself to ignore her.

"Kaede, I hate to pick sides..." Makoto frowned, "but the fancy trolley, tray, and treats weren't helping your case!"

"Ok, that's...fair..." Kaede acknowledged, "But still, I'm not some sheltered, spoiled little rich girl who lives the high life! I-I VERY much enjoy the smaller things! I can eat fast food and do girl talk, and all that junk!"

"Ok, jeez, calm down!" Komaru waved her arms in the air, "Why are you getting so uppity!?"

Beautiful Morning - Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc

"I...I'm sorry...it's just..." Kaede calmed down, "I don't like these misunderstandings of what kind of person I am. You guys aren't the first people to make expectations of me because of my family background. I know you mean no harm, really, but still, I think you guys underestimate just how much you matter to me. I don't want you to see me for anything more than my status and talents, that's all..."

"We're sorry Kaede," Komaru sobered, "we were just excited to eat dinner in a fancy house is all, but...you're right."

"Oh, Kaede, no...! We weren't trying to distance you from ourselves," Toko sighed with a look of guilt on her face, "you know we're not like those other people. We just set our expectations too high, that's all."

"Well, it is customary for dinner to be prepared by hand when you have guests over for the night. At least that's what my aunt told me," Shuichi considered, "is there any reason why you're opting for delivery?"

"Huh? N-No, not really," Kaede shifted in place, "it's just that Mom usually made dinner whenever I was home, so I never got a lot of chances to order online. So I just wanna enjoy it with you guys tonight!"

"I see..." Makoto lifted his head, coming to a realization, "Does that mean you've never actually cooked your own meals before?"

"Uuuuuh...!?" Kaede's face went slightly pale.

"Oh...I get it..." Komaru's face went flat. Kaede blushed profusely.

"I-It's not that I don't know HOW to do it! I've made my own lunches before, 'cause...why would I? But...yeah, most of the time when I make myself pack lunches, Mom made most of it..." she twiddled her fingers and scowled, "b-but I do make my own egg rolls! A pianist like me has to put effort into what I eat so I look good when I'm on stage!"

"Even if it's just egg rolls?" Toko asked.

"Yes!" Kaede spat back with forced certainty, "Look, let's just say there's a reason why I asked Shuichi to make soup for my Mom."

"But soup is fairly simple. I was just copying my auntie's dish; I even told you the recipe," Shuichi said, "surely it's simple enough, right? I'm not trying to judge, I promise."

"I...*sigh* OK, fine, I guess I can tell you..." Kaede's head drooped shamefully, "The truth is every time I try and cook something myself, or make my own meals...I somehow...kinda...always end up tweaking the original recipe and...make a complete wreck of everything..."

"Ah...That makes a LOT more sense..." Toko held her head in her hand, smirking.

"I understand!" Monomi beamed, "You're merely attempting to create something delectable in your unique style! That is not at all problematic!"

"I wish you were right..." Kaede sighed, "You're giving me too much credit. I guarantee you if you asked me to make you curry right now, you wouldn't be saying that."

"To be honest, I kind of suspected you would be the experimental type..." Makoto chuckled.

"Don't worry Kaede!" Komaru stood up and patted her on the back, "trying to put your own spin on a dish only to end up ruining it is a mistake all beginners make!"

"I know that wasn't an insult, but it sure FELT like one!" Kaede pouted, "You're a good cook Komaru. How did YOU get so good at it?"

"I'm actually pretty mediocre as far as chefs go," Komaru admitted, "usually I just follow the instructions on the box and pick things up as I go along, to the point that it becomes second nature to me. Also, my Mom did teach me a lot of stuff."

"When we were younger, Mom told us that we could eat the leftovers that she kept in the fridge if we ever got peckish," Makoto explained, "sometimes I'd see Komaru take them out and start trying stuff, but she stopped doing that after a while."

"Making things like curry out of leftovers is easy, but making it from scratch requires a fair bit of practice," Komaru explained, "Toko made dinner for me once though! It was good!"

"You cook too, Toko?" Kaede turned towards her. Toko shrugged.

"Only for myself, not really for others. I've lived alone for a long time, so keeping myself fed kind of became an everyday chore. I'm by no means a home chef though," she explained, "but hey, I admit it's enjoyable when Komaru cooks with me."

"Hey! Why don't we do that then!?" Makoto's brain then suddenly popped a great idea.

"Huh? Do...what?" Kaede raised her eyebrows.

"Since we're all here anyway, and since we're talking about home-cooked meals, why don't we try making dinner ourselves?" the Lucky Student suggested, "online delivery is nice, sure, but if we use what we have and make something homemade, I bet that'll be even better!"

"What a splendid idea!" Monomi hopped up and down in her seat, "you really do have a good-thinking brain, Makoto!"

"Come to think of it, I saw lots of ingredients like onions, tomatoes, chicken, and other such vegetables in the stock in the kitchen," Shuichi recalled, "I used some of it to make Kirie's soup, but we could just as easily use it to make a curry dish."

"H-Hold on a second!" Toko got to her feet and stammered, "This is Kaede's house. We can't just say we're going to cook dinner together without her permission."

"Why not?" Kaede beamed, "I think it's a great idea!"

"Huh? Y-You're sure?" Toko stumbled.

"Yeah! It's gonna be like an overnight field trip! It sounds super fun!" Kaede enthused with a big dumb smile on her face.

"Alright then!" Komaru jumped up and dusted off her hands, "Let's get to it team! It's cooking time!"

"Ok, so taking a look at the stock, we've got carrots, tomatoes, bell peppers, potatoes, chives and onions..." Shuichi counted the ingredients as Kaede laid them out on the kitchen counter, once the team had gathered inside, "these can all go in the mix."

"Ok, if this is what we have..." Kaede examined the ingredients herself, "just checking, but does anyone here know how to handle a chef's knife?"

"I can," Komaru raised her hand, "I prep the vegetables for curry all the time. I also know how to sautéing things too."

"MVP!" Kaede raised her arms excitedly. Komaru flushed, "anything else we might be able to throw in?"

"How about this sweet and sour pork?" Monomi practically buried her head in the freezer before Toko grabbed her and yanked her out.

"Get out of there!" she snarled, "you'll get your stupid fur all over the food!"

"My fur's not stupid!" Monomi sobbed, "It's soft and squeezable!"

"And it's fucking up our dinner!" Toko snapped, "SIT! STILL!"

She dropped Monomi onto the counter, who sat there sulking. Everyone ignored her.

"Well, she's right. Sweet and sour pork will do nicely," Makoto alleviated the situation, "guess all we're missing now is the main meat and curry roux."

"I didn't see any of those in stock," Shuichi explained, "we won't be able to make curry without them though."

"That's ok! I'll just go and buy some!" Kaede smiled, "There's a supermarket I pass by whenever I walk from my home to Hope's Peak. I can get the stuff we need from there."

"If you're going shopping, let me come with you," Makoto offered, "we'll have an easier time finding the ingredients that way."

"Oh come on Naegi-senpai, I'm not a child," Kaede puffed her cheeks, "besides, you guys are the guests here tonight. I'll go on my own. You guys relax, have tea, and have a look around if you want. You can go in that other room to try out your futons!"

"Are you sure?" Makoto asked, "it's really not that I don't trust you, I just-"

"If Kaede wishes to go by herself, why not let her?" Monomi asked, "besides, if it's just meat and roux we need, we don't need two pairs of hands to get it."

"I guess you're right..." Makoto sighed, "Well, can we trouble you then?"

"Of course! Leave it to me!"

Junk Food for a Dashing Youth - Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc

Kaede set out to go buy the ingredients, and once she did, the rest of the Phantom Thieves set out to have a look around the house.

"This house is very clean..." Monomi observed, "I didn't get a good look last time but save for that storage staircase, it's rather tidy for someone who lives alone. There's not even much dust."

"Kirie always did seem like a bit of a clean freak..." Makoto acknowledged.

There were three bedrooms on the upper floor, which seemed to be for Kaede, Kaori, and both their parents. Aside from the kitchen, there was a rather large living room next door to it where Kaede had already taken the liberty of laying out 5 futons for everyone. Makoto assumed he would be cuddling up with Monomi that night.

In particular, Komaru and Toko were interested in seeing Kaede's bedroom, and the other three, Shuichi, Makoto, and Monomi, decided to follow them. Shuichi didn't think it was a good idea, but Kaede HAD told them to explore at their leisure.

Kaede's room was very clean; a lot cleaner than it had looked the last time the group had come here, and the accessories and everything were very stylish. As was to be expected from someone like her.

Komaru rather brashly started poking around her bed while Toko examined her shelves. Komaru took a look underneath her bed covers to see what was hiding under there, but she suddenly jumped back up with a blushing face.

"Whoops!" she said, chuckling nervously, "probably shouldn't be looking under there!"

"You just found a lewd magazine or something, didn't you?" he deadpanned.

"Nooooo?" Komaru tried and miserably failed to play dumb. Shuichi shook his head.

"It's fine...Kaede's not exactly shy about her "preferences"," he told her, "she's very dainty and cute most of the time, but she talks like a perverted old man..."

"While I believe that, knowing Kaede as a character," Makoto crossed his arms, "if you were to tell the inexperienced and unfamiliar that, I doubt they would believe you."

"I know, right?" Komaru added, "Kaede's always had this powerful air about her. She's charming, beautiful, and...dare I say sexy, but she also has a sharp and completely different impression from her usual self. When she's hanging out with us, she has this smiling and cute demeanor, and sometimes even acts a little clumsy, but when we're in the Metaverse fighting, she's cooler and...dignified. I'm not sure if that's the right word."

"Wait a second...!" Toko suddenly gasped, and her body became stiff. Everyone's heads turned towards her.

"What's the matter?" Makoto exclaimed.

"I had a feeling that something was off earlier, and now I think I know what it is...!" her voice trembled, but in a different way than normal, "Kaede said she was going to the supermarket, right?"

"Yes...That's supposedly where she is now, no?" Monomi asked.

"Well, what she said earlier..." Toko scratched her chin, recalling their conversation, "Kaede said the store she was going to is one she passed by whenever she went to school. Those were her exact words, right?"

"Yes...that's right..." Makoto frowned, "what are you implying?"

"She also said that Kirie is usually the one who made her dinner and packed lunches, right? So reasonably, Kirie would ALSO be the one picking up groceries..." Toko theorized, "since Kaede said she's only ever walked past the store, you don't think this is the first time she's ever been inside it, right?"

Everyone froze as the reality of her point began to sink in.

"You're not saying..." Komaru's eyes widened, "that this is the first time she's ever run an errand before...!?"

"N-No, that CAN'T be the case!" Makoto stammered, "Kaede said herself that she wasn't THAT sheltered!"

"Right!" Shuichi forced a smile, "e-even so, she's not an idiot! I'm confident in her keen eye!"

"Everyone! I'm back! I bought the stuuuff!"

Kaede's familiar voice called out from downstairs; her sudden arrival startling everyone.

"Oh god..." Toko trembled, "I probably shouldn't have said anything-GUUAGH!"

"TOKO!?" Komaru exclaimed! And reasonably so too! In her nervousness, Toko leaned back and accidentally leaned against the handle of Kaede's closet. Once she did, the door clicked open, and a GARGANTUAN PILE of clothes suddenly poured out, burying the Ultimate Writing Prodigy underneath it!

Kaede naturally heard the complication and rushed up the stairs with her grocery bag, bursting like a madwoman into the room and seeing the display.

"Toko-senpai!? Are you ok!?" she exclaimed.

"Clothes...heavy...Can't...breathe...!" she choked.

"Ah! I'm sorry!" Kaede scrambled as she and Komaru quickly dug her out of her fabric-infused grave, "I didn't have time to tidy up, so I just stuffed all my clothes and bags in my closet! I-I'll move them right away!"

"Kaede..." Komaru gave her an unsure smile, "are you actually someone who's normally really messy?"

"I told you guys..." Shuichi sighed. Kaede's mortified face went bright red.

"Uuuugh! Please keep it a secret...!" she begged.

Toko soon completely recovered and the group went back downstairs to start preparing dinner. And no sooner did she take the ingredients out of the bag that the group IMMEDIATELY noticed something off. They all stared at the prime cut of meat that she dumped on the table, pristine in quality and juicy to even the eye.

"What!? What's wrong!?" Kaede exclaimed, starting to panic as she saw everyone's faces, "is something wrong with the meat?"

"Uh...No...Nothing's WRONG with it..." Makoto giggled nervously, "It's just...you didn't HAVE to get the super expensive brand, you know?"

"Is it really that expensive?" Kaede asked, "It was only 1000 yen more dear than the other. Mom usually buys this cut for our meals, so I just thought it was the standard quality!"

"God DAMN YOU CAPTITALISM!" Komaru clenched her teeth and cursed.

"So much for not being a sheltered rich girl..." Toko spat. Kaede scowled at her. Both girls, however, suddenly noticed that Shuichi was groaning with a sour look on his face.

"The meat is fine and all...The price doesn't really matter so long as we can afford it..." he muttered, "the real issue is..."

He reached down, picked up what was SUPPOSED to be the Curry Roux, and dropped it on the kitchen table.

"Are you KIDDING ME!?" Toko shrieked.

"Huh!? What!? WHAT!?" Kaede flustered, "Did I buy the wrong thing!? What's wrong!?"

"Kaede, we need Curry Roux to make homemade curry," Shuichi pinched the bridge of his nose, "you've bought Curry Béchamel..."

"And the difference is?" Kaede sweated nervously.

"A roux is a thickening agent used in sauces that is typically made up of equal parts butter and flour. A béchamel is a sauce made USING a roux with the addition of usually milk," Monomi clarified, "this provides you with a simple white sauce that can serve as a foundation for a variety of other creamy sauces made with cheese, parsley, mushrooms, onions, and other ingredients."

"In short, we can't use it..." Makoto sighed.

"Oh shit...!" tears began to form at the edge of Kaede's eyes, "I-I just grabbed whatever box had a picture of curry on it! I'm sorry!"

"What do we do?" Toko asked, "do we go out and buy some more?"

"I don't think we can," Shuichi sighed, "the stores usually shut around this time at night. If Kaede or any of us go back now, we won't make it in time."

"Then...what now!?" Komaru groaned.

"I-I'm so sorry...!" Kaede groaned.

Makoto thought for a minute as he looked over at the despaired faces of his companions. He racked his brain to try and think of a way to get out of this...honestly not a dire situation, but it certainly felt like one, since the evening plans were already going to the pot...

...The pot...That's it!

New World Order - Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc

"Guys!" Makoto jumped up, a huge smile on his face, "I've got a great idea!"

"Huh? You do?" Shuichi, and all the others, looked towards him eagerly. Makoto turned towards his sister.

"Hey Komaru, do you remember what happened the other evening when Kotoko came home from school after having a bad day?" he asked.

"Yeah, she lost one of her favorite ribbons after P.E. She was really hung up about it," Komaru recalled, "fortunately they managed to find it the next day, but it's the second most upset I've ever seen her."

"But do you remember what you did to try and cheer her up once she came home crying?" he smirked. Komaru thought for a moment.

"Yeah...Mom and I made her a fresh Beef Stew for her to cheer her up-AH!" the gears suddenly clicked into place, "I get it now!"

"Yeah!" Makoto gave her a thumbs up, "We might not be able to make curry with the Béchamel, but we CAN use it to make Beef Stew instead!"

"Can we even do that?" Kaede raised her eyebrows.

"That should be very possible!" Monomi beamed, "meat, carrots, potatoes, onions...Those ingredients can go into both Curry and Beef Stew! What a genius idea!"

"Ahaha...It's not what I would call "genius" but...thanks..." he flustered, "anyway, is everyone in favor of that?"

Nobody objected.

"In that case," Kaede beamed, "I'm leaving it up to you to carry us Komaru!"

"Heck yeah!" Komaru pumped her fist, "I've always wanted to be head chef in a fancy kitchen like this! Everyone, just follow my lead!"

Beautiful Days - Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc

The group set out to work, and Makoto helped Komaru to divide the tasks between them. He and Kaede would be in charge of chopping the vegetables, Shuichi would peel the chives, Toko would handle the onions and peppers, and Komaru herself would simmer the meat. Monomi sat on the side and helped direct the others since she couldn't really use her paws to help out, and she'd probably get her fur over all the ingredients.

Things started off pretty simple. Makoto kept shooing Monomi away as she kept repeatedly almost giving in to her urges to munch on the carrots, Toko started crying her eyes out as she cut the onions, no matter how hard she tried to hold them back, and Shuichi remained quiet, stern and focused as he peeled the chives. Slowly, everyone started to fill Komaru's simmering pot with the other ingredients, which she stirred into the mix with a smile.

Kaede came over to check up on the stew, and she immediately felt herself salivating. She grabbed a pair of chopsticks and poked them into the pot.

"That looks so good!" she squealed, "can I have a bite!?"

"No, you can't!" Komaru smacked her hand, "You will eat it when it is finished!"

"Hmph...cheapskate..." Kaede pouted. She prepared to head back to the vegetables, but Komaru stopped her.

"Hey, before you go...do you have a minute?" she asked.

"Sure, what's the matter?" she asked.

"Nothing really," Komaru admitted, "I just figured I'd pull you aside once I had you. I've been meaning to say a couple things that I never got the chance to."

"Oof...Sounds heavy," Kaede rubbed her shoulder, "alright, lay it on me sister."

"Let's go somewhere more private while I let the meat cook," Komaru suggested, "I kinda want this to be private."

Kaede was curious, but also a little bit confused. If Komaru wanted this conversation to be private, or if she wanted to vent about something, that was fine and all, but why go to HER? Wouldn't she trust Toko or even Makoto more with her baggage?

Nevertheless, she quickly signaled to Shuichi and the others that they were taking a break to chat, and the others kept working on the meal. Kaede took Komaru into the living room, then slid the sliding door out to the back garden to let them get some fresh air.

"Aaaah...The cool night air does wonders for me after I've been all hot and sweaty in the kitchen," wiping her forehead, Komaru inhaled deeply of the clean air, "and this garden scenery makes it so much better!"

"I'm glad you like my house," Kaede told her, "and I'm really glad I get to have my actual friends around for the first time."

"You've never invited your classmates over?" Komaru asked. Kaede shook her head.

"I intend to, obviously," she said, "but so far, only Shuichi has gotten that privilege. Other than some old friends from elementary and middle school that I don't really hang out with anymore that is..."

"I know how that feels..." Komaru sighed, "But it's not a problem anymore. You've got us now, and your classmates, and we're gonna stick together for sure. In fact, I think this is the most we've gotten along ever since we established ourselves as a group."

"Considering that was a big part of why I invited everyone around, I'm glad to hear you say that," Kaede smiled back, "but anyway, you needed me for something? What's up?"

"Well, the thing is..." Komaru suddenly became somewhat bashful, "I really wanted to thank you...It's a bit overdue..."

Heartless Journey - Danganronpa V3: Killing Harmony

"Hm?" Kaede tilted her head, "what for? If it's about the Palace and everything, then don't worry about it. I had my own reasons for fighting there. And I'm glad we work so well together as a team!"

"Thanks, but...that's not it. The thing is..." she scratched her head, "Toko...she...really likes you..."

"Huh!? Oh, no, I'm sorry!" Kaede suddenly panicked, "I-I'm not trying to steal your girlfriend or anything!"

"GAH-GAG-!? GIRLFRIEND!?" Komaru spluttered "Wh-wh-what are you talking about!? Th-That's not it at all!"

"Huh? It's not?" Kaede frowned, "That's weird...I could've sworn the two of you were..."

"We're NOT! We're just...very close friends...!" she flamed up, "Th-that doesn't matter anyway! That's not what I meant!"

"Then what did you mean?" Kaede asked. Komaru took another deep breath as she composed herself.

"The thing is...up until now, I've basically been the only person who Toko has ever really considered a true friend," she explained, "but ever since she met you, she's changed a lot. In a good way I mean. And I don't just mean with the makeover you gave her. Though she'd never outright admit this, she cares a lot about you and wants to look out for you, and even she's not sure why. But she values you and holds you in high regard because you're such a genuinely kind person."

"I'm...flattered to hear that..." This time it was Kaede's turn to become bashful, "but...why are YOU thanking me for it?"

"A lot of people get the wrong impression of me, and think that I'm a pretty casual person who doesn't really have many cares or responsibilities that I can handle...But recently, that couldn't be further from the truth, and I honestly wish that was the case..." Komaru admitted.

"You mean...with Kotoko-chan?" Kaede asked, "you are technically her official guardian right now..."

"Not just with Kotoko-chan. After that whole thing happened, Toko began to open up to us, including me, more. And hearing the things that she's been through in the past, I couldn't help but feel ashamed that we hadn't met sooner," Komaru explained, looking up into the evening sky, "even now, I feel that I can't always be there for Toko when she's alone or in pain, as much as I want to be by her side."

She turned towards Kaede with a somber smile.

"But the good news is that she doesn't just have me to depend on anymore. She has someone even greater than me," she said, "Toko's lucky and glad to have you in her life, and for that, I really wanted to thank you Kaede."

"Komaru..." Kaede returned the somber gesture, warmed but also saddened by her words, "you really need to stop putting yourself down like that. I could never dream of being someone who Toko loves as much as she loves you. I'm more than willing to be her friend, but I bet you she knows that even if we weren't friends, you're all she'll ever need."

"I told you, we aren't like that...!" Komaru scowled, "but...thanks for saying that. Even so, can I trouble you to help me keep an eye out on Toko? Oh, and Shuichi too."

"Shuichi?" Kaede's eyes widened, "wh-what about him?"

"Because he's the same as Toko. Not in as bad a place probably, but these days he seems so much happier spending time with you, especially now that you're a Phantom Thief too," Komaru explained, "I don't mean to snitch or pry, but when you were in trouble, he climbed every challenge just for the sake of getting you out of a bad situation. And not just because you were suffering like he was. Because you make him a much better, happier person, and he respects you even more than Toko does. And as someone who's come to really value his insight...please keep taking care of him for me."

"Ah...Ahahaha!" Kaede beamed, "of course! And it's not just them I want to help. I value your happiness as well Komaru. I like it when you smile, and I hate seeing you when you're down. So I promise that I'm always going to be there for you if you are. I hope you understand that."

"Ugh...the rizz on this one is too strong...!" Komaru jokingly raised her arms to block Kaede like she was emanating light, "but...thanks. I mean it."

Beautiful Dead - Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc

"Hey, try and siphon those out a little bit...If you put too many in, it might make the broth too fattening."

"A-Ahh...right, I'm sorry..."

"Didn't Kaede say you made soup here before? Stew's not too different from that; you should be fine with this process."

"Sorry...truthfully, outside of soup, I'm not really that good at cooking. My Aunt Tsubaki usually makes us meals."

"Well, this can be a learning experience. At the end of the day, stew is just meat and vegetables in a pot with a little seasoning. Nothing too major, you should be fine."

While Kaede and Komaru stepped out to have their conversation, Shuichi and Toko kept at it, with Toko overseeing Shuichi's work with the peppers and chives. Frankly, he wasn't doing a great job, even though he was trying his best, so she was forced to lend him a hand.

"Also, not to sound like some over-the-top angry British chef, but can you not use the knife like that?" Toko observed, "I'm half a serial killer, and even I think that's a dangerous way to cut things!"

"Huh? I-Is it really that wrong?" Shuichi exclaimed, "My aunt always told me I should hold the food like a cat paw with my fingers towards my palm. Is that wrong?"

"That's not the problem!" Toko snapped, "It's dangerous to swing it around like that. It's a knife, not an axe! Watch me do it. You pull the knife in this manner along the curve of your finger..."

Shuichi patiently watched as Toko stroked the knife across the food and calmly and carefully cut it, much more effectively than he was portraying.

"I see...I'll give that a try," Shuichi retrieved the knife, "thank you for the insight, Toko-senpai. As always, it was very useful."

"Quit buttering me up..." Toko blushed, "this is pretty standard. Honestly, I really did think that your Aunt would have taught you SOME basic cooking skills."

"As much as I would have liked that, Aunt Tsubaki can be a bit of a worrywart..." Shuichi told her, "She's afraid to let me in the kitchen because she doesn't want me anywhere near the knives. In fact, it took my Uncle a fair while to convince her to let me use scissors..."

"I mean, it's not like I don't get that...But jeez. You're not gonna be a little boy forever..." she sighed.

"I'm not a little boy NOW!" Shuichi humphed, "I'm a year younger than you, not some pre-schooler!"

"Cool it, I was joking!" Toko chuckled, "though to be honest, that does remind me of something I've been wanting to ask you..."

"What might that be?" Shuichi inquired.

"You've been living with Shinichi and Tsubaki since you were a boy, right? Because your parents were so distant?" she recalled.

"That's right," Shuichi affirmed, "what of it?"

"It's nothing major or anything, but..." she elucidated, "have they always been like that?"

"What do you mean "like that?"" he asked.

"Well, I mean...overwhelmingly positive, upbeat, and loveable?" she said, "they seem to pamper you quite a bit, with what little they had before I mean..."

"May I inquire as to why you're asking me about this?" he asked.

"No reason really," she said, "it's just...there's been a lot of family talk lately...Kaede's Mom was our last target...Makoto and Komaru's parents were almost her victims...I'm just curious how things are with you...You don't really talk to yours anymore, do you?"

"No...In fact, I can barely remember what my parents' faces look like," Shuichi confessed, "they come back to Japan at least once a year, and they send letters or phone calls at least once a month to us...The harsh truth is they're not present enough in my life for me to actually care..."

He put down the knife and looked up to the ceiling like he was reflecting on her words.

"I may have only ever been a trainee, but growing up, I took detective work seriously. I figured working hard was the only way to earn good rewards," he told her, "but my Uncle...he's incredibly carefree and he kind of moves around, does things and takes cases as he pleases and without thinking...When I was a young boy, it frankly infuriated me...!"

"Yeah, that sounds like it could annoy even someone with your patience..." Toko chuckled.

"I did try and talk some sense into them a few years back, but since then I've given up trying," he forced a smile as he scratched his head, "granted, that wasn't just because I realized I was never going to get through to them. It's because once I grew up, I began to realize that those two had been more parents to me than my actual parents had been. After everything that happened with Kirigiri, I knew for certain, but even before then I always thought they were just caring about me in their own unique way...It may be frustrating at times to see them be so casual about even the most concerning things, but I would have lived a totally different life if Shinichi and Tsubaki Shuichi hadn't been part of it."

"I see..." Toko nodded, "alright, thanks for answering honestly...Just wondering..."

"Toko..." Shuichi crossed his arms, "forgive me for the implication, but this has nothing to do with your own parents and upbringing, is it?"

"Do you really think I would brag about having the worst group of parents here? That's hardly praiseworthy," Toko frowned, "then again...I guess it's not exactly true either..."

"Oh?" Shuichi caught this last part, "what do you mean by that?"

"Honestly, I've been thinking about it, and I've realized that I don't actually have that many bad experiences with my Father..." Toko explained, "Unlike my Mom's he never abused me or did anything bad to me...But then again, that was a problem in and of itself for me."

"He was neglectful?" Shuichi asked.

"Something like that. It's more like he was afraid to stand up to my Mom's, or he didn't want to get involved in their business with me...To the point that he never tried to comfort me even when we were alone. He just acted like I wasn't there," she said, "things kind of changed when I started to show signs of D.I.D though, albeit by that point it was too late. Genocide Jill had already been born and claimed many lives..."

"Changed how?" Shuichi asked, "What did he do?"

"Basically, he wrote an appeal to some government offices. He legally disowned me as both his daughter and the daughter of those two women so they didn't have to look after me anymore," she clarified, "granted, it was probably just so the blame for my crimes wouldn't bounce back onto him, but the agents I was assigned to at least took good care of me in getting my feet off the ground. I made money from my books and became pretty busy enough to care for myself, to the point where I never really had to see my family ever again. Even if it was done with selfish intent, I'm grateful for that..."

Toko awkwardly fiddled with her long purple hair.

"Still, that doesn't mean it makes everything ok, I know that...It wasn't really an act of love, so I was pretty void of all that..." she added, "Hope's Peak was one of the first times I'd ever been in an environment I considered comfortable, with people around me who actually cared about me, but I blew them off thanks to past experience and started treating the world like it was my enemy...That is...until Komaru came along..."

"You really are close with her, aren't you?" Shuichi smiled, "It's like she's the sister you never had..."

"Yeah...She doesn't show it an awful lot, but she can be brutally honest when she needs to," Toko explained, "in fact, we spent most of the time after we first met arguing, but...that might have actually been a good thing. For me, it meant that she wasn't being facetious with me. She was saying what was on her mind and meant it, and that's kind of how we got to be close."

"I suppose you and I are similar in that regard," Shuichi considered, "both my aunt and uncle and Komaru...Their kindness gave us the opportunity we needed to change our lives and decide who we wanted to be. I don't think I would even be the Ultimate Detective if my Uncle hadn't raised me well in that kind of environment...And that's not even mentioning Makoto..."

"Makoto?" Toko shot a cursory glance over to the Lucky Student, who was talking about how to separate the ingredients cleanly with Monomi; not really paying them any attention, "what about him?"

"I was one of the people who the Phantom Thieves have saved...and they've gone on to inspire me to be braver with my actions, be more outgoing and...it's a big reason as to why I was able to meddle in Kaede's problems, even if it wasn't any of my business," Shuichi explained, "and as the leader of the Phantom Thieves and an icon of that philosophy, I have to thank Makoto-senpai...I wouldn't be who I am without him..."

"Well, I do have to admit, I feel the same way," Toko sighed, "not just because he's Komaru's brother, but for me, Makoto is someone who you can easily look up to. I think Kyoko put it best..."

"What did Kyoko-sama say?" Shuichi asked.

"Well, she felt that Makoto's strength comes from his unusual amount of optimism and determination," Toko explained, "and he can convince others to act with a positive mindset simply by spreading that hope to them. I think even SHE'S jealous of that kind of talent."

"Jealously isn't how I'd describe it," Shuichi considered, "it's more like aspiration than envy, at least to me."

"Well, I get that, but also..." Toko explained "it does surprise me that such a gift of charisma can be found in someone who's honestly a little dense and absentminded. Not in a way that makes him insensitive obviously..."

"I suppose you're right," Shuichi acknowledged, "you wouldn't get that feeling from actually spending time with him though, much less seeing him in action in the Metaverse..."

"See!" Toko grinned, "that overwhelming level of charm in someone who doesn't know what to do with it? It's honestly unfair, and-Wait...do I smell something burning?"

Toko called this last part out, and Makoto's eyes immediately went wide with panic...!

"AAGH! I WAS GRILLING A FISH!" he squealed, running over to the grill, which was billowing smoke and bursting with flames!

"QUICK! WATER! WE NEED A BUCKET OF WATER!" Shuichi panicked, running around the counter and turning on the tap!

"That'll make things even more catastrophic!" Toko cried, "DON'T!"

"What the hell is going on here!?" Komaru cried as she and Kaede came running back into the kitchen.

Everyone regrouped in the kitchen as Komaru turned the heat off. Fortunately, Makoto's fish incident aside, everything else seemed to be going well.

She stuck a ladle into the stew and picked up a small piece of it, with everyone watching intensely. Then, she smiled and gave them a thumbs up.

"Yeah! It's perfect!" she cheered.

With everyone's spirits lifted, Shuichi and Toko set about laying the table as Komaru dished up the food. There were 6 seats around the table, and each one had 5 bowls placed in front of them. The meal consisted of beef stew, rice, miso soup, some fruits like tangerines on a small plate in the middle, and a bowl of string beans.

"Woah! It looks so good!" Kaede beamed, her eyes twinkling.

"It would have been much nicer with fish on the side..." Makoto grumbled.

"Oh, quit your bitching!" Toko snapped, "It's your own fault! Honestly, with what we had to work with, I'm surprised it turned out so well."

"The miso soup and vegetable side dishes really bring it together," Shuichi smiled, "thank you so much Komaru! You're an excellent cook!"

"Oh, well, thanks, but this was a team effort...It's more fun when we do it together..." She became quite bashful all of a sudden, "As for the side dishes, that was actually Monomi's idea."

"We could have just as easily put the string beans and extra chives in the stew with the rest of the vegetables." Monomi explained, "The table would look much nicer with a second dish instead, and given the traditional setting, Miso Soup was merely a given-Wha-!? Hey! I'm not done yet!"

This outburst was prompted as Kaede sat down and already began to stuff her face with rice before anyone else even had a chance to take their seat. Monomi snapping at her caused her to drop her rice back into the pot with a splat.

"That's right Kaede!" Komaru asserted, "we can't start eating, we have to say grace first!"

"That's not what I meant!" Monomi groaned, "ugh, it doesn't matter...! Let's just eat..."

Makoto, Shuichi, Komaru, Toko, and Monomi took their seats at the table as well, and naturally, as the leader, Makoto initiated.

"Alright, everyone, hands together," he said, "thank you for the food!"

"Thanks for the food!" everyone chanted after him. And thus, they finally began to eat.

"Mmm! Delicious!" Monomi's nose twitched with delight.

"Yeah! It's really good!" Makoto beamed, "I can't remember the last time I had beef stew that tasted like this, if I ever have!"

"That's some good quality meat right there!" Komaru asserted, "you'd better savor that flavor!"

This was a weird feeling for Kaede Akamatsu. Not weird in the sense that she hadn't ever felt this way before, but that it had been a very long time, and she had almost forgotten this feeling.

She couldn't recall the last occasion when she'd shared such a lively meal with anyone other than her mother at the table. Being seated at such a large table with the people she loved and the people who loved her was a comfort. It enhanced the flavor of the already high-quality meat.

"Oh...Kaede! Hold still for one second..."

Kaede heard Shuichi call her name, and she snapped back to reality. She was taken aback when he abruptly reached over, picked at her mouth, and then placed his fingers inside his mouth.

"You had some rice on your cheek," he explained, "just figured I'd take care of that. Hm? What's wrong?"

"N-Nothing...th-thank you..." her face went bright red. Shuichi then turned his head to see everyone else around the table smirking at him.

"Smoot Shu~" Komaru remarked.

"You did that so casually!" Makoto smiled, "I'm impressed."

"Huh!?" Shuichi's face went red as he finally realized what it was that he'd actually just done, "w-wait a second! I wasn't trying to-!? I mean I-!? It's not like I-!?"

"Shuichi, it's fine!" Kaede assured him, "I know you didn't mean anything by it; just ignore them!"

Things went pretty quiet after that. There were some talks around the table about random things until everyone had finally finished eating. Komaru leaned back in her chair and patted her belly.

"Aaah...I really outdid myself this time!"

"I'll say," Makoto smiled, "anyway, it's getting late, so I think we should consider taking a bath and getting ready for bed."

"Then it's a good thing I heated the bath in advance~" Kaede cheered, "it's filled and ready! Who wants to go first?"

"Won't it take a long time if we all go in one at a time?" Toko asked.

"Then why don't we go in together?" Komaru suggested, "We girls can go in one group, and the boys can go after us."

"Why do you get to go first!?" Makoto snapped.

"Because the first bath is the best! Duh!" Komaru teased.

"My bathroom is fairly big, but it's not big enough to fit all of us at once," Kaede said, "I think it can probably fit two people at a time. Even so, I was planning on doing the cleaning up and washing the dishes."

"Wait, let me help you with that," Shuichi chimed in "We'll get it done faster if we work together."

"Well, if that's the case, then Toko and Komaru can go first," Makoto stated, "I was gonna check out the beds and try and organize things a little bit more."

"Sounds great!" Komaru gave a thumbs up, "Come on Toko-chan! Let's go!"

"Fine..." Toko smiled quietly, "So long as it's with you, I can manage..."

Monomi hopped into Makoto's hood and walked into the room where the futons had been set up, decided to take his time cleaning the room and making sure everything was comfortable. Meanwhile, Shuichi stacked the plates and dishes and brought them into the kitchen, over to the sink, where Kaede was already waiting for him.

She donned an apron and gave one to Shuichi himself to work with. She smiled at him warmly, and the two set to work.

"So...is there any particular reason why you were so eager to help me with the dishes?" she asked.

"It's not what you think..." Shuichi blushed, "you don't have to feel bad about-"

"That's not what I meant..." Kaede cut him off, "Honestly, I'm really grateful. Things could have gone very wrong it if wasn't for you guys' help tonight...And even before now, I've come to rely on you a lot...We might not have known each other for very long, but I've already picked up on a lot of your quirks and queues..."

She turned her head towards him.

"I just get the weird feeling you've been trying to talk to me privately all night." she told him, "did something happen?"

Shuichi sighed. He didn't stop brushing but put most of his focus into thinking and talking.

Clair de Lune ~ Suite Bergamasque

"I was asked not to tell you this, but I figured you had a right to know about it...So I wanted an opportunity to open up..." the detective admitted, "your sister came to visit the Shuichi Detective Agency yesterday..."

"Kaori!?" Kaede gasped, nearly dropping the bowl she was cleaning, "why did she go to the SDA? How did she even find you?"

"We talked at the Tokyo Dome the night we defaced it," Shuichi explained to her, "My home doubles as my Uncle's Detective Agency, so it wasn't that difficult to track us down once she knew my name and occupation. She didn't come looking for trouble if that's what you're thinking..."

"No, I know..." Kaede shuddered, the reveal shocking her a fair bit, "what did she come asking about?"

Shuichi paused for a moment, finishing scrubbing a dish before he placed it on the side.

"She wanted to know..." his voice was shaky, "if there was any way I could help her...pay a visit to Kirie in prison."

Kaede ACTUALLY dropped the bowl this time, but fortunately, it didn't break as it bounced in the sink.

"Easy!" Shuichi frantically reached out to grab it and steady her hands.

"Sorry! You just...caught me by surprise is all...!" she forced herself to be composed, "Kaori really wanted to visit Mom? What did you tell her?"

"I told her that as a small private detective agency, we alone couldn't really make such a meeting happen on our own influence, especially given the two's rough history to consider," he explained, "but thankfully, due to my ties with the KDA and Kyoko-sama being my senpai and mentor, we were able to pull some strings."

"So...what happened?" Kaede was extremely eager to know more.

"Well...Kirie let her see her. I went with her to make sure things went alright in the end, or to calm her down in case things started to get heated. You know what she's like," Shuichi explained, "but in the end, it didn't really come to that. They just...talked...Not a lot, but still."

"I see...I didn't know that...It makes sense that Kaori wanted to keep it secret, tsundere that she is..." Kaede chuckled, "Do you know exactly what they talked about?"

"I didn't want to impose on their conversation unless I had to," Shuichi smiled, "but I remember hearing Kaori say that...if she felt like it...she'd try and write letters to her, or come talk with her again every once in a while...All things considered, it was a pretty passive conversation."

Kaede looked down at the sink and her hands that were covered in suds.

"I...I had no idea she would even think of doing something like that...much less behind my back..." tears began to form at the corners of her eyes, "the last time I saw her, I..."

"What happened?" Shuichi asked.

"Well, before she got arrested, Mom made a dinner reservation for the two of us. After all was said and done, I went to the restaurant with Kaori instead, and the two of us had a chance to talk after so many years," Kaede explained, "we only talked about her briefly, but at the time, Kaori seemed indignant about leaving her behind."

"What did she say...?" Shuichi was nearly afraid to ask. Kaede sighed and flashed back to that moment.

[THE OTHER DAY...]

"Look. Kaede, I'm not gonna say you're dumb for thinking like that...But it's not that simple for me, y'know?"

"Kaori..." Kaede sighed. Kaori shook her head.

"Don't try and change my mind on this," she growled, "I know I fucked up. I know I did and said some things that were shitty, and I'm all for trying to make amends for that..."

She clenched her cutlery tightly to the point that her fist started to shake.

"For some reason, it seems like you're already willing to forgive her...But in my mind, there's nothing that can stop me from seeing her for the crazy, deranged, manipulative bitch that she is...!" she stammered, "the Phantom Thieves may have gotten to her, and even if it does seem like she's changed, she hasn't changed at all! Even if she's decided to stop all this crap and make amends, it doesn't just automatically make all the pain OK! The neglect...the pain...what she did to both of us and all those innocent people...! This "change of heart" thing disgusts me! It's like she one-sidedly decided to try and patch things up, and I hate it!"

"Kaori, please..." Kaede remained calm, "People are staring at us..."

Kaori calmed herself after realizing this for herself.

"This isn't about Mom...It's about us...But if you must know, here's how I look at it," Kaede asserted, "she may have been a lunatic obsessed with making something of herself and using me to do it, but at least she still pampered me and stuck around like any good mother would..."

She paused and crossed her arms, her expression stern, serious, and unmoving.

"But I agree with you. I still can't forgive her for what she did to you, and all those other people. If she hadn't had a change when she did, my upperclassmen and best friend might not have a place to call home anymore," she told her, "so outside of being a mother, as a human being...I just want to see how things go from here. Because I know that even the smallest action can change a person. And for Kirie Kaede, I hope it's for the better."

Kaori didn't know how to respond to this, so the two of them just quietly went back to eating and didn't bring it up again.

[BACK TO THE PRESENT...]

"I guess you gave her some food for thought..." Shuichi considered.

"That wasn't really what I was intending...But if it helped her, I didn't even realize..." She stopped in place, "I..."

"What's wrong?"

She put her plate down, turned off the tap, and turned solemnly towards Shuichi.

"Shuichi...What is "Justice" to you?" she asked, "what was going through your mind when you decided to take on the task of helping me and my sister? As a Phantom Thief, what should I be aiming for? Am I even doing the right thing now?"

For anyone outside of their relationship, it would be quite weird to think of Kaede Akamatsu to be this deep in thought and doubtful about herself. But for Shuichi, who was used to her company, this was far from uncommon. Though Kaede felt like his polar opposite in terms of social esteem and confidence, the two were virtually the same. He thought for a moment before giving his response.

"I'm not sure what to say to that..." he admitted, "I joined the Phantom Thieves because I knew that there were more people like us out there who were suffering at the hands of terrible people who felt like they could use us how they saw fit...I joined because I thought it was the only way I could make things right with my own power..."

He put down his brush and placed a hand on her shoulder.

"To me, the Phantom Thieves are that symbol of hope...something I think this world really needs...A strong light of hope that could serve as both salvation or as a warning...That is what I want this team to become..."

"And you think I should pursue that with you?" Kaede asked. Shuichi however, shook his head.

"Not if it's not what YOU truly believe," he asserted, "Kaede. You and I have been in similar situations, victimized and abused by similarly terrible people...but you and I are DIFFERENT. You shouldn't have to copy the ideals that I strive for if they don't suit or align with your own motives. You should look for a way that suits YOU, and...whatever answer you find...I'm sure it's going to be a very simple one..."

Kaede went silent...Now SHE was the one who didn't know how to respond.

"May I ask a question?" Shuichi interrupted her pause, "What do YOU think of your mother, Kaede? At the end of all this, I mean?"

Kaede was surprised to hear such a question but took the time to seriously consider how she felt about everything. She then gave him an earnest answer.

"I understand that Mom's life also went south when Dad died...But I think a lot of what went wrong for me, she and Kaori was her own fault at the end of the day," she said, "The only reason our relationship is strained is because Kaori put up with the abuse, lack of love and care, and torment for so long that she finally lost it. In an attempt to try and save this family, all she did was RUIN it, and for that, I can't ever forgive her."

She stacked the wet plates on the draining board and laid out a towel to dry them, but finished what she was saying before she did.

"But thanks to what you told me, I know now that Kaori is trying to overcome this herself," she said, "despite how distant we've been, over these last few days, she's been more outgoing with her friends, and has even sent me texts every now and again. She told me she's not quite ready to return home and come live with me yet, but...she did say that she's trying. I don't think she wants what happened before to ever happen again, so she's working on herself to make sure it doesn't..."

She gripped the edge of the desk.

"And here I am...being the only one who DOESN'T know what to do about all of this...!" she clenched her jaw, "I want to forgive Mom, and I still love her deep down, but I don't know how to truly feel about her...!"

"Well...do you know what I think?" Shuichi asked.

Kaede raised her head, her eyes widened with curiosity.

"I was actually having a conversation with Toko while we were making dinner, and it got me thinking about family..." Shuichi explained, "And from the way things sound...I don't think you yourself are ready to move on from these family issues yet..."

"You're probably right..." Kaede laughed sadly. However, her heart skipped when Shuichi took both her shoulders in his hands and pulled her close.

"I don't think you're ready...But right now, I think you're preparing yourself...Preparing yourself to come to terms with your Mom and sister, and forgive both of them," he concluded, "because I know more than anyone just how wonderful a person you are. And I don't think you have it in your heart to truly HATE anyone. Instead to me...it looks like you're just waiting...Waiting for the time to come when you can truly proclaim that you've moved on, and can forgive them. You're already well on that path, and I don't think you even realize it yet."

"Shuichi..." Kaede finally let the tears flow, though these tears weren't necessarily sad ones, "thank you so much...You've always been so good to me..."

At his own cordial gesture, Kaede found herself wrapping her hands around his waist. Feeling a mixture of bliss, tension, and surprise, the two gazed into each other's eyes before drawing closer and closer, their faces meeting. Their hearts were racing, and they could feel each other's heat and breath.

And those hearts started to beat in perfect unison as they finally kissed.

It went on for a while, neither of them breaking from their embrace, but with enough embarrassment from the exchange, eventually, the two broke away. They stared into each other's eyes for a second, realizing what had just happened, then quickly turned their backs to one another, blushing profusely.

*Ok, you just kissed...! Breathe! It's not a big deal! But the question is...do they want something serious with me? Or was it just a spur-of-the-moment thing? It probably was! Why would they actually love me anyway!? They're amazing and could do so much better than me! What do I even tell them now!?* was Shuichi's inner monologue.

*LET'S FUCKING GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!* was Kaede's.

"Well, I guess screw it!" Kaede threw her eyes up to heaven, "I...I like you, Shuichi...!"

"Yeah I...uh...m-me...me too..." he stuttered, the gears of his mind still overworking themselves.

"So... heh... I guess we're more than just friends now, huh?"

"Y-Yeah...If that's ok..."

However, this feeling of bliss was suddenly interruby with the sound of somebody clearing their throat.

Slowly and nervously, both Kaede and Shuichi turned their heads to see Makoto standing next to the corner, diverting his eyes and scratching his face, acting like he hadn't seen anything...even though he clearly had.

To which the two of them immediately panicked...!

Mr. Monokuma's Lesson - Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc

"Wha-!? YOU-!? HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN THERE!?" Kaede cried, pink everywhere, "couldn't you have said something sooner!?"

"N-Not long!" Makoto told her, "But when I came in, you two were talking about some heavy stuff, and I didn't want to be insensitive and impose, so I just kept quiet, but then you two started, well, y'know, and I thought "this is really awkward me just watching them do this, I should probably say something!" so I said something and now-"

"Just-STOP!" Shuichi, beet red, silenced him with a single snap. Makoto practically glued his lips closed, and the three of them stood in a DEATHLY AWKWARD silence.

"I'm sorry...I won't say anything about...THAT, I promise. Other than that I'm happy for you two," he blushed, "but...I couldn't help but overhear everything and...I want you to know that Shuichi's right Kaede. About everything." Makoto said.

"You do?" Kaede composed herself. Makoto nodded.

"Even in the end, if you find out that you really can't forgive Kirie, or if you hate her, then that's ok," he told her, "it's fine if you're not able to come to terms with what she did or how you feel. That doesn't stop you from being the great person that you are. And like Shuichi said, you're probably just in the waiting period. I'm sure the phase is just natural..."

Kaede nodded.

"I know I can always count on you for that extra reassurance, Makoto-senpai," she smiled, "was that all you really wanted to say?"

"Well, I mean...I could have waited if that was the case," Makoto scratched his head, "but well...Monomi and I finished cleaning the beds and I was wondering if you two maybe wanted a game of cards while we waited for Toko and Komaru to get out of the bath?"

"That sounds great!" Shuichi beamed, "I can teach you two how to play Old Maid."

"Oh, I've always wanted to learn that!" Kaede's face shone brightly, "you're on!"

Wonderful Dead 002 - Danganronpa Another Episode: Ultra Despair Girls

"Hoooo! First bath really is the best!" Komaru squealed as she let herself soak in the refreshingly warm water of the Kaede's bathtub, "always has been, always will be."

"Yeah, I guess..." Toko nodded, "I mean, as someone who lives alone, I wouldn't know the difference."

"You know, you agreed to come bathe with very little resistance this time," Komaru observed, "should I take that as a good sign, or...?"

"Look, I'm slowly getting used to bathing more and more, helped by the fact that I keep hanging around you irritating fucks who would probably strip me and dump me in the water even if I refused," Toko glowered, but smiled, "so thanks for that."

"Well, I guess you could say the water isn't the only thing that's warmed up," Komaru scoffed, not paying much attention to her anti-flattery, "these days, whenever I suggest taking a bath, you don't put up much of a fight."

"Well, I did used to hate bathing...but in all seriousness, it's nowhere near as bad when I'm with a friend," Toko blushed, yet the heat of the bath thankfully hid this, "I won't say it's "exciting" or anything, but I guess I look forward to it now, at least somewhat..."

"Jeez, say it like you mean it..." Komaru snarked.

"Well, I'm sorry that we can't all be as much of an open book as you or your brother!" Toko snarled.

"Look, we all know I'm childish at my core," Komaru rolled her eyes, "sorry for that..."

"It's alright," Toko sighed and leaned back in the bath, "I'm used to it. Besides, it's probably what I like the most about you..."

"Huh? You really think so?" Komaru raised her eyebrows.

"Just saying what I really think," Toko closed her eyes "Don't take it out of context or anything..."

There was a brief moment of silence as the two relaxed in the bath, but Komaru stirred, thinking about what to say in response.

"Well, if we're being so frank with each other, can I confess something?" she asked, "I was talking privately with Kaede about a lot of the things that have been going on, and...there's something I want to say..."

Toko lifted her head to better hear her friend. Komaru herself went red, not hidden so well by the heat.

"Toko I...I think you're really cool...!" she smiled.

"Cool? Me?" Toko pointed to herself, becoming quite bashful, "Of all the words that could be used to describe me, that's a new one...I think even Makoto is a lot cooler than I am."

"Makoto's my brother, and I usually associate him for his dorkiness when he's...y'know, being himself, and when he's a Phantom Thief, I admire him for his awesomeness. It's like a whole new side of him, and it's really impressive," Komaru explained, "but I wouldn't necessarily say it fits my definition of "cool." To me, you fit that better, both in and out of the Metaverse."

"Well, I think you're a lot cooler..." Toko diverted her eyes. This surprised Komaru, who's eyes widened.

"Wait...really...?" she exclaimed, "but you're the one who's always knocking me for being childish and silly...I'm glad you think that, but are you serious?"

"Remember what I told you? About how you sell yourself short?" Toko's face went a lot redder now, "you're the first person I ever really considered a friend, and...I didn't have the chance to say it before, but I'll say it now..."

Though she was embarrassed, Toko turned her head to look Komaru in the eyes.

"If nothing else, tonight you've proven that you're capable. You're not just a good cook, but you're the life of the party, you crack people up, and you're always there for everyone when they need a shoulder to lean on. I know that I give you shit all the time, but I'm usually just messing around. So who cares if you're not that smart? You're smart in your own way, and...I think you're the coolest person I know...Don't let anyone tell you otherwise..."

"Wow..." Komaru flushed, "that might be the most honest you've ever been with me."

"Don't get used to it Kokichiru..." she scowled, "I make no promises to stop pointing out slip-ups ups..."

"Whatever," Komaru smiled and leaned back "I'm used to that crap by now...And besides. I really did outdo myself with that stew today. I don't think I could ever forgive myself if I let that meat go to waste."

Toko quietly chuckled, but then her face became serious.

"You know...now that I think about it, how did we even get to talking about all this stuff?" she frowned, "I have the distinct feeling that we're forgetting something..."

"Yeah, I'm wondering about that..." Komaru scratched her head, "but hey, we can worry about it another day. For now, I'm just enjoying relaxing in this bath."

"Yeah...it is quite nice, isn't it?" Toko curled back and relaxed, "even I have to admit that..."

With a pleased, comfortable smile, both girls sat in the bath, closing their eyes and letting the warm water soak their worries away...

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGGGHH!!!???"

Finding Peace Party - Danganronpa V3: Killing Harmony

"I know you have it!" Kaede pouted as her hands scanned over Shuichi's hand of cards.

"No, I don't!" Shuichi snapped, "Makoto-senpai or Monomi must have it."

"Says who?" Monomi growled. However, as she did, the sliding door to the living room slammed open, revealing Komaru standing there, still naked and dripping wet from her bath and panting furiously.

"WOAH, MELONS!?!" Kaede exclaimed as she frantically covered a squealing and bright red Shuichi's eyes!

"Guys! It's bad! It's a nightmare! -GUH!?" Komaru shrieked!

"I'll say!" Makoto flushed as he grabbed a textbook and threw it at his sister's face, nailing her straight in the noggin, "Put some damn clothes on!"

Wait a minute...!?

Textbook!?

"AAGH!?" Makoto lurched up, now panicking himself, "We forgot to study for the exams!"

Shuichi and Kaede also lurched to their feet, with Shuichi still keeping his eyes tightly shut, even after Toko arrived on the scene and quickly wrapped a towel around Komaru, as well as checking her sore spot.

"Oh crap, oh crap, oh crap! What do we do!?"

"We need to hit the books! Wh-Where are they!?"

"Can you two maybe get dressed first so I can open my eyes and help you look!?"

"Right! Sorry! Be right back!"

"Komaru wait, watch your towel! You're gonna-!"

"WAH!?"

*SLIP!* *CRAAASH!*

Chapter End Notes

Hope you enjoyed this wholesome, lovey-dovey, and silly chapter. Not an awful lot to say other than happy Saimatsu.
Also, sorry for the lateness, I've had a busy week with it being my last week at uni before Christmas break, and I didn't have this chapter done by the deadline I set myself, so here it is now.
Hope you enjoyed. Make sure to leave some kudos, and drop some funny comments for me to read.

Makoto Naegi's Incredibly Average Life

Chapter Summary

While waiting and preparing in the weeks leading up to the end of the term and the day of the Hope's Peak Academy Sports Day Event, Makoto spends his time practicing for his end-of-term exams, and helping out friends old and new.

Chapter Notes

See the end of the chapter for notes

DSO_Beautiful Dead - Danganronpa Another Episode: Ultra Despair Girls

"Hm...Yeah, this is definitely an improvement! At the very least, all your grades are higher than they were on the mock exams!"

"I barely passed, but...I passed!"

Makoto hummed to himself as he scanned over the results sheet in front of him. A week or so had passed since the study session, and Komaru had finally completed the last of her finals. Now he was in their family home, reading over her result papers. Though the grades had mostly gone up a little bit, a lot of her previously very low scores had improved a lot.

"Glad to see it!" Makoto beamed, "that overnight study session was definitely worth it! Even though we got a little sidetracked. Monomi and Toko are going to be happy, that's for sure."

"So, am I all good!?" Komaru's eyes sparkled, "does that mean I'm free to let loose with our Phantom Thief escapades again!?"

"Well, it's not like we were planning on BANNING you from our Phantom Thief activities unless you got good grades...But hopefully, this does pep you up a bit," Makoto considered, "Actually, speaking of Monomi and exams, there's a question that she wanted to ask you."

"Do I have to answer?" Komaru scowled, "I'm kind of done with exams, not just literally, but figuratively...If that's the right term..."

"Just bear with me; she'll get mad if I don't ask," Makoto sighed, "to be honest, we were both wondering this, but what would say is your preference when it comes to a career path?"

"Career path preference?" Komaru frowned, "wait...now that you say that, I kinda recall my homeroom teacher talking about something like that..."

"Yeah, we talked about it with Ms Yukizome too," Makoto explained, "although, the people who actually run Hope's Peak think talks like that are pointless. We go to the school to become good in the talent that we're given like our career paths are dead set on that specific thing. In the eyes of the school staff, we're basically made for our talents, not really the other way around."

"Well, I mean...That's unfair and all, but a lot of you would probably go for your designated career path even if you weren't going to Hope's Peak," Komaru pondered, "well, I say that, but Kanon-chan was telling me that her cousin wasn't particularly happy about the career that had been set for him."

"You're referring to Kuwata-kun, right?" Makoto asked, "yeah, he seems dead set on making it in the music industry, not sports like he was designated. Fair play to him and all, but I question his motives and abilities..."

"I'll be sure to tell Kanon-chan you said that~" Komaru winked, "and I'll be sitting back with my bowl of popcorn while I watch her beat your ass with a baseball bat~"

"Why-Why-Why are you so mean to me...?" Makoto grumbled, "anyway, you didn't answer my question."

"Well, I'm not really sure..." she thought about it for a moment, "I kinda like the idea of going to uni. Campus life seems like it'd be fun," Komaru sighed, "but again...exams...And I'm nowhere near skilled nor smart enough in anything to really warrant getting a degree."

"Well, actually...I wouldn't say that..." Makoto smirked, "you wanna know what I think?"

"Let me hear it brother..." Komaru crossed her legs, watching as Makoto waved his arms in the air and gestured around her bedroom.

"What do you see when you look around this room?" he asked.

"A bunch of nerd shit that I like?" Komaru replied bluntly.

"Exactly. Stuff that you like to the point where you've drawn fanart and done your own little doodles of all of it, and bought all the merchandise you can," Makoto grinned, "you're the textbook definition of an obsessed fangirl."

"Are you trying to encourage me or make fun of me...?" Komaru growled, "because I have the sudden urge to kick your ass...!"

"Well, what I see lining these walls, and those books on your desk, is PASSION. And that passion has led to you excelling in the things that you love," he said, holding up her test results again, "art and sports. You've always had good grades in those because you enjoy drawing and being active."

"Where are you going with this?" she questioned.

"Listen Komaru..." Makoto began to tell her, "the truth is that while I'm the Ultimate, there are so many things that you're good at and talented at compared to me. I don't have a clear goal in life, and you've got multiple options, but if you ask me, you can MAKE something of all this. You can put the skills you DO know, and the things that you enjoy doing, into making a living for yourself."

He closed the papers and handed them back to Komaru, who looked both at it and around her room.

"There's an old saying that "if you love your job, you'll never work a day in your life." You get what I'm saying?" he asked.

"Yeah, I get it..." Komaru smiled, "You're saying...I should take as many jobs as I should!"

"No!" Makoto snapped, "I'm saying you're an ARTIST in the making! Girls like you are born for this sort of stuff!"

"What do you mean "girls like me!?"" Komaru snapped, "That's sexist!"

"Ok then...um...I can feel it in your body and spirit!"

"THAT'S sexist!"

"I...see it in your eyes?"

"That's...weird? Dude, I'm your sister, don't say crap like that."

"Well, you know what? That's mean! What's weird about a guy trying to encourage and look out for his sister?"

"That's such a guy thing to say..."

"THAT'S SEXIST!"

"Oh..."

"Look..." Makoto pinched the bridge of his nose, "we were talking about in in the nights leading up to the study group. Toko said it herself that because you're not an Ultimate, you've got more options about where it is you want to take your life. But that means you actually have to start THINKING about where to go with it! The only reason I'm nagging you now is because if I don't, our parents or your teachers will later!"

"Yeah, I know..." Komaru sighed, "but I'm only in my first year of high school. They can't be putting THAT much pressure on me already, can they?"

"You'd be surprised..." Makoto huffed, "My middle school teachers were always pushing me to make something of myself until I got accepted into Hope's Peak. To be honest, even I'm not sure where I actually want to take my life..."

"I mean, I totally get that," Komaru frowned, "what is the "Ultimate Lucky Student" going to do after graduation? I honestly can't imagine..."

"Well, I WAS originally gonna try and get into university, as you said, but given that I'll eventually get a certificate by graduating from the most prestigious school in the world, that feels pretty pointless right now," Makoto considered, "you're right though...It's tough to say what someone with my Ultimate Talent would even do..."

"I mean, in the grand scheme of things, it hardly even matters..." Komaru's expression became depressed all of a sudden, "like you said: Most prestigious school IN THE WORLD! For who knows how many reasons, I'm sure any company would be proud to take on the Ultimate Lucky Student."

"Well...I guess..." Makoto shrugged, "I can't tell if my options are too narrow or too wide just yet..."

Before either of them could say anything else, there was a knocking on Komaru's bedroom door. It swung open, and Kotoko waddled inside, holding a small tray with three cups of juice on top of it.

"Hey, Big Sis? Big Bro?" she spoke quietly and shyly, "Mrs. Naegi said you two should stay hydrated, so she asked me to bring up some drinks for you. Sorry if I interrupted something important..."

"Oh, don't worry~" Komaru smiled at her, "we've just been talking about school stuff."

"What kinds of school stuff?" Kotoko asked.

Makoto and Komaru took a moment to explain to Kotoko a lot of what they'd just discussed. The three of them sat in a circle and discussed their paths for the future and what they would all like to do when they grew up.

Kotoko made it clear that she was done with the acting and performance industry, though Makoto and Komaru already knew that. However, she did seem to be quite passionate about pursuing a career in fashion when she was older, and to make, in her own words, "clothes that were super adorbs!"

"Big Sis Junko who looks after Monaca has taught me a lot about designs and stuff!" she beamed excitedly, "she's amazing when it comes to picking out styles and fitting with what's trending!"

"Junko's in your class, right?" Komaru recalled, "She's the Ultimate Fashion Designer or something, right?"

"Ultimate Fashionista," he clarified, "and yeah, I have to agree with Kotoko. Junko's so good with clothes and modeling that it actually kind of scares me..."

"Scares you?" Komaru parroted, "I know that a lot of the powerhouses of Hope's Peak can be intimidating, but this is the first time I've ever heard you say someone's talent scares you..."

"Well, what I mean is this..." he tried to explain, "Junko seems to have this uncanny ability to predict and set trends. She could don a style that seems outlandish and ridiculous and makes you question what she's actually doing with her talent, but then not even a week later, that exact style suddenly becomes the all-time most popular clothing brand and style in the whole year."

"Still, all that aside...It feels weird to have such a grown-up conversation..." Kotoko remarked, "Masaru would probably call me lame if he ever found out about this..."

"Well, I think being so mature for your age is a good thing" Makoto affectionately patted her on the head. She smiled, then turned to Komaru.

"You know Big Sis Komaru? I kind of agree with Big Bro Makoto that you should do something art-based. I really like your drawings and doodles," she complimented, "why not try and get into an AAU?"

"Isn't that like...doctor and hospital related?" Komaru raised an eyebrow.

"No, no, not AAU as in Acute Assessment Unit. AAU as in an Academy of Art University," she clarified, "it's a school where you study things like painting, and sculpting, and digital arts and stuff!"

"Wow...I'm...surprised you know all that..." Komaru whistled, "You're very clever Kotoko!"

"Oh, it's mostly stuff I've heard from Monaca. She's the smart one really..." Kotoko blushed, "Some AAUs actually do short-term preparatory courses for people who want to pursue that kind of study. Why don't you sign up for one?"

"Hm...!" Komaru's face lit up, "you know what? Maybe I will!"

"I'm glad that we're at least going in some kind of direction with this, but at the same time, this feels a bit sudden," Makoto interjected, "it feels a bit weird to decide to jump into a university course on a whim without really thinking about it."

"It's not like I'm NOT thinking about it!" Komaru pouted, "but we were just talking about what I could do for the future, and you said yourself that it's one of my strong suits."

"While yes, I DID say that, most people who attend those classes are in the middle of college. You're in your first year of high school," Makoto explained, "I'm just worried you might find yourself a little out of your depth. You're good at drawing and art, sure, but the people who go to universities have been studying and practicing it for a very long time."

"Well, if that's the case, then I guess I'm going to have to take my art more seriously from now on!" she pumped her fist, "I'll definitely be able to pass an exam if I draw more and hone my style!"

"If that's your way of saying you have an excuse to doodle more in class, think again sister..." Makoto jerked. Komaru blushed and Kotoko giggled.

However, the merry and upbeat mood was cut through when the loud sound of a ringing phone cut through the conversation. Komaru took her mobile out of her pocket and looked at the screen, which bore an unknown number. She frowned but gestured to Makoto.

"Sorry, let me take this." she apologized.

"Are you sure?" Kotoko seemed tense, "Big Sis Junko always said you shouldn't answer unknown numbers."

"Well, that's good advice, but this might be important," Komaru stood up and stepped out of the room, "just give me a few minutes."

Makoto and Kotoko chatted for a little bit as Komaru left, with both of them finishing off their drinks. However, Makoto suddenly heard a commotion out in the hallway and quietly stood up to get a quick listen. He hoped that whatever Komaru was dealing with, it wasn't anything too serious...

Unfortunately, the concern and underlying rage in her tone of voice did not sell that idea.

DSO Despair Syndrome - Danganronpa Another Episode: Ultra Despair Girls

"I'm gonna ask this one more time...How the hell did you get this number...!?" she growled, "What...? You mean now...? Ugh...Fine, where? Alright...I'll be there..."

She pocketed her phone, and then quickly returned to the bedroom.

"I'm sorry. Something came up; I have to go," she said, "we'll talk about this stuff another time, ok?"

"Huh? Go where?" Makoto asked, "that sounded pretty serious. I can come with you if you want-"

"DON'T! I mean...don't..." Komaru snapped, but quickly composed herself, "This is private...I need to deal with it alone..."

Before Makoto could respond, Komaru suddenly shuffled down the hallway and down the stairs. Kotoko poked her head out of the bedroom to watch with a concerned face.

"What's up with her?" Makoto asked.

"I'm not sure," Kotoko admitted, "she's been acting like that for the past few days now; going out and coming back looking really concerned and scared. I don't know what's going on though. She won't tell me."

Makoto looked worriedly after his sister...What was going on?

Ms. Monomi's Practice Lesson - Danganronpa 2: Goodbye Despair

Though he was still worried, Makoto decided to leave the situation alone for the time being.

That said, he was wracking his mind. Following the conversation that he'd just had with the two of them, he was kind of stuck thinking about it. The exams were coming up, but even aside from that, the academy continued to challenge him to come up with new ways to bring out the best in his talent.

"How the hell am I supposed to find new potential in MY talent?" he asked himself under his breath as he walked down the quiet street beside the river, "what in the world am I supposed to do?"

"Hm? Naegi-kun?" Makoto's attention was grabbed when he suddenly heard a familiar voice next to him, "What a coincidence! I wasn't expecting to run into you today."

The Lucky Student turned his head to see none other than the OTHER Lucky Student, Nagito Komaeda, standing there on the grass with his typical carefree smile. Makoto was about to greet him formally, but then suddenly widened his eyes in horror, seeing his upperclassman's face scratched up, his nose bleeding, and pinecones in his hair!

"Komaeda-senpai!?" Makoto exclaimed, "wh-what the hell happened to you!?"

"I told you already," Nagito sighed, "there's really no need to refer to me as senpai. It's not an honorific I deserve."

"Oh, forget about that!" Makoto snapped, "What happened to your face!? Did you break your nose!?"

"Well...Maybe?" he touched it and winced, "I was actually trying to save a rabbit that got stuck in a tree. I think a bird carried it up there...It got scared of me and scratched at my face, so I fell out of the tree and landed on my face. Then I ended up trying to help it get back home after I gained its trust, and I ended up saving it from traffic about 3 times...Turns out it lived on the other side of Shibuya, so I carried it all the way across the city until I got here at the park. Then I accidentally stepped inside its rabbit hole and destroyed its home, and got my shoe all muddy, so I helped it and its family dig a new burrow, and then-"

"Stop! STOP!" Makoto waved his arms frantically, "I get it! You've had a terrible day!"

"Oh, no, nothing of the sort!" Nagito beamed, "It was worth it knowing I did some good for people who needed it. Even trash like me can be helpful when he needs to be."

"How are you so pure?" Makoto whispered, "No, never mind...Come with me! We need to get you cleaned up!"

"Sorry for the trouble..." Nagito sighed, "How terrible that I'm taking up your valuable time like this..."

Makoto felt that greeting this with a response wasn't worth the hassle, so he ignored him.

Re_ Beautiful Morning - Danganronpa 2: Goodbye Despair

"You're such a kind soul, Naegi-kun. I'm so sorry to bother you like this..."

"It's fine, just sit and rest for a bit."

Makoto took Nagito to an emergency center to get patched up, then once he was back in shape, he took him to a nearby cafe to treat him to lunch. Nagito clearly felt bad about the whole ordeal, but Makoto was honestly just frustrated by how little he seemed to care about himself.

"And coming from you who spent his entire day helping out a wild rabbit and its family," Makoto drummed the table with his fingers, "that means a lot."

"It's not like I have anything better to do with my time..." Nagito retained his smile.

"Why don't you go hang out with your family or your classmates?" Makoto suggested, "That's what I usually do on my time off?"

"You're so model...But I'm afraid that's not possible," Nagito put down his drink and looked down at the table, "I have no family to speak of, and given how the end-of-term exam period is coming up, the last thing I would want to do is disturb my classmates when they're practicing and studying for exams. For any of them to fail would be a nightmare in real life equivalent to death."

"I think that might be a bit of an exaggeration!" Makoto flustered, "still, I'm sorry to hear that...I can't imagine what my life would be like if I didn't have my family..."

"Sorry, you may be misunderstanding," Nagito interjected, "I don't speak to my parents because they are no longer with me. They died when I was very young, and I haven't had many people to take care of me..."

"OH! I-I'm so sorry...!" Makoto was immensely saddened and ridden with guilt upon hearing this, "what happened? A-Assuming you don't mind telling me...It's ok if it's too personal."

"No. It's not a secret or anything, so I don't mind. Especially not after the selflessness you've shown me today," Nagito smiled weakly, "when I was in elementary school, my family and I were planning to board an airplane from the San Cristóbal Airport."

"I'm sorry, from where?" Makoto drew a blank "Where is even that?"

"In San Cristóbal..." Nagito replied bluntly, "Was that not obvious?"

"I...Never mind..." Makoto shook his head, "continue..."

"Well, everything was going well at first," Nagito continued, "but then The aircraft was hijacked shortly after we boarded."

"WHAT!?" Makoto spluttered.

"Don't you think that's the worst luck?" he asked, "but surprisingly, a meteorite fell at exactly the right time and hit the plane!"

"HUH!?" Makoto spluttered more.

"Well, it was only the size of a closed fist for a meteorite. Nevertheless, the hijacker was hit by the falling meteorite, which stopped any more issues," Nagito concluded, "but my parents were also struck by it, and they perished instantly. I truly do miss them terribly."

"W-Wait! Please, slow down for the love of god!" Makoto felt like he was about to lose air, "I'm having trouble keeping up with you because you're talking about this event so casually! A hijacking of a plane!? And a meteorite!? And your folks passed away in front of you!? How do you stay so calm talking about this!?"

"I appreciate your concern, Naegi-kun, but for someone like me, this is nothing that special," Nagito told him straightforwardly, "much like that hostage situation I was wrapped up in recently. If you think about it, it's a perfect balance of good and bad."

"In what way is any of this "perfect?" It just sounds like bad times all around!" Makoto gasped for air.

"On the one hand, my plane was hijacked and my parents died. Isn't that just the worst luck?" Nagito asked, "But on the OTHER hand, the meteorite saved everyone else's lives and I obtained both my freedom and a substantial inheritance. It was really amazing good luck all along, right!?"

"Are...Are you being facetious, or are you actually serious right now?" Makoto scratched his face. Nagito sighed.

"I guess it doesn't make sense to you, huh? My luck manifests kind of weirdly compared to yours," Nagito considered, "I doubt you've ever been in a hostage situation or anything like that..."

"Um...actually..." Makoto felt a ping of something oddly familiar, yet oddly terrifying, "now that you say that..."

"Oh? You have?" Nagito's head perked up with curiosity.

"It's kind of a long story," Makoto informed him, "assuming you have the time...?"

"Like I said, I have nowhere to be," Nagito beamed, "and you showed me so much hospitality while I recounted my story, so I can only do so in kind."

Re_ Junk Food for a Dashing Youth - Danganronpa 2: Goodbye Despair

"Ok, well, this happened shortly after I first got into high school. I was in a good mood because of the weather, and figured I might as well take the long way home to soak it all in," Makoto began his story, "as I was walking by a park, I noticed some of my old friends playing a game of rock, paper, scissors to decide who should go to the convenience store. They invited me to play, and even though I would have declined normally, I thought I might as well try something different. Plus, there were about 10 people in the group, and I didn't even know half of them. I didn't think losing was a big possibility."

"And let me guess..." Nagito smiled, already predicting where this was going, "you lost badly?"

"Immediately. Literally everyone else went for rock and I was the only one who picked scissors..." Makoto groaned, cringing at the memory. If there was one saving grace to recounting this story, it's that he knew Nagito wasn't about to hold it against him or make fun of him for it.

"How unlucky..." Nagito sighed, frowning, "They must have been astonished at how terrible your luck was..."

"You've got that right. Anyway, it got worse," Makoto groaned, "the bags that had the drinks in them ripped open, and while I was picking them all up, my coffee rolled down the road in front of an old man, who just picked it up and DRANK half of it right in front of me! Then he left his phone on the bench, so I dropped the snacks and tried to get it back to him. But he hopped on a bus, so I had to jump on after him, and made it just in the nick of time!"

"And then!? And then!?" Nagito leaned in, starting to get very noticeably excited about this story, and Makoto wasn't quite sure how to take that.

"Well, this is the crazy part. As I was going to return the old man's phone to him, I stumbled and lost my balance," he continued, "I instinctively grabbed onto someone else's bag to cushion my fall just before I fell to the ground. It broke open in the end, and even though I fell flat on my face, things somehow got worse. When I ripped open the bag, hundreds of priceless jewels fell to the ground, and the owner pulled out a knife and ordered everyone to freeze!"

"Wait! I think I have a vague recollection of this story from the news!" Nagito gasped, "Infamous jewel thief Jutarō Akafuku was arrested after he took a whole bus full of people hostage! His reputation as a notorious criminal stemmed from his ability to evade capture through a series of fortuitous events and unlikely coincidences!"

"Yep, that's the guy...After robbing a small jewelry store, he was heading home dressed like a salaryman so no one would suspect he was a thief," Makoto heaved a sigh, "he took me as a hostage and threatened to slit my throat if the driver didn't comply and get up from his seat. But then, after he gives an order for everyone else on the bus to pick up the jewels and place them back in the bag, it turns out that the old man from before was a Kendo instructor, and he tackled the jewel thief to the ground."

"Wow! How fortunate!" Nagito beamed, "So he saved you in the end?"

"Nope...I tried to help him out, but when I got up, by mistake, I moved the gears and pressed the gas pedal. He shouted for me to apply the brakes as the bus jerked forward, knocking us all off balance," Makoto cringed even more, "he told me to pull the breaks, and I did as he asked, but then it happened again, and we were all thrown to the ground. Even worse, the jewel thief managed to get away when I inadvertently pressed the door button after getting up."

"That doesn't sound like it was your fault," Nagito considered, "if anything, you managed to save people's lives by doing that."

"I would like to think so, but I can't in good conscience. The old man shouted at me to chase after the robber, which I thought was stupid since I was just a high school freshman, but everyone on the bus seemed to agree, for whatever reason. I was hoping that the bus driver would defend me and point out how absurd the whole thing was, but guess what? He was out cold from hitting his head!" Makoto snapped, "after I leaped from the bus, I ran into a postman who had come outside to see if everything was alright. We both fell over each other, and the jewel thief tried to flee after stealing the postman's motorcycle. By that point, as he was driving away, I had gotten so so SO tired of the pattern that seemed to follow me everywhere and had made the decision to give up and do nothing. All I wanted was for me to return to my regular life as a high school student."

"Ordinarily, I would be comforting you," Nagito crossed his arms and smirked, "but given my own personal experience, I somehow get the feeling that this story isn't over yet."

"Well, here's the weird thing for me, because this kind of freak coincidence is just...not normal!" Makoto scoffed, "Just when it seemed like he was about to get away, the thief was thrown across the street when his motorcycle overturned. It turns out that one of the cans I unintentionally spilled all over the streets a little while ago was the reason the motorcycle crashed and burned. So the police showed up in time and arrested the guy just as he regained consciousness. Apparently, my description came up in the news report, but nobody knew my name, so the only people who ever truly knew about this situation were my family and some of my older friends. So yeah, that was...probably the worst day of my whole life..."

Nagito sat still in a complete state of stasis as he let the entire story sink in. He fell back on his seat and puffed out an exasperated breath.

"N-Naegi-kun...I'm so sorry to hear that all happened to you," he tensed up, "it's all...all of it is..."

"Yeah, it was a nightmare..." Makoto sighed, "I was just so ready to give up and go home at any-"

"ABSOLUTELY AMAZIIING!"

"Huh!?" Makoto exclaimed in the wake of this sudden outburst.

"A string of unbelievable coincidences brought about by your lucky charm! And all this happened because of your extremely bad luck defeating that criminal's well-thought-out strategy and good fortune! It made all kinds of fake skill and labor useless!" Nagito began to drool and cradled his own body, like he was in a state of erratic bliss, "Magnificent! Truly amazing! You fully deserve to be known as the Ultimate Lucky Student!"

"Oh, come on!" Makoto grumbled, "This was a one-in-a-million-day occurrence, and even to this day I don't know how that sequence of events even played out! You go through them every day, it seems!"

"Oh, but that's the very thing that's so incredible about it!" Nagito blushed, "It seems our abilities really aren't so different after all! How could you not tell me this story before now!?"

"Well, we've never really been that close..." Makoto tensed up as Nagito leaned across the table and got right in his face, "plus, even if it's exciting for you, for me, it was probably the worst day of my life, and I hate even recounting it."

"O-Oh..." Nagito immediately backpedaled, "I'm...I'm so sorry...How garbage am I, making you recount an event that you loathed so much...!"

"H-Hey! It's not your fault!" Makoto suddenly panicked, hardly able to keep up with this whirlwind of emotions he was being put through, "I don't blame you for being intrigued by it, just I don't find Luck such an admirable thing is all."

"I don't either," Nagito stated, "I feel rather bad saying this so openly to you, but on any given day, in spite of the things it's put me through, I've never thought of my good fortune as a true talent. Thus I never saw myself as an Ultimate in the first place."

Re_ Beautiful Morning - Danganronpa 2: Goodbye Despair

"Is that so...?" Makoto asked, rather confused, "if that's the case, why agree to attend Hope's Peak Academy?"

"I've always admired Hope's Peak Academy, but to be perfectly honest, I initially said no when I won the lottery and was invited here, because I didn't think I deserved it. I don't even now," he clarified, "but believe it or not, Mr. Kirigiri, Mr. Kizakura, and Mr. Tengan ALL personally came to see me and made the request. That sincerity was too strong to resist, and besides, I knew how to use myself here, even though I wasn't an Ultimate."

""Make use of yourself?"" Makoto parroted, suddenly reaching an epiphany, "What do you mean by that?"

"You seem interested all of a sudden," he observed. Makoto sighed.

"To be honest, before I ran into you, I was kind of deep in thought about what I'm supposed to be doing here," Makoto unveiled, "Ultimate Lucky Student really is an honor, don't get me wrong, but what are people like us supposed to do with that? I was kind of hoping...you know, as my senior with the same talent, you'd be able to tell me?"

"Hm...Well, I can definitely share my own take, if that's what you want," Nagito scratched his chin as he thought about it, "still, given past experience, something tells me you won't like my answer very much."

"What do you mean?" Makoto asked.

"Here's how I see things...Because they are chosen from birth, Ultimates can rise above life's setbacks and fortify their own aspirations rather than letting them break like lesser, everyday people," Nagito asserted, "I frequently feel ashamed simply for being in their company because I'm such a lesser being. However, I have a pure, platonic love for my classmates, and I want nothing more than to be a stepladder for the other Ultimates that I hold in such high regard so that they can become the best versions of themselves. That's my dream."

Makoto had to take a few minutes, doing nothing but blinking, as he let Nagito's words sink in. But when he finally made sense of them...he wasn't satisfied.

"So let me get this straight," he frowned, "you're saying that as the Ultimate Lucky Student, my only worth in my class is making everyone else around me look better!?"

"No! No! Not at all!" Nagito flustered, "I'm talking about ME! Not YOU! You're different!"

"In what way!? We have the same talent; we got here through the same means!" Makoto exclaimed, "Is this really what Luck is to you?"

"You're asking the wrong question," Nagito suddenly became serious, "the question you need to be asking first and foremost is what does Luck mean TO YOU?"

"Me? Well...it doesn't really feel like luck to me personally, but..."

Makoto responded, then paused again, thinking for a moment. He repeated most of their conversation back in his mind and gave it some thought.

Now that he recalled the events properly, there was something about that awful day that he had failed to mention. Though it had taken him ages to get back home, something very interesting was waiting for him on the table when he got back...

That day...That terrible, awful, worst day ever, was the same day that he received his invitation to Hope's Peak as the Ultimate Lucky Student...

"Considering I'm able to be at Hope's Peak in the first place, and given the schools' prestige," Makoto finally answered with a smile, "I guess luck is all the doors of opportunity opened to me."

"AHAAGH!"

"Will you STOP DOING THAT!?"

"S-Sorry! J-Just...What a wonderful, optimistic answer! We may both be lucky, but scum like me doesn't even come close." Nagito cradled himself again, "you see what I mean now? I thought luck was the lamest talent, but a person with a different kind of luck...Maybe...Just maybe you can reach that glimmer of Hope."

"Yep, I still don't know what you're saying..." Makoto sighed, pursing his lips, "To me, you're a way more impressive Lucky Student than I am..."

"It seems this conversation bore fruit for both of us," Nagito beamed, "in fact, I believe it would be fortuitous to meet up like this more often. This lovely conversation has balanced out all the misfortune I've suffered through today."

"Hm...I guess I have learned a lot about our similarities and differences..." Makoto considered, "well, if you think so...then who am I to refuse!"

"Then we have a deal!" Nagito grinned so widely, it looked like his face was about to split in half, "I look forward to it!"

He enthusiastically stuck out his hand, and trying to match his enthusiasm, Makoto took it and shook it.

I am thou...Thou art I...Thy hast acquired a new vow.

It shall become the wings of rebellion that breaketh thy chains of captivity.

With the birth of the Wheel of Fortune Persona, I have obtained the winds of blessing that shall lead to freedom and new power...

"Well, that's all I got for you for now," Makoto concluded his report, "will that be good enough?"

"Perfect! Absolutely perfect!" Mahiru Koizumi's usually very stubborn and consistently frowning face lit up with joy once she scribbled his words down on paper, "Thanks Naegi! You might have just saved me from failing my exams!"

"I think you would have passed your exams with flying colors even without my help," Makoto became quite bashful, "but it's nice to hear that I helped you out in some way."

Thinking about Nagito's words in his mind, Makoto quickly came to realize that despite his claim of being different, Makoto did in fact spend most of his time helping out his fellow schoolmates. Following up on the deal he'd struck with the Ultimate Photographer prior to the Kaede case, Makoto worked with the other thieves to come up with some reports and insights on the Phantom Thieves' activities to deliver to her, so that she may write stories of their movements in the papers.

Though Mahiru claimed to dislike the job, Makoto was happy she seemed so relieved to get a proper story, or at least as much as he could probably give her.

"In that case, there's just one more thing to do. Stay there...right there..." she grumbled under her breath.

"Huh? Why?" Makoto asked. He didn't have to wait long to answer.

"Okay, say "cheese!"...Aha! Just kidding!"

Mahiru aimed her signature camera at the Lucky Student and the shutter went "click"...It took Makoto a second to shake the flash off, as well as come to terms with the sudden photoshoot.

"Well, I guess this is good enough," she stood back, admiring the photo through the digital camera's screen, "yep, that sure is a dumb-looking face~"

"H-Hey! That's not nice!" Makoto complained, basically snatching the camera to get a look at the photo, only for Mahiru to indignantly snatch it back, "Why'd you take my photo so suddenly?"

"Huh? U-Uh...Just so you know...it's not like I want a picture of you or anything!" she flushed, crossing her arms and pouting, "I swear to every god who's listening that that's true."

"You don't have to go that far!" Makoto exclaimed, before patiently thinking about it, "Koizumi-senpai...Has anyone ever told you you're kind of tsundere?"

"Say that again, and you'll be singing soprano..." Mahiru glowered, not even remotely trying to mask the threat as she kicked at the ground.

*Well now I DEFINITELY know she's a tsundere...* Makoto secretly thought, "You're not going to put that picture in the paper itself, are you?"

"I have more tact and sense than to use your photograph without consent. I'd be a pretty terrible photographer if I didn't," Mahiru harumphed, putting her camera down on the table and diverting her gaze, "this...is just a record..."

"A record of what?" Makoto frowned.

"Just a record!" she snapped, "I just...want a record that right now, we're all living together in this place..."

"Living together?" Makoto parroted.

"Yeah, yeah, I know it's a school, and I know it's dumb. It's hardly the same thing as living on a college campus..." she put her hands behind her back and pouted, "but in this kind of situation, it's easy for us to forget that we're together like this, you know? So I decided to make a record of everyone I meet and talk to each day so we won't forget these memories, or vanish from history. Aside from being a botched newspaper club president, that's pretty much the only thing I CAN do right now..."

"Oh, I get it!" Makoto smiled, "yeah, that's a good idea!"

Makoto was honestly surprised. He would never have considered doing something of that nature. The memories he shared with Sayaka, Toko, Kyoko, Chihiro, Mukuro, Junko, and his other classmates and schoolmates. Giving it some thought, he was terrified that those memories would eventually fade away and disappear over time.

Even though Koizumi-senpai was a little prickly and occasionally found it difficult to be open and honest about her feelings, she still seemed to come across as a generally decent person.

"But...taking pictures of guys isn't fun, so I guess it'll be fine if I only do that once every three days..." she grumbled.

Never mind...She just contradicted herself...Makoto figured he could try to compliment her even still, but he doubted he could do so in such a way that she wouldn't think was coming off as sarcastic.

"More importantly, we have such a large campus with so many well-kept facilities and up-to-date establishments that really set us apart as Ultimate students. But I can't photograph it because I'm supposed to be here writing stories I don't care about half the time...!" she snarled, seemingly to herself despite Makoto being right in front of her, "no matter how beautiful the scenery is, what's the point if I barely have time in the day to capture it...!?"

"Surely they can't be overworking you THAT much?" Makoto giggled nervously, "I hear you regularly hang out with Mioda-senpai, Saionji-senpai, Tsumiki-senpai, and your friend Sato-san. You must have SOME time, right?"

"How do you know that?" Mahiru scowled, "Have you been watching me?"

"No!" Makoto snapped, "I was talking recently with Komaeda-kun. He was telling me stories about your class, and I was telling him some of mine."

"Oh, HIM..." Mahiru clicked her tongue, "Of course HE would be watching me like the creep that he is..."

She picked her camera up, and turned her back to him, heading towards a printer in the corner.

"Word of advice? Don't take anything Nagito says too seriously. His calmness is more akin to apathy than anything else, and the cheerfulness he displays isn't totally sincere. Plus, he's a weirdo who believes in weirdo things," she called out, "anyway, I have to get to work, so I guess I'll see you later. Don't forget about our deal, okay?"

Makoto...honestly wasn't sure what to do about any of this. Having initially appeared ecstatic and at ease, Mahiru then seemed to be taking charge of the conversation, abruptly changing the topic and now appearing to push him away.

Was she upset with something? Had he said something strange?

It didn't sit well with Makoto, whatever it was.

"Oh, hey, it's you..."

Though caught in his own thoughts, Makoto returned to reality when he heard a familiar voice right in front of him. The familiar long, moss-green hair and piercing glare of Mahiru's friend Sato stood in front of him, holding some photocopies under her arms.

"Oh, hey!" Makoto quietly greeted her, "Sorry, am I in your way? I was just leaving."

"Mahiru already told me about your deal. I assume that's the reason for you being here," she confirmed, "I know it doesn't mean much coming from me, but thanks for helping her out with this. It helps me too, you know?"

"Oh...I-It's ok," Makoto was surprised to hear such honest and friendly words from her, when so far his impression of her had been that of a rather cold and closed-off person, "still, I wish she could stand to be a little nicer to me..."

Sato scoffed.

"Let me guess," she asked, "she acted all uppity in front of you and then practically kicked you out?"

"Uh, yeah, basically..." Makoto admitted, "How did you know that?"

"Eh, I just expect it of her," Sato smiled and shrugged, "she's been like this as long as I've known her. Can't say I blame her for it though. She's had it rough..."

"You know, I did suspect as much when I've seen you two talk to one another..." Makoto pondered, "But I'm guessing you two have known each other for a while. You even address each other by your given names."

"Huh? O-Oh, yeah, we just went to the same middle school...We were both in the photography club and sorta...kinda...became best friends..." Sato tensed up and turned her head away in embarrassment, "It's kinda embarrassing to admit, but the reason I joined the Reserve Course in the first place is so I could...you know...keep hanging out with her or something."

"Aw! That's really sweet of you! You must cherish her a lot!" Makoto beamed.

"Ch-Cherish might be a bit much...!" Sato blushed, "But, for real...Try not to let Mahiru's words and actions get to you. I know she can come off as a little cold, and maybe a tad sexist towards boys, but it's really not like that. It's just because of her upbringing, she sets her expectations a little too high."

"I don't mean to pry, but could you explain?" Makoto asked.

"Mahiru's Mom is a war photographer. It's kinda how she got into photography as a medium in the first place. But because she's always off around the world and taking pictures in other countries, Mahiru's stuck at home living with just her Dad," Sato explained, lowering her voice so that Mahiru couldn't overhear them, "he doesn't have a job and never offers to help out around the house. Mahiru takes care of the two of them on her own."

"Sounds like a real deadbeat..." Makoto pouted. Sato sighed.

"She doesn't see it that way. Even if he is kinda lazy and a total bum, she still loves him and doesn't mind doing all that work," she said, "which is why I'm thankful for you. You really do good lifting whatever other weights she's got off her shoulders."

"Well, I'm glad I can help out. Thank you for telling me all of that, even if I'm a bit nosy," Makoto reached out and shook her hand, "you know, you're a surprisingly nice person, Sato-san."

"What do you mean "surprisingly!?"" Sato scowled, but couldn't help but smirk back, "Listen, I gotta get these to her. Have a nice day, ok?"

"You too!" Makoto smiled, moving out of the way so she could go inside. As he walked away, Makoto gave his experience some more patient thought.

*Even though she bemoans it, Koizumi-senpai is very nice and takes care of people like a champ,* he thought *well, I guess she would have to. She wouldn't have been able to snap so many happy photos otherwise.*

Beautiful Days - Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc

[EXAM DAY...]

Makoto heaved a huge sigh of relief once he finally made it backstage. Following the final phase of his practical exam, having to recount his latest story to the examiners was simply exhausting.

Truth be told, these sorts of exams were more mocks than anything. Only the final one at the end of the school year mattered when it came to deciding whether or not he had a right to stay.

At this point in time, given the number of curveballs Makoto had been thrown, he honestly didn't care too much whether he got kicked out of Hope's Peak or not, but couldn't at least not try in good conscience. Also, as he had told his parents, he still had friends that he cherished at Hope's Peak, and he didn't exactly feel like leaving them behind, especially after meeting Shuichi and Kaede.

By the time Makoto got backstage, mostly everyone had gone back to the dorms already, with a few people sticking around. However, one particular person in a tracksuit was waiting for him, and handed him a bottle of water.

"Makoto-kun," Mukuro Ikusaba said with a stone face (though Makoto could tell she was at least trying to seem cheerful) "Good work today."

"Oh! Thank you!" Makoto took the water bottle off of her and drank it swiftly, "how did things go on your end? It's a shame our examinations ended up aligning so I couldn't come to watch you."

"I wasn't aware you were planning such a thing..." Mukuro seemed a little flustered as the two walked out of the exam hall together into the courtyard.

"Well, I usually try and catch everyone else's performances if I can," he admitted, "I take it went fine, as per usual..."

"Well, truthfully, something quite unexpected happened today," she explained, "the examiners actually wanted to talk to me after we were done. This isn't the first time this has happened, but it only ever happened once before, and at the time, I had no interest in any post-discussion."

"But you did it this time?" Makoto asked. Mukuro nodded.

"It wasn't anything serious. They just wanted to interview me on some of my war experiences, possibly trying to find a correlation between the skills I showed and those that can be applied on the field of battle," she explained, "practicing talking to people normally with you has helped a lot, so I wanted to thank you."

"Aw, well, that's really nice of you," Makoto beamed, "but it's really nothing to get worked up over."

"No, I'm quite serious," Mukuro explained, "aside from giving you water, there's something I would like to do in return for your help, but...I'm having some trouble trying to figure out what..."

"That's really not necessary," Makoto assured her, "but for some reason, I get the feeling I'm not gonna be able to talk you out of this...What did you have in mind?"

"Well, considering you kindly helped me in a degree that I'm inexperienced in..." Mukuro considered, "I was rather hoping to teach you something new too."

"Teach me something?" he repeated, "like what?"

"Well, that's the thing...I'm not especially sure," she admitted, "the only thing I really know is the life of a soldier, but you're..."

"Yeah, not trained in any sort of military combat whatsoever..." he finished her sentence then secretly thought *but I DO know how to deal a mean punch to the jaw...*

"Hm...Maybe I'll do something like that then?" she thought.

"Something like what?" Makoto asked.

"Teach you how to defend yourself, or, something of the like..." she explained, "Junko is always saying you seem fun and easy to pick on, so she worries a lot about what happens when you're out and about by yourself."

"Leave it to Junko to so casually take out my soul and beat it to death..." Makoto pursed his lips, "Still, I do actually think that would be interesting to learn. If you don't mind."

"I don't," Mukuro smiled, "if it means I can repay you, I can put aside some time."

*This could actually be good for me...* Makoto considered, *with years of combat experience with guns, stealth, and warfare, Mukuro is a skilled tactician and soldier. To win battles, though, I have always depended on my inherent strength, Persona's, and good fortune. It wouldn't hurt at all to learn a few tricks from a master. In fact, it might help me in the long run...*

"So, what kind of skill would you like to learn?" she queried.

"Hm...Well, I'm not really sure where to begin," Makoto told her as they came to take a break against a wall, "why don't you teach me something basic first?"

"Hm...Alright, then here's something..." she said, making a pose with her hands, "You don't hold a rifle or a pistol the same way. If you hold a rifle like it's a pistol, you sprain your hand and your aim and focus will be off. If you hold a pistol like a rifle, you have a 94% higher chance of shooting off your own fingers suspended in-"

"Um...Mukuro? When I said "basic" I didn't mean "obvious,"" Makoto frowned, chuckling awkwardly to himself, "I may not have ever been on a battlefield, but I know how to hold a gun..."

"Oh...My apologies..." Mukuro pouted, "I didn't think that was common knowledge. Those "sandbox" games that Yamada plays gave me the wrong impression. I was under the impression game developers and people outside of battlefields assumed guns were held the same way."

"I'm fairly certain that was a glitch..." Makoto told her, "Anyway, is there anything else you think works? How about teaching me a cool battle tactic?"

"Hm...Well, there is a fairly simple tactic I think you could learn easily," Mukuro contemplated, "just do what I do..."

"Ok, what's that-?"

"RAAAAAAAAAAAGGH!!!"

"KYAAAAAAAAAAAAGHH!?"

"No, not like that," Mukuro put her hands on her hips, immediately regaining her stoic composure as soon as she roared like a wild animal, "more unruly wolf. Less little girl."

"Less what!? Wh-What even WAS that!?" Makoto stammered, unsure of what any of this meant.

"Screaming when charging your opponent attracts their attention, startles them and immediately activates their fight or flight response," Mukuro explained, "in that second when their instincts and adrenaline are shot too high to make out anything, that's when you go in for the kill."

"Huh...Ok, I guess that's pretty useful, now that I think about it..." Makoto realized, "still, you could have offered a bit more of a warning you know...You scared the hell out of me."

"Well, that would have defeated the purpose of my demonstration..." she said.

"So you WERE trying to scare me!?" Makoto exclaimed.

"Are you not satisfied?" she seemed rather downtrodden, "let me try and think of a more subtle scare tactic then..."

"No, it's not a matter of it being a bad tactic..." Makoto scratched his face, "why are you even going in this direction."

"You're small, and not very intimidating," she told him bluntly, "so a scare tactic would do wonders for you."

"Wow, break it to me easy..." Makoto cringed as his manliness was so casually shot in the foot, "I do see what you mean, but this isn't exactly the kind of tactical training I was going for...I was thinking of something more unique. Like the kind of tactics and know-how that only the Ultimate Soldier would know."

"Something unique to me?" she clarified.

"Yeah. I was wondering how it is that you memorize all these tactics and what you do to make sure you effortlessly pull them off," he furthered, "what goes through your head when you aim a gun or fight on the fly?"

"That's...oddly specific...But I suppose I can tell you," Mukuro frowned, "I picture myself as...a wolf."

"I'm sorry...a what?" Makoto's eyes widened in astonishment.

"Being at the top of the food chain, wolves are referred to as apex predators. The nature of wolves is something I liken to, not just in the way I fight, but also in what I stand for as a fighter," Mukuro explained, "they hunt in this way to improve the overall health of their prey population by removing the disadvantaged, thereby allowing the healthiest animals to create future generations. What I stand for as a soldier, is ending the misery of the weak and nurturing the strong of all packs, to make a more powerful net effect like that of a predator-prey dynamic that is healthy and retains the strength of many generations to come, as well as nurturing our own war efforts and helping us to survive as well."

"A net effect, huh? That's amazing...I never thought of it like that..." Makoto told her, "I always just assumed that wolves were merciless savage beasts; not really considering that they're animals themselves."

"Well, it is true that I adapt a wolf's tactics of hunting in my tactics as a soldier, there's more to it than simply going for the weak points like the neck or shoulders. Wolves and humans are rather similar. Both are apex predators that are among the strongest creatures in the world," Mukuro explained, "but a wolf is capable of doing things for itself and looking out for its family. You'd be hard-pressed to find humans who genuinely care about their fellow man, or would make sacrifices for a mere stranger."

Listening to her say it like this put a lot of things into perspective for Makoto. Particularly, why Mukuro was so vocally opposed to the Phantom Thieves. Though she understood the team had good intentions, her own philosophy perfectly paralleled theirs.

The Phantom Thieves' alma mater involved helping the weak prey and crushing their strong oppressors to inspire hope in the former to rise up and challenge the latter themselves. Mukuro however, believed in the natural order of things in that the weak-hearted, no matter how tactical, will falter and be hunted by a bigger beast.

He had sort of wished she hadn't likened it to nature's cruel side though.

"Do you think you can show me?" Makoto asked, now somewhat excited, "How this wolf hunts?"

"It's rather embarrassing to be called that..." she smiled and blushed, "but yes, I suppose I can. Just watch me work."

"You bet!" Makoto gave her a thumbs up.

Mr. Monokuma's Lesson - Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc

Mukuro then stood perfectly still, her vision becoming steely and focused, and she glared into Makoto's soul with her dagger-like eyes. It was intimidating, but also somewhat embarrassing to be glared at so piercingly.

A minute passed, and nothing seemed to change. She just retained her piercing glare and steady breathing.

*She must be getting ready...* Makoto thought to himself, *she sure knows how to keep people in suspense...*

3 minutes passed...She did not move...

*She still isn't moving!?* Makoto exclaimed in his head *what's up with her!? I don't know what she's going to do next! Or...wait...is that what she's going for!?*

Mukuro did not move. She hardly even blinked.

*Yeah, that's gotta be it!* he beamed, *Mukuro does have a tendency to do things that defy my imagination. I just gotta wait this out...She'll catch me off guard, I'm sure!*

10 minutes passed...And still nothing...

*Ok, NO, this is WAY TOO LONG!* Makoto was starting to panic, honestly afraid that Mukuro might have died standing up from how little she was moving, *something's up!*

"Uh...Mukuro? Are you ok?" Makoto asked. Mukuro blinked a few times before turning her head towards him.

"Hm? What do you mean?" she asked.

"Oh uh...well...This whole demonstration thing you said you were going to do about how a wolf moves and hunts..." Makoto chuckled awkwardly, "I was wondering when it was going to start?"

"It already started," Mukuro stated bluntly, "about 10 to 12 minutes ago if I'm not mistaken..."

"What!? But...you haven't moved at all!" Makoto guffawed.

"Wolves don't usually move around when observing their prey," Mukuro told him, "and when watching over their pack, they remain stone-faced and focused. I was steadying my breathing and dropping my vital functions to mask my presence so you couldn't detect me."

"But I can STILL SEE YOU!" he choked, "and you were going for a super-realistic approach!? What, are you gonna pick your teeth and lick your own fur in a second!?"

"Do you want me to?" Mukuro blushed, "It's not typical practice, but I can if that's what you want..."

"NO! STOP! STOOOOP!" Makoto grabbed her wrist as she went to lick the back of her hand, "L-Listen! I've uh...changed my mind! Instead of teaching me something, why don't you just take me to a place that you like to hang out? Like your favorite cafe or something!?"

"Oh? But that's very easy, and not much in terms of repaying you for your kindness," Mukuro seemed surprised, "are you certain that's what you want?"

"Honestly..." he scratched his head, heaving an exasperated sigh, "Easy and simple is good right now...!"

Desire for Execution - Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc

"AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAH! Yep, that sounds like Mukuro alright! She really pulled you through so many loops! I'm almost proud of her!"

"Don't laugh Junko, it's not funny! I feel like I ended up taking advantage of her kindness and then throwing it away!"

"Oh come on, you're overthinking it!" Junko smacked him on the back, "It's not YOUR fault she can be so gullible sometimes."

Makoto had returned to the dorms to rest his head after that encounter, and to unwind after his examination. Along the way, he ended up running into Junko, who was carefully going over her strategy for the Sports Day. She had then diverted her attention to teasing him and Mukuro after he explained what he'd been up to.

"After last year, and what a mess that ended up being, I don't want to take any chances," she told him, "so I'm thinking out a lot of stuff in advance so I don't make any careless mistakes."

"I was under the impression you enjoyed last year's sports festival?" Makoto frowned.

"Oh, no, I totally did!" Junko enthused, "but I got all sweaty, dirty, and bruised in a couple places, and that's not a good look for me. So I'm kinda caught between the moral quandary of "I don't want to get dirty and gross or whatever, but I also don't want to be the one to drag my classmates down," you get it?"

"And the sports you've chosen are...swimming, scavenger hunt, basketball, cheerleading, table tennis, and volleyball...They all sound pretty fun," Makoto considered, "sounds to me like you're deciding to just go ahead and do it."

"I care about how I look less than the guys who snap photoshoots of me do, but still, it's part of my job description to always be pretty~" she winked, giving him a flirtatious flick of the hair.

"Well, you certainly do that well. But I do remember you're actually good at sports too," Makoto recalled, "you're amazing Junko. I guess models have a lot more stamina than you'd think, huh?"

"What? Does the fact that I like sports put you off or something?" she faux sulked, "Makoto-kyun~! Are you dissing me~!?"

"No, no!" Makoto assured her, "I'm sure it takes a lot of work to maintain your figure, so I actually figured you'd be used to exercise."

"I'd be perfect even without it!" she boasted, "but it's fun to actually move your body around and do things instead of sitting around being lazy, so I just figured...what the hell! 'Sides, like I said, even you're trying your hardest for the class in this event, so I can't be the one to drag us down and everything!"

"Yeah, I guess so..." he held his head in his hand, "it's just...haah..."

"That was a pretty despairing sigh..." her eyes widened, "you've already signed up for your events and you've got plans for action, so why do you look so glum?"

"Oh, no, I'm fine! It's not like I'm not looking forward to the event!" Makoto told her, "It's just that if there's ever a point in the school year where it's really forced into my face how out of my depth I am, it's the Sports Festival."

"What? Because we've got big shots like Hina, Sakura, and Leon in our class and you don't think you can compete?" Junko asked, "You said yourself you'd been training a lot. You've got what it takes to catch up to them. Hina even considers you a rival now, I hear."

"Well, it's not like I'm not taking my practice seriously...And yeah, it's true I've been trying to put the work in..." Makoto huffed, "but again, these guys are ULTIMATES. They're LITERALLY the best the country has to offer at a high school level, and this is THEIR domain that I'M stepping in. Meanwhile, when it comes to just about everything in sports, I'm the textbook definition of average."

"But you beat Mondo and Leon in the running race at the beginning of term," Junko recalled, "those two have been powerhouses for as long as we've known them. You've gotta consider that an achievement at least, right?"

"Look, it's not like I don't have faith in myself, nor am I trying to seek attention," he sulked, "it's just that the Sports Festival is one of those times of the year where everyone's Ultimate Talents really come to the forefront, and yet here I am stuck with plain, stupid-ol Luck that's not even THAT Ultimate!"

"Hey, I get it. You're just hit with that feeling that you don't deserve to be here with the rest of us, right?" Junko shrugged, "Again, I REALLY think you're overthinking things 'Koters. You acknowledged it yourself, even if you don't stand out, that's just because everyone else is so out there in terms of what they can do. That doesn't mean you suck, so why worry?"

"Yeah, that's what I'm saying. Hina, Mukuro, Sakura, Leon, Mondo, all our classmates, senpai and kouhai...Because they've all lived such abnormal lives that led them to develop their abilities, everyone here has a...unique sense of things. In fact, that goes for the faculty too," Makoto explained, "that works to their advantage in daily life and putting themselves out there too, not just in sports. So honestly, the real problem is it's so tough for me not to be left behind by everyone..."

However, to Makoto's astonishment, and to a certain degree, offense, Junko suddenly started to cackle with laughter.

"Puhuhuhuhuhu! I see!" she giggled, "so THAT'S why things are getting to you so much! Puhu! So lame!"

"What kind of laugh is that!?" he spluttered, "Wait, that's not important! This isn't funny! Why do you only laugh whenever it's at somebody else's expense!?"

"Oh, sorry, sorry~" she winked, "but I really do still think you're overthinking it. You don't need to be like that buddy."

"You're only saying that because you're ONE OF the people with a unique sense of things. Like the rest of the Ultimate's, you have your own unique nature that makes you stand out," Makoto groaned, "in fact, I'd argue YOUR nature is the most unique of them all. I can never get a read on you, no matter how simple a task that should be, even for me-OW!"

This "ow" came from Junko suddenly flicking Makoto on the forehead, pouting at him.

"Hey now...Don't get into such a sulk about it," she pouted, puffing out her cheeks, "I will admit that as Ultimate students, we have a tendency to compete with each other to create the ideal situation. That is our typical workflow. However, I believe the opposite can also be true. As we accomplish things, we also have a tendency to help one another. You ought to be aware of that by now, surely?"

"Well, I guess so, but..." Makoto spoke slowly.

"Well, what's the problem then!?" she cheered, "do you know what I think? We NEED someone like you, 'Koters, all the more because of the, as you put it, "abnormal" way we Ultimate's work. We need someone just like you to bring everyone together. The ability to work well together and maintain a connection is the essence of teamwork, and I don't think we can relate to anyone as much as we can to you, despite everyone's ridiculous abilities."

"You...really mean that?" Makoto slightly blushed.

"Yeah, duh! Of course I do!" Junko winked again, "Makoto. You might not have any outstanding talent, but you ARE an Ultimate. You possess all the necessary qualities to be one, and you seem to be born with that optimism that lifts everyone up when they're down. So, try to cheer up! That frown doesn't suit your cute little face!"

Makoto sighed again.

"My optimism IS one of my redeeming qualities, but even that pales in comparison to yours, Junko..." he smiled, "even if I don't have your talents, I wish I was born as upbeat and jovial as you were. Then I wouldn't have so many worries in the world."

"Oh, you think so?" she smirked, "I may not look it, but even I have my own fair share of worries in the world."

"You do?" Makoto's eyes widened, "like what?"

"Girl's gotta have her secrets Makoto. Soz~" she brought a finger to her lips, "That being said, I understand how you feel. And in my opinion, it's actually best to relish the difficulties and enjoy the hardships. Life's gonna give 'em to you anyway, so just find the fun in them, y'know?"

"Enjoy the hardships, huh? I see..." Makoto contemplated, "You may be right about that...Thanks, Junko. For listening, I mean..."

"Dude...We're besties," Junko wrapped her arm around Makoto's shoulder and rubbed her cheek against his, which honestly flustered him a bit, but he brushed it aside, "I will legit always listen to you whenever, wherever, forever. You don't gotta thank me."

Chapter End Notes

Hi! I'm back!
I hope you guys all had a great Christmas break!
I know I didn't announce it, but I felt I didn't need to. I took a break over Christmas to sort my stuff out, so we didn't get an update last week. I hope to get back into the swing of things now as our next story arc is officially underway.
Obviously, we're starting off slow to cover some of our confidants that we didn't do already, as well as introducing Nagito as our Wheel of Fortune arcana, a whole 12 chapters after he made his debut in the story.
Yeah, I didn't think we'd be waiting that long either. In any case, even aside from just sharing an Arcana, Nagito is somewhat the Chihaya of the story. His knowledge of talents and the people around him is incredibly similar to that of Chihaya's ability to rank up confidants and give them more time to hang out with you. Hopefully, he can double Makoto's already more ludicrous luck.
Also, if any of you guys are curious about seeing what really happened on that day, I recommend you read the original novel by Kodaka himself. I'll leave the PDF link here: https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B6rsd95Drd1mV2VMMm11NkhmUW8/view?resourcekey=0-Tju1mFwfupopMF62Ia4dgg
Thank you for reading. I love to get feedback from my readers, so feel free to leave a comment, and some kudos if you feel up to it.

Convergence of Conspiracies

Chapter Summary

Kyoko reveals her progress on her ongoing investigation into the mental shutdown incidents and explains her plans going forward. Makoto spends his time helping her out, as well as hanging out and helping out his other confidants.

Chapter Notes

See the end of the chapter for notes

"Hm...That was surprisingly nice of Enoshima-san," Kyoko considered once Makoto recounted the story to her, "I'm glad she could pick you back up on your feet. I'm sorry I never noticed such concerns before."

"Hey, it's fine. It's not like I was suffering internally over it. They were just some intrusive thoughts I let get out," Makoto assured her, "it's nothing new."

Makoto sat down in a cafe with his detective friend after school. With not much to do in the evening, he'd decided to spend some time with her, to catch up on the goings on in her life, as well as potentially seeing if she'd made progress in her investigation.

"By the way Kyoko," Makoto piped up, "you said that you were going to show up for the Sports Festival, right? Which events are you participating in?"

"I've only signed up for a few. Just doing the parts that I can," Kyoko took a sip of her iced tea, "but the main one I've been assigned is captain of the three-legged race team."

"Oh, I'm pretty sure Hifumi, Hiro, and Mukuro are doing that one as well..." he recalled.

"It's not my style, but I don't want to drag anyone down," Kyoko smiled, "I hear that Shuichi's classmate Maki is participating too. I should be careful of her. She seems unnaturally fast."

"I've actually done some strength training with Maki before. Her, Shuichi, and their classmate Kaito," Makoto explained, "and yeah, she is weirdly athletic for someone who looks after kids for a living. Maybe she just trained to chase after them?"

"Most kids aren't that fast..." Kyoko sipped her drink.

"I guess that's fair. Masaru-kun is pretty fast though, at least that's what I've heard from Kotoko," Makoto took a bite out of his muffin, "although to be honest, I was hoping to ask you how things are going on in your investigation. In you-know-what, I mean..."

He lowered his voice, and Kyoko did a very quick look around to see if anyone was listening in. She then lowered her voice as well.

"Well, I haven't had much of a chance to do much on-field investigation yet. But I have given it some careful consideration, and I think I've come to at least SOME conclusions..." she explained, "and to be honest with you, there's more than one reason why I intend to practice for the sports festival this year..."

"Oh, really?" he asked. She nodded.

"As I said before, I tried thinking about it the other way. I gave it some thought and began searching for potential suspects who may have had a connection to our previous targets and people of interest, like those involved in the scandals," she explained, "and right now, there's one specific group that had caught my attention...Have you noticed that a lot of the incidents seem to revolve around Hope's Peak?"

"Now that you mention it, some of the news stories I've seen of the scandals do somehow tie back to the academy. Not to mention, all of our big targets have a connection to the school of some kind," Makoto considered, "Towa was the lead funder and constructor for the school's latest and greatest scheme, and Fuhito and Kirie were connected to Kaede and you. You think someone in the school might be involved?"

"What's your opinion of the Steering Committee, Makoto?" Kyoko asked suddenly. Makoto took a second to think about this.

"Well, to be honest, I don't have much of one. It's very rare that anyone actually gets a chance to meet them face to face. Any information is usually passed through them through Headmaster Kirigiri or Councilman Tengan. I think the only two students I know that have actually met them are you and Kaede," he said, "but based on the Towa incident and what he told me, Toko and Junko, they seem like arrogant and selfish men...Like their own goals take priority over anyone else's, and they'll even do cruel things, like protecting that pedophile, to achieve them..."

"For such little information, you're very observant. You basically hit the nail on the head," she smirked, "I've been interested in the Steering Committee ever since I first came to Hope's Peak. Nobody knows anything about them for certain, but they all allegedly had questionable pasts, and despite their outward friendliness, they frequently come across as contemptuous and disdainful in social situations, as if they think they are superior to us even in situations where they are in need of our assistance. When my father, I, or the other faculty members try to reason with them, they hardly ever listen, and they are completely preoccupied with maintaining the school's positive reputation. And not in a good way."

"What do you mean?" Makoto asked.

"Well, I'm not one to make claims without any evidence...However, from what I've found so far in my research, the Committee appears to be concealing a lot of information. For their own benefit, they continuously obfuscate and conceal information, regardless of whether it is morally correct or not," she proclaimed, "with Hope's Peak's incredible public standing, it's only natural that it would fall victim to many scandals, especially with the Phantom Thieves actions...And even outside of that, there have been many reports of students from both the Main and Reserve Courses going missing in the past or other such reports..."

"And yet the school is still going strong as ever," Makoto considered, "you suspect foul play?"

"I don't "suspect" anything," Kyoko frowned, "even though they didn't outright defend Towa post his confession, I discovered that the school covered up their involvement and gave fake accounts of what happened. I questioned my father about it shortly after the incident, but something seemed...off..."

"How so?" Makoto inquired.

"He seemed...strangely willing to take the blame for the entire incident. He claimed that he was doing it for the sake of the students and that he should have thought twice before putting his trust in an entrepreneur like Towa. Only I know for a fact, looking at the documentation for the Elementary School's construction, my father had little to no involvement in any sort of dealings with Towa Corp. All he was responsible for was showing Towa around the school and helping him and his team get comfortable. And yet, in the end, all blame for the scandal was forced onto him."

"Ok, THAT'S weird...!" Makoto glowered, "especially that he wasn't honest with you even after the fact. You think the Steering Committee might have dirt on him?"

"I don't think so. My father is a rather open, honest, and selfless man. He only obscures information if it risks hurting somebody else, like me, or the students," Kyoko crossed her arms "Rather, what I believe is that the Steering Committee always made sure that the fault, if any, fell somewhere else instead of on them."

"That's...so unfair...!" Makoto clenched his fist, "but even still...do you really think we can say they're the masterminds behind the mental shutdown incidents? Sure, we can say they'd resort to it if it meant protecting themselves, but we can't be hasty and make rash assumptions, right?"

"Good boy. You're thinking like a true detective now," she winked, "but the reason why I suspect them is simply because there are some facts that don't make sense to me..."

"Like what?" the Lucky Student asked.

"The Steering Committee is a fairly large organization. There are many members behind the scenes of Hope's Peak that go unnamed and unregistered. The only 4 who are relatively known amongst the school are the 4 leaders; Akihiko Ashikawa, Wataru Wakaba, Tadachika Tomita, and Ugetsu Uragami," she explained, "as I mentioned already, they tend to either hide incidents or push the blame onto others should things be inconvenient for them, but there are many people in society who are obsessed with Hope's Peak, many of whom are skeptics by nature. Surely, someone must have stepped forward, or brought a number of conspiracy theories to the table, no?"

"You're saying they haven't?" Makoto began to realize what she was saying, "Are you trying to say that...!"

"Monomi contends that all of reality is a creation of cognition, meaning that human perception alone can determine what is real. In essence, it is a type of collective subjective reality that humans possess. This effect is magnified to its utmost in the Metaverse," she recounted, "don't you think men like the Steering Committee would take advantage of this opportunity if they had the means to physically influence public opinion or alter someone's perception? Particularly since we're not sure who exactly collaborates with them behind closed doors..."

"I get what you're saying," Makoto pinched the bridge of his nose, "but still, isn't that a bit of a stretch?"

"There's more to it..." she said, suddenly sitting up straight and reaching into her jacket pocket, taking out a small photo.

She passed the photo to Makoto, which showed a rather interesting character. He was tall, thin, and slightly lean, and his expression was apathetic, which was further highlighted by his heavy-looking, furrowed eyebrows. He had long, untidy black hair that reached his neck, pale blue eyes, and long eyelashes. He also appeared to have small, thin lips, long fingers, and a somewhat pale complexion.

Overall, he gave off an unhealthy appearance.

"Who's this?" he waved the photo around.

"His name is Yasuke Matsuda," Kyoko told him, "he's the Ultimate Neurologist."

"Ultimate...Neurologist...?" Makoto parroted.

"A Neurologist is a doctor with expertise in neurology who is qualified to examine, identify, and manage neurological conditions. Neurologists identify and manage a wide range of neurologic conditions, such as epilepsy, stroke, brain tumors, movement disorders like Parkinson's disease, infections in the brain, autoimmune neurologic disorders like multiple sclerosis, sleep disorders, brain injury, and dementias like Alzheimer's disease," Kyoko explained, "as the Ultimate Neurologist, Matsuda possesses a deep understanding of the human nervous system and brain, and it is said that his research helped him create an experimental treatment that made it possible to suppress memories from a particular time period in people. Sounds familiar, right?"

"It sounds like a change in cognition...!" Makoto gasped, "Right, I see where you're going with this...but how and why is this guy so important?"

"Matsuda was a third-year and graduated the same year we first stepped foot into Hope's Peak Academy. However, for some reason, despite having graduated last year, he never left campus," she unveiled, "Hope's Peak turned the Neurology Lab in the main building into his own personal living and research quarters; something that has never ever been done before for an Ultimate in Hope's Peak's history."

"Really? I...didn't know that." Makoto said.

"That doesn't surprise me. It's not public knowledge," she said, "I only found out about it because of some documents in my father's office. Up until that point, I assumed that he had just chosen to remain as a member of staff, like Munakata, Yukizome, or Sakakura."

"So why make such an exception?" Makoto queried, "You think there's more going on?"

"My current theory is based on the evidence I've found already," Kyoko elucidated, "I think the Steering Committee needs his neurology skills to cover and extract information from people, though I'm not sure why yet. He received rights to the room itself, a sizable research grant, and supplies for his lab in exchange for his cooperation. Furthermore, I think he might be the only student the facility trusted to keep the details of their cover-ups a secret."

"So what you're saying is that with covering up their involvement, the Steering Committee have the motive, and with Matsuda's mental studies and capabilities, they have the means..." Makoto considered, "I see. The Steering Committee do look like the most likely suspects in this case."

"And as I said, there are many people with unknown identities working behind the scenes of whatever scheme they're currently cooking up. Our Phantom Killer could be any number of them..." Kyoko theorized, "And I'm afraid that there's more to my investigation than just guessing the means and the ends."

"Ok, what are you talking about now?" Makoto began to feel a little concerned, especially from how the Ultimate Detective's body tensed up.

"Something's been picking at the back of my mind ever since I discovered the correlation between the Metaverse and the accidents that have been happening," she explained, "it's not limited to mental shutdowns and deaths. There are also the incidents that have been causing accidents and scandals, like that report on television about how a party leader's son committed murder, and his father tried to cover it up."

"Right, I remember that story. Scared my Mom pretty bad..." Makoto recalled, "I did think that it might have been the work of the Phantom Killer changing someone's heart, especially with how out-of-nowhere his actions were...But..."

"But they don't fit in line with the typical modus operandi of a mental shutdown scandal, right?" Kyoko finished his sentence, "As far as you're concerned, changing someone's heart in such a way is impossible, no? Well, that would be accurate..."

"Wait, what?" Makoto frowned, "you lost me..."

"As I mentioned already, Matsuda developed an experimental procedure that allowed for cognitive modification, but based on the reports I read, it's never shown to be capable of something to this extreme," Kyoko attempted to explain, "and based on my own observations, in a world like the Metaverse, an ability like that shouldn't exist...At least, not by itself."

"I don't follow..." Makoto scratched his head, "what do you mean, "not by itself?""

"Monomi affirmed this for me when I asked her a few questions. The power to alter somebody's cognition to cause them to break down and turn psychotic cannot be explained unless the true culprit has the power to instill that psychosis into their victim's hearts," Kyoko continued, "something that would ordinarily be impossible for anyone, even a Phantom Thief, who needs to infiltrate a Palace and steal a treasure in order to make it happen...Unless...it's a power unique to that person's Persona..."

Makoto's eyes widened as he finally understood.

"So what you're saying is that whoever this Phantom Killer is, they're...!"

"A Persona-user," Kyoko affirmed, "like you..."

Makoto gulped. To be honest, he had already expected as much, but getting confirmation like this was naturally very unsettling...

And if the Phantom Killer's Persona really had the power to alter someone's cognition on its own, and turn them evil and crazed...just how powerful was it? How powerful were THEY?

He shook his head. It didn't bear thinking about right now. He raised his eyes towards Kyoko, making sure the tension and seriousness held within them was evident.

"So? What's the next step?" he asked, "if the Steering Committee is our prime suspect, then how do we go about investigating their motives."

"As a matter of fact, they seem to be on the move about something," Kyoko told him, "my father explained that the main members of the faculty will be busy with a project in the coming days, and he's already told the staff and security like Munakata and Sakakura to stay out of their way. He advised I do the same, but when I asked what it was about, he told me he didn't know the details."

"Sounds suspicious..." Makoto remarked.

"I couldn't agree more. This is a prime opportunity to abuse my power and look into what they're up to...But unfortunately, it seems like they figured the same thing..."

"What are you talking about?" Makoto asked, "What did they do?"

"Nothing outright. It's just that my father gave me quite a fair bit of tasks to do for him the other day, not to mention I have dealings with the Kirigiri Detective Agency that I need to oversee," she explained, "my guess is that the Steering Committee know this and they're giving me as much work as possible to keep me distracted. It's clever, I'll give them that."

Makoto thought about this for a moment. It seemed oddly petty if that somehow were the case, but he supposed it was warranted for the Steering Committee. After some patient reflection, his brain suddenly popped an idea, and he beamed like an innocent child at his detective friend.

"In that case, if it's not too much trouble, why don't I become the Detective's assistant and confidant for a day?"

"I beg your pardon?" she frowned.

Tokyo Daylight - Persona 5

"Well, if time is of the essence, I'm sure I can help you get your tasks done a lot faster if I give you a helping hand," Makoto considered, "plus, it'll give me a chance to see your leadership and investigation skills at close range...if that's allowed..."

"Hm...Now that I think about it, that might be a good idea," Kyoko acknowledged, "if you're certain, then please treat me kindly. I actually have a fair few tasks to get done today, so if you don't mind starting immediately..."

"Not a problem!" Makoto beamed, "The right-hand man of the Ultimate Detective...I'm like Dr. Watson...!"

"Ok, fanboy..." Kyoko smirked, patting him on the shoulder, "You're not my "right-hand man," just my assistant for a day. If all is said and done, let's go to the KDA and get the regular meeting out of the way."

"On it, boss!" he enthused.

"OK, so on today's agenda is the allocation of investigative equipment to each department...Here's the data for the cybercrime division, and here's the data for the missing person's organization, and the fraud division and...Uh...! Um...! Here's a record of past investigations...Gah...!"

"Alright. Based on the recorded data, I will assign the necessary tools to the cybercrime division, then spread what remains out to these two divisions until we can get more of the necessary apparatus in. Does everyone around the table agree with that?"

"You're going through the paperwork and leading the meeting in one go...! You're amazing Kyoko...!"

"It's nothing special. These kinds of skills are necessary in this job."

"O-Ok! Next, I need to check these approval documents! Man, this writing looks so complicated...! Budget allocation? Report on all cases last year!?"

"Oh, don't worry about those parts. I can take care of them."

"You sure?"

"Do you want to do it? You'll have to go through at least several dozen documents, and I think you're already sick of seeing 2, hmhm~"

"Y-Yeah, ok, that's fair..."

"We got back to Hope's Peak so quickly! So, what's the plan here?"

"Hope's Peak is undergoing a transaction of materials and data with a sister location, Bitokukawa Academy. It's another talent school, though on a much smaller scale. Given the mass legal implications of such a movement, we're here to oversee things and try to make sure there's nothing out of the ordinary."

"And...how much stuff is being transferred?"

"You're probably going to wish you hadn't asked that..."

Beneath the Mask - Persona 5

"Haaaaah...Haaaaaah...We finally...finished...!"

Makoto fell backwards onto the sofa in the dorm room lobby. Kyoko meanwhile, calmly and quietly sat down on the armchair with a comfortable and wry smile.

"Budget allocation...scheduling...neighborhood considerations...law restrictions...Ugh...I almost passed out from using my head too much...!" the Lucky Student groaned.

"Well, on the plus side, we successfully managed to complete all of our work for the day," Kyoko smiled, "thank you for your hard work today, Makoto."

"Th-Thank YOU...for the hard work...!" Makoto groaned, barely able to force the words out, "it's...finally over...guh...!"

"Sorry to dump you and dash, but I have a meeting with my father coming up soon," she patted him on the head, "so I'll leave you be to recover."

"Wh-What!?" Makoto lurched up, "You have ANOTHER appointment!? Why is your stamina so freaking high!?"

"Well, I'm usually a very active person, even if I don't show it, but today was a remarkably busy day," she admitted, "but it was easier than usual because I had you helping me."

"D-Don't lie to me! If anything, I must have been dead weight!" Makoto trembled, "you probably took more time and effort than usual just trying to explain the basic things to me! And throughout all of it, you still bore that same confident expression. I know I already said it, but you are...incredible...!"

"Oh...well...thank you..." Kyoko cleared her throat and even seemed to go slightly pink in the cheeks, "if anything, I should be apologizing. You offered to help and yet I ended up dragging you around a lot; even though I knew you weren't used to it. I'm honestly surprised you didn't give up halfway through."

"Why would I do that?" Makoto smiled back at her, "You were the one having the REAL hardest time. And you've been having a hard time for a while now...Because of your grandfather and...what happened to your old partner, as well as everything else going on in your life, I doubt you ever considered getting an assistant or asking help from anyone before...I just wanted to lighten your load, but I could only do my best..."

"Well, that's..." she blushed deeper, "a relief, absolutely..."

"A relief? How so?" Makoto asked.

"To be honest, I think...I let myself get a little too excited," her face went red at the tail end of the sentence, "I ended up having you shoulder more work than appropriate for someone new to the detective business, and I was worried that I might have been pushing you too much."

"Oh come now..." Makoto also blushed, "you can't break my spirit, but don't break my heart...!"

"I'm serious," she said, "Makoto your help was priceless to me. Especially since there were so many things today that you didn't know how to do, but you tried anyway. I was similarly confused and unfamiliar with the idea of working with a close friend as a partner, but that overwhelming optimism, drive, and enthusiasm did me the world of good."

"But it was because of YOU that I even HAD that enthusiasm to begin with!" Makoto assured her, "not only are you great at your job, but you're a dependable leader in terms of your character as well. I have nothing but respect for you, really. And I'm surprised that this bothered you so much."

"You might find this hard to believe, but back when I was still working in my old field, before my...accident..." she tugged on her gloves, "I was a lot more open and enthusiastic about working with people than I am these days. There was a time when I gave too much advice to my fellow detectives, and I think I put a bit too much pressure on some of them, including Yui. I spent a lot of time reflecting on that, and I was determined not to repeat myself when Shuichi first joined our agency..."

"But Shuichi is always coming to you for advice, even now he's left the agency and gone solo. That's how much of a valuable mentor you are to him," Makoto reminded her, "and I wholeheartedly agree. It was good, thorough coaching you gave me, and it helped a lot."

"And I'm saying that's because YOU'VE got the guts to make it count." Kyoko retorted. However, Makoto paused and suddenly burst out laughing.

"Well, if there's one thing that we have in common that makes us BOTH kind of pathetic," he snickered, "we don't exactly take praise from each other well, do we?"

"Ah...Ahahahahaha! I suppose not!" Kyoko burst out into a cheerful laugh; something rare for her which warmed Makoto's heart.

"Seriously though, you don't have to worry about me," Makoto told her, "in fact, if you ever need my help again in the future, just come and find me. As the leader of the Phantom Thieves, I will endeavor to follow in your footsteps and become just as great a hero and leader as you are."

"Thank you Makoto," Kyoko smiled back, "you really do my confidence a world of wonders...

However, Makoto's adventures for the day were not completely said and done with yet. Only after Kyoko left did he suddenly remember that he had agreed to go training with Shuichi, Kaito, and Maki that night. However, after all the exhaustion he'd been through, he found it hard to find the motivation to get up and go.

He figured the least he could do was show up in person, explain his reasoning, and apologize if necessary. However, when he arrived at the usual location, he found that it was empty, save for Maki.

She was sitting there by herself, even this late at night. Though the summer made it so even the evenings were rather warm, Makoto felt a little concerned for her.

"Looks like you finally showed up..." she remarked.

"Well, hello to you too..." Makoto frowned, "is it just you today?"

"Kaito came down with summer flu, so he's skipping out today," Maki rolled her eyes, "and Shuichi said that he had an important case to deal with, so he's not here either. He's going to be working late, so we decided to cancel for tonight..."

"Oh...well, that makes things easier...I was going to show up to let you guys know that I've had a long day and couldn't do it tonight," Makoto explained, "wait, what are you doing here then?"

"With Shuichi busy, we didn't have the means of contacting you to let you know we'd canceled," Maki explained, "so I decided to wait for you to show up so I could tell you in person. You kept me waiting for a while though."

"Oh! Sorry..." Makoto scratched his face, "Thanks for that though..."

"Whatever...I'm going now...Goodnight..." She lowered her head and started to walk off.

"H-Hey! Wait!" Makoto called after her, "Don't leave yet, I just got here! We can do something else instead of working out, you know!?"

"Like what?" Maki paused and turned back.

"Well...um...we can talk?" he suggested, "about...things...in our lives...?"

"Like what?" she asked again.

"Like...Oh! What are you doing for Sports Day, Maki?"

"Basketball and three-legged race..."

"Oh, cool! Now that I think about it, my classmate Kyoko told me you were doing the Three-Legged Race. She found out from Shuichi. Do you like Basketball too?"

"Not really. I just figured I'd be good at it."

"Oh...alright, fair enough..."

Silence reigned afterward.

"Man..." Maki closed her eyes, "you're not very good at this, are you?"

"YOU'RE the one making it difficult!" Makoto snapped, "Would it kill you to just be a little more open to conversation for once!"

"Once was enough..." Maki glowered, "do I really seem like the kind of person who enjoys talking about my life story?"

"No, but how do you make friends if you can't open yourself up to them?" Makoto asked, "How about this? Last time we talked, you mentioned that you were from an orphanage where you grew up taking care of the kids around you. What's your orphanage like?"

"You really do say such sensitive things without thinking about it..." she groaned, "what do you mean "what's it like?""

"I mean no offense," Makoto assured her, "my knowledge regarding the types of environments that orphanages operate in is kinda narrow. I was curious about your experience there."

"Well, I'm not sure what it is you're expecting, but there isn't anything particularly outlandish or weird about it," she explained, "if I had to describe it for you, it's like going to camp. One with children of all ages."

"I see..." Makoto pondered, "so it's like sleeping and cooking together under the same roof?"

"Not really. We had a cook who prepared us three meals a day," Maki explained, "but we also had to clean up after ourselves and do our own laundry. However, we'd help the younger kids do theirs until they learned how to do it themselves."

"Ah, I get it!" Makoto smiled, "that's how you became the Ultimate Child Caregiver in the first place."

"I won't deny it, but it's not like I did anything special," Maki deadpanned, "we all lived under the same roof, so obviously, we had to help each other out."

"Yeah, I get that," Makoto nodded, "I'm always finding the time to help out my sister, my parents, and my friends. Even more lately considering we took in Kotoko Utsugi."

"Ah, yes, I do think Shuichi mentioned that..." Maki brushed her hair out of her face, "so that's how it is with you...I wouldn't know because I didn't have any family."

"Oh...s-sorry..." Makoto felt his heart sink, "that was...inconsiderate of me."

"No, it's my bad," Maki sighed, "I'm just giving you a hard time for no reason. Just ignore me."

"Do you at least hang out with the kids at your orphanage regularly?" Makoto asked.

"It depends," Maki explained, "but we usually did because the older kids had to take care of them anyway. Because we didn't have much of an allowance, many of our toys were old...Some of the kids wanted newer games, which became a problem eventually."

"Now that you mention it..." Makoto pondered, "do you guys have any cell phones or gaming consoles?"

"No, nothing of that sort," she shook her head, "you can work jobs to make money once you graduate from high school, but that's about it."

"So there's really not much to do after all..." Makoto considered, "sounds kind of rough."

"The teacher at the orphanage figured the same, but unfortunately, that's a very common circumstance for Japanese orphanages," Maki explained, "there's not an awful lot we can do about it though?"

"I have an idea! Why not invite some of your friends and classmates to the orphanage to hang out with the kids?" Makoto suggested, "I'm sure Kaede would love to perform a piano recital for them, no?"

"Hm...We DO have an old upright piano in the building," Maki recalled, "none of us know how to play it though."

"Then that's perfect!" Makoto enthused, "Why not ask her?"

"Actually, she suggested the same thing before when I brought it up," Maki stated, "but, it could be problematic to ask that. That's not a decision I have the authority to make."

"Oh, that's true. Sorry for sounding so imposing, I just thought it was a good idea..." Makoto apologized, "Still though, surely it couldn't hurt to ask for permission, right?"

"You are her are so much alike. You and Kaede, I mean. You're surprisingly a busybody," she groaned, "what good will come of that anyway?"

"Don't think that way. "Selfish help is better than no help at all," as the saying goes." Makoto smiled.

Maki paused for a moment to dwell on all of this.

"You really think it's a good idea?"

"Of course I do!" Makoto beamed, "Why would I say it if I didn't mean it?"

Maki scoffed, turned around, and started to walk away.

"I'll be completely honest...You're annoying," she stated as she strode away, "but I suppose the world needs people like you..."

"A-Annoying...!?" Makoto spluttered, "Man, so harsh...!"

Although, Maki's language and tone of voice were always harsh. Despite this, she did not appear to be a bad person.

In fact, if she was being this open with him, did that mean the two of them were getting closer?

Maybe it was just wishful thinking, but belief gets you a long way.

"Hm...I see, so you completed the task I asked for?"

"Yeah. It was hard figuring out which combinations would get me the result I needed, but there you go. A Shiisaa with Frei, just as requested."

Since the last time he had visited the Velvet Room and spoken to the attendants and Master of it, Makoto had been given a rather interesting task by the denizen Agatha, which she had referred to as "homework." Though, it didn't necessarily have any sort of deadline to contend with.

Essentially, all Makoto had to do was execute Persona fusions in accordance with her, clearly stated, progressively difficult requests. It worked out in more ways than one, since not only did he have guidelines on strong Persona's to fuse, but she had promised to open up his opportunities when it came to his studies, which he figured, translated to giving him more options for fusion and strengthening his power.

As much as he was skeptical about Agatha and Igor, and how they seemingly weren't allowed to give him information straightforwardly, they were his biggest source of help when it came to his power and the Metaverse, so he figured he had to at least humor them. He waited while Agatha checked his results, then she came back to his desk with another piece of paper.

"Make sure to take your time," she reminded him, "there's no rush."

"Pale Rider...? Sounds hardcore..." he remarked, seeing the name of the Persona she assigned him.

"Do you know the legends of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse, Student?" Agatha tilted her head

"Now that you mention it, the term sounds familiar," he told her, "what's it about?"

"Perhaps only Satan, Lucifer, and the God of Abraham are more well-known figures in Abrahamic mythology than the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse. According to the Book of Revelation, the Lamb of God will open seven seals on the Day of Judgment. The first four seals will reveal figures recognized by the colors of the horses they ride," Agatha educated, "White Rider, the harbinger of Conquest...Red Rider, the harbinger of War...Black Rider, the harbinger of Famine...and Pale Rider, the harbinger of Death. To prepare for the creation of a new Earth and a new Heaven on it, they are prophesied to work together to destroy all humans who have not been chosen by God and to lay waste to the Earth."

"Yikes...!" Makoto gulped, "bit of a step up from a famous dog statue...!"

"Do not worry. You are most assuredly someone God favors, given your unique set of abilities," Agatha explained, "your gift of possessing the Wild Card says it all."

"My gift?" Makoto parroted, "Didn't you give me this power?"

"No. The Wild Card is the ability to create contracts that enable one to access, call forth, and switch between several Personas during combat, as well as the power to transform bonds into strength," Agatha reminded him, "that sort of power is unique to only a few people, which you are one of, but it can only be unlocked via signing a contract. Upon signing the contract, an individual gains entry to the Velvet Room, where they can combine and form new Personas. However, we did not create these contracts ourselves."

"Huh...Then, who did I sign a contract with to be allowed here?" Makoto wondered.

"I'm afraid I'm not quite sure myself," Agatha told him, "perhaps fate has interesting plans for you?"

"When you say it like that, it sounds a little foreboding..." Makoto told her, "Anyway, I suppose I should be going soon. I'll make sure to train and fuse this new Persona as soon as I can."

"A-Actually, Student? Would you mind sitting and waiting with me for a little while?" Agatha asked, "I would like to speak with you."

"Huh? Uh...sure!" Makoto, who was just about to make his leave, sat back down, "How come though? Is something the matter?"

"Well, no, I don't have any particular reason. I just wish to talk to you," Agatha explained, "after all, aside from my Master and yourself, there are very few people aware of my existence or who are familiar with me."

"Ah, right, I guess that's true..." Makoto considered.

"Though we are harbingers of Hope to help you on your journey, we can't keep watch over you all day, every day," Agatha said, "call it personal curiosity. I'm wondering what kind of life a mature and sensible young man like yourself leads."

"I think you're giving me a bit too much credit," Makoto chuckled awkwardly, "I'm not THAT mature."

"Hm...But according to my current information, you were born on the 5th Day of February in 1994. Comparing that to the rest of your Phantom Thief troupe, that would make you the oldest, barring your companion Kyoko, should we count her," Agatha contemplated, "besides, you were unanimously selected to be the leader."

"Th-That's true, but...I think you're taking it a bit too realistically..." Makoto frowned, scratching his face, "Having said all that, I can be your conversation partner. There's nothing I really mind being asked."

"Hm...In that case..." Agatha tapped her forehead like she was trying to think of some questions, "You still live with your family, do you not?"

"Well, I live in the school dorms, but you knew that. Outside of the school, yeah, I'm still with them," Makoto affirmed, "right now it's me, my Dad, my Mom and my Sister; and also my Foster Sister."

"Does it ever get lonely?" Agatha asked, "You may be not too far away, but you technically are living separate from them."

"Not really," Makoto replied, "especially now that we're both Phantom Thieves, Komaru and I hang out regularly. Plus, I can always talk to Kyoko, Toko, and the others. PLUS I have Monomi with me basically every waking and sleeping hour of the day when I'm not busy."

"And if all of them were to disappear one day?"

Makoto frowned at this question.

"Why would you say that?" he asked, "what would make them all disappear?"

"It's merely a hypothetical question," Agatha explained, "give it some thought for a moment."

"Well, I don't really know...I guess the loneliness does scare me..." he said, "if my friends were to disappear, I think I'd be so down and out that I wouldn't know what to do with myself."

"Even with your boundless optimism?" Agatha's eyes widened.

"My optimism is fueled by the thought that I always have good things left to fight for in my life," Makoto sulked, "but in this hypothetical, I don't. I went to a normal school, had normal friends, and had a normal family before coming to Hope's Peak and going through all of this. But now this IS my normal, and I don't know what I'd do without it."

He then smiled.

"In that regard, I guess my friends ARE my power, Wild Card or not," he said, "being surrounded by the things and people I love makes me happy, so how could I not be optimistic?"

"Hm...I see..." Agatha nodded, "hearing that makes me feel relieved."

"Huh? Wait, were you worried about me or something?" Makoto asked.

"Well, naturally," Agatha smiled, "you're my prized Student and an esteemed guest of the Velvet Room. It's only natural for me to feel concerned for my Student's safety."

"Hah...Thanks, Agatha," Makoto smiled back, "having that sentiment makes me happy. If there's anything I can do to help you in the future, just let me know. I owe you that much at least."

"Dear Student, it is my duty to stand by your side, not the other way around. I appreciate the thought, but I have no notable troubles," Agatha assured him, "but...with all that being said..."

"Yeah?" Makoto raised his eyebrow.

"I do have one favor I might be so bold to ask," she said, "do you think it's at all possible you could go out with me?"

Makoto choked.

"Wha-!? *COUGH!* Excuse me!?"

"I do not mean that as a romantic gesture," Agatha even seemed to scowl as she said this, like she was offended by Makoto's audacity, "as I mentioned to you already, I rarely leave the Velvet Room, and I do not feel comfortable exploring the world outside without someone to escort me around. I obviously can't inquire Master Igor about it, and as I mentioned, there is no one else I can really ask."

"Oh, I see...That makes more sense," Makoto flustered, "in that case, yeah, I don't mind, but are you sure? Compared to regular people, you definitely stand out. I don't imagine you want to attract too much attention to yourself."

"I will endeavor to do my best in blending in," Agatha promised, "I'm very good at it. Of course, I'm not asking you to take me out right now, but if you ever have a free moment, please let me know."

"Of course!" Makoto smiled, "I've been looking forward to getting to know you better as well after all. This is good for both of us."

"Then, I am in your care" Agatha smiled humbly.

[THE NEXT DAY...]

With Kyoko now having more time to prioritize her investigation into the Steering Committee (though she claimed it was quite challenging given how used to cleaning up their tracks the old goats were) Makoto decided to keep himself and the rest of the thieves on standby.

He sent his group a text to let them know to meet up, and they'd all agreed, deciding to go after some targets in Mementos. Along the way, however, he spotted a familiar face. As he passed by a bookstore, he noticed Shuichi through the window, pondering something.

The young detective boy noticed him, but while Makoto smiled at him, Shuichi looked back sternly. Surprisingly, he beckoned Makoto over, and the Lucky Student quickly made his way inside the store, standing next to him.

"No, don't stand there," Shuichi whispered, "stand on my right."

"Huh?" Makoto frowned.

"There's a really interesting book here on the shelf that I want you to see." he seemed to raise his voice as he said this, "Come look."

Makoto was...naturally very confused by his strange and serious attitude, yet seemingly blinding enthusiasm about the books. He complied and walked around Shuichi, looking down at the shelf.

The books' title was "The Incredibly Quirky Classroom." It was a children's book series and media franchise created by an American author and cartoonist. The series centered on Benjamin Mills, a middle schooler who keeps a journal in which he describes his everyday experiences. He shares a classroom with other students who are all exceptionally talented and have distinct personalities.

Sounded familiar...

"Yeah, I've seen this," Makoto waved the book about, "but why did you want to show it to me?"

"No real reason," Shuichi told him, "sorry I didn't respond immediately to the meetup request. I was in the middle of a stake-out for some clientele and I was hoping to get it wrapped up in an hour or so..."

"Wait, hold on..." Makoto frowned, suddenly breaking a sweat, "that implies that you're still on the job...! So why are you here!?"

"Shush...!" Shuichi hushed him, "I guess you could say I just got distracted by this detective novel..."

Makoto peeked over his shoulder at the novel.

"What's it about?" he asked, "if it grabbed your attention, it must have an interesting storyline."

"It's actually kind of like a choose-your-own-adventure book; there are branching storylines based on the decisions made by the main character..." Shuichi informed him, "I'm currently just waiting with bated breath to see if they choose the right one."

"Ok, now you've REALLY lost me..." Makoto frowned, "what are you talking about?"

Shuichi didn't respond. He simply clutched the book and glanced sternly in Makoto's direction. However, the brown-haired second-year noticed that Shuichi didn't seem to be looking at him, but rather THROUGH him.

Makoto turned his head slightly behind him to see that the only two people in that direction were a man with orange hair and glasses, who was buying a book from the gentleman at the counter. While not outwardly suspicious, Makoto heard Shuichi click his tongue.

"Okay...I suppose he ultimately made the incorrect decision after all..."

Before Makoto could ask what was going on, Shuichi pulled away from the bookshelf, and as the customer was about to leave, he stood in the way of the door.

"Just one thing," he opened, "I'd like to inspect what you're holding."

"Huh? Wh-what's going on?" the clerk raised their head after noticing the sudden commotion.

"What the heck?" the customer frowned, "I just brought a book. Get out of the way, kid!"

"I'm not a "kid"," Shuichi scowled, taking his badge out of his pocket, "I'm Shuichi Saihara of the Shuichi Detective Agency, and I've been requested by this store's owner to undergo a surprise inspection to check the products as they are bought."

"What!? I didn't hear anything about this!" the clerk spat.

"Yes...That's why it's called a "surprise inspection,"" Shuichi glowered, "now, I apologize if this is a waste of time, truly, but surely you'll have nothing to worry about if there really is nothing to hide, right?"

"Listen buddy..." the clerk grumbled, "although I wouldn't mind if you just browsed without buying anything, I would rather if you didn't bother the other customers. You know, it's bad for business!"

"Quiet...!" Shuichi snapped, "you're the very reason this inspection was even called. If I do find something, don't think you'll be getting off easily either."

The clerk seemed off-put by Shuichi's menacing glare before the young detective turned back to the customer.

"Let me repeat myself once more, and only once more," Shuichi stared, "the owner of this store has asked me, Shuichi Saihara of the Shuichi Detective Agency, to conduct a surprise inspection in order to verify the merchandise as it is being purchased. Hand over whatever you just purchased...!"

"I...I don't have time for this shit...!" the customer brushed him off, "I'm not gonna entertain some preschooler playing detective...!"

"There are police officers and other detectives outside the door." Shuichi cut him off suddenly before the customer pushed past him, "Be my guest if you want to get by without inspection, but as soon as I give the word, they'll have you on the ground before you can even think about making a run for it."

To emphasize his point, Shuichi took a walkie-talkie out of his pocket and tapped it. The customer stared at it in fright, then looked in even more horror, as he indeed noticed a few tough-looking security officers through the glass of the door, seeming to stare into his very soul. This was enough to make him cave.

"Gah...! Alright, alright, I'll give it to you!" he snarled, "but lemme just say this! If you find anything shifty in there, then the shopkeep's the one who slipped it in! I ain't got nothin' to do with this!"

"You fucking liar!" the shopkeeper spat, dropping every pretense he held before, "trying to leave me on the hook!? You were the one who came buying, you bastard!"

"Wow..." Makoto grumbled under his breath, "These guys are so stupid..."

"Save whatever tattle-tales you have for the interrogation room...!" Shuichi glowered, nodding to the officers through the window. At once, they both came into the store and detained both the customer and the clerk. Shuichi spoke with them briefly before they went away, then talked for a while with another two detectives that showed up, before he went back over to Makoto, who had been patiently waiting for him.

Beautiful Dead - Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc

"So care to explain to me what's going on now? I think I get it, but even so..." Makoto asked. Shuichi nodded.

"A few weeks ago, my uncle and our agency brought in reports of potential drug trafficking here in central Shibuya. We traced the sources back here to this bookstore and discovered traces of a meth-like substance within the pages of the book. The store owner denied any knowledge of this, and after some questioning, the police deemed him to be telling the truth," he explained, "after we explained the facts to him, he mentioned being suspicious of one of his clerks, and expressly requested we put an agent on standby in the store to watch. Given the severity of the situation, I decided to volunteer myself. The result of said mission is as you just saw."

"Drugs in a bookstore of all places," Makoto contemplated, "I feel kind of bad for the regulars, as well as the owner."

"It was quite the stroke of luck that you showed up when you did," Shuichi told him, "I was hoping for a fellow detective to come in and help out, but she appears to have arrived late. Thanks for the help."

"I helped?" Makoto raised an eyebrow. Shuichi nodded.

"Those two at the counter knew that I was probably working for the police. Even though I'm young, I'm not exactly unassuming, especially if they've seen or read about me in news reports," Shuichi explained, "when you came into the bookstore, I had you stand next to me so that they would think my line of sight would be blocked. That's when they did their transaction and thought they got away with it."

"Ah, I get it now! That was clever!" Makoto realized, "But wait, you said that you were originally planning this with another detective? Who? Your uncle, or...?"

"Ah! Shuichi-senpai! There you are!"

Makoto's question answered itself before Shuichi could. A young girl with a small, clean face walked into the store with a satisfied and relieved smile. She had striking orange eyes and pale brown hair. She wore a long-sleeved black blouse with a zip-up, a black bow tie, and a dark brown blazer jacket with six buttons on the collar. She also had on a short black skirt, black boots that reached her ankles, and black socks that reached her thighs.

Although she didn't have any of the striking features of the Ultimate Detective, her outfit didn't seem all that different from Kyoko's.

"I'm so sorry I'm late," she put her hands together in an apology, "it's not like I didn't have faith in your plan or anything, but I was struggling to find the location that Shuichi-sensei gave me!"

"Not to worry! My uncle has always had quite dysfunctional handwriting," Shuichi assured her, "if it helps, I can help you memorize the code..."

Shuichi turned back to Makoto and stuck out a hand.

"Remember how I said we'd been employing more people at the Shuichi Detective Agency again? I'd like to introduce you to one of the newest recruits at the agency, and one of our best if I might say so myself," he gestured, "this is Momoji Utsukuyakuzurami."

"What a Momo-Mouthful!" Makoto guffawed, "I mean uh...nice to meet you! I'm Makoto Naegi; Shuichi's senpai at school!"

"A pleasure to meet you too, Naegi-dono," Momoji reached out both her hands and shook his, allowing Makoto to see she was wearing fingerless gloves, "and thank you so much for helping Shuichi-senpai

"Shuichi-senpai, huh?" Makoto whistled, impressed, "How old are you, Utsu...Uh...Ut-so-ku-ya-ku-zu-ra-mi-san?"

"Ahaha! You can call me Momoji!" Momoji told him, "I know my family name is long, so it's fine to not address me formally. To answer your question, I turned 18 last month."

"Oh...Then why do you call Shuichi "senpai?" if he's 3 years younger than you?" Makoto inquired.

"Momoji-san joined the agency not too long ago. As one of the founding members of the agency as it is now, she sees me as her senior, despite our ages," Shuichi explained, "that said, she's an impressive detective in her own right, even if my way of doing things differs slightly than hers."

"It's not like I disrespect your line of thinking, Shuichi-senpai, but if you were going to pull your second-year senior to the side to help out, why stick with the plan instead of just going for the arrest immediately?" Momoji asked, "Were you concerned that my intel was inaccurate?"

Shuichi sighed.

"No, it's not that. As I mentioned before to Makoto-senpai, I'm fairly certain that those two knew I was allied with the police. With someone in law enforcement right in his shop, I was trying to see if the clerk or the customer would turn themselves in before any transaction happened, or the very least, quit while they were ahead," he explained, "all he would have to do is come up to me and tell me they had no idea where the substance had come from. Had they done that, I might have been able to let them off entirely."

"Oh! So what you said earlier...!" Makoto recalled.

"It's actually kind of like a choose-your-own-adventure book; there are branching storylines based on the decisions made by the main character...I'm currently just waiting with bated breath to see if they choose the right one."

"But instead, he chose to sell it off in the end after all. As soon as you came in and blocked the line of sight, he seized the opportunity, even though he had the whole morning to turn the drugs over to Shuichi-senpai," Momoji growled, then turning back to Shuichi, "I don't understand why you bother. Surely you must have known that they would never even consider turning themselves or the substance over."

"Yes, I knew..." Shuichi looked down at his feet dismally, "I was just really hoping I would be wrong..."

"Tell you what Senpai," Momoji offered, "I can handle the post-investigative report for you. You said you had somewhere to be, plus I can do this in exchange for my tardiness."

"Really? Are you sure?" Shuichi smiled, "thank you!"

"Pick yourself up and keep moving on Senpai," Momoji asserted, "believe me, I'm the last person to disagree with someone who sticks to their guns."

Momoji gave one last goodbye to Makoto, and Shuichi gave one last goodbye to the fellow detectives on the scene, as well as the store owner, who had shown up at the last second. As he and Makoto walked down the street, the latter nudged the former with his elbow to get his attention.

"Are you sure you're alright?" Makoto asked, "Momoji was right. You seem kinda torn up about the whole thing.

"This is normal for me," Shuichi sighed, "she is right though. I knew all along that they were never going to turn themselves in..."

Makoto didn't quite know what to say to this to make him feel better. However, Shuichi stared down at his own clenched fist.

"Even so, I...made a promise," he said, his voice becoming serious and stern, "as the Ultimate Detective, I made a promise to seek the truth. I made a promise to you, to the Phantom Thieves, to Kyoko-sama, and to Kaede! So I'm not abandoning what I believe in now."

Makoto broke out into a big smile.

"This is why you're the best teammate I could ever ask for..." he said proudly.

"I've been getting a lot of messages from the PhanSite. It seems that a lot of requested targets were taken care of by the Phantom Thieves," Chihiro Fujisaki turned around and greeted Makoto with a beaming smile, "Isn't that great!? You were right Naegi-kun! Making this website was a great idea!"

"See!" Makoto smiled back, "don't let the critics like Mukuro get to you. You're doing a good thing here!"

Makoto decided that before the night was done, he'd take a quick pit stop to check on Chihiro and the PhanSite requests. It had been a while since the two of them had an opportunity to hang out and talk. And Chihiro was now giddier than ever, seeing her website filled with positive feedback.

"Oh, you misunderstand," Chihiro proclaimed, "I don't hold anything against Ikusaba-san for her differing opinion. She may be one of the Thieves' most outspoken critics, but I value her opinion. Especially since it goes beyond criticism for the sake of toxicity."

"I agree!" Makoto smiled, "no point in baring any animosity just because we all see things differently."

"Absolutely!" Chihiro turned back to her laptop monitor, biting the inside of her cheek, "Still though...hm...hngh..."

"What's wrong, Fujisaki-chan?" Makoto leaned down to get a better look at her expression, "have you been getting criticism online or something? Is it bothering you?"

"No! Well, yes, I have been, but it's just standard internet toxicity," Chihiro told him, "some of it is kind of mean and cruel, but it's nothing I can't handle. Besides, it's not like it's directed at me specifically."

"Then why do you look so...disgruntled?" Makoto asked, "Are you sick? Are you in pain?"

"Oh, well...not really," Chihiro said, shaking her head once more, "It's just that last night, I...got bit by a mosquito."

"A mosquito?" Makoto parroted, "Oh, you looked like you were in a lot of pain, so I assumed something serious had happened!"

"Oh, did I give you the wrong impression!? I apologize!" Chihiro said, startled, "but...Now that you mention it, it does hurt quite a bit..."

"It hurts!? How hard did it bite you!?" he gasped, "mind letting me take a look?"

Chihiro was initially hesitant, but trusting Makoto, she rolled back her sleeves and extended her arm. Against her pale skin was a large red bump that was very noticeable. It appeared more severe than any mosquito bite Makoto had ever seen, and he would know, having experienced numerous bites whenever he went camping with his family or to a remote area.

"Yikes!" he exclaimed, "that looks rough! Are you ok? I-I'm quite close with Kimura-senpai in Class 77-A! I can get her to give you an ointment if you need it!"

"No! No! You don't have to do that! Ishimaru-kun already took me to see Tsumiki-senpai earlier in the day, and she gave me some ointment for it," Chihiro quickly grabbed a bottle off the table and showed it to him, "it's supposed to stop it from itching...Although, it doesn't itch. It just hurts a lot..."

"Yeah, I'll bet..." Makoto wiped his forehead, "then why is it so large? Was it biting you while you slept or something?"

"Huh? Oh, no, I was awake..." she explained.

"So, you were awake, and you somehow didn't notice it?" Makoto frowned.

"N-No, I noticed it...I kind of just..." she stammered like she admitting to a crime or something, "I felt it bite me, so I looked down at it, but I didn't do anything about it. I did nothing but sit there and watch it drink my blood."

"You just watched it!? How come you didn't smack it!? What if it had been carrying a disease!?" Makoto exclaimed.

"To be honest, I didn't think about that at the time," Chihiro blushed, tears forming at the edges of her eyes, "I just...It might sound weird, but I didn't want to kill it. It must have been really hungry to suck that much blood. It would have been very sad to deny it anything if it had been that hungry."

"Well...yeah...But it's a mosquito...!" words were failing the Ultimate Lucky Student at this moment.

"However, mosquitoes are also living creatures," Chihiro asserted, "it could belong to a different mosquito family, and I just thought about how they might be really sad if it didn't come home...I apologize; I realize that was stupid of me."

"No, it's not stupid..." Makoto patted her shoulder, "It's so sweet of you that you think that way; I'm just worried about your safety is all."

"Thank you, Naegi-kun..." Chihiro smiled like a timid rabbit up at him, "You're always so sweet and kind to me."

"Y-Yeah, don't mention it..." Makoto blushed, scratching his face, trying to divert eye contact, "still though, don't go scratching it, okay? That'll just make things worse. If your ointment isn't working, I recommend you to talk to Tsumiki-senpai or Kimura-senpai about it."

"But what if it gets so itchy and so painful that I can't take it?" Chihiro asked, sweating.

"Hm...In that case, let me try this...Sorry, this might sting for a second..."

Makoto took Chihiro's arm and pushed the tip of his fingernail into the bump twice.

"All you have to do is use your fingernails to create an X over the mosquito bite," he explained, "just enough pressure to create a dent will stop the itching, but be careful not to apply too much, or else you might pierce the skin. It's not exactly a remedy, but it's a temporary solution if it gets too much."

"Wow! I-I had no idea!" Chihiro squealed with delight, "You're so smart Makoto!"

She grinned like a tiny, adorable animal as she said that. Makoto couldn't help but question whether she intentionally did that. If that was the case, that was extremely frightening. But his attention was diverted as he took in her words.

"Makoto?" he parroted. Chihiro paused for a moment, then blushed.

"A-A-Ah! I-I-I didn't m-mean to address yo-you informally like that!" she squealed, "s-sorry! I'm so sorry!"

"You need to stop apologizing for every little thing," Makoto waved it off, "if you want to call me Makoto, that's fine. In fact, can I call you Chihiro? I think we're close enough by this point."

Makoto was quite surprised at his own audacity. Yes, he and Chihiro were most assuredly friends by this point, but he still idolized her in a way that many others did, and it felt rude not to show her that respect. In fact, it was quite akin to his relationship with Sayaka and Junko. If they hadn't insisted upon referring to them by their given names, he would still be calling them Maizono-san and Enoshima-san.

"W-Well...If you don't mind, then that's alright with me...!" Chihiro beamed slightly, clearly a lot more excited than she was letting on, though tried to suppress it, "thank you, really...You're so good to me, even though I don't deserve it..."

"What do you mean you don't deserve it?" Makoto chuckled, "of course you deserve it. You're one of the sweetest people I know!"

"Even if that is true..." Chihiro hung her head, "Sometimes I just feel...like I'm dead weight..."

"What makes you say that?" Makoto asked, concerned. Chihiro replied by pointing to the screen.

"One of the reasons why I love the Phantom Thieves is how much they're able to help people," she explained, "compared to them...I'm so weak and helpless...I don't like feeling like a victim that they have to save. I want to help them, and help others in the same way they help others. But I don't know how I can be useful. If I tried, I'll probably just weigh you and everyone else down."

"What are you talking about!?" Makoto spluttered, "You're a genius Chihiro! You can make so many people's lives so much better with your programs and computer knowledge, and it makes me feel way better knowing you're here to help!"

"...It does...?" she whimpered.

"Yup! So let's both do our best, okay?"

He lifted his hand for a high five. Chihiro's sad expression perked up slightly, and she gave Makoto a wonderful smile.

"O-Okay!" she beamed, returning the high five, "eheh...! Thank you, Makoto."

Chapter End Notes

I know I might be saying this a little bit late, but if you're a die-hard Danganronpa fan who knows at least a vast majority of the lore, then this kind of story is geared towards you. If you don't then...you may be learning some new things.
This is just another chapter designed to wrap up the confidants that haven't been covered yet, as well as explaining the progression of the plot, since Kyoko has now set her sights on the Steering Committee and the school staff itself. Will she be successful? Eh, we'll have to see, won't we?
Thank you for reading. I love to get feedback from my readers, so feel free to leave a comment, and some kudos if you feel up to it.

The Underbelly

Chapter Summary

Kyoko progresses in her investigation, interrogating some of the key names she suspects to be involved in the mental shutdown cases. However, the deeper she and the Phantom Thieves go, the more seedy they find the underbelly of the school is, and just how deep the dark conspiracies run...

Chapter Notes

See the end of the chapter for notes

Take Over - Persona 5 Royal

"AGI!"

"EIGA!"

Makoto and Kaede simultaneously launched hefty attacks towards their enemy, the Shadow Self of one of their Mementos targets that had taken the form of a Unicorn with a very angry and savage expression. Unfortunately, despite laying everything they had into this punk, their attacks were simply bouncing off its body like a ball hitting the wall.

"Yeah, this rap game, I'm takin' charge! Invincible, I'm livin' large! Can't touch this, I'll leave you scarred! I'm the ruler, goin' hard, uh!" the Shadow rapped to the beat as it received the Phantom Thieves' attacks, not even flinching when they made direct contact with it, "Straight from the streets, I've paid my dues! Bitch, please, you ain't winnin' this duel! Brawl Battle? Rap Battle? I never lose! Stay on my grind, makin' my moves, yeah!"

"That didn't work either!?" Razor snapped, dismayed, "And is he still seriously rapping!?"

"This cretin is apparently famous for terrorizing quiet streets late at night with his loud music blaring in the night. He's received several noise complaints, but always relocates before the local police can catch him," Sleuth recalled, "he was reportedly known to be very obnoxious. Now I see what they meant..."

"Obnoxious is putting it lightly!" Mozart turned his way and scowled, "I'm gonna burn this stupid shadow to a crisp in a second!"

"How are you going to do that? He's resisting your fire attacks! In fact, he's resisting ALL our attacks!" Usami exclaimed.

"There's gotta be something we can do!" Leprechaun exclaimed, "If we find a way to shut down that barrier and make him drop his guard, we might be able to seize an opening to go all out."

"Good idea! But how do we do that?" Sleuth inquired.

"Well, don't get mad at me, but I might have an idea," Highwayman spoke up, "if a brawl battle won't work, why not try beating him in a rap battle? I know it sucks, but we might have to sink to his level for a bit!"

"That could very well work!" Usami considered, "Most likely the barrier around his body is being retained by his hubris and passion for rap as a form of art. If we "show him up" as we say, it might be enough to get him to drop his guard."

"You...have got to be fucking kidding me..." Razor snarled.

"Rap battle? Rap battle!? Rap battle, you say!? You're speakin' mah language now, compadre!" the Unicorn seemed to get very excited, "it's time for us to clash, it's our moment to smash! In these Battle Groundz, where the Titans clash! Locked and loaded, ready for the verbal warfare! I Spit truth bombs like a lyrical warfare!"

"Did you seriously just rhyme "warfare" with "warfare!?" Are you running this rap on an AI algorithm!? The lyricist in me is DYING right now!" Kaede choked, "but if it's a rap battle you want, you'll get one! Fuck him up Razor!"

Neuroscience Wing - Danganronpa 0 UST

"Ok, I got your-WHAAATT THE FUUUUUCK!?" Razor began to prepare herself before it truly sank in what Mozart had just said.

"Excellent idea!" Sleuth pounded his hand, "we're counting on you, Razor!"

"You got this Toko-chan! Make us proud!" Highwayman smacked her back.

"Show us your might, oh Razor!" Usami cheered.

"It's all you Razor! Do us justice!" Leprechaun gave her a thumbs up.

Toko couldn't do anything but frazzle and be baffled at what the hell was going on. It took her a moment to formulate words, but when she did, naturally, all she had was complaints.

"But you-!? But he-!? WHY ME!?" she shrieked, "you're the musician here Kaede! YOU do it!"

"Yeah, sure, but I'm not THAT great at coming up with lyrics on the fly," Mozart shrugged, "plus, I don't know the first thing about rap."

"And you think I DO!?" Razor shrieked again.

"Oh come on!" Mozart gave her an awkward grin, "rap is just about coming up with fancy words on the fly. And who in this team is better with fancy words than the Ultimate Writing Prodigy?"

"You want words? I've got two words for you! "Fuck!" and "You!"," Razor spat, "I'm not doing it."

"Fine!" Mozart sighed, "I guess that means we fail, and it's all your fault~"

"I-!? You-!? GAAGH! Sometimes I REALLY don't like you!" Razor scowled, feeling crushed under the weight of everyone's expectant glares, "uuuuuuUUUUAAAGGGGGGHHH! FIIINE!"

Mortified, Razor lost every trace of her Phantom Thief coolness as she shuffled shyly towards the Unicorn-shaped enemy, who waited patiently for her.

"Y-Y-Y-Y-Yeah, it's about to get r-r-real...gn...gnarly...! Razor, scissors, vibes gully...!" Toko tried her best to speak to the beat, every second she stood there looking like she wanted to die, "anger running deep through my veins...! I'm about to spit fire like p-p-propane!"

"YEAAAGH!" The rest of the Phantom Thieves cheered her on. Though Toko would rather slit her own throat than admit it, their genuine excitement and encouragement made her feel a little bit better. Even the Shadow seemed impressed by her choice of lyrics.

"Ya may look like nothin', peep that scowl on yo' face, but I ain't gon' that fool me, you a beast in this race!" it smoked, "But you're morose, sad, and you got no finesse! I'm about to school ya, so buckle up and never second guess, yeah!"

"HUH!?" Toko clenched her fist and grit her teeth, hissing at the Unicorn, "Stupid damn horse, I'm the prodigy in this house! Spitting verses that'll make you wanna bounce! You're a beast, but I'M a monster, you haven't seen before! My rap skills gonna leave you on the floor!"

Now that she was riled up, everyone started to get more into it, and this serious Mementos mission had turned into a weirdly fun party.

"I really wish Kyoko-chan was here to see this!" Komaru beamed, laughing her head off and wiping tears from her eyes, "by the way, where is she?"

"Oh, she said she was going to make progress on our long-running investigation," Makoto explained, "remember what I was telling you about that senpai who graduated a year ago...?"

As you might expect, Kyoko Kirigiri usually had little reason to go to the Biology Building on Hope's Peak's main campus. Honestly, it was so far out of the way, that it was surprising that anyone even knew the place existed if they didn't study in the medium.

But of course, she had good enough reason to be here today. Fortunately, Jin hadn't thought twice about giving her the information she needed. He hadn't even asked what her reasons were for wanting to meet her graduate senpai, nor had he questioned whether it had to do with a case or not. He probably assumed it did.

Kyoko was honestly worried. If Matsuda did turn out to be closely tied to the case and the Steering Committee, there was a non-zero possibility that the conspirators would go after Jin just to spite her. This was among the last things Kyoko wanted to happen...

Of course, she would rather die than tell anybody this.

As she walked into the lobby, she saw that there were steps at the rear of the area. She ascended the stairs to the third floor, following the guides her father had given her. Upon arriving, she proceeded down the hallway, examining the signs near the doors arranged along the walls. She eventually located the "Neurology Lab" sign at the very end.

She abruptly stopped, inhaled deeply, and brushed her hair out of her face (better to at least make herself look presentable, right?) then proceeded to open the door.

But no sooner did she open the door, than she almost jumped out of her skin. Something whooshed and cut the wind as it flew right past her ear. In a panic, Kyoko turned her head and noticed a tiny blade still vibrating from the impact embedded in the wall behind her.

"This is what happens when you don't knock..."

Kyoko's gaze shot straight to this scolding voice coming from the lab. In the middle of the room was a bed, and a boy lay on top of it. Carelessly, a soiled white shirt was thrown over his body, his tie was loose and he had neither shoes nor socks on. It appeared as though he had gone to bed in his uniform and had not bothered to change or clean himself. Kyoko figured that was precisely right.

He was lying face up with his face fixed on a thick manga magazine he was holding in his hand. He didn't even appear to give Kyoko a glance.

"That could have killed me..." Kyoko scowled, unsure of what else to say here.

"But it didn't..." he grumbled back. She sighed and rolled her eyes.

"Yasuke Matsuda, correct?" she said.

"Yep...And you are?" he replied, "I can't really tell just by the voice..."

"Do you mean that up until now you were unaware of who you were speaking with?"

"It's your fault. You just walked in here unannounced without telling me who you were."

"Well, why don't you see for yourself? Surely your vision is fine, seeing as you're reading that manga without the need for glasses."

"I don't have time to look at you. I just got to the interesting part."

"You don't have time...? Isn't that just a manga magazine?"

"So what? If you're going to ask, "What's more important? Talking to me or the manga?" the answer's the same as always. It's the manga."

"That's rather rude..."

"Yeah, I don't care..."

Kyoko sighed. Thank goodness her job and spending a year at this school had gotten her used to undesirable personalities. Still though, this was going to be even more frustrating than she thought it would be.

"My name is Kyoko Kirigiri. I'm a second year in Class 77-B. The Ultimate Detective."

"Oh...Yeah, I know who you are. You're the Headmaster's little girl..." Matsuda let out a big sigh, "So you weren't someone suspicious after all..."

"Maybe you should have gleaned that before you threw that scalpel at me," Kyoko gestured towards the wall behind her, "there's such a thing as being too on edge."

Matsuda suddenly closed his manga magazine shut with a loud snap. He jumped out of the bed by using the cushion as support, and he moved quickly in Kyoko's direction until there was hardly any space between them. She stood her ground, showing how little she was intimidated by it.

"So what do you want with me?" he glared.

"I just want to ask you a few questions..." Kyoko told him, "nothing more, nothing less."

"Shoot..." Matsuda replied lazily.

"Last year, you graduated from Hope's Peak Academy as the Ultimate Neurologist. However, your case is a rather unique one amongst Ultimates," Kyoko opened, "after graduation, Hope's Peak will typically hold a ceremony where the Ultimate Students can establish connections, and/or gain resources provided to them by the academy itself to go out into the greater world and establish their own companies and conglomerates."

"Wow, I didn't know that!" Matsuda replied with biting sarcasm, "It's almost like I've never been through this before!"

"If you'll drop your sarcastic spite and think about it for one mere second, you'll know why I'm bringing it up," Kyoko deadpanned, "you are a unique case for graduate students in that you are the only one who was permitted to stay on the grounds post-graduation, at least of those who were not hired to be part of the faculty, like Kyosuke Munakata or Chisa Yukizome. Unfortunately, me nor my father knows exactly why this is."

"So that's what this is about?" Matsuda tugged on his sleeve, "Daddy's sent you out on a little errand, has he? Piqued his curiosity, have I?"

"Sure. Let's go with that for now..." Kyoko crossed her arms. Matsuda shrugged.

"I dunno what to tell you," he said, "you're right. I didn't leave the campus, but I DID get hired. By Hope's Peak themselves. This whole lab basically became my office post-graduation."

"But on what grounds?" Kyoko asserted, "every other Ultimate alumni who join the Hope's Peak staff body has a clear role in the management of the school as it is now. Munakata monitors safety and construction. Yukizome is a homeroom teacher. Sakakura is the head of security. What, might I ask, is the benefit of having the Ultimate Neurologist as part of the staff body? And more to the point, why did you agree to their request?"

"Information dealings," Matsuda replied bluntly, "they kept me around to help them conduct some important research. Apparently it's supposed to help with "the future development of talent," or some BS..."

""Or some BS?"" Do you mean to say you don't know what the Steering Committee is keeping you around for? What their end goal is?" Kyoko frowned. Matsuda rolled his eyes.

"It's less that I don't know, and more that I don't care," he said, "all that matters to me is that I'm getting the cutting-edge tech and supplies I need for my research from the most powerful and influential organization in Japan. If it came down to it, I wouldn't care about killing a man to get this stuff."

"Wow...A bold thing to admit in front of a homicidal crime detective..." Kyoko glared at him.

"Sorry, bad joke..." Matsuda sighed.

"The question I have is what exactly is this research?" Kyoko continued, "What could be so important to the Steering Committee's goals that they'd go out of their way to directly hire you to research it for them."

Kyoko watched as Matsuda stared through her for a moment, before he finally turned his back to her, then lazily trudged over to his workbench in the corner.

"I think it's better if I show you..." he said.

Skeptical, but also curious, Kyoko followed him over to the desk where he reached into a filing cabinet and pulled out a dark red leather-cased book. What Kyoko immediately noticed was the title of the study.

"Cognitive Psience"

Living in a Lazy Parallel World - Danganronpa V3: Killing Harmony

"So the Committee has you studying this?" Kyoko asked, "Tell me, what does it entail."

"You sure you wanna know?" Matsuda frowned, "if I explain it, I doubt you'll get it. Plus, you and I both have time we'd rather not waste."

"I don't consider it a waste," Kyoko smiled, "this is your chance to show off your studies, plus there's a chance what's contained within the research is crucial to my investigation. So by all means, educate me."

Matsuda sighed. Kyoko could tell that it was less for her sake that he didn't want to explain it, and more that he couldn't be bothered to. Still, he did as he was requested, rolling his eyes and opening the file up.

"To put simply, Cognitive Psience refers to the primary study of how cognition takes form as realms within the minds of other people," he educated, "The idea that people perceive the world and take what they see to be real is known as cognition. When a sufficient number of people perceive something as a whole, that concept becomes "real," impacting both the outside world and each individual. "

Immediately it stood out to Kyoko what he was talking about. She knew full well the legitimacy of this research. She had seen it for herself. Of course, she couldn't outright let Matsuda know she had actually traveled to the Metaverse.

"That seems like a lot of pretentious theories with no concrete evidence to support them. Are you really saying that immaterial concepts become real in a different world?" she asked, playing dumb.

"It's called the Metaverse," Matsuda elaborated, "It's a collective unconscious world, with parts of that dimension being customized cognitive spaces inspired by specific locations in Tokyo. These domains which mirror people's perceptions of the world, as well as the Metaverse itself, are products of individual and societal cognition."

"And this is the research that the head honchos of the academy wanted you to study?" Kyoko recalled, "For what purpose?"

"Don't know...and frankly, I don't care to find out. But hey, I've actually been rereading this file a lot lately. There's something in here that might interest you. It certainly interested Chairman Ashikawa when he first read it..." Matsuda explained.

Kyoko lifted her head and crossed her arms to make it clear that she was listening.

"Theoretically, you could completely alter someone's behavior and transform them into a different person by using the Metaverse and manually altering their cognitive processes," Matsuda unveiled, "An individual who is malicious, selfish, and evil, for instance, has the potential to change for the better. If they have committed any crimes, they are typically burdened by them to the point where they come clean and admit their transgressions to the public. Sound familiar?"

"Yes...It's the exact textbook example of what the Phantom Thieves of Hope do to their victims," Kyoko sighed, continuing to put on the facade, "but going by that logic, it should be wholly impossible. After all, if they really are using this "Metaverse" to cause their changes of heart, it would imply the Phantom Thieves have the means to enter this alternative dimension."

"Going by my old notes, it's actually not impossible, Though getting to the Metaverse would probably require some sort of dimensional-hopping device..." Matsuda took out an old flip-phone and started to play around with it casually, "Psh...then again...anyone entering without a Persona would unavoidably find themselves in a fatal situation..."

"I'm sorry..." Kyoko felt her heart jump as soon as the familiar word reached her ears, to the point where her serious front very nearly broke, "what was that last part?"

"Well, this is something else that my studies and theories showed, but you're probably not gonna believe me, even if I tell you," Matsuda kept playing with his phone, "so let me ask you a question. You remember what it is I said about how in the Metaverse, concepts take form, right?"

"Yes, I remember that quite distinctly," Kyoko assured him, "what of it?"

"You know what the phrase "inner demons" means, right? The most unsettling ideas and beliefs we hold, which can be extremely distressing and are frequently repetitive or obsessive. Our mental addictions, or complexes, which are basically expressions of our irrational fears," Matsuda continued, "so tell me. What kind of form do you think inner demons would take in a world like the Metaverse where such concepts are personified?"

"Literal demons?" Kyoko pretended to take a guess.

"Exactly. These demons, known as Shadows, are created from humans and possess human emotions, the majority of which are negative. Theoretically, they should reside in bulk which makes them dangerous, especially in greater numbers," Matsuda explained, "however, it should also be possible for a person to accept the darker sides of themselves and grow from it. This is also translated literally, which creates something called a Persona; a figment that's strong enough to help someone survive in such a realm against Shadows."

"Matsuda-san," Kyoko scowled, "this frankly all sounds like nonsense. I trust you're not trying to send me off track?"

"Tch...I was only explaining it," Matsuda put away his phone and glared straight into her eyes, "because YOU seem WEIRDLY interested. Don't think you can hide it from me."

Kyoko cleared her throat.

"Well, what I've at least been able to take away is that this research pertains to similar methods to that of the Phantom Thieves," she recollected, "and this is the research that the Steering Committee asked for?"

"That's right..." Matsuda nodded.

"In that case, I just have one more question on the research itself. About the supposed connections between the Metaverse and the changes of heart," Kyoko gestured with her fingers, "you approved that the Metaverse can be used to redeem the hearts of criminals and undesirable people, right?"

"Uh-huh..." Matsuda sighed.

"Theoretically speaking, could it be used for several more harmful purposes, like inducing apathy, suicide, or obsession with someone else?" she asked. Matsuda paused for a moment before giving his reply.

"Well...yeah, I guess..." he affirmed.

"But if you know this, then are you sure it's wise to leave the Steering Committee unchecked with this information?" she asked, "if it's that potentially dangerous, you shouldn't be giving that info out willy nilly."

"It's not willy nilly, I'm getting paid for it. That's enough of a reason," Matsuda scowled, "and don't make me repeat myself. I said I don't care what they're doing with it so long as it doesn't get in the way of my research."

"That's not an excuse I can take...!" Kyoko slammed Matsuda's desk in visible frustration, which he barely reacted to, "I'm asking you this one more time. What does the Steering Committee want with this research?"

Matsuda threw his eyes up to heaven, and once again, got dangerously close to the Ultimate Detective.

"Look...I'm not at liberty to say how, or why. It's not a matter of me keeping this stuff for the sake of my own goals or whatever," Matsuda scowled, "I should need this stuff for a year and a half at most, and then I'm out of here. But until then, it's vital it all stays here...I've got people that I need to look after, you know?"

Kyoko's ears pricked up at hearing this.

"What do you mean by that?" she frowned, "are the Steering Committee...holding somebody hostage against you?"

"Nothing like that..." Matsuda shrugged, "But there is someone tied to Hope's Peak that's very close to me, and I need all this stuff for their sake."

"Why?" Kyoko asked. Matsuda scoffed, but his face became slightly dower, a break from his typical frown and stone-cold expression.

"You said you read some files on me before your visit, right?" he recalled, "do you know about my mom?"

"Your mother was diagnosed with an unnamed disease, though based on the description in the documents, it appeared to have symptoms similar to that of Alzheimer's," Kyoko recalled. "her condition eventually led to her unfortunate death."

"Yep. You sure don't mince words, do you?" he seemed to chuckle, though the corners of his mouth remained flat, "She forgot who I was, you know? Her doctors also prohibited me from referring to her as "mom" or "mother," and because of her persistent memory loss, I had to endure abuse, neglect, and being treated like a stranger by my own goddamn parent...!"

"I'm...I'm sorry you had to go through that..."

Kyoko felt her chest seize up; an unnatural occurrence for her. This wasn't the first time she had heard a person's sob story, and in the past, it was very easy to not take them at face value. However, in this case, she felt her mask begin to slip, so she diverted her attention, hoping Matsuda wouldn't notice.

He did. Though he didn't say anything about it.

"Look, the point is that there's someone close to me who's going through the same thing right now," Matsuda explained, "and on my own, I don't have the means or ends to make my own research facility yet. The only thing I care about right now is developing a cure for their illness so that they don't suffer the same that my mom did...Hell, I might be saving a lotta people's lives, including hers and mine, if I can tame it..."

"And who are they to you?" Kyoko queried. Matsuda's frown deepened.

"It's...a girl...a friend that I've known ever since we were children..." he said, "someone I love very deeply..."

"And who is this girl?" Kyoko recomposed herself, "Apologies for my rudeness, but how am I supposed to believe this story of yours with such a distinct lack of evidence? You claim such a person exists, but do you have proof?"

She was fully expecting Matsuda to reply with a biting comment, or even snap at her, but to her surprise, he instead sighed, waltzed towards another filing cabinet, pulled out a document, then strode back over and handed it to her.

Ryoko Otonashi Theme - Danganronpa 0 UST

It was a medical file detailing a patient who possessed an Alzheimer's-like illness, just as Matsuda had just explained. Kyoko stared at the photo of the girl stuck to it with a clip. Her eyes were the same shade of dark red as her long, unkempt hair. She was dressed in the Hope's Peak Academy standard uniform, which included a brown loafer, an unbuttoned dark grey cardigan with the school's logo emblazoned on it, a short dark grey skirt, white knee-high socks with part of the Hope's Peak logo near the top edge, and a white blouse with a red ribbon.

The name on the file read "Ryoko Otanashi."

"Who...is she?" Kyoko gripped the file and glared at Matsuda.

"Just as it said...Her name is Ryoko Otonashi, and she's an old friend," Matsuda replied, "she was originally part of Class 78-B, but she dropped out of the academy because her illness was getting too much. Like I said, we were close, and she originally came to Hope's Peak as per my recommendation."

"What's her talent?" Kyoko queried.

"Ultimate Analytical Prowess..." Matsuda said.

"Ultimate...what?" Kyoko shook her head.

"Because of her exceptionally accurate mental and psychological analysis skills, Ryoko is...WAS... essentially able to foresee an individual's actions before they even make them. But because of her condition, she can't use it most of the time. Usually, she forgets that she's talented at all" he elaborated.

Kyoko examined the file. Unless the Steering Committee was trying to pull a fast one on her, the file itself looked legitimate. Ryoko even had an original student number, and there was indeed a seat missing in Class 77-B as she had confirmed with her father a while ago. Plus, the Committee should not have known that Kyoko knew of their connection to Matsuda, so unless they'd planted it in advance...

Even so, Matsuda didn't seem to be giving off any distinct hints of lying at the moment. So unfortunately, it seemed Kyoko had little to no choice but to take his word for it.

"Don't get me wrong," Matsuda interrupted her thoughts like he was reading them, "if the Steering Committee is up to something, I can offer you my support. I'm not about to side with criminals. Just promise me that I get to keep all my stuff if you do end up busting them."

"I believe if the Steering Committee falters, responsibility for management will fall upon my father or Councilman Tengan. Assuming you curry favor with either of them, you'll find yourself in good fortune," Kyoko smirked, "and with that said, I will not waste any more of your time. Thank you, Matsuda-senpai."

"Drop that senpai," Matsuda snarled, "I'd rather we not talk again..."

"Yes...I concur..." Kyoko sighed, making her exit, "Goodbye, Matsuda-san."

"No..." Matsuda sighed, "Just good riddance..."

Beautiful Dead - Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc

----------------------------------------------

PTChat

Kyoko: I've made some steps forward in my investigation that I think you would all like to know about.

Kyoko: I obtained an audience with Yasuke Matsuda and asked him about the research and collaboration between himself and Hope's Peak Staff and Steering Committee.

OneTrueEgg: What did you find?

Kyoko: My suspicions about collusion between the two were confirmed. Matsuda is indeed working with the Steering Committee and implied that they're working on a big project.

Kyoko: However, he claimed that he had not been clued in on said project. Their connection seems to not be a formal one, and their dealings are focused on the transference of information, research, and equipment only.

Kyoko: In exchange for his aid, Matsuda is being permitted to stay on the premises and continue with his research using the facilities however long he may need.

Sweetchi: For what purpose?

Kyoko: He claimed that there was a student in our sister class named Ryoko Otonashi who was suffering from a condition similar to that of Dementia or Alzheimer's. He's made it his mission to cure this girl of said condition.

Pian0Fr3ak: I've never heard of this person. She's an upperclassman?

Kyoko: Nor had I. Apparently, she was invited to the Academy as the Ultimate Analytical Prowess.

Kyoko: But when I went to confirm the Medical ID he handed me with Koichi, he confirmed that Ryoko Otonashi was indeed a student accepted into the Academy the same year as we were. However, shortly after she first started attending, she was pulled from the class due to medical issues. She was never replaced though.

Shoot2Thrill: Who's Koichi?

Sweetchi: I believe that's the given name of Kizakura-sensei, Makoto, Toko, and Kyoko-sama's homeroom teacher.

Sweetchi: He's also the lead Talent Scout for the Academy. He's the one who finds the people that get invited to attend the academy.

Shoot2Thrill: And you're on a first-name basis with him Kyoko!?

OneTrueEgg: Yeah, I didn't know this either. Are you two close?

Kyoko: Well, obviously I don't call him that in class when he's assuming the role of a teacher.

Kyoko: But yes. Koichi Kizakura and my father, Jin Kirigiri go back a long way. They'd been friends even before either of them joined the Hope's Peak Academy staff. They were in the same class as students.

Kyoko: In a manner of speaking, he's something of my uncle or godfather. Please don't let him know I said that though. He does not need the ego boost.

Pian0Fr3ak: Pinky promise!

Bookworm: What do you think the chances are that this Matsuda guy is bullshitting you?

Kyoko: Not impossible, but highly unlikely given the circumstances.

Kyoko: If he wanted to hide some important details, he wouldn't have gone out of his way to give me copies of the files that he gave the Steering Committee. It even confirmed an important suspicion that I'd had for a while now.

Sweetchi: What's that?

Kyoko: We assumed that the Steering Committee may have had the means to use the Metaverse. As it turns out, we might have been right.

Shoot2Thrill: For real!?

Kyoko: The research that they were making Matsuda do was on a subject called "Cognitive Psience".

Bookworm: Don't you mean "Cognitive Science?"

Kyoko: No. The book specifically refers to it as "Psience" with a Psi- in front.

Kyoko: According to what Matsuda told me himself, it's a specific brand of Neurological and psychological research that pertains to the study of the supernatural "cognitive worlds" that exist within every human mind.

OneTrueEgg: You mean the Metaverse!?

Kyoko: Exactly.

Kyoko: Matsuda is fully aware of not just the existence of the Metaverse, but also knows about the existence of Palaces, Shadows, and Personas.

Shoot2Thrill: No way!

Pian0Fr3ak: But wait, if that's the case, doesn't that make him look pretty suspicious? If he knows about Personas and the Metaverse, doesn't that mean he's likely to be the Phantom Killer?

Sweetchi: While it's not impossible, I doubt it.

Sweetchi: If Matsuda was the Phantom Killer, I don't think he would so openly talk about Personas and Shadows with Kyoko-sama. It would make more sense to hide those details to make himself seem less suspicious.

Kyoko: Also I saw Matsuda checking his phone periodically while we were talking. It's a vastly old model that can't download apps, so I doubt he has the Metaverse Navigator.

Kyoko: The important thing is that Matsuda did the research and came up with the theories himself based on pre-existing studies. And the Steering Committee wanted this, yet would not tell Matsuda why.

Pian0Fr3ak: OK, THAT'S suspicious!

Kyoko: My thoughts exactly.

Kyoko: To make things even more interesting, I've received confirmation from my missions by the Academy Staff that the Steering Committee and head honchos of the school are looking to transfer numerous pieces of equipment to a sister talent academy.

OneTrueEgg: Oh yeah! I think you told me about this! That work that the Committee had you do for them recently!

Bookworm: What kinds of equipment?

Kyoko: Research materials, study books, machinery, and scientists. They had me do a code check just to make sure nothing was out of place and up to code.

Kyoko: By itself, the materials they showed me were not out of the ordinary. They seemed fairly standard for Hope's Peak's monumental budget.

Kyoko: However...

Sweetchi: However what?

Kyoko: What piqued my interest about the equipment is that it didn't seem to belong in any lab, science room, engineering center, or anywhere else on campus that I had seen before. Not even Matsuda's lab.

Kyoko: So while there's nothing outwardly suspicious about the equipment or where it's going, the fact that I don't know where it came from is peculiar. Not to mention I've never met the scientists who I was asked to inspect before.

Kyoko: I can only assume they work for the Steering Committee themselves, which would make sense. But the question then is for what purpose?

Kyoko: I also accidentally discovered from my father that he and I are only two of three people on Hope's Peak's campus outside of the Committee itself who KNOW of this transfer. Sure, it's nobody's business, and given the backlash against the Academy from the public thanks to Towa, Kirigiri and now Kaede, it makes sense that the Committee would be quiet about the details and try to be discreet about it.

Kyoko: But why not tell the likes of Kyosuke Munakata? He's become vital to ensuring infrastructure and security at the Academy is tenfold, and his contributions helped them greatly after the Towa incident. And yet they're keeping him and all the other teachers out of the loop. They've only clued my father in out of necessity.

Bookworm: Is it really that easy for them to make such a big transfer under Munakata and Sakakura's noses? Both of them are pretty alert, and they skulk the hallways like wraiths all the time.

Kyoko: This is another reason why I find the timing so conspicuous.

Shoot2Thrill: What do you mean by the timing?

Kyoko: I didn't find this out until I did some investigation myself, but the transfer of this equipment coincides with the day of the Hope's Peak Academy Sports Festival.

Kyoko: During which, Sakakura and Munakata will be far too preoccupied with making sure that the facilities remain intact and that the students, staff, and crowd are protected. Not only that but with so many people coming in from the GP to watch the events and the students, even if some reporters or paparazzi try to prowl on the teachers, the Steering Committee could very easily undergo the transfer right behind their backs.

Kyoko: It's quite a bold, yet clever diversionary tactic.

Shoot2Thrill: Not one that could get past you though! ;-) That's our Kyoko!

OneTrueEgg: I get it now. So this is the other reason you mentioned why you were so willing to prioritize attending the Sports Fes this year?

Kyoko: Indeed.

Pian0Fr3ak: Then what do we do from here?

Pian0Fr3ak: We know for sure that the Steering Committee is up to something now! And that it involves this "Cognitive Psience" stuff.

Pian0Fr3ak: Isn't this enough to target them?

Sweetchi: No. We're jumping the gun. There are several reasons why we can't act rashly, or jump into this right now.

Shoot2Thrill: Like what?

Sweetchi: Firstly, we know that the Steering Committee has been having Matsuda-san research cognition, but we don't know for what purpose, or why.

Sweetchi: Our initial assumption is that they were using it to cause accidents or scandals, but we have no grounds to suspect that the Phantom Killer hides among them, at least not yet. We don't know if they even have the means to access the Metaverse like we do.

Sweetchi: Secondly, the Committee is chronically elusive. It will be difficult to get any information on them from a standard investigation. I doubt even a government-issued warrant will pass for them; and they might come up with some sort of excuse to hide, as they oft do.

Pian0Fr3ak: So what I'm hearing is that before we go sleuthing around trying to change their hearts, we should first find dirt on these guys?

Sweetchi: I suppose so.

Sweetchi: Here's my recommendation.

Sweetchi: If Kyoko-sama doesn't know where the equipment came from originally, we should make it our mission to find out exactly that. If we find the lab that the tools and the researchers originally came from on campus, we might find more clues about what's really going on.

Kyoko: Excellent idea Shuichi.

Sweetchi: No doubt you already thought of that though.

Kyoko: My priorities were elsewhere actually.

Bookworm: What do you mean?

Kyoko: Do you recall how I said that, aside from the Committee, my father and I are two of three individuals on Hope's Peak campus who are aware of the transfer?

OneTrueEgg: Yeah. Who's the third?

Kyoko: I believe it to be Councilman Kazuo Tengan. He seems to be the most clued in on the activities of the Steering Committee than anyone, so I was hoping to question him.

Shoot2Thrill: I keep hearing about this "Tengan" guy. Who is he?

Bookworm: Kazuo Tengan. He was the Headmaster and Director of Hope's Peak Academy before being succeeded by Jin Kirigiri. Following that, he was appointed as the school's advisor.

Bookworm: He's kind of an old soldier, and he's apparently been around for a while.

Kyoko: At the very least, he's been around for around the same amount of time as the current Steering Committee has.

Kyoko: Which makes me think that he might be aware of some of the more dubious activities the Steering Committee has engaged in in the past.

Kyoko: I would like to ask him a few questions, but I don't want to bribe or pressure him into giving me information or anything.

OneTrueEgg: Then here's what we'll do.

OneTrueEgg: Monomi, Toko, Kaede, and I will search the school and see if we can locate the source of the machines and materials. I'm not expecting us to have any luck, to be honest, but we've got to start somewhere.

OneTrueEgg: Meanwhile, Shuichi and Kyoko can go track down Mr Tengan and have a word with him.

OneTrueEgg: Komaru.

OneTrueEgg: Well, you just sit this one out. For obvious reasons.

Shoot2Thrill: Aw man.

Sweetchi: Why me?

OneTrueEgg: You two have worked together before. I think if Kyoko went with anybody else, he'd find it a little suspicious, or at least peculiar.

Kyoko: Yes, I would much prefer to have you by my side as well, Shuichi.

Sweetchi: Well, thank you.

Sweetchi: In that case, I accept.

OneTrueEgg: Like I said, we might not find anything essential today.

OneTrueEgg: But it's very important that we figure out what's going on before Sports Day rolls around.

OneTrueEgg: Which means we should have around a week and a half.

Pian0Fr3ak: Alright team! We'll meet up at the Thieves' Den afterwards to go over what we found!

Pian0Fr3ak: Let'sa go!

"Tengan has a study right next to my father's office," Kyoko told Shuichi as the two of them ventured down the hallway, "it's the best place to start looking, though usually he tends to wander around

"Yes, I am aware...He personally invited me to talk a short while ago," Shuichi explained, "as I understand it, the same goes for Kaede."

"Really?" Kyoko tilted her head, "strange how I haven't heard about this..."

"There's nothing really noteworthy about it. It was just a session of reflection and counseling following the incident with Kirigiri...Your grandfather, I mean," Shuichi explained, "after all, it was pretty public news that I was one of his victims, so I guess he just wanted to help. It did help to talk about the situation to a stranger and express how I really felt though..."

"Strange...I received no such counseling..." Kyoko recalled.

"I asked him about that actually," Shuichi explained, "he said it would probably be better if you spent time with your father reflecting upon things instead of him. He believed it would help you better in the long run if you could reconnect. Plus, Mr Tengan isn't exactly a licensed therapist. It's just his job to help the students and make them feel comfortable."

"I see..." Kyoko sighed, "he's surprisingly devious."

Shuichi chuckled, but his slight joy was cut when Kyoko suddenly stuck out an arm to halt him in his tracks. He looked at her in confusion, but then opened his ears and realized why she had done so.

Voices were coming from Tengan's study, leaking through the crack in the doorway. And from the sounds of it, it wasn't a casual happy conversation. The two detectives could hear the sound of gruff shouting and a heavy, heated argument from inside.

Kyoko said nothing. Instead, she gestured to Shuichi to move up next to the doorway. They stood in a position that kept them out of sight but allowed them to see and hear the conversation through the crack in the door.

Upon peering inside, Kyoko immediately saw the tall and intimidating figures of the two most undesirable men on campus, barring the Committee. Kyosuke Munakata and Juzo Sakakura. Additionally, though she couldn't see him, she could hear Tengan's voice in the conversation, proving that he was inside.

Dead One - Danganronpa 3: The End of Hope's Peak Academy

"I will reiterate it once more for you," Munakata stood up straight, looking down at Tengan in a demanding fashion, "all we wish to know is what the materials that the Steering Committee are used for, and where they came from."

"I do not know." Tengan replied, shaking his head.

"Bullshit...!" Sakakura snarled, "we know they told you about the transfer! You gave instructions and details to the drivers to take them to the sister academy! We know you're in on this, so spit it out!"

"We would not be coming to you if the situation wasn't as it was," Munakata, clearly attempting to play good cop in this situation, stated, "but our faith in the Committee is not what it was. The Phantom Thieves of Hope are potent problems in the running of this academy, and yet they've done nothing to deal with the chronic backlash we've been facing from the public. If they won't take care of them, I'll gladly do it myself, but I want to know if they have any immediate plans to deal with THEIR problems...!"

Kyoko and Shuichi both stirred in their hiding place upon hearing his words. This was serious...

"The Committee has no obligation to report to anyone what decisions they want to make," Tengan replied, "I know that may not be a desirable response, but I'm afraid that's what they told me directly when I asked them the very same question."

"Do you not even remotely think that it's suspicious to warrant further investigation," Munakata asked, "the Committee may be discreet in many of their actions, but this movement in particular seems far too untoward. Normally, if it's a transfer of materials and security, we would be informed straight away, but both Juzo and I have been kept in the dark. Why?"

"There are many strange happenings that go on inside of Hope's Peak's walls," Tengan replied, "you recall that story of how a Reserve Course student disappeared within the walls of the academy 2 or so years ago. He never ended up being found."

"Stop bringing that up! Nobody gives a shit!" Sakakura snarled, "Those Reserve Course nobodies are easily replaced. The school doesn't have time to deal with it if one of them up and dies! NOBODY! CARES! This is about US!"

Tengan shifted in his seat, clearly forcing himself not to say anything. Kyoko felt Shuichi behind her, trembling with anger.

"What a rotten bastard...!" she heard him whisper under his breath.

"So I'm gonna say this one more time," Sakakura prodded Tengan in the forehead, "what the hell is the transfer about!? What the hell are the Committee up to!?"

There was a pause where neither side moved, said, or did anything. Until Tengan calmly sighed. He stood up from the sofa, and calmly pushed Sakakura away from him, facing both him and Munakata with a quiet glare.

"Young men...I believe you may be mistaken. I report to the Committee directly, that much is true, but I am just as kept in the dark about their motivations as you are. And frankly, I don't wish to poke that bear," he said, "you'll find no help from me, even if I was willing to give it to you."

Munakata sighed and shook his head.

"Then you're obsolete, as you ALWAYS have been," he scowled, "Juzo. We're done here."

"But-!" Juzo tried to retort, but one look at Munakata's face got him to quiet down.

"Mr Munakata...I consider myself a humble and patient man, but if you'll permit me to speak out of turn for a moment..." Tengan continued, "You and your butt monkey need to learn your place...! I know full well the reason you two agreed to work for the Academy is the very bad rumors that you claim to be obsolete. However, the Steering Committee brought you on because they saw potential in you. They can just as easily wipe you clean off the face of the earth if they want to. Don't pick fights that you can't win."

"You little-!" Sakakura looked like was about to lunge at him, but Munakata firmly grasped his shoulder.

"Enough!" he spat, "one way or another, we'll get to the bottom of these mental shutdown incidents. And if we find that you are somehow involved, I promise you this...You're a dead man...!"

"Mental shutdown incidents...!" Shuichi gasped.

"Sshh!" Kyoko hushed, grabbing him and guiding him out of the way as Munakata and Sakakura stormed out of the door. The two angry men stormed out and started to make their way onward. They weren't exactly quiet, so Kyoko and Shuichi still overheard their grumbles, even when they were a considerable distance away.

"I don't care what kinda BS he's spouting," Sakakura snarled, "I'm not backing down now. The Steering Committee. The Phantom Thieves...We'll get 'em both...!"

"These Phantom Thieves have done nothing but cause trouble for the Academy and the world. We underestimated how wicked they could be," Munakata glowered, "we missed our chances to catch them several times already. The next time, we won't let them slip."

Kyoko felt her heart pounding and her mind racing as Munakata and Sakakura stomped down the hallway, with her and Shuichi only reemerging when they were finally out of sight. However, those blood pressure levels heightened again when they heard Tengan call out from the study.

"It's alright Ms Kirigiri! Mr Shuichi! You can come in now!"

Both detectives awkwardly shuffled out of their hiding place and into Tengan's study, who to their comfort, didn't look especially angry to see them snooping around. Instead, he smiled and beckoned them inside.

Despair Syndrome - Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc

"How did you know we were outside?" Shuichi asked. In reply, Tengan pointed to a computer monitor on the other side of the room.

"I have a hidden camera set up outside," he elaborated, "proud to know that my setup managed to bypass even the two of you."

"I can't say I expected that of you," Kyoko considered, "our apologies. We did not mean to snoop. Still, if Mr Munakata is troubling you, please let me know. I'll deliver a report of workplace harassment directly to the headmaster if you so wish."

"No, there's no need for that. Any of that," Tengan assured her, "I'm more than capable of handling uptight ruffians like those two."

"Are you sure?" Shuichi asked, "All those ramblings about the Phantom Thieves and the mental shutdown cases. Is Mr Munakata really investigating those?"

"Mr Munakata is very vocally opposed to the Phantom Thieves," Tengan stated the obvious, "he claims he feels that their methods are wrong, but I can see right through him. All he cares about is himself and his own goals, and he can't stand watching on the side while someone else plays the hero instead of him."

"I see...And what about you, Mr Tengan?" Kyoko asked, "What's your take on all these ideas? Like talent, and the existence of the Phantom Thieves?"

"Hmhmhm...Asking some very interesting questions, aren't you Ms Kirigiri?" Tengan chuckled, "Many at this academy, Mr. Munakata, Mr. Sakakura, the gentlemen in the Steering Committee, and many of the students and staff, believe that talent constitutes worth. I've never seen it that way though. A strong society should be made by the people FOR the people, and we should not fear normalcy...Then again, this is coming from one who doesn't have an Ultimate Talent of his own, so you're free to take it as an old man's spiteful ramblings."

"No, we would never do that" Kyoko smiled warmly at him. Tengan smiled back.

"As for the Phantom Thieves, well, it's a difficult topic to consider. As a school advisor and councilman, I can't say I'm fond of the idea of vigilante justice being executed from among the student or staff body of this prestigious academy," Tengan added, "however, personally speaking, I highly approve of them. I respect them for confronting individuals such as your grandfather and demonstrating that even he was subject to the rule of law and justice."

"I see..." Kyoko nodded, "thank you for saying that. There is one thing about what we overheard that I'm curious about though."

"What would that be?" he asked.

"What you said about a missing Reserve Course student," Kyoko recalled, "is that really true?"

"I'm afraid so. Still, though Hope's Peak will feed the public a different sort of story to retain their prestige, it's not completely unheard of, especially among high school students," Tengan assured her "it has been estimated that 100,000 Japanese people disappear annually. It's not something worth investigating after all this time."

"Yes, I know...But still, given Hope's Peak Academy as a concept, I find it weird that a Reserve Course student would so willingly commit to Jouhatsu. Still, perhaps you wouldn't know anything about it. I'm sorry for prying." Kyoko bowed.

"No trouble at all. Was there anything else you needed of me, Ms Kirigiri?" Tengan inquired. However, Kyoko shook her head.

"No. I was simply passing by with Shuichi, and was concerned when I overheard an argument between members of the faculty," she explained, "I didn't want anything to escalate, so I kept a watchful eye. We won't take up any more of your time. Let's go Shuichi."

"Y-Yes," Shuichi looked surprised to see her backing out, but read the room and complied, "Please excuse us, Mr Tengan."

"Oh, it's no trouble..." Tengan gave a gentlemanly wave of the hand and a warm smile as he watched the two detectives depart from his study. Once he was sure they were out of earshot, Shuichi turned to Kyoko.

"I thought we were going to question him?" he asked, "why are we leaving without any solid information?"

"I'm afraid it's far too risky right now," Kyoko replied, "I believe Tengan when he says he wasn't completely clued in. After all, my father wasn't clued in on everything either. However, he seems to be complying with the wishes of the Steering Committee, and letting him know we're running an investigation ourselves could put us in the same situation as what might well happen to Munakata and Sakakura. We can't risk the Committee knowing we've caught onto them, especially since we're already running that risk thanks to Matsuda."

"I see..." Shuichi considered all of this, "then I guess we're on our own for now. Hopefully, Kaede and the others had better luck on their end."

"But there's another thing..." Kyoko added, "Committee aside...we can't trust Tengan..."

"What? Wh-Why not?" Shuichi exclaimed.

"He was far too quick to dismiss the missing person when I asked him about it," she pointed out, "it feels wholly inconsistent for the kind of man that he is; especially given his claim of how the Reserve Course students shouldn't be feared for their normalcy."

"So you mean to say...?" Shuichi contemplated. Kyoko nodded.

"Something tells me that he's not letting us in on something..." she affirmed, "let's meet up with the others..."

"Aw! For real!?" Kaede groaned, "You guys seriously didn't get anything either!?"

"Based on the descriptions Kyoko-chan gave us, there isn't anything that matches the descriptions of the equipment she listed," Monomi explained, "for example, part of the transfer was some high-quality containment beds, like the ones that strap a patient down to prevent them from getting uproared during an examination. However, when we asked the medical students, they affirmed that there was nothing of the sort on school property."

"Honestly, isn't that kind of thing a red flag anyway?" Kaede spat, "those kinds of things belong in places like insane asylums! Not schools!"

"I know right!? It's almost like a deranged serial killer or something is among the student body or something!" Toko exclaimed, making the sarcasm in her voice VERY obvious.

"Sorry..." the pianist pouted, looking very guilty.

After the day had gone by, the team regrouped in the courtyard, meeting up with Kyoko and Shuichi, who had joined their search. Kyoko had quickly informed the other group of what had happened with Tengan. They had joined in the search but had come up short.

"As if our day couldn't get any worse," Makoto scratched his head in dismay, "we know that Tengan's in on something, and that Sakakura and Munakata are hunting for us. We can't let either of them in on what it is we're doing."

"You sure that we're on the right track here, Kyoko?" Toko piped up, "Like, by now we know that the Academy was researching cognition and the Metaverse, but are we sure this transfer is even related? We've looked everywhere and haven't found diddly fucking squat!"

"I admit, I become less and less sure by the minute," Shuichi confessed, "but there's far too much evidence pointing to SOMETHING going on. There has to be a connection, I'm just struggling to make it."

"Are you ok Kaede?" Makoto noticed that his underclassman was sort of leaning to the side like she was about to fall over, "you look exhausted..."

"Nah...just hungry and cranky and tired and I wanna lie dooooown..." Kaede moaned, "The campus is so big! We looked all over; I even went to places that I've never even seen before!"

"Actually," Kyoko pondered, "the same is true for me."

"Wait, seriously?" Kaede perked up, if only slightly, upon hearing this.

"Now that she says that, it's been playing on my mind for a bit now," Makoto added, "but I've been studying here for over a year...and I think this is the first time I've ever seen that statue..."

He pointed towards a rather noticeable, and frankly overwhelming landmark. A statue of an elderly gentleman with thick hair, a mustache, and a beard, dressed in a heavy-looking coat and resting his hands atop a scepter.

"Yeah, me too actually," Toko added, taking a good look at the statue, "you'd think something this imposing would be pretty hard to miss."

"Granted, I don't spend an awful lot of time on campus or in lessons due to my job. But for example, I've been studying here for a year..." Kyoko explained, "But I'm sure even Makoto and Toko can attest that there are places on the campus that we've never explored...Maybe some that we don't even know exist."

"Honestly, at this point in time, it seems more like the academy runners who hide in the shadows are keeping their secrets in the shadows with them," Monomi considered, "They most likely put their materials and secret devices in a location that is inaccessible to the students on purpose. That would be the wisest course of action."

"As much as it pains me to admit it, you're probably right..." Kyoko sighed.

"So what's the deal with this statue anyway?" Kaede turned her attention back to it, "who is this guy supposed to be?"

Noticing a placard on the base of the statue underneath the figure of the old man, Makoto walked up the steps and approached it, reading its contents aloud to his peers.

"It says "Hope's Peak Academy Founder - Izuru Kamukura.""

"The FOUNDER?" Shuichi's eyes widened as he looked up at the statue, "then this man is the one who first established Hope's Peak as we know it!"

"I wonder how he would react to this day," Toko wondered, "as pristine as it's always been on the outside, but a total mess on the inside."

"That's...interesting..." Kaede thought on it for a second, "I don't think I knew that before now. I know it's normally not essential to know who made your school, and honestly, most people don't care, but for a place as famous as Hope's Peak, I figured they'd talk about him more. But I've not seen as much of anything before now."

"My father has a portrait of him in his office, but that's likely just due to Kamukura being the first headmaster of the academy. But I similarly don't know much about him," Kyoko unveiled, "As I remember, he was a super genius who possessed multiple abilities on par with an Ultimate. Those who knew him even referred to him as the "Ultimate Hope"."

"Wow..." Kaede whistled, "Is something like that...even possible?"

Makoto wasn't really paying much attention to the talks going on behind him. He was simply staring up at the statue that loomed over him.

He wondered what the founder might think if he were to meet him, the Ultimate Lucky Student. If he was anything like the head honchos of the academy now, then it was possible he would find Makoto obsolete. That feeling crushed him ever so slightly, but he didn't let it show

"You know, Kaede actually has a point," Shuichi considered, "in case my classmates or fellow students ever need my assistance with anything, I read the majority of textbooks and info that come my way and conduct in-depth research on the events taking place inside the academy. Not even at Hope's Peak Academy is their much information available about anyone going by the name "Izuru Kamukura." To be honest, it's unclear if this person ever existed at all."

"Hope's Peak is very old. Some things are bound to fall into obscurity," Toko considered, "but yeesh. For it to happen to the guy who came up with this whole stupid idea in the first place kinda sucks for him..."

"Well, I suppose it would make for a nice scenic spot to eat," Monomi suggested, "speaking of which, why don't get go and get lunch from the cafeteria and come back here to eat?"

"Good idea," Kaede huffed, "I don't know about any of you, but I'm starving. Makoto, come on."

"Y-Yeah, hold on. I'll be right theeeAAGH!?"

Everyone's heads snapped towards him as he suddenly yelped out in surprise. Against his expectations, as soon as he placed his foot down to make his way down the stairs, it fell on top of something that slid down into the concrete below! As Makoto fell backwards, his elbow pushed into a similar mechanism right by the statue where he was standing!

"A-Are you alright!? WOAH!"

"Shuichi!"

As Shuichi tried to check if he was ok, the ground beneath him gave way and started to descend. Shuichi almost fell over as to the surprise of both him and his teammates, the floor surrounding him began to change shape.

*CLUNK!* *CLUNK!* *CLUNK!* *CLUNK!*

These were the sounds that echoed throughout the empty area as the blocks of stone and concrete fell down until they took the shape of a thick flight of stairs. Even after they finally stopped and the sound cut out, there was dead silence amongst the group.

"What...is this...!?" Kaede gasped, finally breaking it.

"We're really doing this cliche, huh?" Toko added.

"Wait, what?" Shuichi turned to her, confused, as Kaede helped him out of the hole.

"Have you read any mystery novels that take place within schools? Secret passages are universal when it comes to those kinds of stories," Toko explained, "Most of the time they're found inside the building, like a secret staircase that opens into a hidden chamber or a room concealed by a tapestry."

"Then...do you think that maybe the academy kept all those resources in a secret room...!?" Monomi exclaimed.

"Why didn't you bring up that possibility earlier!?" Kaede snapped. Toko frowned back at her.

"Because it seemed way too ridiculous to actually be real! Plus, even if it did cross my mind, how the hell would I know where to look for one!?" she snapped, "hell, how did YOU spot it Makoto!?"

"I uh...I didn't actually..." Makoto admitted, "I found this completely by chance..."

"Ultimate Luck is something else!" Kaede exclaimed excitedly, "Well...what do we do?"

Before anyone responded, Kyoko took a moment to examine the mechanism that Makoto had accidentally activated. By pressing her foot in the same spot where he had tripped, and her hand in the same spot where he'd fallen, she reactivated the mechanism and got it to close back up again, hiding it completely. She then activated it a third time and opened it again.

"Well, I guess there's only one thing I CAN do here," she stated, "investigate."

"Are you sure?" Makoto asked, "What if someone catches you and you get in trouble?"

"I'll tell them I stumbled upon it by coincidence. It's not technically a lie," Kyoko replied, "besides, part of my on-campus duties is to report anything out of the ordinary to the faculty, and this is VERY out of the ordinary."

"You're not ACTUALLY going to report it to them, are you?" Kaede asked.

"Absolutely not," Kyoko smirked.

"Aces!" she pumped her fist, "let's get going! Adventure awaits!"

"Wait wait wait!" Shuichi grabbed her before she could descend, "should we really go down too? I think Kyoko-sama's got this one."

"No way! If she gets caught down there by something dangerous, she's screwed! Besides, you can't show me a hidden passage and NOT expect me to go down it!" she snapped, "don't try and change my mind on this Shuichi, you won't do it!"

"K-Kaede! Wait!" Shuichi tried to stop her as she quickly hopped down the stairs like an excited schoolgirl.

Which...well, to be fair, was EXACTLY what Kaede WAS, but the point stood.

Instead, he ended up following her down the steps, like she was leading him along.

"Come on! You're the detective! You should be the one taking the initiative!" she complained.

"Man..." Toko tried to stifle a laugh, "we know who wears the adventuring pants in THAT relationship."

Listlessly, and trying to hide her own uncertainty, Toko descended down after them following a deep inhale of air. Though her body trembled with tension, she did not stop walking downwards. Makoto however, didn't move from his spot, not even when Monomi bounded into his hood.

"Well...We can't exactly do much from up here, can we?" she said, "let us commence forth!"

"You seem concerned," Kyoko observed, standing next to him, "are you worried?"

"I just feel a little out of my depth is all," Makoto admitted, "this all happened so randomly, and real-world investigations are more your thing..."

"But you're my honorary Detective assistant, right?" she affectionately nudged him with her elbow, "you're gonna be there for me, right?"

Makoto looked at her suddenly to see that she was smiling at him. That smile alone was enough to reassure him of their mission.

"Yeah, you're right...!" he nodded, "let's roll...!"

Chapter End Notes

So if you haven't read Danganronpa 0 yet, I recommend it if you find the time. Especially since it really sheds some light on the background lore of the biggest characters. And given it's one of the few sources that takes place in the school directly (outside of any killing games) expect it to be referenced a lot in the upcoming chapters.
Regardless, it's time to get spooky! What will they find under the statue? Under the belly of Hope's Peak into the darkest cracks? Nobody knows...!
...Everybody knows, but still, get excited for it.
Thank you for reading. I love to get feedback from my readers, so feel free to leave a comment, and some kudos if you feel up to it.

The Kamukura Project

Chapter Summary

The Phantom Thieves discover a hidden laboratory underneath Hope's Peak Academy. They begin to figure out what skeletons the school are hiding in their closet, and the truth...is terrifying...

Chapter Notes

See the end of the chapter for notes

Re_ Despair-Syndrome - Danganronpa 2: Goodbye Despair.

"These stairs go down for a while..." Kaede, who took the lead of the charge, descended down the multiple flights of stairs with her fellow Thieves in tow, using her phone light to guide her way, "whatever was down here must have been important if the academy runners were trying to keep it secret."

"Assuming the Committee really are the ones behind it," Toko remarked, "for all we know, this could be someone else's schemes."

"Whoever or whatever may be behind this, there's a significant lack of dust and grime on these stairs," Kyoko observed pointing at their feet, "that implies that this isn't some ancient passage that we've stumbled upon. This was used very recently."

"You guys don't think we might run into some unsavory customers down here, do you?" Monomi asked. Kyoko shook her head.

"Even if we do, don't worry. We'll simply tell them that we stumbled upon this place by chance and decided to investigate," she said, "after all, we're not lying about that. Plus...I brought this for good measure."

Monomi and the others became quite alarmed when Kyoko whipped out an electric taser and switched it on to show it off. Nobody decided to comment on why she had it and continued descending.

After a short time, the group of 6 finally descended the stairs and came to a big iron door with an electric card scanner panel next to it, as well as a speaker.

"Well, suffice to say if anyone was home, they would have spotted us by now..." Shuichi observed, pointing upwards at a rather obvious security camera suspended above the door, "What do we do now?"

"Well, we can't get in without the card," Toko scowled, "are we really already done here?"

"Not to worry! Leave this to your teacher!" Monomi beamed. She hopped out of Makoto's hoodie and bounded onto the panel, holding onto it tightly with her bunny paws.

Everyone watched patiently as Monomi ripped the panel off of the wall with her paws, and then started to play around with the wires inside. A few of them were scared she might accidentally electrocute herself, but she seemed rather unphased and unworried about the whole ordeal. It took longer than anyone would have liked, but at the same time, there was little Monomi could do with the panel when she was like this.

Nevertheless, there was suddenly a loud *DING!*, and just like that, the door slid open, with Monomi hopping back to the ground.

"And there we go~!" she lifted her nose to the sky in pride, "this is the art of a TRUE Phantom Thief."

"Awesome! Thanks, Monomi!" Makoto gave her a thumbs up, "You're the best!"

"Ohohoho, no, no, it was nothing!" Monomi raised her head even more, positively glowing with ego, "Let us go. There's an investigation to be done."

Everyone walked through the door in single file, with Monomi choosing to stay on the ground for now in case she picked up any static while working; not wanting to electrocute Makoto by accident.

Upon stepping into the room, the group saw many desks, cabinets, and other such apparatus you would find in a typical office. Yet despite that, the room was rather barren and open-spaced. Shuichi immediately went over to some of these and started to poke through them, taking out items and putting them back in, bit by bit.

"I expected more. People were definitely working down here, but there's not much here to go off of," Kaede remarked, "are we sure this place is really in operation?"

"Don't be misled," Kyoko replied, "just because there's nothing out of the ordinary here, doesn't mean there wasn't. Look here..."

Kaede followed her finger line when she pointed at the ground in the corner. When she shone her phone's light on the ground where she pointed, she saw that the dust and dirt on the concrete ground were weirdly formed, like something big had been there, but was recently moved.

"Shot in the dark, you could say," Toko joined their conversation, "but part of me is guessing that THIS is the place where all that weird tech and supplies came from..."

"You may be right..." Kyoko affirmed, "Though there's not much here to go off of, I think I can confidently say that this place is a laboratory of some kind. It seems like the perfect environment to conduct experiments and analysis."

"But for what purpose?" Monomi asked as everyone ventured even deeper into the lab, "Why does a place like this exist at the school? Why not just use a classroom for the experiments? Those should work just as well."

"My only guess," Shuichi thought about it for a moment, "is that the persons responsible were researching a subject they were unable, or unwilling, to disclose to others."

"They couldn't let anyone else know?" Kaede paraphrased, "Why? What kind of research could it even be?"

"It could be a variety of inhumane things," Shuichi contemplated, "nuclear weapon research, human or animal experimentation, manmade virus development...the list goes on."

"You really think Hope's Peak Academy would dabble in stuff like that?" Kaede asked, feeling her stomach seize up.

"At this point, I don't know what to believe," he replied, "but they have the wealth, resources, and power to undergo such experiments and cover it up to perfection."

"Hey! Guys!" Makoto called out suddenly, "I think I found something!"

Everyone turned towards him, as he hurried over to a seemingly normal shelf after something had caught his eye. The shelf had been quite hastily cleaned, but whoever had cleaned it had left something behind. Makoto plucked it out from behind the back of the shelf and showed it to his companions.

"It's a file with the academy symbol on it," Makoto explained, showing it off, "it says "Confidential" on the front cover. That means it's a big secret, right?"

"Man...Pretty unlucky that whoever was here left that behind..." Kaede scratched her head.

"Less unlucky for them, more lucky for us," Kyoko added, "Makoto. Read it."

Makoto did as he was told, opening the file, and began to relay its contents aloud to the group...

About the Hope Cultivation Plan

Previously known as Super High School Level Students, Ultimate Student is a title bestowed upon gifted individuals who are considered to be the finest in their field. Hope's Peak Academy is one of the most significant talent schools that houses many of these students, who frequently focus on just one subject.

For many years, Hope's Peak Academy has conducted rigorous research into various talents. The Hope Cultivation Plan seeks to use the fruits of our labor to further our true goal.

With our hands, we will birth a TRUE HOPE that will bring hope to this entire world.

Truly, the program is the next innovation in providing the ultimate education. This plan has been the academy's wish since its foundation, so we must succeed at all costs...

A series of complex orders and in-depth instructions came next. It was jam-packed with obscure, technical jargon, and Makoto barely understood a word of it. But there was one word in particular that stuck in his memory.

"True hope..." he parroted once he was done reading, "what does that even mean?"

"This..."Hope Cultivation Plan..."" Shuichi pondered, "It was created for the purpose of "birthing" this True Hope. The academy is really behind something like that?"

"I don't really get it...but..." Kaede clutched the sleeve of her uniform, "there's something about those words...

"Let's keep looking," Kyoko suggested, "there has to be...SOMETHING here...We should split up to cover more ground."

"Kyoko..." Kaede pursed her lips, "have you ever watched a single horror movie in your life?"

"Don't jinx us!" Toko scowled, "Ugh...Alright, in that case, you lovebirds go cover an area, and Makoto and I will handle another. Kyoko can keep looking around here."

"What about me?" Monomi asked.

"You can stay with Kyoko," Makoto told her, "you still need to shake off that electricity after all."

"Speaking of electricity..." Toko turned towards her detective classmate, "Sorry Kyoko, but do you think I can borrow that taser for a bit?"

"Well, sure," Kyoko said, handing it to her, "but why do you need it?"

"Just in case..." Toko said, refusing to elaborate.

"I just hope we get out of here by sundown," Shuichi sweated, "I do NOT want to be caught in here when whoever runs this place comes back..."

"Call me crazy..." Kyoko grumbled quietly, "But for some reason, I think we're going to find more than just that..."

REAL • FICTION - Danganronpa V3: Killing Game

"This place must have only been left behind recently...There are a few cobwebs and damp spots, but it's still pretty clean and fresh around here."

With the two classmates teaming up, Makoto and Toko went deeper into the lab. Shuichi and Kaede went to check some side rooms, while Kyoko and Monomi remained relatively close to the entrance.

"Makoto?"

"Yes Toko?"

"Stop using me as a human meat shield."

Toko made a remark at Makoto grabbing her by the shoulder, like he was hiding behind her. Makoto chuckled anxiously.

"I'm sorry...It's just kinda dark in here. I wouldn't be able to see what's lurking in some of these shadows..." he said, "and I'm not sure I want to."

"Don't be such a coward. What are you, a little kid?" she sighed, "haven't you seen and FOUGHT enough horrifying garbage in the Metaverse? Like that one Shadow that looks like it's straight out of Pan's Labyrinth?"

"You mean Piscara..." Makoto recalled, "This and that are different though. If I ran into something in the Metaverse, I'd be fine because I'd have my weapons and my Persona. Even if some of my stamina carries over, I don't have any of that here."

"That doesn't mean you can just use me as a substitute!" Toko snarled.

"Why not? Are you scared too, Toko?" he asked.

"Like hell I am!" she snapped back.

"Then surely you don't mind, right?" Makoto pushed her forward, "After you~"

"Why you...!" Toko growled, "Of course I get stuck babysitting you, you damn wuss. You and your sister are the same!"

"I would like to point out that you specifically chose to partner up with me." Makoto reminded her.

"There's nobody down here that we can't take in a fight, and there's no such thing as ghosts," Toko remarked, "ergo, there's nothing to be afraid of. Even if there is, I came prepared."

She suddenly pulled a pair of sharp scissors out from under her skirt and snipped them for emphasis.

"We're really gonna let Jill handle our enemies?" Makoto was rather uncertain at our suggestion, "I get that she's probably the best fighter we've got, but I don't think you can just bring her out naturally. Plus...what if she kills someone?"

"I'm choosing not to think about that..." Toko stated.

*CRASH!*

"GYAAAAAAGGH!"

Something on a nearby desk slipped off and fell onto the floor; the sound causing both Toko and Makoto to scream before both immediately clasped their mouths. Makoto quickly turned in the direction of the noise to see the object in question was a laminated book. Clearly, whoever had left it there had left it right on the edge of the table, where it had been balancing until they had walked past.

"GAH! What gives!" Toko snapped, "That scared the hell out of me!"

"So you ARE scared..." Makoto observed.

"I-!? You-!? W-Well...Fine, yes, I guess I am a little..." she grumbled, "but can you blame me!? Sudden loud noises freak everyone out, plus this place is creepy as fuck!"

Makoto decided to spare her the shame and instead strode over to the desk where the files had fallen off. He picked them up and started siphoning through them. He placed them all down on the desk, picking up the top one and opening it to flip quickly through its contents...

A Dead End to the Ocean's Aroma - Danganronpa 2: Goodbye Despair

Date: 2008/4/12

Entry No.#01: SUBJECT ATTAINED.

Today is a good day for the future of humanity and the future of the academy.

Just as our designated deadline was coming to an end, Student Number 1033 came forward and agreed to the project. A fortunate outcome, as he was one we've had our eyes on for a while.

He has a decent build, which means the strength enhancement procedures should go swimmingly. Of course, we'll need to take measures to deal with interfering personality traits. With this last piece of the puzzle, everything is in place. I will make copies of these documents to cover our ongoing progress through the experiments.

Date: 2008/06/17

Entry No.#22: POWER ENHANCEMENT.

After much trial and error, we've perfected a stable method to monitor the mental functions and ticks of the test subject. The next phase of the project can begin in earnest.

Using past data from athletic Ultimates, we've been able to replicate the necessary training procedures with our machines to directly give the subject the strength enhancement abilities he will need.

Of course, there is a chance it will take some getting used to, but with the mental faculties already in place, it should be absolutely no problem. To see us make so much progress in such a quick time is rather exciting. Cognitive Psience truly is amazing. I can barely even recognize the boy who walked into the Steering Committee building. Now he is something entirely different, and all thanks to the simple act of changing cognition.

"Cognitive Psience!" Makoto exclaimed once he read over the world in the file, "That's what Kyoko brought up earlier! The thing that Matsuda was researching concerning the Metaverse!"

Toko looked down at the file and noticed a black-and-white photo of a pod-shaped machine. As she stared at it for a second, she noticed that the device was placed in a room very similar to the research room that she and her classmate were standing in.

Sure enough, when she turned her head to look in the corner, she saw a wall that looked identical to the one in the photo. However, the machine itself was no longer there.

"This must be it...The place where those weird machines came from. There's no doubt that this is where the Steering Committee were hard at work on something sketchy," she said, "but...what were they doing? With that tech, and with the Cognitive Psience research?"

"I don't want to be too hasty in my assumptions," Makoto gulped, "but from what I'm reading...it sounds something like human experimentation..."

"B-But if that's the case..." Toko stammered, "I...that...You know what? Keep reading."

Makoto did so.

Date: 2008/10/13

Entry No.#33: OBSERVATIONS.

After some progress, we noticed that the subject had started to develop some cliques, something that wasn't planned in our initial layout and could risk getting in the way of further experimentation.

It's highly likely to be the result of one of two things. Either the Shadows within his Metaverse Domain are acting up, or this is a byproduct of incorporating more of the emotion-based talents such as Ultimate Comedian, Ultimate Show Host, Ultimate Lawyer, etc.

Regardless, it must be quelled. We cannot run the risk of any undesirable personality traits getting in the way of developing the other talents to completion. This job gets increasingly difficult each day.

I will contact the leaders of the project and ask them to send an investigation force into the Metaverse to investigate.

Date: 2009/02/21

Entry No. #57: PROGRESS ON ULTIMATE LUCK HARVESTING.

The views of the Steering Committee are broad and unwavering: luck is not a talent, and Headmaster Jin Kirigiri is squandering their school's resources by pursuing his vision of the "Ultimate Lucky Student." But as we've learned more about the Hope Cultivation Plan, it appears that there might be a reason behind his insanity.

Class 77-B's Komaeda Nagito has given the Committee reason enough to leave Kirigiri to his own devices, because that boy's extreme and superior luck is sufficient to demonstrate that the idea is worthwhile investigating. It turns out that observations can be used to cultivate luck as a talent.

Thus, we will attempt to instill Ultimate Luck within the subject. The details of the plan will be documented in a separate file, due to the complications.

"Ultimate Luck..." Makoto said to himself under his breath, "I always did wonder why Hope's Peak was so interested in the idea..."

"Looks like it was Jin's idea originally, and because it benefitted them in the long run, the Committee ran with it," Toko observed, "what's going on though? All this talk about "instilling talent..." If the Steering Committee is behind all of this, what are they doing experimenting on students?"

"It can't be good, whatever it is," Makoto stated the obvious, putting the files down once he reached the end of them, "this is the greatest length the Steering Committee has gone to to try and cover something up. And I'm no scientist, but based on what I've been reading...it seems like they were trying to test the limits of human evolution. This subject they keep mentioning seems to possess more than one Ultimate Talent..."

"Is that even possible?" Toko asked. Makoto shook his head.

"Who knows what's possible when you go to extremes such as this?" he asked.

"And they used the Metaverse to test on them...?" Toko growled, "I was worried that the Steering Committee was using the Metaverse to assassinate people, but somehow, this is worse...!"

"The strange thing is I don't remember there being any reports of a student having gone missing, much less a student with multiple talents," Makoto thought back, "do you think it might be Ryoko Otonashi? Matsuda's childhood friend?"

"I don't think so. The file clearly states the subject was a boy," Toko pointed out, "but still, I don't know who it could be...One thing's for sure though. They're not part of the main course."

"How do you know that?" Makoto asked.

"Ok, so I'm a writer, not a mathematician, but in every year of Hope's Peak Academy's Main Course studies, classes range from A to F based on capability and potential, and there's around 16 students per class maximum," Toko explained, "that's 96 students per year group and 288 students across the entire school. Ergo, it would be practically impossible to have a student number of 1033. There are not that many people in the academy at once...At least, not counting the Reserve Course Department. There's at least 2000 there."

"But they don't have Ultimate Talents," Makoto recalled, "so what would the Steering Committee want with them?"

"How should I know?" Toko scowled, "Come on, let's keep going."

Makoto put down the files and continued to follow his friend through the lab. It didn't take long for them to come across another place of note. Through a reinforced square glass window, they saw a circular, wide, and open room with a strange object in the middle that resembled a chair.

"Any way to get inside?" Makoto asked.

After a brief investigation, Toko found the door to the chamber, and with the two's combined strength, they pulled its hatch open and stepped inside. There was a distinct chill in the room, likely due to ventilation, but Makoto shivered as soon as he stepped in. Toko was praying she wouldn't sneeze prematurely and switch to her alter ego.

Without so much as a word though, they immediately approached the chair in the center, with a dim spotlight being cast down upon it.

"Well, if this doesn't scream illegal experiment, then I don't know what does..." Makoto commented. However, his classmate simply approached the seat, and stared at it, trying to focus her vision in the dim light.

"Hold on a second..." Toko's face suddenly grimaced, and she looked slightly pale, "something's not right about this..."

"What do you mean?" Makoto asked.

In place of a reply, Toko took her hand and placed it squarely in the center of the seat. As soon as she did, her expression dimmed even more.

"It's warm..." she muttered.

"H-Huh...!?" Makoto's eyes widened.

"I noticed based on the way the seat curved that something or someone must have been sitting in it not too long ago...then I touched it, and there's a degree of warmth on the seat..." she glared, "which means someone...or something...was sitting in this seat mere moments ago...Meaning..."

"Someone or something...is down here with us...!" Makoto gasped, suddenly terrified, before suddenly... "OOF!"

"Are you ok!?" Toko exclaimed as the Lucky Student suddenly tripped over and fell face-first onto the warm seat. He stood up again and rubbed his sore face.

"Yeah...I'm good...What did I...?"

He stepped back to look down at his feet to see what it was he had tripped over, and suddenly...froze. Toko also froze when she saw what it was...

"That...That wasn't there before...!" Toko hushed, her face had gone pale.

"That looks like...hair...!?" Makoto whispered, "WOAH!?"

This latter exclamation from the Lucky Student occurred as the long strand of hair was suddenly pulled into the shadows. Nervously, he followed its trail into the dark corners of the room, covered in shadows and blackness that allowed him to barely see his hand in front of his face.

And when he finally saw its source, or at least what of it he could, he realized he had every right to be nervous.

Makoto felt fear rush through his body like a wild river in a storm. Even though he stood on his feet, he felt his legs were about to collapse as he saw something sinister and malicious in the darkness...

A humanoid shadowy figure...with piercing red glowing eyes...staring RIGHT AT HIM...

Makoto's eyes widened in terror, as he heard the noise of breathing coming from that side of the room...And though he let out his mouth to scream, no sound came out from how cold and stiff he had become; not even when the creature, whatever the hell it was, started to approach him.

"That's interesting..." he heard a deep, monotonous voice, "you see me...?"

"Makoto...RUN...!"

Tropical Despair - Danganronpa 2: Goodbye Despair

Makoto watched in shock and horror as Toko planted the taser underneath her chin and switched it on, shocking herself with the copious volts of electricity. But instead of falling flat on her face or straight up passing out, he was surprised to see a long red tongue roll out of her mouth. She lifted her head, and a sinister, bloodthirsty smile crawled across her face as she started cackling

The electric current had sent a shockwave through her brain that had shut out Toko and brought out Genocide Jill manually!

Clever trick!

"Ooooh! What an interesting place and situation I find myself in! I'll hand it to you Miss Morose, you know how to excite me!"

The shadowy figure with red eyes stood there, not talking, or moving...just staring.

"So I guess YOU'RE the one I'll be killing today~," she said, "I can't see you very well, but I hope you're HANDSOME!"

Genocide Jill pulled out her scissors and immediately dived at the shadowy figure, but then something unexpected happened.

It was FAST! TOO FAST! Fast to the point that he sidestepped Jill's opening slash so quickly that Makoto didn't even have time to blink! Jill herself stumbled back on the ground, teetering over and flustering, trying to right herself again.

"Hey! You ain't supposed to dodge!" she snarled.

The creature deftly avoided Jill's intermittent blows. Jill repeatedly attempted to slash it after her first blow, but the character dodged again before raising its hand to strike back.

Its counterattack was little more than a simple smack of the hand, something that normally wouldn't even hurt...but as soon as it made contact, it sent her FLYING!

"JILL!" Makoto screamed, watching his friend crash so hard into the stone wall of the test chamber, that she was cratered into it! With just a smack of the hand, she had been knocked almost completely prone!

This thing couldn't have been human! Not even a powerhouse like Sakura Ogami was capable of something like this!

"Ain't you supposed to be runnin' somewhere!?" Jill, spitting out blood as she stood back up, shouted towards him, "Just promise you'll come back for us, alright!? You gotta get outta here!"

Genocide Jill, her uniform ripped, took the fight more seriously now and picked up the pace, trading blows quickly with the enigmatic figure across the room. She attempted to throw multiple Genoscissors like knives, but she missed the shadow and let them strike the wall.

Though Makoto didn't want to leave her behind, he realized that if he kept standing there like a helpless lemon, it would make Toko's sacrifice pretty worthless, so he turned and tried to make a run for it. He looked back one last time, as Jill tried to cut an absurdly long strand of this creature's hair with her scissors, but she was barely able to do so. It punched her in the side after catching her wrist. Jill kept missing more against this creature, who repeatedly counter-attacked at high speeds, forcing her into near submission.

Despite her rapid moves and own battle prowess, it was clear she was outmatched in every way. But there was no way that the others hadn't heard this commotion, so Makoto shouted at the top of his lungs.

"GUYS!" he screamed "WE'VE GOTTA GO-AAAAGGHH!"

Makoto's path to escape was cut short as he burst out of the test chamber, and turned the corner, only to be met with Genocide Jill's body came CRASHING straight through the reinforced glass! She once again smashed into the wall, and the lights in the hallway malfunctioned, making the already horrifying shadow of this omnipotent creature even more terrifying.

Not only that but the look on the serial killer's face...

Genocide Jack presented herself primarily as comedic relief, even though she was a vicious and possibly extremely dangerous serial killer. She was a big laugher, and occasionally she would act serious only to turn around and laugh again. In contrast to Toko, Genocide Jack was gregarious, boisterous, and full of fun.

And yet when faced with this unidentifiable being that had just smacked her around like she was made of silly putty, there was an expression on her face that Makoto had NEVER seen before...

TERROR...!

"What...What the hell ARE you!?" the Ultimate Murderous Fiend demanded to know, shocked by the superhuman skills of her opponent.

The figure remained in the Shadows and didn't respond. Rather, it raised its hand and, with a single thrust, launched Jill hurtling backward, sending her crashing into yet another wall.

"JILL!" Makoto hurried towards her, wanting desperately to help her, but Genocide Jill raised her scissor hand and pointed her weapon toward him.

"Big Mac...You...You gotta...get outta here...!" she grunted, "this guy's something else...!"

"I'm NOT leaving you here!" Makoto snapped, "You OR Toko!"

The killer could not stop Makoto as he suddenly jumped in the way of her and her attacker. As the red eyes in the blackness drew closer, Makoto felt his heart beating faster than it had ever done before, sweat rushing down his face. He knew that if Genocide Jill couldn't take this monster, then he stood absolutely no chance as he was. But even still...he wasn't about to let his friend be killed, so even if he was about to die, he had to die TRYING!

But then...the figure exited the dark...and stood under a spot of dim light. And instead of raising its hands to attack, it simply...looked at him in confusion.

Re_Welcome to Despair Academy - Danganronpa 2: Goodbye Despair

What Makoto saw...puzzled him. The creature that attacked them was most assuredly a human. A boy around his age, in fact, though had he not been able to see through the EXCESSIVE amount of hair that he had, he might not have thought this.

His black hair was long and flowing, smooth but simultaneously unkempt. His eyes were red, and symbols were running across them that looked like target radars. His skin was pale, and he looked cadaverous in the low light. He had on a black tie, a white dress shirt inside, and a black suit with three white buttons. He wore black loafers and a black belt as well.

Silence reigned, and instead of making any moves, both of them just stood there and stared into each other's eyes. Despite the previous fighting, his expression was...gentle.

"Ultimate Lucky Student..."

"Huh?"

The awful silence was cut through as at long last, the figure spoke.

"I would strongly advise acting against me. Your good luck won't save you, since I have that too..." he said, "this fight is meaningless. If you wish to cause me harm, you'll find your efforts fruitless?"

"Cause YOU harm!? YOU attacked US!" Makoto snapped.

"No, I didn't," he told him, "you took one look at me and tried to throw scissors at me. I didn't do anything to you."

Makoto unfortunately had to admit that he had a point.

"Then what DO you want!?" he growled as Jill fell into a heap on the floor. However, in replace of a reply, the figure turned his head, barely moving from his spot.

"Nothing..." he sighed, "I don't care what you do."

Now Makoto was just confused. He couldn't feel any sort of animosity or bloodlust from the boy. He hadn't felt it even when he was tussling with Genocide Jill. In fact...he seemed devoid of life altogether.

As he thought this, the rest of the Phantom Thieves burst into the scene, having turned back even after running ahead, noticing that Makoto was not with them. They ran in to see Makoto squaring down the long-haired boy, and Genocide Jill now unconscious behind them.

"Toko!" Kyoko exclaimed, running towards her, making an effort to stabilize her. As she did, Shuichi and Kaede stood next to Makoto to try and block the long-haired boy from approaching any further. Of course, they would have stood no chance had he decided to attack.

"What is going on!? Kamukura!?"

As if the situation couldn't get more complicated, everyone suddenly heard the sound of another voice burst onto the scene.

"What now...!?" Kyoko hissed, picking Toko up and supporting her with her arm.

A figure in the darkness quickly hurried around the corner, and to the fright of everyone there, they had a gun in their hand, which they pointed straight at the crowd of people.

"WHO THE HELL IS THERE!?" they snapped in a deep gruff voice, "DON'T MOVE!"

"WE SURRENDER!" Shuichi shrieked, "DON'T SHOOT!"

"Seriously Shuichi!?" Kaede snapped, "You just give up like that!? Aren't you used to seeing guns by this point in time!?"

"No, as a matter of fact!" Shuichi snapped back, "That's not the kind of crime I-"

"Wait...Shuichi? As in Master Shuichi?" the figure with the gun proposed.

Everyone turned back to him. With his phone's flashlight still on him, Makoto took out his phone again and shone the light on the silhouette with the gun.

"Councilman Tengan!?" he exclaimed as he shone it over the old soldier's face.

"Master Naegi...!?" Tengan gasped, lowering his firearm, procuring his own flashlight, and shining it over the students, "And...oh no...Miss Kirigiri, why are you down here...!?"

"I should be asking YOU that! What the hell is this place!?" Kyoko snarled, "and who's this attacker!?"

Before he gave any concrete answers to her questions, Tengan turned his head towards the creepy figure and stared at him in disgust and astonishment.

"You ATTACKED them!?" he spat.

"That's not true..." the long-haired menacing character replied, "she attacked me first."

"Is...that right...?" Kyoko slowly turned towards Makoto and Toko, a stern expression on her face.

"W-Well..." Makoto suddenly felt very awkward, "I guess that's true?"

"Sir, w-we apologize for sneaking in!" Kaede stepped forward, "We found this place completely by chance, and...well...it was my idea to investigate! I'm sorry I had us pry into all of this!"

"It's all of our fault," Shuichi patted her shoulder comfortingly, "we were just...concerned and too curious for our own good, and we apologize. But please...tell us what's going on...!"

Tengan's eyes danced back and forth between the first-years, the long-haired boy, Makoto and Monomi now perched in his hood, Kyoko's glare, and Toko, who was started to regain consciousness back into her normal personality. Tengan sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose.

"Very well...I don't have much of a choice at this point," he groaned, "please...come with me. I will explain everything. I promise."

Tengan waited patiently as everyone had a chance to calm down following the incident. However, it was hard to not be spooked. The long-haired, red-eyed character, though he did not react to any of them, continued to loiter in the room. To keep himself occupied, he picked up some random pieces of junk and scrap that had been left lying around, clearly not interesting him much, and it seemed that he wasn't paying much attention, if at all, to the Phantom Thieves themselves, despite the mess that they'd just gotten themselves into.

Tengan had fortunately shown the group the first aid and Kaede had applied an ice pack to Toko's cheek. However, she wasn't paying much attention to the pain, instead just looking back and forth between Tengan and the long-haired figure.

"Well," Kyoko spoke up once everyone had settled down, "why don't we start this from the beginning? You are going to answer all of my questions honestly, do I make myself clear?"

"Indeed," Tengan nodded, "why don't we start with introductions? As you might have already overheard me say, this is...Izuru Kamukura..."

The character, supposedly "Izuru Kamukura" turned his head slightly towards Tengan as he heard his name. However, his monotonous expression remained the stone-cold same.

"Izuru...Kamukura...?" Kyoko repeated, looking rather surprised.

"Weren't we just talking about that guy?" Kaede asked, "he's the person who the statue upstairs was modeled after, right?"

"Izuru Kamukura...That's the name of the person who founded Hope's Peak itself, right?" Shuichi wondered out loud, "Like Kaede said, his name and title were on the placard underneath the statue."

Makoto's mind flashed back to the conversation the team had before they discovered the staircase underneath Kamukura's statue...

Noticing a placard on the base of the statue underneath the figure of the old man, Makoto walked up the steps and approached it, reading it's contents aloud for his peers.

"It says "Hope's Peak Academy Founder - Izuru Kamukura.""

"The FOUNDER?" Shuichi's eyes widened as he looked up at the statue, "then this man is the one who first established Hope's Peak as we know it!"

"I wonder how he would react to this day," Toko wondered, "as pristine as it's always been on the outside, but a total mess on the inside."

"That's...interesting..." Kaede thought on it for a second, "I don't think I knew that before now. I know it's normally not essential to know who made your school, and honestly most people don't care, but for a place as famous as Hope's Peak, I figured they'd talk about him more. But I've not seen as much of anything before now."

"You know, Kaede actually has a point," Shuichi considered, "in case my classmates or fellow students ever need my assistance with anything, I read the majority of textbooks and info that come my way and conduct in-depth research on the events taking place inside the academy. Not even at Hope's Peak Academy is there much information available about anyone going by the name "Izuru Kamukura." To be honest, it's unclear if this person ever existed at all."

"So wait, you're saying that the founder has the same name as this random fighter hobo?" Toko asked, "Is that kind of coincidence even possible?"

"Izuru Kamukura isn't a name that crops up very much in terms of Hope's Peak history, despite his role at the core of its long-standing history," Shuichi pointed out, "of course, everything else that's just been revealed baffles me, but this is something I'm still not clear on."

DSO Desire for Execution - Danganronpa Another Episode: Ultra Despair Girls

"Well, it's actually quite simple. I'm sure you're already very aware of this, but I can explain regardless," Tengan answered, "Despite his importance to the school's legacy, the academy concealed Izuru Kamukura's existence, which is why it is still so mysterious."

"How come the academy wanted to hide his existence?" Kaede asked.

"Though I'm not certain, I believe they were trying to protect the secret of their superior talent," Tengan explained, "as you already know, Izuru Kamukura was a genius who possessed multiple Ultimate Talents, to the point where people even recognized him as "mankind's Hope"."

"However...the Steering Committee and its members resorted to inhumane experiments in order to earn a chance at recreating these talents..." Kyoko considered, "and they did whatever they could to make sure nobody found out."

"Though it pains me to liken the Steering Committee to this, every great legend has their ultimate weakness. Samson had his hair. Achilles had his heel. And the Academy of Hope has the existence of Izuru Kamukura," Tengan explained, almost poetically, "Not just the top four, but the entire Committee is fixated on maintaining the positive image of the school. As a result, they will stop at nothing to further their own interests, regardless of the morality of the information they withhold. But it's highly integral to them that this experiment never reaches the eyes and ears of the public. If it does, it could be the end of everything the academy has built..."

"Which means that no matter what, the Steering Committee can't afford to let this secret get out," Kaede added, "if it does...Hope's Peak is done for."

"Which is why I'm telling you the truth as it is instead of obfuscating it," Tengan explained, "ultimately...I know I cannot stop you from leaking out what you know now. But all I can do is kindly ask you to at least give it some patient thought. Think about how many innocent lives you may be affecting if you handle this situation poorly."

"I'll be the judge of that once I've heard every last detail," Kyoko asserted, "for now, if Izuru Kamukura really is the original headmaster and founder of the school, then who is this?"

She pointed towards the Izuru Kamukura in the room, who was now sitting cross-legged on top of a desk.

"Well, that's quite simple as well," Tengan sighed, "at his core...this young man was a first-year Reserve Course student who joined the Reserve Course the same year that it was established...Well, no, actually...it's been such a long time that he should most assuredly be a third-year by now."

"He's a RESERVE COURSE student?" Makoto exclaimed, "so he's NOT an Ultimate?"

"There's no way he's a Reserve Course kid!" Toko growled, "he beat Genocide Jack's ass six ways to Wednesday! Reserve Course kids are pretty much famous for being high-school dropouts with no talent whatsoever! Uh...not that that's a problem, but still..."

"I'm afraid you've both gravely misunderstood me," Tengan heaved an even heavier sigh, "I said he WAS a talentless Reserve Course student."

"Meaning that's no longer who he is anymore?" Shuichi frowned, "then...who or what IS he?"

"Put simply, there's only one title that he deserves...The Ultimate Hope," Tengan told him, "Remember those stories about how the former Izuru Kamukura was a multi-talented Ultimate who was a genius? Those stories are greatly exaggerated in his case...but not for this one..."

"What...does that mean...?" Kyoko visibly shuddered. Yet again, Tengan sighed.

"It's quite complicated, but I can explain as best as I can. This young man is nothing less than a superhuman, possessing every talent that has been identified through research at Hope's Peak Academy," Tengan revealed, "He has a startlingly high degree of accuracy and speed in his prediction and analytical abilities; He is unmatched and untouchable due to his enhanced physical strength, reflexes, and speed; And he can choose to completely withdraw his presence from any scene should he so wish."

His tired old head then turned in the direction of Makoto.

"In fact, though I personally did not think it was possible, he has demonstrated an extreme degree of good fortune, to the extent that it can rival both yours and Nagito Komaeda's from Class 77, Mr. Naegi."

"That's...Th-That's...COMPLETELY INSANE!" Kaede was almost at a loss for words, her body shaking just THINKING about it.

"That's quite difficult to believe...But the fact that he was so capable of handling Genocide Jack just now proves he's at least highly combative," Shuichi seemed similarly put off, "but that makes no sense. How on earth could someone in the Reserve Course possess such a remarkable talent?"

"He did just say that the academy was trying to hide his identity," Monomi theorized, "did they hide him in the Reserve Course for that purpose?"

"I think that's unlikely...Though he seems capable of masking it, the aura emanating off that man is incredible," Kyoko asserted, "and just taking one look at him chills me to the bone. Plus...the hair is quite obvious."

However, as Makoto dwelled on it for a moment, the reality sunk in, and his recent memory came to his aid.

"Are you saying that he's...the Hope that the Steering Committee was trying to birth!?"

"So you already know about it?" Tengan inquired as everyone else's heads snapped towards him in alarm, "the Hope Cultivation Plan?"

"I just found a lost file while we were investigating down here," Makoto told him truthfully, taking said file out of his jacket pocket and showing it to Tengan, "for many years now, Hope's Peak Academy has been researching a breakthrough plan to cultivate personal talent."

"Hmph...Breakthrough plan is quite accurate. After all, the plan's primary goal was to produce the ideal superhuman genius, just as many believed the Izuru Kamukura of old was..." Tengan scoffed shamefully.

"Hold on, hold on!" Kaede got to her feet, the electrons in her brain going double time, "you guys keep saying "create!" What do you mean "create!?""

"The Hope Cultivation Plan was Hope's Peak Academy's sincere desire for the longest time," Tengan clarified, "Part of the plan was to research the talents of Ultimate's; talented young people described as the very best at what they do. In fact, that's the very reason the academy was established in the first place and was in motion far before the Steering Committee as it is now was established. They took on the founder of the academy's name since the plan was so significant. Therefore, even though the Hope Cultivation Plan is the project's official name, those involved more frequently refer to it as the "Izuru Kamukura Project.""

"Izuru Kamukura...Project?" Kyoko parroted.

"The scientists on the Steering Committee eventually advanced to the Hope Cultivation Plan's experimental stage about a year and a half ago," the old man continued, "They then targeted the Reserve Course intending to use them as test subjects."

"Why...!? Why would they do that!?" Kaede cried, "for what reason would they use the Reserve Course as lab rats like that!? What did they do!?"

Tengan hung his head shamefully.

"It really does pain me to admit this...but what this Reserve Course student did...was fulfill his role as a Reserve Course student...Being an experimental apparatus was all the academy wanted from them," he said, "It made sense to use test subjects who are completely devoid of talent to artificially create talent within someone. And this young man in front of you was ultimately selected from the group of Reserve Course students that the school had its sights set on...Hajime Hinata."

"Hajime Hinata?" Makoto repeated.

"That's his real name. Hajime Hinata," Tengan unveiled, "at least it was before he adopted the new name of Izuru Kamukura."

"Why this "Hajime Hinata" guy specifically?" Toko asked.

"I was never quite sure of this, but from what I could gather..." Tengan said after a short pause, "he was a young man who admired Hope's Peak Academy and talent more than anyone else of his kind. And that, according to the scientists, made him the ideal candidate."

"So what you're trying to tell us..." Makoto frowned, breaking out into a paranoid sweat, "is that the academy took advantage of this poor guy's admiration towards them to use him as a lab rat!?"

"Yes..." Tengan palmed his face slowly, clearly being eaten up inside by the shame, "I actually had a chance to talk to him before he became like this. Despite his shortcomings and cynical nature, he seemed generally nice and readily showed consideration and kindness to those around him. He was even close friends with one of the Ultimate Students who was in the same year as him, I discovered. I knew about the Kamukura project, but though I had no idea what it truly involved, I was so against it that I even discouraged young Hinata from taking part. Naturally, in the end, he didn't pay attention."

"You did tell us that we shouldn't fear normalcy..." Shuichi recalled.

"And I meant it...And I meant it when I said the same thing to Hinata as well," Tengan assured them, "and in the end, by the time I found out what was really going on behind the scenes, it was too late...Hajime Hinata had already been transformed into Izuru Kamukura 1.0..."

He turned his head sadly towards Izuru as he said this, but as for the rest of the Phantom Thieves, they just stood there and stared in bewilderment and disbelief. How was anything this horrific...real?

"Wait a minute..." Monomi's face went pale as she noticed something odd about Tengan's phrasing, "did he just say he was "transformed?""

Everyone looked towards her in alarm, but then Makoto turned to Tengan and posed a single, serious, stern question.

"What...did they...do...to him...?" he gasped.

Tengan lowered his head again, this time looking like he was about to cry. He quickly wiped his eyes, deep down, not wanting to look like he was begging for forgiveness, and gave Makoto his tragic answer.

"It's not possible to transform a regular person into a supernatural genius unless you're prepared to take drastic measures. Naturally, the scientists on the Steering Committee went with these drastic measures..." Tengan explained, "I have no idea how the science works, but the Committee interfered directly not only with the young man's brain but also with his sense of cognition. Through manipulation, they turned Hajime Hinata into Izuru Kamukura, a different specimen whose area of expertise is talent itself. It's quite similar to how the Phantom Thieves change the cognition and hearts of the evildoers they target but in the complete reverse."

"So THIS is it!" Monomi squeaked in a panic, "The secret project that the Steering Committee was utilizing the Metaverse and Yasuke Matsuda's resources for! It was all to create a superbeing with infinite Ultimate talents!"

"Did they...really do something like that!?" Kyoko lost most of her calm disposition and composure and covered her mouth in sheer, unadulterated shock. The horror of what Tengan had just unveiled had clearly gotten straight to her, and she wasn't the only one.

"That's so...disgusting!" Kaede snapped, "How could they toy with his mind and heart both figuratively AND literally like that!?"

"It makes sense if you think about it. While Ultimates were permitted to visit Reserve Course students on the latter's side of campus, they weren't allowed to enter the main campus where the former studies. You also heard what Shuichi and Kyoko claimed to have heard from Munakata and Sakakura. Those kids are treated like dirt by the majority of the main campus staff, particularly the Steering Committee," Toko reminded her, "there had to be SOME reason that the academy was so willing to open the Reserve Course despite their prejudice against non-Ultimates. And there's more to it, right?"

"Huh? What do you mean?" Makoto looked at her.

"What you said just now...You said that this "Hajime Hinata" guy became "Izuru Kamukura 1.0..."," she observed, "despite this guy's impressive potential, 1.0 implies that he's little more than a PROTOTYPE..."

"So what you're saying is that if the Steering Committee gets their way..." Kaede shuddered, "There's going to be even more of these Ultimate Hope specimens!?"

"More than that. It means that they must be doing something sketchy to get the fund," Toko asserted, "Remember how Kyoko had to sort through all that equipment and staff when the Committee was preparing to smuggle it all out of here? To have that many people and that much equipment all for the sake of creating one specific Ultimate Hope would require a huge amount of money. Of course, Hope's Peak is incredibly wealthy due to being the highest government-funded school in the country, but even if our government is full of corrupt and lazy shitheads, there are enough good people in this society that wouldn't turn a blind eye to their taxes going towards human experimentation. Which can only mean..."

"Which can only mean that there must be a secret external factor that the project is getting its money from," Shuichi finished her sentence, "one that the government and the world at large don't know about."

"I...wouldn't go that far..." Toko stated.

"Ok, now what are you talking about?" Makoto asked, "Do you know something?"

"I'm just making educated guesses is all. Tengan said that Hajime Hinata was one of the first non-ultimates to sign up for the Reserve Course, and considering the experimental stage was a year and a half ago, that must mean the beginning stages of the project aligned with the opening of the Reserve Course," Toko explained her reasoning, "now, unlike us in the main course with Ultimate titles, only by paying a hefty tuition fee can those enrolled in the Reserve Course gain admission to the school and an education at Hope's Peak."

"Aaah! I get it!" Monomi piped up, "You're saying that the funding is coming from the Reserve Course itself!"

"Hm...That's a good deduction," Kyoko complimented her, "by charging the tuition fee, the Reserve Course could donate the necessary funds for the Kamukura Project in a way that the law and government would not question. The method appeals to the authorities and is unassuming since the academy has always been under the watchful eye of...well...EVERYONE."

"Though it pains me to admit it, that is indeed correct," Tengan affirmed, "which is what I was implying earlier. If it was to get out even slightly that they masterminded a secret project on human experimentation, using the funding that the Reserve Course gave them...it would result in far more than a scandal."

"I can only imagine..." Shuichi broke out into a sweat, "if I was in that position...I would probably riot...!"

"Which is the only reason you ever kept this a secret, right?" Makoto asked, "Based on the way you've reacted up until now, I don't think you're lying to us. You seem really broken up about all of this, and I'm guessing the only reason why you continued to keep it a secret is because you were afraid that Hope's Peak would fall and that the Reserve Course would riot, right?"

"Yes...but now that I've told you the truth, those factors are out of my control now..." he said, "I'm just...tired...This has been a heavy burden on me, but this academy matters to me more than you know. I would much rather rot in jail for the rest of my life than let this school and what good principles remain of it die."

"Well...I mean...it's all screwed up and everything, sure..." Kaede seemed at a loss, "but...I mean...wouldn't the Reserve Course students find something like this super cool? They could go from having no talents to having EVERY talent! If Hope's Peak is looking for more contenders, then they'd have them by the dozen if they opened up to the Reserve Course about it! N-Not that I'm approving of ANY of this, but...still...people can be fickle."

"You're right about that," Tengan gave a sad chuckle, "if only it was that simple..."

"What's the problem?" Monomi asked. Toko relayed this question to Tengan so he could hear it.

"As I've said countless times before. Hajime Hinata was the boy that he ONCE WAS. But he ISN'T him anymore," Tengan looked back towards Izuru, "he's an entirely different person thanks to the Committee changing his cognition of who he is."

"Different?" Shuichi scowled, "H-How is he different?"

Tengan took a deep breath and dropped another bombshell.

"Hajime Hinata's senses, feelings, thoughts, and personal interests that got in the way of developing his talent have all been...eliminated. Not only that but every memory of the past he has ever had has been pushed deep, deep inside his mind."

"H-Huh...?" Makoto felt his chest seize up.

"Emotions...thoughts...hobbies...memory...!" Toko parroted, similarly horrified, "you mean he doesn't even remember who he once was? His family? His friends!?"

"Even if I was to remember...it doesn't matter...I have no need for such people in my life..."

Everyone jumped as, despite his silence, Izuru finally spoke up and joined the conversation...albeit only briefly. No sooner did he mutter this one line, he immediately shut up again.

"It's partially due to his original personality being erased, and partially to do with how he's so talented at everything, he doesn't have to exercise any effort into what he does," Tengan elaborated, "Izuru Kamukura is an emotionless, icy person who finds nothing and no one interesting. Because of his extraordinary analytical abilities and intuition, which enable him to make startlingly accurate predictions, he becomes bored easily. He doesn't seem to want to change his circumstances, even though from what I've observed, he is aware that he is merely being used and that his abilities are being stolen to create the Hope, which he finds uninteresting and predictable."

"He sounds like a remarkably different person from what you just described him as..." Shuichi acknowledged, "There's being cynical, but then there's that."

"This is all...so much...!" Kaede began crying, "Isn't there anything we can do!?"

"Does my father know about any of this?" Kyoko asked. Tengan shook his head.

"Young Jin is aware of the project. As a key member of faculty, he knows the Committee has been looking around the Reserve Course for volunteers," Tengan explained, "but like me, he's never approved of the project, and I'm sure he'd approve even less if he knew what it really entailed..."

He paused for a moment before he locked eyes with Kyoko.

"What do you intend to do?" he said, "I ask you once again."

She hesitated, crossing her arms and looking back towards Kamukura, who paid her no mind. Kyoko swallowed, then gave her reply.

"I'm sorry...But there's no feasible way I could let this be," she told him straightforwardly, "I need...time...to collect my thoughts on this, but I can't just let the Steering Committee get away with what they've done. And if I take them down, I'm quite certain that you'll go with them as a conspirator."

"I am perfectly alright with that," Tengan assured her, "I should never have left those miscreants to their own devices, but I'm just as guilty for having played along and said nothing until now. The only thing I wish is that you remain safe. Taking on the Steering Committee and all its influence is a near-impossible challenge."

"So what, I'm just supposed to let them get away with this!?" Kyoko snarled, "You confirmed what Toko said. If we don't nip this problem in the bud, it won't be long before we have more victims on our hands!"

"You won't be doing that if they find out you were down here. They'll do whatever it takes and use whatever resources they have to silence you," Tengan told her sternly, "but...I won't let them. Regardless of whether they find out or not, I won't let them touch a hair on you or your family's head. That goes for each and every one of you. There's no way this ends well for me, but if I can at least protect you all..."

"Are you sure?" Shuichi asked, "You're really alright with taking the fall like that?"

"Everything I did was to protect the school's good name and its innocent students," Tengan assured him, "but I was never cut out for it. Though I never approved of the project, nor did I participate in any of these dealings, I still knew and kept quiet. That makes me among the most rotten crooks out there."

"Mr Tengan..." Kaede sobbed sadly, "That's not..."

"I suppose that's the reason why I confessed...You all deserve to know the truth of what you've encountered," he said, "and like I said, I'm tired. There's no point in hiding my guilt any longer, and I just can't be bothered to anymore.

There was another length of silence until Kyoko turned to the others.

"We...should go home..." she said, "for now, keep everything that happened here a secret. Can I ask you all to do that for me?"

Everyone nodded. She then turned back to Tengan.

"That goes for you too," she asserted, "I'm going to investigate how deep this runs properly, and I expect you to provide me all the support you can."

"Of course. I promise," Tengan nodded, "but you really should go home. It's been a long day."

"It sure has..." Kyoko nodded, "and...Mr Tengan..."

"Hm?" the old soldier raised his head. Kyoko frowned.

"I'm angry..." she asserted, "not at you, but at all of this...I don't care how powerful the Steering Committee is...I will bring them to justice one way or another, even if it kills me."

Tengan nodded.

"Then I will do everything I can to help you try..."

DSO All All Apologies - Danganronpa Another Episode: Ultra Despair Girls

"Are you...FREAKING SERIOUS!?"

It had been a long, tiresome day, but it wasn't over yet. Tengan had requested that Izuru Kamukura fix the damage that had been done, and after taking them all to the surface and hiding the entrance under the fountain, the Phantom Thieves went their separate ways back to their respective dorm rooms.

However, it was only an hour or so later after everyone had calmed down and processed everything that had happened that Kyoko sent out a request to meet at the Thieves' Den. Once everyone had gathered, they had filled Komaru in on the details, and her reaction was exactly what everyone had expected.

"Are you guys alright!?" Komaru exclaimed, particularly drawing herself towards Toko, who had bandages on her cheek, "You're not hurt too badly, are you!?"

"Don't worry about me. Stinging stopped ages ago," she assured her partner, "but the sense of disgust I feel from what we were told and what we discovered..."

""Disgust" doesn't even BEGIN to describe what I feel right now! How DARE they do something like that!" Komaru spat, jumping up and pacing back and forth in the Den in a massive humph, "we can't let those Grade-A assholes get away with this! W-We need to do SOMETHING!? We need to TELL someone!"

"I can't just go screaming over the rooftops that the Steering Committee is participating in human experiments," Kyoko sighed, "Tengan was right. Despite my influence as of late, I'm nothing compared to them. Besides, opinions around me are rather negative thanks to the scandal with my grandfather. People don't trust me as much as they might pretend."

"Oh..." Komaru hung her head, "s-sorry about that..."

"Don't apologize. You saved me," Kyoko reminded her, "and believe me, I understand your frustration, but even if I had a reasonable way to take matters into my own hands, I can't resolve this case so long as members of the Steering Committee remain. Taking out one or two isn't going to be enough to stop them and their plans entirely."

"Which also means that simply changing the hearts of the Steering Committee isn't going to cut it," Shuichi grumbled, "dammit..."

"Wait, why not?" Komaru asked.

"Because we know now for certain the Steering Committee has access to the Metaverse and know how it works. It's what they used to alter Hajime Hinata's cognition," Monomi explained, "if we instill a change of heart in even one of them, they'll recognize the signs and act accordingly, and we have no way of knowing what they might do. On top of that, the members of the Committee could rise to the hundreds for all we know. Changing the hearts of a few of them at once will get us nowhere."

"Overall, it's far too risky," Toko added, "as painful as it is to say."

"It'll be ok. All we need is more evidence, and I can easily get it from here on now that I have Tengan's support. I also told him to explain every last detail to my father," Kyoko explained, "but...there's something else I'm worried about."

"What?" Makoto asked.

"Given the sheer scale of this crime, I need to make sure I cover every possible base to trap the Steering Committee in the corner. But it'll all be for naught if I don't have evidence covering those bases, nor if the Steering Committee isn't willing to subjugate themselves to face court marshal. If Kirie Kaede can bribe the courts, then the Committee would be able to do even more easily. Plus, if they somehow catch on that I'm looking into them, they can very easily wipe away every last trace of evidence I need with their connections...And that's assuming they don't wipe me away first."

"Kyoko-sama, don't say that!" Shuichi cried, "That's terrifying!"

"So regardless of how this ends, we will still need to change the hearts of the Committee," Toko considered, "so what's the problem?"

"By the time we get around all the main leaders, it will probably be too late...In fact, it already is," Kyoko's eyes became sad, "the Kamukura Project is above and beyond anything I've dealt with before. It's a conspiracy being backed by several dozen people. Unless there's a way to put a stop to their plans entirely, so long as even one remains, there's no way I can take the whole organization down at once. One or two will slip through the cracks and continue the experiment with everything they have in hand..."

She buried her face into her arms as she curled up into a ball.

"It's the Duel Noir all over again...It's a case that I won't be able to 100% crack, and that frustrates me to no end."

"There's Tengan too..." Monomi added, "While it's true he did bad things by covering up and lending the Steering Committee his support on the project, I'm struggling to see him as an enemy in any of this. He was forced into a corner and did everything he could to protect the school that he loved so much...And even if we do find a way to take the Committee down, Tengan will go down with them...That's not something I want..."

"Oh come on!" Komaru pounded the wall, "There's got to be SOMETHING we can do! SOMETHING! ANYTHING! Oh...Why did this Hajime guy even agree to this in the first place!? Why would they do something like that to him!?"

"Komaru...I'm sure you know this more than any one of us," Makoto frowned with a feeling of loss, "Tengan said that Hinata-kun admired Hope's Peak Academy and talent more than anyone else of his kind. Which means he was a firm believer in the hierarchy the school established where those who were talentless had no meaning, and believed he wasn't fit to be part of it, as much as he wanted to. It's wrong but...the Committee took advantage of everything...his weakness, his love...and it makes me so...angry..."

True to his claim, Makoto clenched his fist so tight that his nails dug into his palm, causing slight bleeding. For once in their whole career as vigilantes, the Phantom Thieves were at a loss for what to do. What could they do to get out of this? To stop the Committee for good?

Fortunately, not all hope was lost...as Kaede suddenly placed a hand on the table, and stood up, with everyone's attention drawn towards her.

"You guys..." she raised her voice, "I...have another idea."

"Really!?" Komaru gasped.

"What?" Toko stared expectantly.

However, what Kaede proclaimed next was not something any of them expected, but she did so with a confident smirk on her face and a deep breath...

"Let's change Hajime-kun's heart!"

Chapter End Notes

And thus we begin the process once again.
As many kind of already suspected it would go, this arc is going to have a few similarities to the Temple of Wrath/Futaba arc of the original Persona 5. Instead of changing someone's heart to stop their evil ways, the Phantom Thieves will be attempting to steal Izuru's heart to hopefully bring Hajime back to how he was originally, kind of like trying to free Futaba of her trauma and pain.
Because I know people are probably going to ask about it, I will say out of the gate that Izuru's sin is Sloth. And I mean that legitimately, this isn't going to be a bait and switch like it was with Futaba's where Futaba was suspected to be Sloth, but in actuality, Wakaba was the real ruler of the Palace and she was synonymous with Wrath.
This arc will probably be a little bit longer than the other two because there's a lot of background stuff that's gonna be happening during this saga, so stay tuned for that.
Thank you for reading. I love to get feedback from my readers, so feel free to leave a comment, and some kudos if you feel up to it.

My Impurest Heart For You

Chapter Summary

With resolve in their hearts as hope shines through, the Phantom Thieves begin their mission to change Hajime Hinata's heart and free him from the clutches of the Metaverse. However, when Makoto and Monomi investigate Hinata's history at the academy, they get much much more than they bargain for...

Old World Order - Danganronpa 3: The End of Hope's Peak Academy

"Change..." Shuichi parroted slowly, "Hinata's heart?"

"Think about it for a second," Kaede asserted, pacing back and forth as she made her points, "Monomi told us that so long as someone possesses distortion within their cognition, it's entirely possible for a Palace to form in them. And what's more distorted than someone who's been PHYSICALLY MANIPULATED into becoming what he is now? He was a normal boy who got TRANSFORMED into becoming Kamukura, which means his heart must be all messed up and tampered with! All we have to do is fix it!"

"Are you sure?" Toko seemed skeptical, "Kamukura's kind of...grouchy, but he doesn't seem inherently evil or distorted."

"Actually, he doesn't seem to have much of a personality at all. That's kind of the point," Shuichi added, "so does he even have a distorted side if he doesn't have a normal side? Unfortunately, this situation is very different from our past targets, so we can't count on relying on the same rules as we always do."

"W-Well...Still...!" Kaede seemed pretty upset that her plan was already being poked at, but thankfully, Makoto came to her rescue.

"Actually..." he chimed in, "Kaede might not be too far off the mark on this one...!"

"Really?" Komaru turned her head his way, "why do you say that?"

"When we were down in the underground lab where we met Kamukura, Toko and I read over some scrapped research diaries that the researchers and scientists left behind in their hasty cleanup," Makoto explained, "there was one entry from about two or so years back that caught my interest."

Date: 2008/10/13

Entry No.#33: OBSERVATIONS.

I will contact the leaders of the project and ask them to send an investigation force into the Metaverse to investigate.

"That file mentioned that the Steering Committee scientists have specialists who infiltrate the Metaverse to fix any...abnormalities," Makoto explained, "that implies that there has to be somewhere IN the Metaverse for them to go to so they can find these abnormalities to fix."

"So what you're saying is that he must have a Palace?" Kyoko asked. Makoto nodded.

"At the very least, there has to be a domain of some kind where the Steering Committee scientists can tamper. And as Kaede said, given how drastic a personality change it is, I think it constitutes possessing a Palace."

"Plus, if a Palace is still there, it implies that remnants of Hinata remain as well," Kaede beamed, "so if we steal the Treasure inside, it'll cause the Palace to collapse and all of the Committee's work up until now to be scrapped!"

"Now that you say that..." Kyoko's eyebrows raised in understanding and somewhat excitement, "that would throw a huge wrench into the Steering Committee's plans...! With Izuru gone, should he somehow escape from the lab, they'll be far too preoccupied trying to grasp at straws to act immediately. And if the Palace is gone, they won't be able to distort him again so easily, right?"

"His heart would be clear in that case, so I suppose not," Shuichi considered, "no Palace, no distortion...!"

"Also, isn't Kamukura kind of a template to see what they can and can't get away with when it comes to artificial talents?" Toko realized, "without their template, they won't reliably be able to create more "Ultimate Hope's" and they'll basically have to restart the entire project, assuming they continue it."

"Which means if Kaede's assumption is right and we do go through with stealing Kamukura's heart, not only will we set the Committee back enough to give us an opportunity to take them out, but we'll save Hajime Hinata in the process!" Shuichi jumped to his feet, and started waving his fingers around, excited as he connected the dots together, "it's...GENIUS!"

"Oh haha...w-well, thanks..." Kaede suddenly became quite bashful, blushing and playing with her hair, "still, like you all said, this is only a theory based on what I've already seen of distorted hearts and changing them. I don't know for certain if I'm on the right track, but it's the best we've got of a bad situation."

"How about it Monomi?" Makoto turned to the plucky rabbit, "Do you think it's possible?"

"Well, it's certainly POSSIBLE, but I don't know for certain...However," Monomi perched on the table, "why don't you just test it?"

"Test it? Oh! Good idea!" Komaru quickly pulled out her phone and opened the Metaverse Navigation App, "um...What was his name again? Izuru...Kamukura! Izuru Kamukura, the Ultimate Hope!"

[NO CANDIDATE FOUND!]

As soon as the familiar rejection words hit everyone's ears, there was a twang of sadness and depression that washed over them. So it had been a bust after all...

That's what everyone thought until Kyoko stepped forward.

"Don't count us out yet. Let's try his actual name," she suggested, "Hajime Hinata!"

[RESULTS FOUND!]

"It WORKED!" Kaede's expression lit up like a morning sun, "we've got a hit!"

"BINGO!" Komaru clapped her hands and pumped her fist, "LET'S GO!" And she wasn't the only one. The rest of the Thieves, plus Kyoko, were in united celebration.

"This...might actually be possible...! We might actually be able to pull this off!" Monomi beamed.

"Let's not get too excited yet. We've still got work we need to do," Shuichi brought the happy mood back down to a reasonable and logical level, "We've confirmed that he has a Palace, but we need to find out where it is and what he sees it as."

"Then let's base it off what we already know so far," Toko asserted, "Tengan gave us some limited information on Kamukura and Hinata. Any ideas from what he said?"

"Well, he described Kamukura as a cold and emotionless person who finds everything and everyone boring, so I doubt we'll get much out of that..." Kaede considered.

"As for Hajime Hinata, we know that he had always admired Hope's Peak Academy and wished to attend. It was a big dream of his, like being a celebrity or a superhero," Shuichi recalled, "he was insecure about himself and wanted to be a part of something bigger than himself, to become someone he could be proud of. He felt that his life as a talentless individual was...not good enough."

[RESULTS FOUND!]

Everyone jumped as the app once again reacted, and Komaru quickly looked down at her screen. Her expression of surprise turned into one of realization and spite.

"Well, what do you know," she showed the rest of them the screen, "looks like the Palace is the school itself."

"I see...That makes sense..." Shuichi nodded, "I knew a day would come in which we tackled the academy, but I didn't expect it would be so soon..."

"Now comes the tricky part," Toko crossed her arms, "what does Hinata see the school as? Anyone got any ideas?"

"Since Shuichi said that he wanted to be like a celebrity or a superhero..." Kaede suggested, "how about a Hall of Fame? Or a Secret Lair?"

[CONDITIONS HAVE NOT BEEN MET.]

"Darn..." she pouted.

"Good guess," Shuichi assured her, "how about...a Studio? Like Hollywood in Los Angeles?"

[CONDITIONS HAVE NOT BEEN MET.]

"I don't suppose there's a chance that it could be a Museum? Or a Galar like Kirie's?" Toko asked.

[CONDITIONS HAVE NOT BEEN MET.]

"Oh come on!" Toko pouted, "Why can't I do what I always do and get a lucky guess!?"

"Let's all slow down for a second," Monomi suggested, "personally speaking, I think throwing random guesses at the app this time won't get us anywhere. We simply know too little about Hajime Hinata or Izuru Kamukura as a person to know how the world looks from their eyes. This is going to require some more investigation."

"I agree. But we can't afford to waste any time," Kyoko said, "it's likely that Kamukura is being kept in the lab until everything else is ready for transfer. But on the day of the Sports Festival, he's likely to be moved to Bitokukawa Academy along with the rest of the research project."

"So that means that the Sports Festival date is our deadline this time. And the Sports Festival is halfway through the summer holiday period, so that gives us..." Makoto quickly did a count on his fingers, "just under 3 weeks."

"Plenty of time," Shuichi smirked smugly, "but we have no idea what Kamukura's Palace will look like, and we don't know how long it will take to get any viable information. We will still need a plan..."

"If possible, I'd like us to spend as little time as possible gathering our sources," said Kyoko, "we should dedicate the most time to infiltrating the Palace and stealing Kamukura's Treasure. Given how different the circumstances are this time, I imagine it will be considerably different from Kirie's Palace, and likely different than Towa or Fuhito's."

"I agree and all, but what do we even do when it comes to a background check?" Kaede asked, "We already know almost nothing about Hajime-kun, so where do we even start looking at his background?"

"What about Tengan-san?" Monomi suggested, "he said he talked to him before he actually became Kamukura, right? Maybe he knows some information?"

"Unfortunately, I doubt Tengan would have anything concrete. Whatever conversation they did have was likely very brief," Kyoko replied, "still, he did say he would cooperate, and it wouldn't hurt to ask..."

Makoto's mind quickly flashed back to Tengan's words.

"Assuming he's done as you've said and has told Headmaster Jin, we might be able to get his assistance too," Shuichi chimed in, "if he could procure us a student file on Hajime Hinata to see if we have any personal data or contacts with his family, that might give us some leads."

"Woah...I didn't even think that he might have a family," Komaru considered, "if he's been stuck in that lab all this time and his personality got erased...I wonder what they would think..."

"I'm personally quite skeptical..." Toko frowned, "but there's always the chance that any uproar they've made to get their son back has been snuffed out by Hope's Peak..."

"I guess we'll leave the political and familial research to our two ace detectives," Kaede suggested, "what about the rest of us? What should we do?"

"Another thing to consider would be asking any Reserve Course students if they know him or remember him from way back when. It's a reach, but it's worth checking. As for other options...well, there's something that Tengan mentioned when he was explaining the whole story to us down in the lab," Kyoko recalled, "he mentioned something that caught my interest at the time. In that apparently, he had a friend from the main course."

"Right, I remember that as well," Makoto piped up, looking at Kyoko, "and based on what Tengan-san said, as well as how far the research files date back to, Hajime Hinata would likely be in his third year by now. If what he said is true, and that his friend was in the main course, then he or she would likely be a third-year student at the academy. Which means they're still in arms reach unless they've dropped out or something."

He turned to Kaede and Toko.

"You two should ask the third years if they've seen or heard anything, or if they remember him somehow. It might have been a few years back, but surely one or two of them remember something, especially if they're classmates with that friend," he instructed, "besides, given how little the Main and Reserve Courses interact, it won't be hard to filter them out."

"Got it!" Kaede saluted, "You can count on us!"

"What are you gonna do?" Toko asked.

"As it happens, I'm...decently acquainted with one of the Reserve Course students who works for the newspaper club," he proclaimed as Monomi hopped up into his hood, "Monomi and I can handle questioning the Reserve Course students, and she's as good a place as any to start."

"I see. You're referring to Sato-san who's friends with Koizumi-senpai, right?" Kyoko recalled, "We had the pleasure of talking to her when we were looking into Kaori-san."

"Well, more like we had the pleasure of sitting down with her. She didn't really say much of anything..." Monomi reminded them.

"Then...are we sure she's gonna cooperate?" Kaede asked.

"Don't worry about it. I wouldn't go as far as to say we're friends, but I've been doing favors for Mahiru-senpai lately," Makoto explained, "she does seem to trust me at least a fair bit, so I think she'll talk to me. And hey, if I have to do a favor for her or Mahiru-senpai first, then that's fine."

"Alright, it sounds like we've got a plan for the next few days!" Kaede clapped her hands together, "Let's go over it from the top! Remember, the goal is to figure out what kind of place Hajime Hinata sees Hope's Peak Academy as! Everyone remembers their roles?"

"Kyoko-chan and Shuichi will get in contact with Jin-san and Tengan-san, and see if they can find any personal records on Hajime Hinata; possibly get in contact with his parents and investigate from there. Kaede and Toko-chan will question the third-year students in the Main Course and see if they can track down and find out Hinata-kun's old friend," Monomi listed, "Makoto and I shall ask Hiyori-chan and Mahiru-chan if they have any information on Hinata-kun prior to becoming Kamukura, and Komaru-chan...Uh..."

Everyone looked towards Komaru, who had not been assigned a role.

"Can uh...somebody please give me an idea on what Komaru-chan should do?" Monomi chuckled awkwardly.

"I'm so useless..." Komaru sobbed, "I should just hold myself up in the Thieves' Den, build a pillow fort, and cry...!"

"Mood..." Kaede remarked.

"Don't worry Komaru. I have another job for you," Makoto smiled, "I haven't had a chance to pawn our latest batch of loot off to the Kuzuryu pawn shop. You can be in charge of getting us some new gear for the Palace raid."

"Oh, cool!" Komaru immediately perked up, "All alright! I can do that!"

"Then let's call it a day and get right to our investigation first thing tomorrow," Makoto asserted, "these weeks are gonna go by in a flash if we don't take advantage of the time we have. We can't afford to mess up this time."

"Got it!" Kaede clenched her fists and pumped herself up, "Let's do this Phantom Thieves!"

Face Off - Danganronpa 3: The End of Hope's Peak Academy

[THE NEXT DAY...]

"So this is what the Reserve Course building looks like? It seems much more like a standard school than the Main Course building," Monomi poked her head out of Makoto's hood to check out the hallway that they were walking down, "we're not going to get in trouble here, are we?"

"Don't worry about it. Reserve Course students aren't allowed on the main grounds, but the Main Course students can come and go here as they please," Makoto explained, "that being said...I don't think I want to stay here for that long."

"Why not?" the bunny asked.

"Well, the Reserve Course students don't really like the Main Course students...For good reason. So I don't want to encroach on their territory for long, else I invite trouble." he told her.

"I don't think we need to worry," Monomi calmed his nerves, "Kyoko-chan told us that Hiyori-chan is in Class 3-C. All we need to do is go there, talk to her, and we should get our information."

"Well, that's assuming Sato-san knows anything. We might need to ask the other students in case she doesn't," Makoto pointed out, "not something I'm looking forward to, but we're in a pretty desperate situation here."

It was currently nearing the end of the school day. Makoto had spent the day focusing on his studies and practicing for Sports Day, but once school was out, he and Monomi immediately headed over to the Reserve Department to speak to Hiyori Sato. Makoto had found her classroom thanks to Kyoko, and once he found it on the first floor, he slid the door open and stepped inside.

Despite school being out for the day, several of the Reserve students were still around. As he had expected, Makoto received many odd, curious, and in some cases, spiteful looks as he walked around the building and entered the classroom. However, there weren't as many as he had initially expected there would be.

He chalked the reason for it up to the fact that he was only an Ultimate through sheer chance, and didn't exactly give off the vibe of one, so most of them didn't recognize them, even though some of them clearly did.

Makoto's eyes scanned the classroom, trying not to pay attention to any of the students' faces. However, he didn't see the familiar wavy moss-green locks of Sato.

"Maybe she's already gone home?" Monomi asked.

"Maybe we did just miss her," Makoto thought, "but...she hasn't signed off on the board."

Makoto noticed that the blackboard at the front of the classroom had a register with all the students' names on it. Likely, they were required to write a tick next to their name to let their teacher know that they had gone home for the day. Sato's name was on the board, but it wasn't ticked off.

She could have just forgotten of course, but...

"Oi. Oi! Are you ignoring me!?"

Makoto was so focused on the blackboard and looking for Sato that he only just noticed that somebody was calling out his name. He snapped out of his focus and turned to see who it was.

A girl wearing a gal-ified version of the Reserve Course uniform was snapping her fingers in his ear to get his attention with a wry smirk on her face. Her eyes were grayish olive, and she had long blonde hair. On both cheeks, she also had permanent blush marks.

Something about her appearance seemed...familiar.

"What's with you Main Course? You're staring pretty intently at our blackboard," she snarked, "what, you gonna make out with it or something?"

"Wha-!? No!" Makoto exclaimed, "I'm just...looking for someone."

"Oh, is that so? Would that someone happen to be a friend?" she teased, "Let me guess. Your friends ditched you, so you've come to browse us lowly peons for a replacement."

"I don't believe I said that," Makoto scowled. He tried to turn his attention away from the girl and her jeering, going around to check the desks to see if he recognized Sato's bag. However, the blonde girl pursued him.

"That's a cute rabbit," she grinned, "can I pet it?"

"Thanks. And ordinarily, while I would say yes, I don't just hand her off to random strangers," Makoto replied, "especially if this is how they present themselves from the outset."

"Well, if that's how things're gonna be, then why don't I introduce myself all properly?" she smirked, "The name's Natsumi. And I'm something of an Ultimate myself."

"Really? But you're wearing the Reserve Department uniform?" Makoto turned his head back towards her in surprise, "also, I don't think I've seen you before in the main building. What's your talent?"

"Hm...My talent..." Natsumi poked her cheek to feign innocence, "I guess you could say I'm like an...Ultimate Little Sister. Yeah, that works!"

"Huh?" Makoto shook his head in confusion.

"Makoto...This young lady is highly suspicious..." Monomi uttered.

"Oh come on..." Natsumi raised an eyebrow, "don't tell me you've got no idea who I am? You MUST have heard of us."

"Should I?" Makoto replied.

"Yeah. The organized crime group with other 30,000 members. The Kuzuryu Clan," she revealed, "ringing any bells?"

"Wait...The...Kuzuryu Clan!?" Makoto exclaimed, "You mean that you're-!?"

"Yep! I'm the daughter of the absolute head honcho of the Kuzuryu Clan, Matsuhige Kuzuryu!" she boasted, "And my big brother Fuyuhiko is the heir apparent; the Ultimate Yakuza!"

"Fuyuhiko-kun's little sister...!" Monomi gasped, "Well...that certainly explains a fair bit."

"Ah, yeah, I've met him before," Makoto decided to downplay his and Fuyuhiko's relationship so as to not complicate the situation any further, "he's certainly...impressive."

"He sure is~" Natsumi Kuzuryu winked, "and with an incredible big brother like that, it means I'M an Ultimate Little Sister! Capeesh?"

"N-No, not really..." Makoto scratched his face, "considering you've come here to the Reserve Course, it means that you weren't scouted for the Main Course like your brother was, right?"

"That doesn't mean I have no talent! I just don't have it yet!" Natsumi leered, "Honestly, I don't know why I've been put with trash like the rest of these guys. They've all given up already, but not me!"

"H-Hey now," Makoto replied, disgruntled, "that's not very nice."

"The reality is NEVER nice. And the reality is that I'm not like the rest of them..." Natsumi looked over her shoulder at the other Reserve Students in contempt, "I'll do whatever it takes for those big shots at the Academy to land me a spot in the Main Course."

This statement was innocent enough, but upon brief reflection, Makoto grew concerned hearing it.

Hajime Hinata thought the same thing once. And his desperation to be something greater than he was led him to make a terrible choice.

Makoto had hardly considered that there might have been more Reserve Department students out there who felt the same way, as obvious as it was. And given that the Steering Committee clearly wasn't planning on stopping the project, it was only a matter of time, assuming the Phantom Thieves didn't deal with them in time, that more victims might be claimed by the Kamukura Project. With that in mind, he couldn't just brush this remark aside.

"You shouldn't say things like that," Makoto told her casually, but firmly, "people can do pretty drastic things out of desperation. You should keep yourself in check."

"What are you trying to say, Main Course?" Natsumi scowled, "That I should give up on my dreams? That I'll never be as good as you!?"

"My name's not "Main Course," it's Makoto. And I never said that" Makoto replied calmly, "I just don't want you making any decisions that you might regret."

"Believe me, tough guy," Natsumi's scowl curled into a menacing smirk, "I don't make decisions or plans lightly...And I NEVER regret anything..."

"Well, how do you expect to even be noticed by the academy amongst the "rabble"," he asked, making quotation marks with his fingers, "what do you even plan to do to get in as you are now?"

Makoto was about to wish he hadn't asked that. Natsumi's smirk became very Joker-like, practically stretching from one ear to the other.

"Well...I bet if someone in the Main Course were to...let's say...be forced to quit, I could fill their open space," she replied, "like a certain girl who I hate with red hair and freckles, maybe?"

Before Makoto could respond, there was suddenly a loud slamming on wood. Both his and Natsumi's heads snapped behind them where it came from, the latter with a look of ire on her face. The sound had originated from another girl with a similar look of ire back, who had slammed her palm angrily down on the desk.

"Sato-san!?" Makoto exclaimed, recognizing her immediately. However, Sato barely acknowledged Makoto's presence, laser-focusing her contempt gaze on the Kuzuryu.

"Natsumi..." she growled, "I heard that...! You'd better not be planning anything weird, ok?"

"Oh, hey, Sato-san~!" Natsumi's glare morphed once again into a twisted smile, "Long time no talk! What, were you eavesdropping on us?"

"Just answer me!" Sato spat, "Are you or are you not plotting something weird again!?"

"What do you mean by "something weird" exactly?" Natsumi raised a smarmy eyebrow. Sato replied by clenching her teeth and glaring something fierce at her.

"I-I'm sorry, I'm a bit confused," Makoto interjected, "do you two know each other?"

"Not really. We just both went to Light Forest Institute High School before here, and we were in the same photography club..." Natsumi replied in a sort of "it doesn't matter" kind of way.

"If you do ANYTHING to Mahiru..." Sato gnarred, "I will NEVER let you get away with it!"

This attitude made Natsumi drop the pretenses. Despite the fact that Makoto was there, she squared up to Sato with a look of bitterness and malice across her face.

The Biggest Tragic Event in Human History - Danganronpa 3: The End of Hope's Peak Academy

"Don't just strut up to me and start spewing bullshit!" she snapped.

"I'm sorry, WHO'S spewing bullshit! You're scheming something, and I'm just calmly and quietly telling you to stop!" Sato snapped back.

"Don't get so familiar with me, you Plain Jane!" Natsumi scowled, "You're NOTHING compared to me, and you never will be!"

"That's SO rich coming from you!" Sato snarled, "You can't do anything without hiding behind your parents or your brother! You've always been like-"

"H-Hey! Stop! Stop it Hiyori-chan!"

"Mahiru-senpai!?"

"Mahiru!?"

As if the situation couldn't get any more complicated, Mahiru Koizumi suddenly burst into the classroom, panicking, clearly having overheard the scuffle from outside. As soon as she hurried over and pulled Sato away from Natsumi, Natsumi's look of ire and contempt strengthened tenfold.

"Man...You Main Course students are like apex predators, just strutting into lesser animals territory and acting like you own the goddamn place..." she glowered, though still gave another one of her seemingly traditional fake smirks, raising the tone of her voice to just below a shout "Been a long time, Ultimate Photographer...Here to mock us talentless losers again?"

"I have NEVER done such a thing...!" Mahiru gasped.

Mahiru was in a state that Makoto had never seen from her before. Despite her being generally calm, confident, abrasive, and not afraid to speak her mind, she seemed at a complete loss here. Like she didn't know what to do OR say when facing Natsumi.

And Makoto saw that what Natsumi had said about planning things through and not regretting anything...seemed to hold some water. As soon as Mahiru stepped into the classroom and as soon as Natsumi had dropped those words, almost every Reserve Student that had been in the classroom turned their heads to glare at her in antipathy.

"H-Hey!" Makoto frowned, "cut that out!"

Natsumi responded by lifting her head and cackling.

"Hahahaha! I'm just funnin' around! Don't take it so seriously dude!"

"Don't think you can get away with this," Sato growled, "your brother's in the same class as Mahiru, you know?"

Natsumi slammed her palm down on the desk, leaning forward with darkness over her eyes in a glare that looked...lethal. Mahiru whimpered and hid behind Sato, who seemed quite terrified of this gesture herself.

"Yeah, and?" Natsumi hissed, "gonna tattle on me? Just try it. I'll rinse your bodies down in a tub of acid and dump your skeletons in the river...!"

It might have been an empty threat, but it terrified the two girls. Mahiru poked her head out from behind Sato, looking at Natsumi not with anger or fear, but with disappointment.

"You haven't changed a bit..." she remarked.

"Coming from you!? You're the same as you've always been ever since we were in the photography club!" Natsumi scowled, "Still a shitty little goody-two-shoes who secretly looks down on everyone!"

"H-Hey! Seriously, cut it out!" Makoto exclaimed, not that any of them listened to him.

"We're in our third year now, and won't be here for much longer, but are you seriously still so desperate to get into the Main Course that you'd pull Mahiru down to do it!? You're the ABSOLUTE WORST!" Sato barked, "If the Main Course didn't scout you, then that's the facts! You're not good enough, and have no talent! Learn your damn place!"

"Why you-!?" Natsumi snarled, clenching her fist and raising her hand.

"THAT'S ENOUGH! I TOLD YOU TO CUT IT OOOUUT!"

Makoto had had enough. As Natsumi raised her fist to deliver a swing to Sato, Makoto jumped in, grabbed her wrist, and glared fiercely and determinedly into Natsumi's eyes. Understandably, the unexpected animosity and rage in Makoto's eyes put her off, and she backed away, breaking out into a sweat. Makoto then rounded this glare on Sato.

"That goes for you too," he asserted. Sato seemed surprised to be given lip from Makoto, but she couldn't think of a good way to respond. Makoto then quickly turned his head back to Natsumi, who was still glaring at them and clenching her fist.

"Forget talent and anything it constitutes. If that's how you go around treating people, you're the furthest thing from an Ultimate you could possibly be," he snarled at her, "if I was your family, I'd be disappointed in you."

"Y-You...!?" Natsumi was at a loss for words, but frankly, Makoto wasn't about to wait around to find them. He turned around and patted Mahiru and Sato on the shoulders

"We should go," he suggested, "I don't really wanna talk here anymore."

"A-Agreed. C'mon Hiyori-chan...!" Mahiru grabbed Sato by her hand and quickly led her out of the classroom with Makoto in tow. Even when they broke eye contact, both she and Natsumi were baring their fangs at each other.

As the Ultimates and their friend left the classroom, Natsumi stared after them, clenching her fist and gritting her teeth, hissing through them.

"This ain't over..." she uttered under her breath.

Beautiful Afternoon - Danganronpa 3: The End of Hope's Peak Academy

Makoto decided to let Mahiru lead the way, with her not releasing her grip on Sato for a while until they were all far far away from the classroom. They all stopped in an upstairs hallway overlooking the grounds, and once they were sure no one had followed them, Mahiru let go of Sato and exhaled a huge sigh of relief.

"You were...surprisingly cool back there Naegi-kun," she remarked once she'd collected herself, "I...seriously can't thank you enough..."

"Don't worry about it. I'm not afraid of some uptight punk like her," Makoto assured her, "actually, I'm sure she doesn't know this, but I'm pretty good friends with her brother, so I know how to handle the family cliques. I bet if she knew that, she wouldn't be so hoity-toity."

"Seriously?" Mahiru's eyes widened, "Fuyuhiko never mentioned that to me."

"Well, the Kuzuryu-clan own a small pawn shop down the way, and I work there part-time," Makoto explained, "Fuyuhiko-senpai often comes in to help out and check up on the place, so yeah, we're pretty tight. He actually helped me out with a major money problem not too long ago."

"Hehe...Fuyuhiko's bratty and annoying, but he's selfless at his core. I think he's just embarrassed to take credit for any of his good deeds, especially if he's looking out for the underclassmen," Mahiru chuckled, seeming even more relieved, likely because she was worried Makoto might land himself in some trouble. Sato however, just scowled at him.

"I can handle myself, and I'm sure as hell not afraid of her," she said, "I don't need you to protect me."

"I wasn't protecting you," Makoto stated bluntly, "I was trying to stop a fight breaking out. It brings me no joy to say this, but if the people in charge of the Academy found out that a fight broke out here while two Ultimates were present, both of you could kiss your school life here goodbye. I know full well you don't want that."

Sato went quiet, considering this point. Though she detested Makoto's phrasing, she had to admit he was right. She sighed.

"Thanks aside, you owe him an APOLOGY!" Mahiru asserted, crossing her arms, "You went way too far back there, and forced him to intervene!"

"I needed to tell her off," Sato retorted, "Mahiru, you're the hope of everyone in the photography club. I can't just let her get away with spouting shit about you like that when everyone else is rooting for you."

"You're both overreacting! I'm just..." Mahiru's eyes saddened, "I'm just taking the pictures that I want to..."

"I know," Sato sighed, "and I'm confident of one thing. Someday, your photos will spread around the world. And everyone in it will see just how much beauty you bring to it."

"H-Hiyori-chan...!" Mahiru flushed, "d-don't say stuff like that when Naegi-kun is listening!"

"But I agree with her!" Makoto enthused, "Don't listen to what she or your inner thoughts have to say. You deserve your Ultimate Talent, Mahiru-senpai, and everyone knows it."

Mahiru's blush deepened, and the shade of her face slowly began to match her hair. Sato chuckled seeing this, but her expression became awkward and she shuffled in place. She cleared her throat, then addressed Makoto again.

"Well...I guess I do owe you thanks..." she admitted, "and...I'm sorry you got dragged into this."

"If you want to make it up to me, then you can do me a favor if that's alright," Makoto stated. Mahiru nodded eagerly.

"Yes! W-We'll do anything." Mahiru nodded.

"Well, in that case-" Makoto was about to say but then got cut off.

"Oh, but don't go crazy. I don't mean "anything" by anything. So long as it's within reason. I'm not gonna do anything explicit." Mahiru scowled. Makoto rolled his eyes.

"Yes. I know. I wasn't going to..." he grumbled. However, to his surprise, Mahiru's face looked rather guilty post her interruption.

"Yeah, I know...Sorry, a force of habit," she scratched her head, "there are these two guys in my class. Soda and Hanamura. Can't get away with saying that kind of thing to punks like them."

"Don't worry about it. I'm just glad to see you being your regular self again," Makoto acknowledged, "but I don't want, nor need anything explicit. I'm looking for someone. Do either of you know a "Hajime Hinata" by any chance?"

"Hajime Hinata?" Sato parroted, raising her eyebrows, "Man...That's a name I haven't heard in a LONG time..."

"Wait, so you do know him!?" Makoto gasped excitedly. Sato tilted her head side to side in a sort of "kind of, kind of not" sort of way.

"Yeah, actually, he was in my class. He sat behind me," Sato explained "but I'm amazed to be hearing his name now. I haven't seen him in a long time."

"Were you two friends? What happened?" Makoto asked, knowing full well what had happened, but decided to test the waters.

"No, I wouldn't go that far. We barely spoke or anything like that," Sato explained, "he wasn't particularly outstanding or noticeable or anything, but one day about three-quarters into the first year, he just up and vanished. I asked our teachers about it and they said that he'd dropped out because his family couldn't afford to pay the tuition fee anymore."

"Another pack of filthy lies...!" Monomi growled.

"What's with the background check anyway?" Sato asked, "Did something happen with Hinata or something?"

"It's kind of a personal issue that I'm looking into," Makoto told her, "are you sure there's nothing else you can tell me about Hinata-kun? Not like any hobbies or interests that you gleaned from his conversation."

"Not really. Guy never did much to help himself stand out. I only remember him because I've got a good memory," Sato tapped her forehead, "though I guess he did always like to go to the fountain near the school entrance after classes were done."

"Why is that?" Makoto asked.

"Apparently It was to hang out with his friend," Sato explained, "not sure who they were or what they did, but they met up pretty regularly."

"Wait a second," Mahiru interjected, "you're saying that this Hinata guy had a friend that he hung out with after class by the fountain?"

"That is...exactly what I said, yes," Sato nodded, "why?"

Sato, Makoto, and Monomi all looked at Mahiru as she pondered this information for a moment, gently nibbling her finger as she entered deep focus. After a few seconds, she expressed her thoughts.

"Someone in my class is the same way! She often turns down our offers to hang out after class because she goes to meet a friend by the fountain after school to play video games with them," she explained, "I'm pretty sure she once said he was a boy from the Reserve Course!"

"Makoto!" Monomi exclaimed, "Hinata-kun's friend from the Main Course Department that Tengan-san mentioned! That's got to be them!"

"Are you serious!?" Makoto exclaimed.

"Well, THAT can't be a coincidence," Sato remarked.

"Well, I don't know for sure," Mahiru said, "Hiyori-chan said that this guy dropped out near the end of the first year, but my classmate has been meeting with this guy basically ever since year one. I don't know how that would be possible if he hasn't been seen around here in years."

"Yeah...That doesn't add up..." Makoto stopped to give it some patient thought, "still, it's a better lead than nothing. Can you tell me this classmate's name? I might need to speak with her."

Mahiru hesitated for a second, clearly a little skeptical about Makoto's eagerness, and like she wanted to know more details. But in the end, she gave him his answer.

"It's...our class rep," she unveiled, "Chiaki Nanami, the Ultimate Gamer."

"Nanami-senpai?" Makoto parroted.

"That name sounds familiar," Monomi poked her head out of Makoto's hoodie, "Wait...She's that young lady with the galaga-themed hairpin and the hoodie, right?"

"Yeah, the one that you were fond of," Makoto whispered back before turning to Mahiru "How often would you say she goes to the fountain to play with this friend?"

"Uh...Like, every day if she can help it," Mahiru chuckled awkwardly, "if she's not hanging out with us or helping Yukizome-sensei with errands, then that's where you'll find her."

"Perfect. I'll see if I can talk to her this evening!" Makoto pumped his fists, "thank you guys. You are LITERALLY saving my life right now."

"Well, whatever it is that's going on, I hope it goes well," Mahiru smiled, "good luck Naegi-kun and thanks again."

"Catch you on the flip side," Sato saluted casually as Makoto and Monomi made their hasty exit. The two girls watched as he disappeared excitedly down the hallway, leaving them on their own again.

"What a weird guy..." Sato remarked, "Nice...but weird..."

"Yeah...But I'll give him credit. He's far more reliable and cool than I thought he was..." Mahiru added, "Hey. It was my turn to make lunch today, right? I brought us some Hamburger Steaks."

Mahiru's face had broken out into a blissful smile, which in turn infected Sato. She was just glad that her and Makoto's words had cheered her old friend up.

"I'm looking forward to it~" she beamed.

Beautiful Dead - Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc

Around the same time this was happening, Komaru was walking down the busy streets of Shibuya, heading towards the alleyway where Taboo was. She'd already procured a rather hefty knitted back to carry all the team's new supplies in.

"Man, I'm all for getting new members, but it can't be easy discreetly lugging all these heavy weapons around in public," she said to herself as she turned into the alley, "but hey, I'm a Phantom Thief! It's in my nature to be discreet, and if Makoto can do it, then so can I!"

Having said this without thinking, Komaru was glad nobody was around to overhear her. She sighed.

"Man, I'm really bad at this...I gotta keep myself in check," she uttered, "one of these days I'm gonna expose us if I'm not careful."

Komaru stepped into the store but found that no one was there. Spike wasn't behind the counter, and there was no sign of Fuyuhiko either. She quickly checked the door sign to see if it said open on it, which it did, and the door wasn't locked either.

Just when she considered maybe giving up and coming back later, she suddenly heard the sounds of people talking in the back room.

Though she'd only met him once, she recognized Fuyuhiko's gruff voice fairly well, but the other one she didn't recognize. It belonged to a woman with a deep, monotonous tone of voice.

"I hear that Miss Natsumi has been causing quite a bit of trouble in the Reserve Course as of late," the woman said, "it's nothing new, but I imagine you're growing quite concerned with the reports that the Master has been receiving about her behavior."

"Yeah, but it's not like they're gonna go out of their way to keep her in check, we both know it," Fuyuhiko replied, "I always knew it was a bad idea to let her into the Reserve Course just so she could follow me to Hope's Peak, but the damage's been done now..."

"Are you certain that it will be alright? I don't mean to forgo my place. I am simply thinking about the reputation you uphold."

"I don't blame you. She's always been fuckin' nuts, so there's no telling what she might try to pull."

"If you wish it, I can go check on her."

"We've been at this for three years now. How many times do I have to tell you? There's nothing between you and me now. You don't work for me anymore. The gang retired you, Pekoyama."

"Yes...But still..."

"I'm only bringing it up so I can tell you not to do anything crazy or half-cocked like every other damn time...Listen, I gotta get back to the store, so you go have fun. Didn't you agree to go play around with Akane today?"

"That is correct. Alright, I'll be off."

Komaru thought for a moment that she should hide somewhere before the two came out the back, but not only did she not have time, but if she randomly appeared out of nowhere, that would just reinforce the fact that she was eavesdropping. So she stood there awkwardly holding her bag, pretending to check the shelves and act like she hadn't been listening when Fuyuhiko and the woman he was talking to came out the back.

However, she couldn't hide her expression of surprise when she saw just how GORGEOUS the woman was. She was wearing the Hope's Peak Academy Main Course uniform. She was a tall, cool-headed-looking young woman with fair skin. Her long silver hair was arranged in two shoulder-length curling locks that framed her face and fell to the sides of her bangs; tied into two braids on each side of her head, with dark red hair ties at the ends and white ribbons at the bases, and wore thin-framed rectangular glasses that accentuated her bright red eyes.

Most peculiarly, she was carrying a long, thin object that was wrapped in a dark turquoise bag that had a thin white dragon design printed on the back that she carried over her shoulder. Though initially quite level-headed looking, she seemed slightly off-put when she saw Komaru.

"Uuuuuh...Helloooo..." Komaru waved awkwardly, not sure what to say as the two just stared at her, "So that's where you guys were?"

"Is there something you want?" the young woman regained her composed demeanor, seeming to glare into Komaru's soul with her piercing red eyes, slightly terrifying the poor girl.

"Oh, hey, you're Makoto's sister, right?" Fuyuhiko recalled, "You uh...didn't hear us talking back there, did you?"

"I heard something about going to hang out with a friend," Komaru fibbed, "I don't think I heard anything I shouldn't have if that's what you're asking."

Komaru felt like maybe she should explain what she heard to Makoto later, but as of right now, she didn't want any part in any more conspiracies right now. Having to deal with the Kamukura situation was stressful enough, and she had better things to do than butt into someone else's personal affairs.

Even so, her curiosity and peppy nature got the better of her.

"So what's up with this?" Komaru leaned in and whispered, "Is she your girlfriend!?"

"WHAT!?" Fuyuhiko choked, going bright red, "H-Hell no! Sh-She's a classmate! And a regular!"

"My name is Peko Pekoyama. I'm honored to have met you, Ms. Naegi." The silver-haired girl stuck out a hand for her to shake. Komaru awkwardly returned the gesture.

"Nice to meet you too. Peko, huh? That's a cute name!" she smiled.

"Thank you..." the lady seemed to bow.

"So what is it you do?" Komaru inquired, "Your talent, I mean?"

"I am the one they call the Ultimate Swordswoman," she explained, "I've studied the practice of Kendo since I was a young girl, and I consider myself to be quite skilled with a blade."

"Skilled is right," Fuyuhiko smirked, "she's even defeated adult men before."

Komaru was taken aback to learn that a person with the adorable name "Peko Pekoyama" could be such a formidable fighter, but after giving it some thought, it made a lot of sense. She felt as though she was being sliced to pieces just by her gaze alone. Furthermore, the item she was lugging around on her back, now that she thought about it...

"Yes...This is a sword," Peko nodded, like she was reading the girl's thoughts, "do not worry. It isn't real. It's made from bamboo wood, so I would not be able to cut you with it."

"I-I wasn't really..." Komaru said slowly.

"Then again, a strike in the wrong place will inflict lasting harm," she added at the end, "no...Perhaps I should have said, "a strike in the RIGHT place"..."

"That's enough of that, you're freaking her out!" Fuyuhiko grabbed Peko by the shoulders and ushered her out of the shop, "come back another time, ma'am!"

"Bye Pekoyama-chan!" Komaru waved as Peko left the store and disappeared down the road. Once she was gone, Fuyuhiko let out a sigh.

"Sorry...She doesn't mince words...It's honestly kind of a pain..." he said.

"Oh, don't you worry! She's really hot, so I'm not that scared of her," Komaru winked, "intimidated a little, but not scared."

"You're a simple woman, aren't you Komaru-san?" Fuyuhiko looked to be a mix between relieved and confused, "anyway, what can I do for ya'?"

"Oh, yeah! Makoto needed you to appraise some of these items today, but he's occupied," Komaru heaved the bag onto the counter, "so I've brought it today, and I was thinking of buying some junk as well while I'm here. Think you could give me a hand?"

"Same shit as always, huh? Aight. Just wait here." Fuyuhiko winked before disappearing into the back again.

Komaru figured she'd browse the store for a little bit while Fuyuhiko got himself set up. However, as she was starting to peruse the shelves, she suddenly got a notification on her phone. Seeing it was from the Phantom Thieves chatroom, she swiftly opened it up.

----------------------------------------------

PTChat

OneTrueEgg: Kaede! Toko!

OneTrueEgg: I've got a (potential) lead on Hajime Hinata's Main Department friend!

OneTrueEgg: Assuming you haven't found them already.

Pian0Fr3ak: Nothing.

Pian0Fr3ak: We asked basically all of Class 77-A and they've never heard of the guy.

Bookworm: Makes sense. It's not like the Main Course go out of their way to remember any Reserve Course members' names.

Bookworm: To an extent, it makes it easier, since the friend is probably the only person who would recognize the name.

Bookworm: Finding them's still a pain though.

Sweetchi: What's the lead, Makoto?

OneTrueEgg: Before I say anything, how's your progress going along?

Shoot2Thrill: Packages have been delivered.

Shoot2Thrill: Also, I found something that MIGHT pique your interest. I'll tell you about it later.

OneTrueEgg: Why not tell me now?

Shoot2Thrill: 'Cause it's not related to the Hinata stuff.

Sweetchi: Our progress...hasn't been great.

Sweetchi: At least not as much as we would like.

Pian0Fr3ak: Why's that?

Sweetchi: Well, a big part of the plan was to have Mr. Tengan come in to clarify the source of our investigation into the lab.

Sweetchi: But he's not on campus today. So we don't have testimony.

OneTrueEgg: Wait, what!? Where is he!?

Bookworm: He didn't make a run for it, did he?

Sweetchi: After he opened up about everything already, I doubt he would do that. Apparently, it's quite common for him to go on walks after the day is done.

Sweetchi: We just need to wait for him to get back.

OneTrueEgg: Hm...Alright...

Sweetchi: Aside from that, Headmaster Kirigiri wasn't able to dig up any student profiles on the network, or find any files related to Hajime Hinata's initial induction into the Reserve Course.

Sweetchi: It's likely that when he was indoctrinated into the Kamukura Project, the Steering Committee were careful of wiping any and all traces of his existence from government files.

Sweetchi: So even if someone were to happen to remember him, there would be no proof of his existence, at least not within the walls of Hope's Peak.

Shoot2Thrill: I guess we can only get lucky so many times.

Sweetchi: Kyoko-sama told me to keep looking around for any information, but she actually just left campus.

Sweetchi: She didn't tell me where she was going though. I assume she was just heading out to investigate elsewhere since we're not getting an awful lot of information here right now.

OneTrueEgg: Well, I hope that she can come back to us with some results.

Bookworm: Enough about this!

Bookworm: You said you had a lead! What was it!?

OneTrueEgg: Right, well.

OneTrueEgg: My investigation into the Reserve Course got a little...complicated...

OneTrueEgg: I'll explain the full story later, but basically, I ran into both Sato-san and Mahiru-senpai, and collectively we might have made a breakthrough.

OneTrueEgg: It turns out that for the past three years she's been at the school, Nanami-senpai from Class 77-B has been meeting a friend from the Reserve Course by the entrance near the fountain to play games.

Pian0Fr3ak: Ok, that's definitely noteworthy.

Bookworm: Three years though? Hinata didn't even get through one year.

Bookworm: If Nanami regularly meets with this kid, then are we sure it's not a completely different person?

OneTrueEgg: No, I'm not sure.

OneTrueEgg: But Sato-san and Mahiru-senpai both said that Hajime Hinata and Chiaki Nanami usually went to hang out near the same place after school to hang out with a friend.

OneTrueEgg: It's not too farfetched to make a connection if they are doing the same thing, at the same place, at the same time

Shoot2Thrill: Then I guess as far as leads go, we should follow up on it.

Shoot2Thrill: And by we I mean you guys because...y'know.

OneTrueEgg: You guys check Class 77-B's homeroom.

OneTrueEgg: We're gonna check the fountain to see if she's there.

Pian0Fr3ak: Alright, you got it!

Sweetchi: I'll stick around and see if there's any more information I can get on Hajime Hinata's profile. The Steering Committee might have left something behind. I've got to make sure.

OneTrueEgg: Alright, good luck Shuichi.

OneTrueEgg: I'll get back to you guys as soon as I can.

"There she is..." Makoto muttered as he and Monomi finally arrived at the Academy gates.

As they might have expected, when they got there, the courtyard was mostly empty, save for a single solitary young lady, sitting on the bench by the fountain, staring at the screen of the game console in her hands. Her pale mauve hair curled slightly at the ends, her short straight bangs split to the right, a white hairclip shaped like the spaceship from Galaga stuck to a strand of her hair, and her flowery pink eyes gave her a drowsy appearance.

Chiaki Nanami, the Ultimate Gamer. Truth be told, Makoto had always been quite interested in her as a person. She seemed rather simplistic, but there was a lot more to her than met the eye. He had become even more interested after hanging out with his upperclassmen.

Even though she had a very quiet and reserved nature, Chiaki was described by her classmates as a very dependable and hardworking person, notably from how she organized multiple group activities every day and persuaded even Fuyuhiko to participate despite his harsh nature. It seemed that even the self-deprecating Nagito Komaeda realized that Chiaki would always extend an invitation to him, even if no one else did.

In retrospect, if anyone from the Main Course was going to be best friends with a Reserve Course student, it was her.

"Sure enough, she's waiting by the fountain..." Makoto said to himself quietly as they watched Chiaki from a distance, "Maybe she's not waiting for Hinata after all..."

"Makoto..." Monomi poked her head out of his hood, "is it just me, or does something seem wrong with her?"

"What are you talking about?" Makoto turned his head to look at his fluffy friend.

"I don't know...I can't exactly put my paw on it," Monomi explained, "but she seems pretty depressed about something...Maybe she's lonely..."

"But Mahiru-senpai said that she comes to sit by the fountain after school every," Makoto reminded her, "why would she do that if she wasn't waiting to meet with someone?"

"Well, in that case, maybe she just likes being alone?" Monomi suggested, "Everyone needs time to themselves. A time to recollect. Wind down. You know?"

"I don't think so. Nanami-senpai is usually pretty social and outgoing, even though she usually sticks to her games," Makoto considered, "besides if she was really trying to wind down, why not do it in her dorm room?"

"Fair point. I'm just worried about her. She doesn't look happy right now," Monomi pointed back towards the fountain, "like something's bothering-Where did she go!?"

"Huh!?"

Non Stop Action - Danganronpa 3: The End of Hope's Peak Academy

Makoto's head snapped back towards the fountain bench, and as Monomi had observed, Chiaki had vanished! Makoto immediately dashed to the bench.

"What in the-!? Where did she-!?" he gasped, but then he felt Monomi's paw drumming his shoulder.

"Makoto! Over there! She's left through the gates!"

Makoto's head turned towards the front gates, and sure enough, Chiaki was already passing through them. She turned the corner, walking down the road towards the station square, not taking her eyes away from the game console in her hands, yet somehow still managing to keep her wits about her and walk perfectly straight.

"Where is she going!?" Monomi gasped, "And how is she already so far ahead of us!?"

"It looks like she's heading to the station!" Makoto exclaimed, "We've gotta catch up with her! Hold on tight Monomi!"

"Hold on-WAAGGH!?" Monomi cried, clinging desperately to Makoto's hoodie as he broke out into a run straight towards Chiaki, "Makoto, what are you doing!? That's the wrong direction! You need to go through the gate first!"

"Ha! Who do you think you're talking to!?" Makoto smirked, "We're going over!"

"What do you mean!?" Monomi squealed.

In a dramatic flourish of movement, Makoto sped up, then jumped as high as he could, attempting to vault the school gate with his Phantom Thief skills. He flew through the air and-!

*BANG!* *SPLAATTT!*

Non Stop Action - Danganronpa 3: The End of Hope's Peak Academy

...Smashed face-first into the fence.

With Monomi staring open-mouthed in abject horror, Makoto, forehead bruised and nose bleeding, flopped onto the ground like a teddy bear that had just been flung at the wall. A few students who were passing by all stopped to look at the human mess on the asphalt, while his pet bunny rabbit bounced off him and (had she been a little bigger) crowded over his body.

"UWAWAWAWAH!? ARE YOU OK!?" she squeaked in a panic. Makoto, dizzy and dazed, heaved himself up and clasped his face.

"I'm- *SPLUTTER!* *COUGH!*...I'm ok...!" he grunted, "I just...forgot...I'm in the real world right now...! Just a regular high school student...! I can't fly here..."

"Well, that WOULD make things a bit easier..." Monomi nodded, "we need to hurry though! If she gets to the station and on the train, we'll lose her! Dust yourself off and let's keep that blood pumping!"

"Y-Yes ma'am..." Makoto pulled himself up, supporting himself on the fence. Once he regained his balance and composure, he exited through the gates (the normal way this time) and began to pursue Chiaki.

Whether it was because Chiaki was unnaturally quick on her feet, or the fact that Makoto's clumsy stumble had fatigued him, he wasn't able to catch up with his gamer senpai until he made it to station square. He saw her, eyes still on her game console, heading down the steps to the underground.

"Sorry!" he exclaimed as he pushed past a woman on a phone call as he descended the steps after her, this time being careful not to stumble and trip. He then dashed down the escalator as fast as he could, trying to maneuver his way past the other passengers on it. Once he got to the bottom, he arrived in the middle of the station and frantically looked around for any sign of Chiaki.

"Makoto, over there!" Monomi exclaimed, "Inokashira Line, 4 o'clock!"

Makoto spun around in that direction to indeed see Chiaki swipe her train pass and walk through the barricade. He immediately followed, quickly patting his pocket to find his own pass.

"Where the hell is she going!?" Makoto exclaimed, spending what felt like 2 whole minutes looking before he found it, swiping his card and bursting through the barricade, following her down towards the platform.

Once he got on the Inokashira Line platform, Makoto saw that the train had already pulled in and was getting ready to make its exit, with the automated announcer over the loudspeakers declaring as such. To his dismay, Chiaki was already at the other end of the platform, and calmly stepping on. And of course, her eyes were still focused on her game.

"How does she do that!?" Makoto huffed, exhausted and gasping for air.

"It doesn't matter right now!" Monomi urged him, "Just get on the train! You can reach her by going through the carriages! HURRY!"

Pushed on by his plucky rabbit companion, Makoto practically dived into the train carriage nearest to him just as the doors shut. He almost made it through, however, his foot got caught in the door just as they closed.

"Ah! AAGH! ANKLE! ANKLE! ANKLE!" he shrieked. Having seen this, another passenger, a man with short black hair in a business suit, jumped up and pressed the button to open the doors. This freed Makoto and caused him to tumble into the carriage.

"Are you alright!?" the man, and a few other strangers who saw this commotion, crowded round Makoto and helped him to his feet.

"Yeah, I'm good! Thank you very much!" he briefly thanked them before he squeezed his way down the carriage past all the people, "Sorry! Sorry! Coming through! Sorry!"

It was a long, arduous, and frustrating process to get through the train carriages. The rush hour had made them especially busy at this time of day, and it only made getting to Chiaki more of a trial than it should have been. However, he only got through about three of the carriages before he hit a huge roadblock of people in the way.

"Ugh! I'm never gonna reach her like this!" he grumbled. However, once again, he noticed Monomi scratching his back to get his attention.

"Makoto! She just got off!" she cried.

Makoto pressed his face up against the train window to see that, as Monomi had pointed out, Chiaki had exited the carriage in front of his and was walking off the platform, her head still in her game console.

Desperately, he shoved past the other passengers to get to the door and jumped out to follow. But not before his other foot got closed between them.

"AGH! Not again!" he snapped, hammering the button with his fist and hopping on one foot as he rubbed his sore one. As he hopped to the edge of the platform, he finally noticed the signboard suspended above him, and only just now realized where the chase had taken the two of them: Kichijōji Station.

"Why would Nanami-senpai come to Kichijōji?" Makoto wondered, standing on two feet again before running out of the station to continue pursuing his upperclassman.

"We can figure that out later," Monomi exclaimed, "she's over there!"

The station that they had exited was on a road bridge, where opposite the road was a flight of steps that led to the road underneath. As soon as they made it out of the station, Monomi spotted Chiaki walking down these steps.

"Thank god for your keen eyes!" Makoto complimented before giving chase, "Nanami-senpai! Wait up-AGGCK!?"

Makoto let out a cry as Monomi suddenly bit down on and yanked the hood of his jacket, hoisting him back. Though he was about to complain, he quickly realized the reason she did this was because he was about to run straight into the road while the light was green and get hit by a speeding car. Though briefly choked, Makoto caught his breath and turned to face her.

"Are you trying to get yourself killed!?" she snapped, "look both ways before you cross the street, and check that the light is red! Did you not learn this in first grade!?"

"Sorry!" Makoto blurted out, before noticing the light was red and dashing across, "Nanami-senpai! Hold up! I need to speak with-WOAGH!?"

"MAKOTO!?"

"AGH! OOF! UGH! GAGH! FUCK! DAGH! OW! ACK! GRAGH!?"

These rather painful sound effects came about as a result of Makoto running a bit too fast across the road and slipping over his laces as he got to the steps, which he proceeded to plummet and roll down. Monomi was just able to jump off him in time to avoid the same fate but panicked and chased him down. Makoto fell flat on his face once he reached the bottom of the stairs, and couldn't do anything except groan.

"Today is just...not my day..." Makoto grunted, covered in even more bruises and dirt than he was at the start of this cartoonish chase.

"Are you alright!?" she asked him. The white side of her fur seemed to be turning grey from all the stress she'd just been put under.

"Nothing I haven't handled before..." he assured her, crawling up and dusting himself off, "but I can't just let her get away...! Come on!"

Monomi jumped back into Makoto's hood as he once again broke out into a run after the gamer girl.

Having paid complete and total attention to her game, as well as wearing headphones that blocked out all noise around her, Chiaki Nanami was blissfully unaware of Makoto Naegi's pursuit of her...and the wringer he'd been put through during it.

The average person probably wouldn't be able to survive if they had their eyes glued to a console and their hearing blocked by noise-canceling headphones, but this was the Ultimate Gamer. She could do it pretty easily.

But once she turned the corner into a quiet part of the neighborhood, she regained awareness of her surroundings, partially due to how the screen of her video game displayed a big red message that read "YOU DIED!"

Chiaki pulled her headphones off and sighed. The game she was playing was what was commonly known as a roguelike; a type of role-playing game that was commonly distinguished by turn-based gameplay, grid-based movement, dungeon crawling through procedurally generated levels, and player character death that was permanent.

Chiaki had to have played this game at least 1000 times already, but this by far was her worst run of it yet. Even though she could have easily just started another run, for the first time in what felt like a very long time, she just...wasn't feeling it.

Chiaki looked up listlessly towards the building next to her. She'd passed by it a few times in her life, but never really took much note of it before now.

"Kichijōji Therapy Center" was what was displayed on the illuminated sign on the front. Chiaki had never really felt the need for therapy over the course of her life. However, given how glum she was feeling, maybe it wasn't such a bad idea right now. She'd have to talk to her parents about it.

Although, it might not have been necessary after all. Chiaki already knew full well what it was that was making her so upset.

How long had it been now? Three years, and she was going to graduate at the end of this year...And yet after all this time, she couldn't get it out of her mind...The first day of high school as a Hope's Peak student...and that fateful encounter she had...

"Hey...That's...Gala-Omega, right?"

"You know it!? You're the first like, EVER!"

"Uh...yeah?"

"Haa! It's a classic, don't you agree!? There's nothing else like it in the whole genre!"

"Y-Yeah, classic! I New Game +'d it 5 times in a row once...!"

"Are you serious!?"

"Y-Yes! Cross my heart!"

"Haha! I know how tough that is. I did 10 in a row once."

"Uh...ahaha...That blows mine out of the water..."

"It's just...I've never met anyone who can play games just as much as me before. Someday I wanna see your very best run, alright?"

"Huh? I uh...s-sure..."

It had been a brief conversation, but that was all it took. This had happened before Chiaki had even been selected as class rep. Before she had gotten so close to her own classmates. In a way, that boy was the first person that she'd ever called a friend. She was ordinarily very asocial, but had learned to open up, and became a lot more talkative when discussing games. And she could talk about games for hours with that young man.

Since then, the two had been getting together at the same fountain after school. Whenever Chiaki asked him to play games, she would frequently make him play her favorite game several times. Chiaki loved and cherished their time together, and they had fun playing together, even though he was occasionally irritated by the fact that she would always beat him and even wondered why Chiaki would want to play with him.

Unfortunately for her, those good times weren't going to last. Only a few months later, that boy had disappeared.

Without even saying goodbye...

Thinking about it all now made Chiaki want to cry. She didn't have much reason to cry often, but sometimes she wondered if maybe having waited all this time for him to come back had been a waste. What had she even been doing?

"It was my fault...I was too pushy with him..." she whimpered, "I'm supposed to be our class's leader...But I only ever caused him trouble...I was selfish...I shouldn't blame him for not wanting to see me again..."

Her arms went limp and sad, and she became despondent as she basked in the feelings of regret that washed through her. Dammit, why now? Even so, she was still unable to ignore some of the onlookers' chatter, especially from a stylish couple who were talking loudly.

"C'mon hun! I wanna go to that cool crepe shop down the alley! You said you'd take me there!" the girlfriend whined, much to her boyfriend's dismay.

"Yeah, I know, just a sec," he promised, "I know it's around here somewhere. All these streets look the same."

"Just use your phone satnav, it won't steer you wrong," she suggested, "so like, where are we now? Follow the map from here."

"Uh...I dunno...That building looks like...some kinda foundation or somethin'" the boyfriend remarked, "just gimme a sec..."

Chiaki, feeling weirdly bothered by how this couple could still find joy even in their shortcomings, let out an exasperated and annoyed sigh.

"It's a Therapy Center," she huffed, puffing her cheeks out like a disgruntled hamster, "that's not what a foundation is..."

However, as she said this, she suddenly felt something vibrate in her skirt pocket. She reached in and took out her mobile phone. Her parents had recently purchased her this model, which was the most recent one, so she had yet to have a chance to download any notable apps. But when she stared at the screen, she immediately saw that something was off...

In the center of her phone was a red symbol that looked like an eye.

"What is this...?" she uttered to herself. But just as she was about to tap it, she got distracted.

"NANAMI-SENPAAAI!"

Chiaki jolted in surprise and looked down the other end of the street where she saw a boy wearing the same uniform as her, crouched down and huffing and puffing in exhaustion.

"N-Naegi-kun?" she said, recognizing him, "what are you doing...here?"

Unbeknownst to Chiaki, as Makoto started fumbling his tired body towards her, her thumb slipped and slid across the symbol on her phone. And she only noticed when she heard an announcement come from her phone's speaker.

[BEGINNING NAVIGATION]

A Dead End To The Ocean's Aroma - Danganronpa 2: Goodbye Despair

Things then began to get freaky. Chiaki gasped as the world around her began to distort, morph, and change. Makoto witnessed this as well, but recognizing the sensation, the sense of shock and surprise he and his bunny buddy experienced was rather different.

"Monomi!" he exclaimed, "isn't this-!?"

Before he could get a response, he suddenly heard a rather loud thud behind him. He quickly turned around to see Monomi had fallen on her rear after dropping out of his hoodie.

But the reason, he quickly discovered, was that his hoodie was no longer there! Neither was the rest of his uniform! He patted his body to confirm that he wasn't seeing things, but somehow, he had indeed transformed into his Phantom Thief attire! On top of that, Monomi had changed from her rabbity form to her cartoonish mascot body that she took on when she was in the Metaverse.

"This atmosphere...!" Monomi gasped, standing on her legs, "There's no doubt! It's a Palace!"

"We just entered the Metaverse!? But...how!?" Makoto asked, "I never activated the nav!"

Monomi quickly pondered it, but her eyes shot open with realization.

"Wait!" she exclaimed "Wasn't Chiaki-chan on her phone when we found her just now? You don't suppose that she...?"

"You think Nanami-senpai has the MetaNav on her phone!?" Makoto exclaimed, "If that's the case, then she's probably somewhere in here with us!"

"That does indeed seem to be the case. She was a fair distance away from us when we got transported here," Monomi recalled, "this isn't good. She can't fight like we can."

"Then we have to find her, and fast!" Makoto asserted, "I don't see her on the streets, which means she probably ended up...in there..."

Basically, the entire precinct of Kichijōji had been replaced by what looked like a military camp of some kind, though not one that radiated any kind of discomfort or stress like you would expect. Right at the center of it, separated from the Phantom Thieves by a small iron-barred gate that led down a pathway towards the front. Makoto could only describe the shape of the towering building in the middle as "rocket-shaped," like the entire establishment was about to take off into the atmosphere at a given notice.

"Is this...Hinata's Palace?" Leprechaun wondered. Usami shook her head.

"I don't think so. Hinata saw Hope's Peak Academy as his Palace, and we're miles away from there," she said "This belongs to somebody else. Why don't you check the MetaNav?"

Leprechaun pulled his phone out and opened up the MetaNav to check his location. However, as he did, something seemed...odd.

"What's the matter?" Usami asked, noticing the confused look on his face.

"I...don't know," he replied, frowning at his screen, "it's definitely picking up a location, but I can't read whose Palace it is. It's like it's been...censored or something."

"Censored...?" Monomi pondered, "could it be the work of the Palace's ruler?"

"Is that even possible?" Leprechaun asked.

"Well, I wouldn't know. The important thing is that regardless of whether we have a name or not, we haven't been barred entrance into the Palace itself," she affirmed, "if Chiaki-chan really is inside, then we need to hurry. Let's head past these gates and down the pathway."

"Alright!" Leprechaun replied as Usami leaped up to the gate and vaulted over it. However, right before he jumped, he hesitated. Usami rolled her beady black eyes.

"Leprechaun, we're in the Metaverse now," she sighed, "you can make the jump this time."

"I-I know! I'm just making sure!" he snapped. After composing himself and taking some deep breaths, he vaulted the gate to the establishment, successfully this time. Once he was through, he and Usami ran down the path toward the large tower in front of them.

"Hold on Nanami-senpai!" he uttered under his breath, "we're coming!"

The Phantom Knight

Chapter Summary

Leprechaun and Usami jump into the new and mysterious Palace to rescue Chiaki Nanami. However, inside, they meet a helmeted warrior with an all-too-familiar power, who has his own plans for her. Leprechaun must fight this unnamed warrior to protect Chiaki and get his friends out of the Palace in one piece.

Chapter Notes

See the end of the chapter for notes

Melancholy Touch - Danganronpa 3: The End of Hope's Peak Academy

Something about this new mysterious Palace put Makoto off. And yes, while that wasn't unusual, this time it was a different sort of unease.

Up until now, every Palace that he and the Phantom Thieves had busted into had been different. Towa's Prison, Kirigiri's Theater, Kaede's Gala, and even Mementos all carried their individual traps, tricks, and enemies that the team had battled their way through, snuck around, and explored, but one thing that remained chronic throughout all of them was the ominous sense of foreboding and evil to them. Fitting, considering they WERE places where humanity's distorted desires culminated. However, this Palace felt very...different...This Palace felt...

Calming.

With no other obvious way to get inside, they entered through the front door. Despite how intimidating it looked from the outside when Leprechaun and Usami made it in, the environment around them became very comforting. The air was clean, the walls were white and gold, the area was well-lit, and there wasn't an enemy to be seen.

Which somehow made the experience all the more intimidating. The Thieves leader was so calmed by the atmosphere that he felt himself being lured into a false sense of security, and had to make sure he kept his guard up.

"I'm not quite certain, but this place seems to have taken the form of...some sort of corporate research institute...I wonder what it is they're researching...?" Usami pondered aloud, twiddling her magic stick, "I don't see Chiaki-chan anywhere. Maybe we should head further in?"

"Yeah..." Leprechaun nodded, "But let's stick together. Something's off about this place, and I don't know how comfortable I feel going in when it's just the two of us."

"Don't worry. All we need to do is go in and get Chiaki-chan out," Monomi reassured him, "it won't take that long."

"Don't jinx it..." Leprechaun sighed.

"Hm...I fancy that if we find a way up to that scaffolding above us, it will give us a bird's eye view of the floor," Usami pointed upwards towards some footholds suspended in the air, "it'll make finding Chiaki-chan a lot easier."

Makoto agreed to this idea and cast his grappling hook to the scaffolding, with his rabbit pal casting her own straight after. They hoisted themselves up and scanned the floor for any sign of a human presence.

"I don't see her anywhere...!" Leprechaun growled, "dammit! Where is she!?"

"Calm down Leprechaun!" Usami snapped, "She can't have gone far. Be mindful of your emotions, or else they betray your senses."

"What are you, a Jedi?" he snarked back.

"H-Hey! Who's there!?"

Makoto's ears pricked up when he heard the familiar cry of his upperclassman close by.

"That was her!" he exclaimed, "but...where is she!?"

"Leprechaun! Over there!" Usami asserted, pointing one of her chubby paws towards the north of the Palace. Leprechaun followed her gesture to see a wide staircase leading up to what appeared to be a receptionist lobby. And standing right in the middle of it was Chiaki, as Makoto could tell from her backpack.

The two immediately cast out their lines and jumped over a wall separating the rooms, but as they drew closer, they noticed that something black and foreboding was splashed on the crisp white ground in front of the Ultimate Gamer.

She herself seemed to be terrified of it as the ooze approached her, but what happened next was against any and all expectations anyone could have set.

The ooze began to rise and take form, akin to how most Shadows did, but the form this one took was unique indeed. They had seen this figure before.

That same long hair...That same uniform...Those same red piercing eyes, which now stared at the bewildered Chiaki Nanami...

A Dead End to the Ocean's Aroma - Danganronpa 2: Goodbye Despair

"Th-That's-!?" Leprechaun exclaimed, covering his mouth in case he gave away his presence.

"No way...!" Usami gasped, "Izuru Kamukura!? But...why is HE here!?"

"You're absolutely certain that this isn't Hinata's Palace, right?" Leprechaun checked again. Usami nodded.

"Positive," she replied, "and now that I'm looking at it...Yes...That's not the real one at all..."

"You mean it's a cognition?" the green-clad leader asked.

"Mm...Sort of..." Usami replied cryptically, "we've come across this kind of thing before. What we're looking at is a Shadow that's been combined with a cognition. I don't know how to best explain it, but essentially, it's the same case as how Monaca-chan was in Towa's Palace. Remember? How she took the form of a terrible beast?"

"Ah, yeah, I remember," Leprechaun recalled, "but wait, that means Nanami-senpai is in danger!"

"Indeed it does," Usami nodded with determination, "we can't afford to wait around anymore. We need to-"

"Hinata-kun?"

The two thieves were about to leap into the fray, but overhearing Chiaki's words, they froze. They stared down at her and the cognition shaped like Kamukura. Even though she was facing away from them, and despite the distance, Leprechaun saw even that her body was still and calm; tensed up only slightly; not out of fear, but out of surprise.

"She just called him Hinata-kun...!" he observed, "she...recognizes him...!?"

"I changed my mind," Usami crouched back down, "let's wait and watch for a second, but be ready to jump in at a moment's notice."

"You...I recognize that face...You look just like him but also...kind of don't..." she slowly began to approach the figure, "Is this where you've been all this time...?"

The cognition simply stared back at Chiaki with the blank face Makoto and the others had come to associate with Izuru Kamukura so far, but to his surprise, it opened its mouth and spoke.

"You speak as if you know me..." it uttered. These simple words were enough to get Chiaki's legs to tremble.

"Then...you're not...?" she whispered before clenching her fist, "no...! No, I know your face! It's been a while but I remember how you look clearly! There's no way you're not Hinata-kun!"

"Hmph..." Kamukura scoffed, "I apologize for disappointing you. Whoever it is you're looking for, he's gone now. Everything he was was replaced to make way for me."

"Replaced? Wh-What are you talking about!?" Chiaki gasped.

"...This is boring..." Kamukura sighed, turning around and leaving.

Desperately upon seeing this, Chiaki ran forward and tried to grab his sleeve to stop him, but before she could, the Shadow disappeared. Her hands trembled, and once she processed what she had just witnessed, she fell to the floor on her knees. She buried her face in her hands and started sobbing.

"P-Please...I just found you...!" she cried, "don't...don't go away again...!"

"Nanami-senpai..." Makoto felt a strong feeling of sadness well up inside him as he watched this. Slowly but surely, he was starting to put the pieces together.

However, he didn't have time to dwell on it, as all of a sudden, several puddles of black and red goo started to rise from the ground around his upperclassman, which was enough to get her to snap out of her depressive trance. Familiar with this occurrence, Leprechaun watched as a small group of hefty Shadow guards rose from the floor.

Chiaki gasped and fell backwards in fright as the monsters appeared in front of her. One by one, more of them popped up of different shapes and sizes, but the smaller ones appeared to be wearing white business suits with black ties. On their black faces were, weirdly enough, white masks that looked like the happy face emoji.

"You're in pain...In Despair..." the one closest to Chiaki started to approach her, prompting her to crawl backward along the ground, "you've felt the pain of loneliness...of abandonment...for a long time now...Be at ease...We can help you..."

"N-No! What did you do to Hinata-kun!?" Chiaki cried, "s-stay away from me!"

"Do not be alarmed..." the Shadow reached out towards her, "we are...here...to help..."

"NANAMI-SENPAAAAAIII!"

What You Wish For - Persona 5 Strikers

Leprechaun couldn't wait any longer, and he jumped down from his vantage point, casting out his grappling hook so that it hooked the incoming Shadow by the face. He hoisted himself forward and grasped its mask, tearing it off! The Shadow screamed and morphed into its true form; an Evil Synthetic Organism, but before it could attack, Leprechaun immediately punched it in the face.

Usami was of a similar mind. She also cast out her hook and followed, the tiny angel wings on her back flapping as if she were flying in the air. In a movement showing off her expertise, Monomi released the hook, bounced off Leprechaun's head, pulled out her party popper, and blasted the other Shadows backward. As they collapsed, they also morphed into creatures of differing shapes and sizes, including a Spear-wielding General and a Dream-Dwelling Skull. Leprechaun and Usami readied themselves and backed up so that they stood perfectly in front of Chiaki, protecting her from any incoming attacks.

"Are you alright Nanami-senpai!?" Leprechaun exclaimed, "You're not hurt, are you?"

"That...That voice...!" Chiaki replied, more startled than anything, "Naegi-kun from Class 78-A!? Why are you here!?"

"We came to get you out of this place!" he asserted, quickly turning back to the Shadows as they grew closer.

"I understand that you might have many questions," Usami turned her head towards her, "but they'll have to wait. We won't be getting anywhere while these guys are still ready to rumble."

"And who are you?" Chiaki gasped, "An...Angel Rabbit?"

"I'm not a-! Wait...Angel? That's uh..." Usami snapped, yet immediately simpered, becoming suddenly bashful, "That's...really nice...th-thank you..."

"You can be flustered later! Incoming!" Leprechaun snapped as the Shadows started charging towards them.

"The Chairman resents the pain you feel!" the Shadow in the lead shouted, "We will heal you of your Despair!"

"Chairman...? No...it can wait...!" Leprechaun snarled, "bring it!"

As the spear-wielding Shadow jumped onto him, Leprechaun reeled back and kicked it in the stomach, immediately pulling out his revolver and shooting it between the eyes. The Shadow fell back from the bullet, crumbling along the ground as its allies rushed in.

As two enemies got on both sides of him, Leprechaun shot one of them point-blank yet again, then lunged and elbowed the second in the gut before, again, shooting it in the face. Another spear-wielding warrior rushed from behind, and using his fighting instincts, Leprechaun backflipped over its jab and shot it in the back of its head.

When he landed, one of the skull Shadows tried to crash down on him, but he strapped his gun back into its holster and span around, uppercutting it in the process and launching it up into the air, before it crashed back down into a pile of mesh.

"Wow! So cool!" Chiaki's eyes sparkled, "he's like a fighting character in a video game!"

"I understand your marvel, but keep your wits about you, dear child!" Usami urged her, "This is no game. This is very much a real, dangerous situation!"

To emphasize this point, Usami blasted two incoming Shadows with her party popper, then grabbed her magic stick and started to hammer the others that got too close. She started bouncing around the Shadows, knocking them down one by one. However, one of them blocked her attack with its spear and thrust her back into the air, but Usami flipped through the sky and her body started to glow with the familiar blue energy.

However, one of them blocked her attack with it's spear and thrusted her back into the air, but Usami flipped through the sky and her body started to glow with the familiar blue energy

"Rise Mr. A!" she declared, summoning her Persona and having it blast the enemies below her with a wave of psychic energy, while Chiaki watched her in shock and awe. Leprechaun saw this before turning back to face an incoming selection of spear-wielding warriors.

Leprechaun saw this before turning back to face an incoming selection of spear-wielding warriors

"So...you like playing with spears, do you? Well, two can play at that game!" he snapped, "Assault Dive, Tam Lin!"

Leprechaun swiped his mask off his face, and it flamed into the form of a white-haired fairy warrior with turquoise shining armor, a silver cape, and a sturdy polearm of its own, sending it diving toward the enemies and crashing in the middle of them. It then proceeded to aid the Lucky Student in fending off the other enemies that came at them.

There were a lot of enemies to contend with, and it was hard to put them all down for good, but for just the two of them and with an innocent bystander to support, Leprechaun and Usami were doing rather well. As the fighting raged on, the exhausted Shadows had to back up to collect themselves. The Phantom Thieves also needed a quick break.

"We can't keep this up forever," Usami stated, "we need to keep these guys down long enough so that we can get away."

"Yeah, I know..." Leprechaun nodded, "but that's easier said than-"

"That's enough!"

The Biggest Tragic Event in Human History - Danganronpa 3: The End of Hope's Peak Academy

The situation then took a turn that none of them there could have expected. The Shadows momentarily relaxed as a commanding, and also somewhat high-pitched voice, suddenly shouted out from behind them. The Palace fell silent, and the only sound that echoed throughout the pristine walls were the noises of heavy bootsteps.

"What's going on now...!?" Chiaki gasped, exasperated. Leprechaun and Usami instinctively drew closer to her in fear of what was about to happen.

After a second or two, the enemy Shadows parted, and in the middle of them marched a humanoid character.

This person was unlike any Shadow or cognition that Makoto or Monomi had seen before. He didn't seem to be giving off the same intimidating aura as the Shadows, and yet didn't appear to be a friendly face either. Based on their body structure, they appeared to be a young male, about the same height, and potentially same age, as Makoto.

The stranger wore grey/silver low-rise jeans, a navy-blue zip-up body jacket underneath the coat, orange gloves, orange ankle bracelets with golden buckles, white armored boots with golden toes and soles, and a golden belt. Their white jacket had orange stripes down the shoulders and sleeves completing the ensemble; with the coat bearing an energizing design featuring ascending orange flames. The flame pattern persisted inside, but the colors were inverted. But the figure's mask and helmet stood out the most from the outfit. The stranger's whole head was covered by a white helmet with an orange dome. And the star-shaped mask, which appeared to be a part of the helmet, was a deep red color.

The mask was semi-transparent, but from the distance and with the light reflecting off it, Leprechaun had no way of gleaning this stranger's identity. Instead, he turned his head towards his ally.

"Usami..." he whispered, "is that the Palace ruler?"

Usami didn't reply. She just stared intensely at the new arrival with a furrowed brow. The stranger cast an orange-gloved hand out towards them.

"This area of off limits," he declared, "I don't know how it is you got here, but I can call off these Shadows if I so wish to. Surrender yourselves, and this doesn't have to get messy."

"Surrender?" Leprechaun parroted, "Surrender to what? What's going on here!? Who are you!?"

The stranger hesitated for a moment before he responded.

"That...You don't need to know," he said, "but I'm NOT your enemy. If you just surrender, we don't have to do this the hard way."

"Do WHAT the hard way!?" Makoto snapped, "Are you in charge of this place!? What's your goal!?"

"No...No that's not it," Usami finally replied after a long pause, "that boy isn't the Palace ruler...In fact...he's not a Shadow at all..."

"He's not?" Leprechaun frowned, "then...is he a cognition?"

"No, not that either..." Usami shook her head, "I...I'm struggling to believe this myself to be honest...But this young man appears to be a completely real human from outside of this world, just like you...!"

"What!?" Makoto's eyes shot open as he stared back at the armored figure, who clicked his tongue.

"That rabbit friend of yours has sharp eyes," he nodded, "it's true that I'm not a Shadow nor a cognition, and that I'm not the Palace ruler...But I have my own reasons for being in this place."

"Well, we're not here to get in your way," Leprechaun asserted, "we're here to get Nanami-senpai out, so stay out of ours."

"I can't do that..." the mysterious knight replied, "now that she's seen this place, I can't just let her leave...Not without treating her..."

"What do you mean by that?" Usami snapped, "That sounds suspicious!"

"You...You said something about the Despair I feel," Chiaki finally stood up, stepping forward, though she was stopped from advancing when Leprechaun stuck his hand out, "is that what you're talking about? Is it related to Hinata-kun somehow?"

"Who can say for certain? All I know is that the Shadows in this place recognized that you needed help...and that you feel Despair that originates from loss," the masked man explained, "I'll admit you seem relatively fine, but when people fall into the depths of Despair, they lose their minds and start to crave that Despair like a drug. The purpose of this place is to heal people of the sadness they feel and to make them live the lives that they're most happy with. Tell me, Nanami-san...What eats at you?"

Chiaki hesitated but suddenly jumped as she felt something hold her hand. Usami reached up and took her by her fingers with her stubby hands, holding her warmly to reassure her.

"You don't have to answer anything that you're asked if you don't want to," she said, "it will be ok. We're here."

"I..." Chiaki began to tremble with sadness, "I just...miss my old friend...I haven't seen him in a long time, and he didn't even say goodbye to me...I just..."

"In that case...we can let you live in a reality where your friend is still with you," the knight reached out a hand, "all the damage that's eating you up inside can be reversed, and you won't even remember anything that happened in this place...I promise you, I only want to help. WE only want to help."

"Hm...I may not be able to see his expression clearly, but it doesn't sound like he's lying..." Usami pointed out, "his tone of voice is earnest enough..."

"Be that as it may, I'm not so sure about this..." Leprechaun glowered, "Even if you really do have good intentions, that sounds awfully a lot like brainwashing to me. Can you really call that hope and salvation? Forcing someone to be happy?"

"I'm not-!" the knight lost his composure for a brief second, but forced himself to calm down, "I understand that you're skeptical, but I weighed the pros and cons a long time ago. Human beings are weak. We're infinitely susceptible to Despair. Little by little, it starts to define us. Eventually, it's all we know...And...we can't get on top of it..."

"No, that's wrong!" Leprechaun exclaimed, "Not everyone falls into a cycle of suffering! If we just all worked together and stuck with those that we share bonds with, things like despair wouldn't have the final say anymore!"

The knight went quiet but bared his fangs in disdain at this.

"I don't have to explain my principles to someone like you who could never get it," he scowled, "regardless of what you or I believe, Nanami-san needs to come with me. So I can erase her memories of this place..."

"AND the memories of Hinata-kun, right?" Usami pointed out.

Chiaki gasped and Makoto's eyes shot back and forth between Usami and the knight. The knight yet again, fell quiet.

"As I thought," Usami pointed her magic stick at him, "well, if you want to take Chiaki-chan, then you'll take Chiaki-chan by force, whether you like it or not! I refuse to let you get near her!"

The strange knight clenched his fist and sighed, before procuring something from his belt. With a flick of his wrist, he cast out a curved laser blade and held it in a battle stance.

"Fine...I didn't want to do this...But I have no choice..." he whispered quietly. But just when things felt straightforward enough, he raised his hand to his mask and shouted a word that chilled Leprechaun and Usami to the bone...

"PERSONA!"

Steric Confrontation - Danganronpa 3: The End of Hope's Peak Academy

The intense pressure pushed back Phantom Thieves and the Ultimate Gamer as brilliant blue flames burst around the unidentified warrior. After recovering from the flashbang, Leprechaun raised his head, his eyes wide with horror.

"No...! No way...!?"

But sure enough, when he looked back, a ghostly figure had materialized, towering and firm behind the enigmatic man. A cybernetic warrior, armed with a polearm with a curved laser blade on the end. These laser effects were shared at the joints of its synthetic humanoid body, the rest of which was coated in gleaming white metal armor. The face resembled that of a super sentai hero or anime mecha, with red, ferocious eyebrows shaped like lightning bolts and set into a frown directed at Leprechaun and the group.

"I swore I'd never use my power like this, but if it's a fight you demand, it's a fight you will get...!" he asserted, throwing out his hand again as his Persona gripped its weapon.

!" he asserted, throwing out his hand again as his Persona gripped it's weapon

"I will bring a swift end to this conflict...together with SPARTACUS!"

"A Persona!?" Usami cried, "But...that can't be!? Unless this young man is...?"

"The Phantom Killer!?" Leprechaun snapped, gritting his teeth. However, the knight seemed more confused than anything.

"Killer? What are you on about!?" he snapped, "surely you're not afraid to fight me now that I've shown I have the same power as you!?"

"Oh...trust me...You DON'T have the same power as me...Save your high and mighty talk while I knock you to the ground!" Leprechaun angrily smacked his fists together, "Usami! Don't let a single one of those Shadows take Nanami-senpai, and get her out of this Palace! I'll handle that guy!"

"Are you sure!?" Usami exclaimed, "There's no telling what kind of power he holds!"

"Just be ready to back me up in case things DO go south!" the green-clad brawler asserted.

"I see...alright then!" Usami assured herself, "Chiaki-chan? We'll go."

"W-Wait! Naegi-kun!" she called out but was briskly escorted away. The Shadows tried to give chase, but Leprechaun swiftly dealt with a few before he noticed the knight drawing quickly closer.

"Megaton Raid!"

Alongside him, the Phantom Knights' persona charged forward, unleashing a powerful swing from its weapon that Makoto parried, spinning him around to his right. Despite the weapon being comprised of lasers, they still seemed to be a physical object that his body wasn't immediately dissected by, and he assumed the same went for the Persona user's sword. Speaking of, Leprechaun punched his opponent, almost hitting him in the face, as the unidentified Persona user executed an overhead swing with his laser blade, grazing his arm.

This wasn't going to be an easy fight, and this was a new experience for the Phantom Thieves leader. He had never actually fought another Persona user before, so to level the playing field, Leprechaun once again summoned Tam Lin, just in time to avoid being slashed at by Spartacus's polearm weapon.

More intense action ensued as the knight's Persona threw Tam Lin aside after trapping it in a whirlwind-like motion. However, it then leaped back and executed an Assault Dive as per Leprechaun's command, which sent Spartacus flying in the opposite direction and made the Persona's wielder clasp his head in pain.

The knight jumped back to avoid an incoming punch from Leprechaun and to keep his pace, but all of a sudden he grabbed his belt once more and procured what appeared to be a toy ray gun. Leprechaun, however, had to duck under the very REAL laser beams fired by this toy gun. When he did, he rethought his plan, calling Tam Lin back and conjuring a new Persona instead.

"Shiisaa! MAZIONGA!"

The Phantom Knight, though again, it was hard to tell from a distance, widened his eyes as he saw Makoto change Persona. But the knight maintained his composure and forced himself to close in as lightning struck from above. He grabbed his weapon and ducked a few bolts as he ran. Then he reached for his laser pistol and shot Leprechaun with a charged laser shot that struck him squarely in the upper left chest, causing him to recoil and forcing Shiisaa to fade.

"Grgh! He's good...!" he winced in pain.

The knight closed in as Leprechaun shook off the hit and tried to throw another punch, but the warrior countered his fist with his sword, and then flipped over him, summoning his Persona mid-air.

"NOW SPARTACUS!" he shouted.

The Persona hovered above Leprechaun, and before the Thieves leader could react, it swung its weapon like a golf club! Makoto was stunned when the flat end of the polearm made contact and struck his face with a powerful concussion!

Seeing an opportunity while the ringing echoed through his opponent's head, the knight landed on his feet, spun his sword arm, and slashed Leprechaun in the back, slicing his thieving clothes and sending a jolt of agony through his body! Makoto fell to his knees, panting.

"Now...KOUGA!" the warrior declared as his Persona then cast a light spell.

Makoto realized that if this had happened in the real world, he would have been spitting blood all over the white floor by now, but he wasn't going to let the good hit get to him. Despite the pain, he rolled away from the knight's attempt to slash him with two blades of light and grabbed his gun.

He shot a few bullets at the Persona user, who parried them with his weapon, but was forced back a few steps, giving Leprechaun some breathing room. Once he was in a safer spot, he switched Personas again and summoned a Divine Governor.

"Alright...Principality! Mediarama!"

Leprechaun breathed a sigh of relief as he felt a healing light wash over his body. His bruises and cuts were swiftly healed, and he was back and peak performance in a moment flat. Although he had spared a fair bit of energy casting this spell. And his relief was quickly washed right alongside his wounds as his opponent stood up and snapped his fingers.

"So that's how it's going to be, is it?" he asked, "fine...Spartacus! Diarama!"

"Ugh! Of course you know that spell too!" Leprechaun threw his eyes up to heaven as the knight began restoring his own damage.

He quickly turned his head to check on his ally. Despite not really being the teams' main damage dealer, Usami was doing well and making good progress on their escape, but the Shadows weren't making it easy for her. If more of them came, she'd be overwhelmed pretty quickly.

He needed to end this fight, and fast.

"Seriously! What are we fighting for!?" Leprechaun snapped at his opponent, "Nanami-senpai has no business getting caught up in this! Why don't you just let her go!? She doesn't need your help! She's not in despair yet!"

"You're probably right, but even so," the knight asserted, "I want to help her, and even if she doesn't need it, I can't risk her retaining her memories of this place! Nor you for that matter...Now that I know of your power, I can't risk you getting in our way!"

"Who's "our" god dammit!" Makoto snarled, "What is your game in all this!?"

"I already told you. Pain and despair is not something that people can easily get on top of," he replied, "using this kind of power..."

"That's not right!" Leprechaun snapped, "We can overcome Despair through the bonds we share with others! Being there for the people we care about and holding onto hope together is enough! We can't abuse this kind of power to just write over-GAGH!?"

Leprechaun was forced to back away when the knight charged in and slashed at him before he could finish his monologue. He only just missed, leaving a gash mark on his face.

"Don't be so selfish and stupid! If people really believed that, then I wouldn't even be here fighting you like this!" the stranger snapped, "not everyone's as strong as you, MAKOTO NAEGI!"

"Wait...You...know who I am!?" Leprechaun exclaimed. Unfortunately, he never got a follow-up to this. The knight, grunting in sheer frustration, unleashed Spartacus, who swung its weapon slowly twice at him, but the Leprechaun recovered in time to call upon his Persona.

"Sorry, but you sound insane...! TAM LIN!"

When Tam Lin reappeared, he handled the physical blow like a champ. Leprechaun switched again as he slid backward.

"SHIISAA! ZIONGA!"

He then summoned lightning from above to strike the knight, head-on, causing him great pain, as he channeled more electricity, but it still didn't put him down.

"Ok, now JACK FROST! BUFULA!"

However, he made his own opening, swapped Personas, and punched the ground, unleashing a hail of jagged ice crystals that froze and impaled his opponent! The knight cried out in pain as Leprechaun rushed towards him one final time!

"I'm sorry, but I'm not gonna let you take her!" he snapped, "I'm ending this now!"

However, things did not go the way he planned. As he prepared to defeat his paralyzed opponent Leprechaun was shocked when the knight summoned his Persona and dispelled a variety of golden talismans that were aimed at him.

"You brought this upon yourself!" he snapped, "Spartacus! HAMA!"

The Biggest Tragic Event in Human History - Danganronpa 3: The End of Hope's Peak Academy

After the spell, what happened was just AGONY! Leprechaun screamed as the talisman encircled him, making him feel as though his body was being burned from the inside out! The energy left him instantly depleted, and as he was about to pass out on the ground, the knight kicked him in the ribs, knocking the Phantom Thief out cold and making him slide across the floor. The stranger, exhausted from the previous attacks he had to face, dropped to his knees and began to breathe heavily before casting another healing spell on himself.

"Ugh...Dammit...!" he grunted.

"NAEGI-KUUUN!" Chiaki, who had just watched this, panicked and ran towards Makoto's crumpled body! Usami, who had been trying to give her an easy way out, was shocked when she suddenly turned tail, but her eyes widened when she saw why. She decked one last Shadow in its face and ran right after her, also leaning above Makoto's body as the Shadows drew near.

"Don't worry! I can help him! Mr. A! Recarm!" Usami exclaimed, summoning her own Persona, which proceeded to cast a healing light down on Makoto. It took a second or two, but slowly, the Thieves leader opened his eyes and sat back up, clutching his head.

"Naegi-kun! You're ok!" Chiaki cried, instinctively grabbing him into a relieved hug. Awkwardly, Makoto patted her on the back.

"Yeah...thanks for the save Usami..." he smiled at her. Usami nodded, but her attention was quickly turned back to the Shadows, which had blocked off the area of escape that she had just carved.

"I'm so sorry," Chiaki apologized earnestly, looking guilt-stricken, "you two have been fighting to protect me, and I just..."

"Don't worry dear girl," Usami turned to her, "it doesn't matter if we fight until we break our bones. Phantom Thieves like us will fight tooth and nail to protect the innocent like you. No matter how much of our efforts may go to waste, we will always be fighting!"

"Phantom Thieves?" Chiaki parroted, "Wait, so you mean you guys are...? All those rumors...?"

"Don't worry Nanami-senpai. It's just as she says," Leprechaun declared as he was supported to his feet, "whether this guy is good or bad or whatever...I promise you, he won't lay a single finger on you, and neither will any of these monsters!"

"You can say that now," the knight waltzed to the edge of the steps that he'd kicked Makoto down, "one more attack like that, and your luck would have run out. Or will you keep launching fruitless attacks at me and waste your energy even more?"

"It's not a matter of whether or not I can beat you! I made a promise, and what kind of vigilante would I be if I couldn't make it into reality!?" Leprechaun snapped his head towards the knight and bore a malicious expression, "What kind of hero would I be if I can't even save a single girl right in front of me!?"

High Speed Action - Danganronpa 3: The End of Hope's Peak Academy

With defiance in his eyes and power fueling his heart, Leprechaun stood firm and marched back towards his blade-wielding opponent.

"You wanna see Hope!? I'LL SHOW YOU HOPE!" he snapped "NEKO SHOGUN!"

Switching Personas into something else this time, Leprechaun summoned a Calamitous Cat God which proceeded to cast Sukukaja on him, boosting his speed and allowing him to close the gap between him and the knight instantly! The knight was barely able to react as Leprechaun's fist met his face!

The knight slid back along the ground, clenching his jaw and rubbing it to recover from the sudden blow, but didn't have time to properly register the attack as Leprechaun came back for seconds! Which gave him little choice but to follow suit!

"SPARTACUS! TEMPEST SLASH!"

Spartacus appeared again and thrust its spear sporadically at the approaching Phantom Thief, but with his speed, evasiveness, and senses heightened, Leprechaun was able to narrowly avoid being skewered by the attacks.

"TAM LIN! MEMORY BLOW" he shouted, with Tam Lin reappearing. There was the sound of spectral warping in the area as it attacked at such a fast pace and oddly angled range, that it struck the stranger straight on the dome! Spartacus dissipated, and to the knights' horror, the blow had been so sudden and intense that he was struggling to summon it again immediately.

"Gggh! I'll stop you myself!" he snapped, waving his sword around at a blinding speed. Leprechaun responded in kind by launching an array of consecutive fast punches.

They recklessly sent shockwaves around them as they hurled blows at each other with their weapons; Leprechaun's blows being somewhat more potent because of his speed boost! The green-clad Phantom Thief sidestepped a blow and struck the knight in the chest, causing him to scream in pain but still managing to sack Leprechaun in the face with a punch of his own!

Leprechaun then dodged each of three point-blank laser blasts that the knight fired at him with a backstep, sidestep, and duck before unleashing a powerful punch to the face that shattered his opponent's helmet!

Leprechaun paused for a split second, just barely getting a glimpse of his enemy's expression before the star-shaped mask rematerialized on his face. All he saw was a tired hazel eye that glared at him in frustration.

The knight continued to roar, unrelenting, until Leprechaun jumped forward and punched the ground beneath him, causing a shockwave that launched him skyward. He leaped high into the air above his foe, ready to deliver one last critical blow, and reeled back a heavy hand just as the speed boost and memory blow wore off.

"THIS IS IIIIT!" Leprechaun cried! And just like that, he slammed his superpowered fist into the knight's gut, knocking him to the ground and causing large amounts of smoke to burst out.

Because of battle fatigue, Makoto fell and landed rather awkwardly. He noticed the mysterious Persona user's still body as the dust settled.

"I..." he wheezed, falling to one knee, "I got him..."

Leprechaun was ready to go over to the body of the stranger, lift off his helmet, and see who it was underneath, but he was already weak in the knees, and just as he started to heavily approach his now downed opponent, more of the Palace's Shadows suddenly appeared, blocking his way.

"Of course..." he spat, "damned plot convenience..."

"Leprechaun! We can figure this out another day!" Usami cried, "The path is clear, and it's now or never!"

"Naegi-kun, come on! Let's go!" Chiaki also shouted.

Makoto clenched his teeth but complied. Smacking his leg to regain the strength in it, he turned and hurried towards his friends, and then all of them proceeded to make a quick escape out of the Palace.

"By the way!" Chiaki huffed, clearly not used to running for her life like this, "Why are you dressed like that!?"

"You're asking me NOW!?" Leprechaun spluttered, "sorry! It's kind of a long story!"

"Can you blame her for being confused after what she just had to watch!?" Usami exclaimed, "I'll save the explanation for after we get out of here! Let's move!"

Leprechaun took the lead, punching his way straight through a set of double doors, then flying down the stairs with Chiaki in hand, pulling out his phone with the other, and quickly activating the Metaverse Navigator! The Shadows were right behind them, but just in time...

...they made it out.

"Oh thank goodness!" Monomi, now back in her bunny form, collapsed onto the ground in relief, "that was too close a call, even for us!"

"Huh? Wait, we're back at the...?" Chiaki stood up, looking around to see that they were back outside the Therapy Center, "and your clothes too, they're..."

"Just before we entered the Metaverse, this is where we were. All of us have just returned to the real world." Monomi explained, "Makoto? Are you holding up ok?"

"I...Yeah...I'm uh..." Makoto tried to reply, but Monomi and Chiaki immediately noticed that something was wrong. His figure was slouched and wobbly, and he looked like he could barely keep his eyes open. He was also foaming at the mouth like he was diseased or something.

"Naegi-kun!?" Chiaki squeaked, "What's wrong!? A-Are you alright!?"

"Oh no...The exhaustion he suffered trying to get here, then immediately fighting a tough battle in the Metaverse...!" Monomi's eyes widened in concern, "the fatigue must be hitting him like a pile of bricks!"

"What are you...talking about...!?" Makoto wheezed, "I can still...still...pro...tect...Ugh..."

"Hey!" Chiaki dashed forward, quickly catching Makoto in her arms as he collapsed. Usami quickly dashed over to check on him as Chiaki sat down and rested his head on her lap.

"Don't worry. He'll be ok," she said, "fatigue is natural when we leave the Metaverse; he just put more stress on his body than usual. He just needs a good rest."

"In that case, you two come with me," Chiaki said, "my parents' house is pretty close by. He can rest there."

"Thank you very much," Monomi sighed apologetically, "I am so sorry for the trouble."

The Mystery of Where and Who - Danganronpa 3: The End of Hope's Peak Academy

Meanwhile, back inside the Palace, someone else who had been knocked out cold slowly regained consciousness.

The mysterious Persona user that Makoto had brawled with opened his eyes and sat up, with several of the Palace Shadows crowding around him like they were protecting him. Once the knight regained his senses, he immediately lurched to his feet and looked around in a fluster for any sign of Makoto, Chiaki, or Monomi.

Of course, by now, they were already long gone, likely having left the Palace. So the knight clenched his fist and stamped his foot in rage.

"They got away..." he growled.

However, to his surprise, a disembodied voice suddenly sounded out and echoed through the white hall of the Palace. Upon its arrival, the Shadow guards took a knee respectfully.

"It doesn't matter," the knight was reassured by the voice, "we may have failed to get them today, but soon enough, they'll come to know the salvation we'll bring this messed up world."

"And what about our...little problem?" the knight asked, tapping his mask to reinforce his point. The voice sighed.

"That will require some patient thought, but it will be alright," it said, "when trying to save the entire world, there is no point in rushing."

Despair Imitation - Danganronpa 3: The End of Hope's Peak Academy

Makoto's head was killing him when he finally stirred awake. With some effort, he opened his tired eyes and sat up, seeing that he had been carefully placed down and lying on a sofa. His brow felt moist, and he reached up to find that someone had placed a cold wet towel on his forehead as he lay down, which he folded up and put on the coffee table next to him.

And not just any sofa or coffee table. A very expensive-looking, velvety sofa and clean glass coffee table caught his interest and almost immediately piqued his focus. He frowned as he looked around the room, and his surprise grew even more.

It appeared as though he had just awoken in an opulent hotel suite. Apart from the sofa, there was a mantle and fireplace, a fancy-looking chandelier on the ceiling, plants in the corners, shelves and cabinets with expensive-looking ornaments on them, and a fancily patterned rug.

For a brief moment, he believed that he was either dreaming or that the injuries he had received had killed him and transported him to heaven. Until he realized how absurd that was.

"Oh good! You're awake!"

Makoto quickly turned around back to the doorway to see both Chiaki and Monomi come in, with the former holding a bowl of something. As she drew closer, Makoto could see it was full of ice cream.

"Don't people usually procure soup for things like this?" he joked. Chiaki chuckled.

"Ice cream does it for me, plus I'm not giving you hot soup in this heat," she told him. Makoto gratefully took the bowl off her, then looked around the room again.

"So...um...I should probably bring up the elephant in the room, but...is this your house?"

"Actually, it's my parents' house. Since summer break just started up, I was planning on coming home and spending a few days here; not that my parents are home right now," Chiaki explained, "My dad's the CEO of a video game development company, and my Mom works with him. They make good money."

"Ah! So that's why you like playing video games so much," Makoto smiled, "it all makes sense now."

Chiaki shrugged.

"I don't think so. I think I'd like video games regardless of who my parents were," she said, "honestly, they spoil me rotten. Whatever game I want, they get it for me without me needing to ask sometimes. I'm grateful for it and all, but sometimes it makes me feel a little out-of-touch with everyone else, so I spend as little time here as possible."

"I have a friend from a wealthy family who's the same way," Makoto chuckled, "she doesn't really like being seen as a spoiled rich girl either."

"You mean Kaede, right?" Chiaki asked, "Your fellow Phantom Thief?"

"How did you-!?" Makoto exclaimed, suddenly looking down at Monomi, who was perched on the arm of the sofa, "wait, did you-!?"

"After what just happened, she's seen more than enough that we couldn't hide it even if we tried," Monomi sighed, "so yes. I told her. If I didn't, I don't think anything she just went through would have made sense."

Monomi looked back towards Chiaki, her expression halfway between pleased and halfway between concerned. Monomi quickly bounced off the sofa, and onto Makoto's shoulder, leaning in to whisper in his ear.

"I didn't tell her about Hinata though..." she hushed, "that would hit far too close to home. Especially after what just happened and what she saw."

Makoto nodded, as Monomi turned back towards Chiaki with her rendition of a smile.

"Luckily for me, she seems to pick up on things quickly, just like a good student should...Although she was a little late to realize that she could hear me talk as a bunny in this world."

"Well, at least I did AFTER I got my head around the talking rabbit thing. Sorry...I know I can be a bit scatterbrained sometimes," she said, "just so you know, I don't plan on telling anyone your secret Naegi-kun and Monomi-sensei. I'm just...worried."

"Monomi-sensei, eh?" Makoto raised an eyebrow at his rabbit friend who was gushing with pride, "Worried? About what?"

Chiaki frowned, a stern expression on her face unlike Makoto had ever seen from her before.

"Do you seriously go into dangerous places like that... "Palace" often? I don't think I like that. What if something kills you in there, and you just disappear forever? It scares me thinking about that."

"Don't worry senpai, they're usually not that tough," Makoto assured her, "I've just never fought another Persona user before. In fact, I didn't know there were other Persona users besides us."

"So you didn't know who that knight guy was?" Chiaki asked.

"No, we don't," Monomi explained, "we'll definitely need to tell the others about what happened."

"If there's another Palace here in Kichijōji, then yeah, we need to investigate and find out what's going on," Makoto nodded, "the only problem is..."

He reached into his pocket and took out his phone, opening up the Meta-nav. As he scrolled its contents, he started tapping it and clicked his tongue.

"I figured..." he turned the phone around to Monomi, "the name got censored, so when I try to go back in, I can't."

"Huh...That's odd...Well, even so, we should report this..." Monomi scratched her nose, "but now that I think about it, there's a better question at hand here. How did YOU get into the Palace in the first place, Chiaki-chan?"

"I...I couldn't really tell you," Chiaki pouted, "it was just by chance more than anything. How I got in and out, I have no idea. But are you really planning on going back in there after you almost got killed? You're pretty reckless."

"I'm not trying to brush aside your worries. If we do find a way back in, I'll make sure I go with my whole team next time, then we won't have so much trouble dealing with that knight guy if he comes back," Makoto assured her, "I do have an idea on how you might have gotten sucked in though. Do you mind if I just check your phone for a second?"

"Huh? Um...sure..." Chiaki took out her smartphone and handed it to Makoto. He resisted the urge to tut as he saw the excess overload of game apps she had on her device, as much sense as it made. But after some careful digging and checking, he found what he was looking for.

"Yep," he grumbled, "it's here alright."

"You mean the Nav?" Monomi asked.

"The Nav?" Chiaki parroted.

"The Metaverse Navigator, or MetaNav," Makoto explained, handing her back the phone, "it's that app that kind of looks like an eyeball. It's the app we use to transport ourselves between the two worlds."

"What the-!?" Chiaki frowned, tapping the icon and opening up the app, "I don't remember installing this...Should I delete it?"

"You can try, but I'll wager money on it just popping right back up again. That's how it was for me," he explained. He watched as Chiaki checked the app, scowling.

"I have one search in the history section...But it's blanked out for me as well," she said, putting it back in her pocket, "I'm a little worried. I feel like I got caught up in something dangerous. What's gonna happen if that stranger comes back for me?"

"I don't think you have to worry. If you stay away from that building and avoid going back into the Metaverse, there's not much he can do. He can't fight like he did back there in the real world. Not only can he not summon his Persona, but it's likely his weapons are just regular toys over here." Monomi explained.

"No matter what you do, stay clear of that app in case you end up getting sucked into another Palace. And be very careful about what you say out loud while in public," Makoto reminded her, "sometimes the app picks up your words randomly, and I won't be there to protect you if this happens again."

"I really do appreciate it, Naegi-kun," Chiaki smiled, "I'm not happy that you risked your life and all, but you did it to protect me. If there's anything I can do for you, and I mean anything, please just tell me. I owe you big time."

All Makoto wanted from Chiaki was for her to stay safe and to keep his and Monomi's identities as Phantom Thieves a secret. But as he dwelled on these words for a moment, he suddenly remembered the very reason that he had been so desperately pursuing Chiaki in the first place.

"Actually, there is one thing. The reason why I followed you here all the way from school is that I had something really important to talk to you about," Makoto put on a serious face, "it's...it's about Hinata-kun."

"Hinata-kun...!?" Chiaki gasped, "Right, I almost forgot! I saw him back in the Palace, but he didn't remember me! What was that about?"

"I would hazard a guess that it was little more than an illusion the Shadows of that Palace took on as a disguise, born from your own cognition Chiaki-chan," Monomi elucidated, "put more simplistically, they read your memories and take on a form designed to get to your head."

"Shadows can do that?" Makoto asked, "This is the first time I'm hearing it."

"It's not a common phenomenon. Only higher-leveled Shadows are capable of it," Monomi told him, "also, there's no need to worry. You're immune since your Persona protects you from most vices the Shadows might use against you. Still, the fact that he took on that form specifically..."

"I don't know what the long hair was about if that's what you're wondering, but...Hang on though," Chiaki deadpanned, "Naegi-kun...How do YOU know about Hinata-kun?"

Makoto felt something; a mix of panic, fluster, nerves, and whatever else fit under those categories, as Chiaki leaned in and got right up in his face, narrowing her eyes suspiciously. Makoto blushed and tried to back away as much as he could.

"N-Nanami-senpai, please, you're way too close right now!" he exclaimed.

Chiaki backed away, though still retained her glare of suspicion.

"Does Hinata-kun...have something to do with what just happened in there? Something to do with that other world?"

"No. Yes! I mean NO! No, I...Ugh..." Makoto prodded himself on the head as he was unable to get a straightforward answer out for her.

"We're currently aiding an investigation into the background of the school, and his name came up, while we were browsing the student files," Monomi gestured for both Makoto and Chiaki to sit down on the sofa so they could discuss this more properly, "after we did some digging, one of the staff members told us that he had a friend in the main course who he used to spend time with after class, or whenever he was available."

"Koizumi-senpai from your class told me that you were in a similar situation, so we surmised that it could have been you," Makoto added, "but we were never 100% sure. So I planned on asking you, but when I saw you leaving the gates, I chased after you. You basically know the rest."

"I see..." Chiaki considered, "Well, you're in luck. I can confirm that I am, in fact, his old friend from the Main Course...At least...I thought I was..."

"What do you mean?" Makoto asked. Chiaki sighed.

"I guess if you really want to know, I can tell you from the beginning. I did say I owed you after all," she instinctively pulled her hoodie over her head like she was trying to avoid eye contact, like recounting the events was painful for her, "but the bottom line is that Hinata-kun was my best and first ever friend."

"First ever?" Monomi parroted.

"I've never been good with people. At least, I never had the courage to be," Chiaki continued, "so when I first joined Hope's Peak Academy as the Ultimate Gamer, I spent a lot of time cutting myself off from everyone. I didn't even attend the first class of the semester because I was so preoccupied with my game."

"Well, Ultimates are allowed to skip classes so long as they're cultivating their own talents," Makoto recalled, "so you were technically doing the right thing."

"Yes, but that's not the problem!" the hairs on Monomi's back spiked up uncomfortably, "children benefit morally and emotionally from friendships! People pick up a lot of social skills through social interaction, including teamwork, communication, and problem-solving abilities! Isolating oneself from other people will ultimately do more harm than good!"

"Hehehe...Yukizome-sensei told me something similar shortly after I met her," Chiaki giggled, "she urged me to use my knack for gaming to make friends, even though I didn't think I could connect with people over the things I love. I followed her advice and got my entire class together to enjoy some video games on a large screen. I started hanging out with Hajime on a regular basis because of her, too."

"Sounds to me like this Yukizome-sensei has had a real good effect on you," Monomi smiled. Chiaki nodded earnestly.

"She really has. I respect and admire her so much," she beamed.

"We're jumping ahead a little bit," Makoto pointed out, "going back to what you said about Hinata being your first friend. How did you guys meet?"

"At the school gates near the fountain. On the first day of school, I accidentally bumped into him while I was playing a game," Chiaki explained, "since then it just...kinda became a regular thing for us to meet up and play games together. Sometimes I would make him play some of my favorites, even if he wasn't very good at them."

She paused, taking a deep breath as she reflected.

"He was one of the kindest people I ever knew...He was just like me as well. He had his own insecurities regarding talent," she added, "like how he always felt bad hanging out with me because he didn't have a talent. He once told me that even though we were meeting like this, the Main Course building and Hope's Peak itself felt like another part of the world entirely. An isolated paradise cut off from the rest of the boring and mundane."

"He certainly has a way with words. But I've found that that's a common issue among the Reserve Course students," Makoto told her. Chiaki shook her head disapprovingly.

"I always used to tell him the same thing," she said, "making memories with people matters more in life than having talent. People like him aren't limited by talent and titles, so he can do anything he wants to do, unlike me, who only has games."

*Oh, the irony...* Makoto thought secretly.

"Sounds like you two were close," he acknowledged. Chiaki nodded again.

"That's what I thought too...But..." she pulled her hoodie over her eyes again, "we kept meeting up and having fun, but then about three-quarters into the term..."

"Hinata-kun dropped out, right?" Makoto asked, "That's what we heard." However, Chiaki shook her head.

"No...It's more like he just...disappeared," she said, "even if our lives took different directions, I gave him my phone number so we could stay in touch. But he never picked up my calls."

"When was the last time you two saw each other?" Monomi inquired. Chiaki thought on it for a moment, still refusing to make eye contact.

"I don't really know what happened, but it was just another day. I met him next to the fountain and asked him to play games with me, but...he refused. Said he had somewhere to be," she recounted, "I still clearly remember the last thing he ever said to me..."

"Nanami...Tell me. Are you making memories at Hope's Peak?"

"Uh...I think so? Why?"

"I want you to make a bunch of 'em for me. There's way more to you than just the Ultimate Gamer. Your character stats are off the charts."

"But...that was well over two years ago now...And I never saw him since..." she concluded.

"After all of this, there's one thing I'm coming to understand that confused me before," Monomi looked down, sadness in her beady little eyes, "we had doubts at first that you were the same friend we were looking for because Mahiru-san told us that you went to the fountain almost every day to play with your friend. Yet that wouldn't be possible because Hajime-kun hasn't been to Hope's Peak in a few years..."

Her sad eyes were then turned to look up at Chiaki.

"But the reason is because you've been sitting there, waiting all this time...Waiting for him to come back. Haven't you?"

"Nanami-senpai..." Makoto felt sadness well up inside him.

And it was on the verge of bursting out when he saw, almost hidden underneath the hood, the streams of Chiaki's tears.

"I don't understand...wh-why he had to leave...wh-why he stopped contacting me...! But I c-couldn't just...forget about him...!" she whimpered, her voice breaking, "I must've pushed him too far...! *hic!* What if this whole time...I was just a bother to him? Did he feel l-like I was pitying him by being his friend...!? That I was pretending...!? I...This is probably...all my..."

"NO IT'S NOT!"

Until The Two People Fall In Love - Danganronpa 3: The End of Hope's Peak Academy

Chiaki, and Monomi too, yelped as Makoto lunged forward and grabbed his upperclassman firmly by the shoulders, inadvertently pushing her hoodie off her head and forcing her aghast eyes to look into his.

"If Hinata-kun didn't care about you, he would have never bothered leaving you with those parting words!" Makoto snapped, "he must have known that you might not be able to hang out like you used to anymore, and wanted you to make as many friends as possible! He wanted the best for you, and how could he not!? Maybe I'm not certain of a lot of things, but I AM certain of that!"

"B-But..." Chiaki wiped her face with her sleeve, "but I still...!"

"Nanami-senpai, you are a WONDERFUL human being! Everybody, especially your classmates, knows this!" Makoto continued, "The fact that you spent under three years waiting for Hinata to come back one day is PROOF of that! I don't even know you as well as they do and I enjoy your company immensely. So please, don't act like you're the problem. You're not, and never were."

"I..." Chiaki sobbed, though seemed to calm down a fair bit as she pondered his words, "Why did he...?"

"Well...I don't know...Honestly, I can't claim for sure what Hinata-kun was thinking. Maybe something happened with his family and he couldn't attend school or meet with you anymore," Makoto cooled his own head before he continued, "but if it really is the case that he's avoiding you...I'll help you find him. And when we do, I'll punch him in the face...!"

There was a pause as he clenched his fist for emphasis. But his heart sunk when Chiaki bent over and sobbed into her hands.

"H-Hey!" Makoto panicked, wanting to grab her shoulders again, but fearing that might make it worse, "Th-That was just a joke! I won't ACTUALLY hurt him!"

"Bullying a girl?" Monomi frowned, "Woof...Not cool Makoto."

As sweat ran down Makoto's face, he stammered and stuttered as he tried to think of something to say. However, when Chiaki raised her head, Makoto could see that even though she had tears in her eyes, she was no longer crying...instead, she was laughing.

"Heeheehee! N-Naegi-kun!" she beamed, wiping her eyes with her sleeve again, "you are a much different person than I first thought you were! I really did underestimate you...!"

"You're not...mad or upset?" he checked. Chiaki shook her head.

"Not anymore I'm not," she smiled, "and it's thanks to you. You saved me again."

"Come on...You're exaggerating. I only did what I ought I should," Makoto said, though secretly, he thought to himself *I'm nowhere near done saving you yet.*

"I'm really sorry for all the trouble I caused today," Chiaki bowed in apology, "I swear I'll find a way to make it up to you. But could you two do me one last favor?"

"Whatever might that be?" Monomi asked.

"If you find out anything more about Hinata-kun, can you please tell me?" she asked, "regardless of how he thinks of me or what's going through his head, I want to at least know what happened to him and why he never contacted me again."

"Of course," Makoto put his hand over his heart, "after all you've told me, this is going to help us massively. It's the least I owe you."

"Well, assuming you're able enough to walk, I guess you should get going," Chiaki suggested, "honestly, I'd love for you to stay over and play games if you felt up for it, but after what you just went through, I think it's best that you go back and get some rest for now."

"You know what?" Makoto clutched his head, "given how dizzy I still am after all that, I agree 100%"

"Just one last thing before we go," Monomi hopped onto Makoto's back and nested in his hoodie again, "I need to say one more thing, Chiaki-chan."

Chiaki tilted her head to get a better look at Monomi's fluffy bunny face, which tried to smile at her.

"Now, I'll say in advance that I don't have much experience with video games, and with these paws, I doubt I'll be able to use the controls properly," she drummed her paws on Makoto's hoodie to show them off, "but I want you to know that I live in Makoto's dorm room. I'm no replacement for your old friend; I know that much, but...If you ever get lonely and want someone else to sit by the fountain and play video games with. Well...you know where to find me."

Chiaki laughed as Monomi winked, turning pink at the cheeks a little bit.

"That is...great..." she played with her hair, "that's really nice of you. Thank you so much, Monomi-sensei."

After giving him one last drink of tap water to go, and helping him to the door, Chiaki gave Makoto one last wave of goodbye, then closed the gates to her parents' house. With his stuff together and finally having properly regained the feeling in his legs, Makoto made his way back to the station, though he mostly slumped the way there, as his head was still somewhat pounding.

"Makoto..." Monomi whispered to him, "I don't know if anyone's ever told you this, but you're a wonderful person. Everyone would do so much better just by having you in their lives."

"You really think so?" Makoto asked. Monomi noticed that the corners of his mouth were only slightly turned up. None of the rest of his face showed any kind of satisfaction or joy.

"What's...the matter?" she asked, "you seem...upset."

"I'm not upset. I'm glad things worked out in the end," Makoto ensured, "but...still..."

"Speak your mind. If you seek council, I'm here to help." Monomi patted his shoulder, "although I'm sure I can guess what's eating you, my dear student. You're upset because you couldn't tell Chiaki-chan the full truth, right?"

Makoto sighed.

"She already knows about the Metaverse, and because of the app on her phone, she can go there if she wants," Monomi studied, "but she doesn't have a Persona like us, so we need to obfuscate the truth a bit to stop her from doing anything rash to help her friend. But such a decision is eating you, isn't it?"

"Phantom Thief or not, I am aware that fixing people is not my responsibility and that I am not in charge of their wellbeing. But the truth is, I really care about the people in my life, and it wears me out when they keep insisting that they are terrible people when they really aren't. It's possible that I temporarily lifted Nanami-senpai's spirits and soothed her, but ultimately, there comes a point when I run out of things to say. I'm limited to listening to their problems and shouldering their woes with them, but..."

"And that's enough."

"What?" Makoto turned his head as Monomi cut him off.

"Nobody expects you to be able to move mountains Makoto," the bunny told him, "without your Metaverse powers, you're just a boy with big aspirations and an even bigger heart. Not someone who's capable of solving all the world's problems, sure...But strong and capable enough to bear many, including his own...And I'm proud of you for that."

Makoto couldn't help but give a genuine smile this time, as well as a little chuckle.

"Yeah...You're right..." he nodded.

Chapter End Notes

Yeah you thought!
It made me laugh seeing lots of people in the last chapter being like "Oh my god! New Palace! Chiaki's gonna be the new Sumire! Oh my god!"
NOPE! No Persona for her! Not yet at least.
Still, I do hope I was able to catch you guys off guard with the new addition of the Phantom Knight. This will be another aspect to the story that gets brought up a few times, but don't expect the Palace to be tackled until later. Some people did correctly guess that this will basically be the Maruki Palace of this story.
As for the Phantom Knight and his Persona, I'm sure many are familiar with the legend of Spartacus, at least compared to the Personas of the others. A Thracian gladiator who led a group of escaped slaves in the Third Servile War - a significant slave rebellion against the Roman Republic. Beyond the events of the war, not much is known about him, and the historical narratives that have survived are occasionally inconsistent. However, according to all accounts, he was a skilled military commander and a formidable gladiator. The Persona itself primarily uses Bless attacks, including instant-kill moves, while also possessing blade-based physical skills and strong healing abilities.
One last thing I want to say before I end this chapter for today is I want to thank you guys for keeping the TV Tropes page up and running, and for helping me get this story out there. I've been dipping my head in a few times trying to correct some mistakes I saw and clarify a few points, but it really is thanks to you guys that this story gets the recognition it deserves, so thank you so much for that.
Thank you for reading. I love to get feedback from my readers, so feel free to leave a comment, and some kudos if you feel up to it.

Archipelago of Apathy

Chapter Summary

After a close shave, Makoto and the gang finally get their keywords and enter Izuru Kamukura's Palace. Unlike their previous Palace excursions, everything seems fine and peaceful...At first...

Chapter Notes

See the end of the chapter for notes

The evening came around rather quickly, and it was already dark by the time Makoto got back to Tokyo. As much as he wanted to go home and rest, he knew there was one last thing to do before he called it a day.

And that was to hold one last meeting at the Thieves' Den. On top of wanting to go over the information that he'd found, he also wanted to report his and Monomi's experience with the strange new Palace as soon as he could. And his companions took it the exact way he thought they would.

"A PALACE!?" Komaru exclaimed, "You found another Palace in Kichijōji!?"

"Yes...But unfortunately, something glitched with the app. Not only do I not know the ruler's name, but I don't think I can go back there yet," Makoto explained, "OW! Gah...! Kyoko, that hurt!"

By the time Makoto made it all the way back to the Thieves' Den, some of the wounds, cuts, and bruises he'd suffered started to sting and hurt again. Chiaki had given him the bare minimum of treatment, and Monomi's healing within the Metaverse had done the rest, but obviously, that held no sway here. And it wasn't Chiaki's fault either. She just did the best she could.

So now Kyoko had procured an emergency box of medical supplies and was treating his wounds, rubbing the bruises on his face and sticking a plaster over a small cut on the bridge of his nose.

"I can't treat your wounds if you keep jumping like that," Kyoko responded with a cold and seemingly unfeeling glare, "what in the world were you thinking anyway? Rushing into an unknown territory like that without calling for backup? You could have gotten yourself killed."

"Look, I didn't have much of a choice," he pouted, "if I hadn't shown up when I did, those Shadows and that weird Knight guy would have taken her away. Would you have preferred I did that?"

"No, of course not," Kyoko sighed, "I'm just worried about you. He got you good, whoever he was."

"Yeah, can we maybe talk about that?" Komaru paced the room back and forth, crossing her arms, "Palaces and Nanami-senpai aside, are we seriously brushing over the fact that there's ANOTHER person out there that can use the Metaverse!?"

"Possibly...But there are other possibilities..." Shuichi crossed his arms as he thought hard about it, "There's a distinct chance that the person Makoto encountered in the Palace is the "Phantom Killer" that we've been pursuing..."

"The one who killed my Dad..." Kaede, sitting on the bed, looked down dismally at her feet as her grip on the edge of the bedframe tightened.

"Alternatively..." Shuichi briefly cast her a worried glance before continuing his theory, "it could be a Metaverse user contracted with the Steering Committee. Someone on their personal squad that can use a Persona, and helps them with the changes of heart, like the one they conducted on Hinata."

"But if the Steering Committee are the ones behind the mental shutdowns as well as the changes in cognition, then that means that if they DO have a Persona-user working for them, then they probably ARE the Phantom Killer!" Toko pointed out.

"Well...yes, I suppose so," Shuichi acknowledged, "but that's only assuming the crimes are linked."

Before anyone else could remark on the subject or share their own theories, Makoto spoke up.

"No...No, I don't think that's it..." he said," Call me crazy, but I think the most likely situation is that this guy is someone we've never met or heard of before. Someone who's not affiliated with the Steering Committee or the Phantom Killer."

"I agree," Monomi added, "from observation, that strange boy's MO didn't match that of what we've already established of the Phantom Killer."

"How are you so sure?" Toko asked.

"I'm not 100% sure, but there are some things that just don't add up," Makoto scratched his head.

"Throughout the entire confrontation, the Shadows were trying to capture Chiaki-chan. But they weren't actively aggressive or trying to harm her," Monomi explained, "and as they were fighting, the knight and the Shadows kept asserting that they were trying to "save" Chiaki-chan. To help her overcome her despair."

"And it showed in the way he fought me too," Makoto rubbed his shoulder, "that guy hit like a truck, and he's certainly not new to fighting in the Metaverse, especially with that busted Persona of his. But even though he almost cleaned my clock, I could tell that he wasn't out to kill me. It's more like he wanted to knock me out, but nothing more. The Phantom Killer is a murderer who's used their powers to cause lethal accidents and scandals. I don't think in any ordinary scenario they would try to hold back on killing me if they had the chance."

"Good point," Kyoko nodded, "but there's another thing. The fact that this Persona-user had such command over the Shadows and sent them after Monomi must mean that they have some kind of connection to the Palace ruler. Perhaps they're working together on this grand goal of theirs?"

"I thought so too," Makoto said, "but I still don't think it's the Steering Committee. After all, their MO isn't to save the world or protect people. They only care about saving themselves. So I don't think the Shadows of any of their Palaces would act like that."

"I agree," Kyoko nodded again, "in that case, this has to be an entirely separate matter after all. How peculiar."

"Well, if this guy's something other than the Phantom Killer, then what the heck do we call him?" Kaede asked.

"Based on the description that Makoto provided of his adversary, why don't we simply opt for the "Phantom Knight" for now? That should help us make a distinction," Kyoko suggested.

"Works for me!" Komaru gave her a thumbs up, "But even after all this guesswork, we aren't going to be able to back in that Palace to fight this Phantom Knight guy, are we? You said the name got censored and the search was erased from your phone."

"Even if we could get back in, I'm not sure I want to," Makoto said, "Hinata's case takes priority right now above everything else. Whatever threat the Phantom Knight and whoever he's working with poses, we can worry about it later. They're not the immediate danger."

"Yes, I believe that's what we should be focusing on for now," Shuichi chimed in, "with that in mind, were you able to get any information out of Nanami-senpai?"

Makoto proceeded to let his teammates know of his discussion with Chiaki post the random Palace invasion. Namely what she had told him and how the conversation turned out in the end.

"I see...At least we know a lot more important details than we did before..." Shuichi acknowledged, "I was waiting until now to ask, but how did your investigation go, Kyoko-sama?"

"Oh, that's right!" Monomi remembered, "Shuichi told us that you left to continue your investigation elsewhere. How did that turn out for you?"

Kyoko's expression notably dampened — An emotion resting on a thin line that divided satisfaction and contempt.

"Well, if the Steering Committee were using their connections to bar me from more information, I decided to use mine to my advantage," Kyoko explained, "after I left the school, I went straight to the Kirigiri Detective Agency and had some of our PI's do some digging. It took an hour or so, but I managed to get on the phone with Hajime Hinata's parents."

"Oh, so they are still knocking about after all, huh?" Komaru said.

"How did it turn out?" Kaede asked anxiously "Did you get any useful info you needed?" However, Kyoko let out a rather despondent sigh.

"I would say that the discussion was fruitful, but if I'm being honest, I had a taste of...uncertainty in my mouth afterward and I didn't know why..." she explained, "I wouldn't go so far as to say that Mr and Mrs Hinata are bad parents, but they seemed to take a lot of my questions better than I expected they could do."

"What did they say?" Toko's brow furrowed.

"As it turns out, ever since he graduated from middle school, Hajime Hinata has been living on his own. He and his parents rarely contacted each other. The last proper interaction he ever had with them was asking them to pay the tuition fee for the Reserve Course," Kyoko explained, "They accepted, as you know, but the fee was so great that they were starting to grow tight on money."

"So his parents were distant from him?" Shuichi clarified, "Sounds like my own case..."

"Well, that's the thing. As distant as they were, and as little genuine love they showed him, they were still willing to work harder for their son and pay the fees instead of forcing him to drop out due to the money. Like they actually wanted him to live a good life and follow his dreams if he could," Kyoko told him, "even so, they remained fairly distant, and from what I gathered, they've never had a "close" and "loving" relationship with one another. Just a family that supports each other naturally, and little more than that. They haven't seen each other in person for years, and I doubt they really noticed when Hajime dropped off the map."

"Surely they MUST have said SOMETHING," Kaede frowned, "Hajime's a third year and should have been calling to remind them or ask them to pay the tuition fee for each year. I mean, assuming they don't know about the Kamukura Project, he-"

"But they did."

"What?"

Kyoko cut Kaede off massively, by dropping a subtle, but sudden bombshell.

"That was by far the most interesting aspect of the discussion, and answered a lot of questions before, including the one that you just asked me, Kaede," Kyoko built upon her previous assertion and began to explain what she had uncovered, "the Steering Committee actively reached out to Hinata's parents about the Hope Cultivation Plan and explained that they had selected their son as a subject for it, an experiment to give him Ultimate Talents. They also gave them a consent form for the project, and told them that if it was successful, Hajime would be moved to the Main Department and they would no longer need to pay the Reserve Course tuition fee."

"A consent form?" Kaede blinked, "you mean they asked his parents for their approval on the project?"

"Yes...and they gave it to them," Kyoko informed.

"That's fucked up!" Toko spat, "They just consented to these twisted bastards running illegal scientific experiments on their child!?"

"In their defense, Keiko-san...That's Hajime's mother by the way...kept a copy of the document and explained the details of it to me. She even offered to send it in the mail or bring it over to the agency," Kyoko revealed, "neither of them were exactly informed of what the project would entail. They only received the consent form after Hajime had already agreed to it himself. They didn't have any way of knowing that something was wrong, just that the eventual result would be Hajime moving into the Main Course like he wanted."

"Right, I can see why you were so on the fence about all of it," Komaru acknowledged, "their words make it seem like they don't care, but their actions show that to an extent, they do."

"I imagine they wouldn't be best pleased if they found out what Hope's Peak was actually doing to their child," Kyoko considered, "speaking of which, as banged up as you got, I trust that no harm actually came to Nanami-senpai in the end, right? I don't know what we might tell her parents should she end up getting hurt by Shadows."

"Nanami-senpai has the Metaverse app on her phone and can now understand Monomi since she entered the Metaverse," Makoto clarified, "but since she can't delete the app, I told her not to use it again if she can help it. I also...didn't tell her about what really happened with Hinata..."

"That...must have been rough..." Kyoko understood that withholding information like this to the people close to their target was a pretty painful process that Makoto had already been through a few times and never enjoyed. So she sympathized with him at this moment. "But just so you know, you did the right thing. It may not be easy, but you're protecting her from further harm. I know Hinata would appreciate that if he were here."

Makoto lowered his head, a shadow being cast over his eyes, the noises of his hand muscles tensing as he clenched both his fists.

"I can't...WON'T...forgive Hope's Peak Academy for ripping those two away from each other...For taking away all their happiness they shared just because one was given a pointless, good-for-nothing badge of honor and the other wasn't...!" he said menacingly with a practically foaming mouth, "I swear here and now that for the sake of the lives they've ruined and trampled upon; the hopes and dreams of innocent people that they've CRUSHED...everything they've built up...and everything they stand for and live by...will BURN...!"

Everyone was understandably a little off-put by Makoto's underlying rage and animosity, but not only was it warranted now that they knew the full story, but the other Thieves' were of the same mind. Regardless of what happened in the future, the Steering Committee and the ones with them were not going to get away with this.

"Now you're speaking my language," Kaede smirked, "but that doesn't change the fact that we don't know where to go from here."

"Right," Toko added, "even after everything you just told us, we still don't know what Hinata's keywords are. So we can't get into his-"

"But we do," Makoto cut her off, "I figured it out. At least I hope I have."

"Wait, seriously!?" Komaru exclaimed; with the rest of the team also exclaiming surprise, "How!?"

"Before I tell you, let's test it and see if it actually works first," Makoto suggested. With the prompt, Shuichi took out his mobile phone and opened up the MetaNav.

"So far we have "Hajime Hinata" as the name, and "Hope's Peak Academy" as the location. All we need left is the location."

Thus, after exchanging a quick glance with Monomi, and then another with his teammates, Makoto turned his attention to the phone and gave his input.

"Hajime Hinata's Palace...is an Island Resort."

[RESULTS FOUND!]

"We got it!" Shuichi cried, "Hinata's Palace really is an Island Resort!"

"Wait, what!? Wh-Why!?" Toko spat, "What kind of Palace is THAT!?"

"How did you figure that out?" Kaede asked, pleasantly surprised, but surprised nonetheless.

"There was something Nanami-senpai mentioned that stuck out to me. When she was recounting her experiences with Hinata-kun, she had a very specific word choice," Makoto recalled.

"He was one of the kindest people I ever knew...He was just like me as well. He had his own insecurities regarding talent," she added, "like how he always felt bad hanging out with me because he didn't have a talent. He once told me that even though we were meeting like this, the Main Course building and Hope's Peak itself felt like another part of the world entirely. An isolated paradise cut off from the rest of the boring and mundane."

"Isolated paradise..." Kyoko recalled, "a place of wonder cut off from the rest of the world...Somewhere that normal people without the connections, skills, or assets wouldn't be able to get to easily..."

"When you put it like that, it makes perfect sense, doesn't it?" Monomi pointed out.

"Yes, I suppose so," Shuichi acknowledged, "but this is good news! We have everything we need to enter this Palace, and in good time too."

"Let's start the infiltration tomorrow then!" Kaede stretched her arms out, "I can't wait to get in there and save Hinata-kun! There's absolutely no way I can let those lovebirds stay apart any longer!"

"Well, to be fair, Nanami-senpai never mentioned that they were an item. From what I gathered, they're just friends..." Makoto scratched his face awkwardly, while Kaede responded with a seductive wiggle of the eyebrows.

"Yeah, and I'm sure I can give you 34 reasons why that's bullshit~" she retorted.

"That's a very specific number..." Kyoko remarked.

"What about me though?" Komaru asked, "The Palace is Hope's Peak Academy itself, but I can't get inside. So how am I gonna be able to join you in the Palace?"

"If we enter the Metaverse outside of the gates, then we should still be able to go into the Palace together," Toko reminded her, "remember? Towa's Palace was on school grounds and we basically did the same thing there."

"Oh yeah, good point," Komaru remembered, "sorry, it's just this is a much bigger scale than anything we've worked with before, so I kinda got intimidated."

"The good news is that since classes are done for the summer, we won't have to worry about meeting up at any specific times," Shuichi noted, "so long as we're careful not to do it at a time when there are lots of people around, we can enter the Metaverse whenever we wish."

"And I'll be coming with you this time," Kyoko asserted, "I need to know as much as possible about the Steering Committee's goals and actions. This Palace might be the chance that I get."

"Well, you'll need to be careful as always," Komaru said, "but hey, what kind of dangers can an "island resort" pose in comparison to any other place we've been to?"

"For some reason, I'm wishing you really hadn't said that," Toko remarked, "but fine. Tomorrow it is."

[THE NEXT AFTERNOON...]

So, as agreed, upon the previous day, the Phantom Thieves all decided to meet up outside the school to infiltrate Hinata's Palace for the first time. Kyoko managed to get off the clock just in time, and met up with everyone at the designated place; a car park a fair ways away from the gates. Komaru was the last to arrive.

Today marked the beginning of the summer break for the students, so everyone had more free time than they would usually. Though nobody was outright saying it, none of them were particularly chuffed about the idea of spending half their summer break infiltrating a Palace.

Still, that was part of the job, and not only did the Academy masterminds need to be stopped, but Hinata needed to be saved. But because of the summer setting, everyone showed up to the car park wearing casual summer digs. Komaru was the last to arrive, striding up wearing a loose-fitting crop top and shorts with a jacket tied around her waist should she get chilly, and a bag flung over her shoulder. From the outset, she seemed rather skeptical about

"Shouldn't we maybe be doing this closer to the school building?" Komaru asked, "Jumping in here feels like an unnecessary trek, plus I'm not sure if it's safe."

"The school area is very busy even during the summer holidays. Especially with the recent scandals that have gone on regarding some of its students," Kyoko noted, "it's much easier to enter the Metaverse in a place like this where there aren't too many people around to see us vanish into thin air."

"Regardless of where we enter from, what matters is that we CAN enter now. Let's just all focus on the important stuff at hand," Monomi asserted.

"The preparations have all been made then?" Shuichi checked.

"Yep! I got everything we needed," Komaru heaved the bag over her shoulder and opened it up, passing its contents around, "here's the new gear. Make sure you keep it safe."

"Thanks for coming through for us as always Komaru," Makoto smiled, "alright gang, let's get to it. It's a bit different this time. If Hinata really does have a Palace, and if the Steering Committee has already tampered with it, then we need to take it down. Not to stop a warped person this time, but to save them."

"I don't see how that's different at all," Shuichi smiled, "every time you've stolen a corrupt person's heart in the past, it's always been to save someone. First Kotoko-chan and her friends, then Kyoko-sama and myself, then Kaede, and now Hinata-kun and Nanami-senpai."

"Well, you know what? Fair point." Makoto smirked back, "my point is we don't know how things are gonna go this time. Things might be different, and they definitely won't be as easy as we think they will. Are you all ready?"

Everyone silently nodded with fierce glares.

"Right," Kaede spoke up, "this may be a different circumstance, but it's still a Palace. We should expect that usual like Shadows and traps to be there, setting or not."

"Alright..." Makoto took out his phone, "then let's go."

[BEGINNING NAVIGATION.]

A strong, unknown feeling hit Makoto when he transported himself and his friends into the other world within the human subconscious. By now, he felt he was used to the sudden feeling of ending up in another world with his strange powers, but this time, it was different. At first, he didn't even notice this difference or really realize what was going on because it hit him so suddenly.

It was somewhat...peaceful...

All he could hear was the steady, slow pounding of his heart and the popping sound of air bubbles near his ears. A cool, damp pressure pressed against his skin, making it difficult for him to release the breath he was holding while he took in his surroundings. He remained where he was for a moment before opening his eyes, letting himself soak in his surroundings.

Literally.

Because when Makoto DID open his eyes, the peace gave quick way to panic.

He was submerged deep underwater!

Love Is Paradise - Danganronpa S: Ultimate Summer Camp

Instinctively, his surprise caused some air to burst out of his mouth, which he quickly closed again. Weirdly, despite being submerged, Makoto's body wasn't reacting the way it would if he were drowning. Almost like even if he remained under there for long enough, he wouldn't succumb to the ocean around him.

Even so, that didn't stop his natural survival instinct, and he quickly looked up to see light breaking down to him. Going as fast as he could, he swam to the surface, and once he broke it, he lurched up and gasped for air.

"BAAH! Wh-What the hell!?" he exclaimed, looking out around him to see miles and miles of ocean, "wh-where the hell am I!?"

"MAKOTO!"

"Komaru!?"

Makoto spun his body around to see the familiar silhouette of his sister not too far away from him. It seemed she similarly was submerged in the ocean before surfacing, just like he had been. As soon as she made eye contact with him, she waved her arm in the air, trying to keep herself afloat, then swam towards him.

At the same time, two other figures, notably Kaede and Shuichi, emerged from the watery depths behind her. As soon as Makoto saw them, he stuck out his own arm.

"Hey! Guys! We're over here!" he shouted. Once Shuichi and Kaede noticed him, they swam over as well, with the four of them bobbing the water around each other.

"Is...*COUGH!* is everybody ok!?" Kaede shouted, raising her voice over the crashing noises of the waves around them.

"I'm fine! Shaken up, but I managed to surface in time!" Shuichi called back, "What about you guys!?"

"Took me by surprise, but I'm good!" Makoto told him, "But wait! Where's Razor, Kyoko, and Usami!?"

"This is bad...! Toko-chan can't swim!" Komaru's face turned as deep a blue as the ocean around her, "wh-what if she-!?"

"Don't worry! She's ok! We're ok!"

Everyone turned in the direction of this new voice to see Kyoko swimming towards them with one arm, with her other supporting a very weary and traumatized-looking Toko, who clung to the Ultimate Detective for dear life like she was a living floatie.

"I THOUGHT I WAS GONNA DIE DOWN THERE!" she shrieked, tears flowing from her eyes like waterfalls, "Kyoko, thank you thank you thank you! I could kiss you!"

"Please don't," Kyoko stuck up a hand to separate her face from the delirious Ultimate Writing Prodigy.

"Well, this a fine pickle!" Kaede spat out as some saltwater got into her mouth, "If I'd known we were going to be swimming I would have brought my bathing suit!"

"Whatever happened, we need to do something!" Shuichi exclaimed, "Our arms won't keep us floating for much longer!

"Everyone!"

One last voice, belonging to the last team member, Monomi, now taking her Metaverse form, called out to them. Unlike the rest of them, however, her body was so round and light like a balloon that instead of struggling to stay afloat, she instead hovered perfectly atop the seawater, drifting around like a stray beach ball. She raised one of her paws and pointed north.

Everyone followed her "finger line" and saw, to an extent of relief, that there was a large island with solid ground and a sandy beach. It was quite a distance away, but absolutely within arm's reach. And with nothing else around for miles, it seemed like the only place to go.

"How did I not see that before...?" Makoto wondered aloud, "n-no! It doesn't matter! Everyone swim for it!"

"Seriously!?" Toko screamed in dismay.

"Hold on tight..." Kyoko, who remained consistently calm as she always did, kept a tight hold of her as they swam towards the island. Along the way, Makoto also grabbed Monomi, and though he didn't mean to, ended up using her as a floatie to help him get to the island safely.

Everyone was exhausted by the end of it all. Their arms ached, their lungs felt tight, and their mouths were full of salty water that made them thirst...but they made it in one piece, panting as soon as they reached dry land.

"Haah..." Kaede exhaled a big breath as she starfished on the beach, taking a moment to catch her breath, "We...made it...!

"That was a nightmare!" Toko clutched at the sand beneath her, falling out of Kyoko's support and collapsing, "Usami! Couldn't you have tried turning into a boat or a submarine or something!?"

"Don't you think I would have if I could?" Monomi sobbed, "Just turning into a bus is already a stretch!"

Toko spat something out onto the sand and clutched her sore and damp head.

"Useless...!" she hissed.

"Hey! Don't be so mean!" Kaede snapped, picking Monomi up and hugging her, "I don't see YOU being able to turn into a submarine either!"

"See, I TOLD you we should have jumped in closer to the school!" Komaru snapped, wringing out her jacket, "You know, sometimes you guys CAN listen to me!"

"Alright Komaru, we're sorry, you were right..." Makoto rolled his eyes, "It's already too hot and I'm already too soaked through. Can you maybe save your spite for later?"

"Well, we'll keep it in mind for next time," Shuichi choked up the last bit of water left in him before patting down his clothes, "but...it's surprising. We only just got out of the water, and yet my clothes are already almost dry."

Sure enough, Shuichi and Kyoko, who were by far wearing the thickest clothing of the lot, had already dried off pretty effectively. As had the others. Everyone's hair and clothes had been dried almost instantaneously.

"Maybe it's got something to do with the Metaverse, but honestly...I blame that sun..." Makoto panted, shielding his eyes as he looked skyward, "and...WOW...it's really hot here..."

"Yeah...wow it's...it's really hot actually..." Komaru panted, "I kinda wanna...jump back in the ocean now."

"Don't you dare! We just got out! That was the whole point!" Toko spluttered.

"Actually, about that..." Kyoko stood up, taking off her heeled boots and letting the water fall out of them, "why are you all still wearing your normal clothes?"

Nobody had really noticed it until now, but they all just processed that she was right. They had been wearing the same summer break clothes that they had first entered the Palace wearing. Of course, now they were soaked straight through, but the fact that they weren't wearing their Thief outfits was indeed rather peculiar.

"Wait...you're right..." Komaru took another look at the jacket around her waist, "So...did we enter the Metaverse, or didn't we?"

"Well, we must have done. We were in a parking lot one second, and then we suddenly ended up in the ocean. What could be the cause of that if we hadn't shifted dimensions?" Usami pointed out, "Besides, look at me."

Everyone looked down at Usami again and registered that she had changed into her more mascot-like form, complete with her mask and thief attire, even if the rest of them hadn't.

"Then why haven't the rest of us shifted into our Thief gear?" Kaede inquired.

"Well, it's hard to say for certain," Usami crossed her paws and tilted her head, "but if I had to say, I think the most likely situation is that Kamukura doesn't view us Phantom Thieves as a threat. Since he doesn't perceive us as his enemy, we don't take the appearance as such here. Understand?"

"You know, weirdly that makes sense," Toko sighed, "not only did he knock me around like a ragdoll, but he cares so little about everything going on around him that I doubt he even remembers our faces."

"That...kind of annoys me actually," Komaru pouted, "oh well, it doesn't matter. Check this place out!"

Once his bearings finally stitched themselves back together, Makoto continued to shield his eyes and looked at his surroundings. What appeared before him was blue skies, white clouds, blue sea, white waves, palm trees, and sandy beaches, and in the distance, he could see infrastructure of many kinds. In fact, not too far away across the shore, they could see a blue and white painted beach hut that presumably sold beach items and refreshments.

"This place is...well it's...It's beautiful!" Kaede said aloud, "I had no idea the Metaverse could be so...pretty...!"

"If this was real, I'd love to go on holiday to a place like this." Shuichi's eyes scanned the clean beach that shimmered as it reflected the sunlight beaming down from above, "not what I expected from someone like Kamukura. I had figured it would be much more dismal."

"Indeed!" Monomi beamed, "If this isn't an island paradise, I don't know what is! Feast your eyes on this beautiful ocean! These golden beaches! It's like your mind is being wiped clear."

"Yeah, well, my mind, and my clothes, are full of wet sand, and I don't LIKE that..." Toko growled, "The Metaverse is the Metaverse. There's gonna be all sorts of dangerous stuff around here

"Toko, didn't you just hear me? If the Palace ruler saw you as dangerous, you would have gained your powers by now. The fact that they don't means we're not in any danger either," Monomi assured her, "in fact, I can't smell any Shadows for miles."

"Do you smell the Treasure?" Komaru asked.

Monomi took a second to compose herself, raising her head and sniffing the air. After a minute or two, she lowered her head and furrowed her bunny brow.

"Hm...The cool breeze is overloading my senses...But I do smell the distinct scent of the Treasure," she explained, "I don't think it's anywhere on this island though."

"But you DO smell it?" Makoto checked. Usami nodded.

"Well, I might have an idea. Look in the distance over there," Shuichi turned around and pointed across the ocean.

It was a considerable distance away, and the group had to squint, especially with the sun's blinding light above them, but as much of a trial as it was, they could just barely make out the form of another mass of land not too far away in the distance.

"As pristine as this place is, the length of this beach in comparison to the horizon makes me think that this island we're standing on alone is very small," Shuichi theorized, "it's more likely that the Palace itself is not just one solitary island, but that the resort spans an entire archipelago."

"What's an...ar-key-peli-go?" Komaru parodied his words.

"An archipelago refers to a chain, cluster, or collection of islands, or occasionally a sea with a few dispersed islands. It is also referred to as an island group or island chain," Shuichi explained, "Chagos Archipelago, Eagle Islands, Crozet Islands, Kerguelen Islands, and Prince Edward Islands are a few good examples, though I doubt you would have heard of them."

"You know, I had a feeling that the island setting had something to do with Hinata or Kamukura's isolation compared to everyone else," Makoto scratched his chin, "but if that's really the case, why does this place look like it was made to be a tourist attraction?"

"I believe it warrants further investigation," Kyoko strode forward up the beach, "I'd like to have a look around this island for a while, just so that we may get our bearings. Any of you coming along?"

"Of course! As I said, there are no Shadows around, so we should be safe for the time being," Usami affirmed, "I believe that's a good idea too."

"As long as it helps me dry off..." Toko scowled, "Fine...whatever...I'm just 2 minutes in and already done with this place..."

As Shuichi had theorized, the island itself wasn't especially large. None of the team were mathematicians by any means, but it couldn't have been more than a few miles. Despite that, the investigation that Kyoko had initiated yielded some interesting results.

Not only was the island completely free of any Shadows or enemies, as Monomi had said, but there was no sign of any sort of life at all. No cognitions, Metaverse beings, or life of any kind. The island was completely uninhabited. Even so, the group agreed to stick together in case anything bad happened. After all, the Metaverse was nothing if not unpredictable by nature.

Aside from the beach, and its beach hut, that the Phantom Thieves' had washed up on, the island contained many notable infrastructure and establishments that were quite unlike any key points they had come across in previous Palaces. The most notable was the expansive hotel area.

This was presumably the complex where the nonexistent island guests and tourists resided while visiting the island. The complex's center featured several small cottages and a swimming pool, and the main building was flanked by an old, dilapidated building. Kyoko tried to enter it, but the door was jammed shut, and there was no lock for Makoto to pick. So for the time being, they left it.

Above the door of the main building was a sign that said "Hotel Mirai." As soon as the group entered, they discovered that the hotel lobby served as a space for visitors to unwind and play video games on the numerous arcade machines. Above, on the second story of the structure, there appeared to be a restaurant. However, Komaru claimed that because of its size and sophistication, it could accommodate an entire feast if necessary.

Leaving the hotel area, the team kept looking around and came across an airport with a selection of planes parked outside it. But the planes were non-functional; Monomi discovered that the engines were missing, making the aircraft unusable.

Not too far away from there was a supermarket called the "Rocketpunch Market" that contained a variety of goods, including food and beverages. In the end, Kyoko snagged a few items that she could use as emergency weapons and equipment, such as a kebab skewer that she could use as a weapon if necessary, and a pair of night-vision goggles.

Lastly looked to be a ranch, but again, there was no sign of any life at all on this island, so it was, unfortunately, devoid of any animals like cows and chickens. Monomi said that if there had been any kind of small animal around, she might have been able to use her magic to turn it into a cow, but nobody stopped to think about what that meant.

"Hm...Curious..." Kyoko brought a hand to her lips as she looked around the area.

"Hm? What's curious?" Shuichi asked.

"Something about this place is familiar," Kyoko explained, "I believe I read about a place like this before quite a while ago."

"You read about it? But...this is a Palace," Komaru reminded her, "how could you have read about it if this place doesn't exist in the real world?"

"I'm not referring to the Palace itself," Kyoko strode forward a little bit, "in the real world, there's a tiny group of islands in the Pacific Ocean that are surrounded by breathtaking scenery and an endless summer. It is made up of five surrounding islands and one small central island. It's called Jabberwock Island."

"Jabberwock Island..." Makoto parroted.

"Based on what I recall reading, the resort was built around the outer islands," Kyoko continued, "one used a ferry boat service to travel between the five islands. When bridges were first proposed, the requests were turned down because of environmental concerns."

"Huh? But...I passed a really big bridge while we were investigating," Kaede recalled, "it looked big and sturdy enough to carry a whole vehicle across it, though I didn't see what was on the other side..."

"Hence why I'm positive that this isn't a 1 to 1 recreation of the original island," Kyoko rubbed her neck, "but still...hm...hngh..."

"What's the matter?" Toko asked. Kyoko scowled and firmly grasped her jacket.

"It's too hot to think," she grumbled, "I'm taking this off."

Kyoko was wearing a purple jacket like she usually did as part of her uniform, but when faced with the heat of the island sun, she removed it and tied it around her waist like Komaru did, panting for fresh air.

However, underneath it, she was wearing a white shirt with short sleeves, and as she took the jacket off, Makoto noticed that be it due to the sweat or the fact that her clothes hadn't yet completely dried from the sea, her shirt was moist and sticking to her back. Not only revealing but accentuating the straps and outline of her underwear underneath.

And poor Makoto couldn't stop himself from staring like a moron.

"Hey..." Kyoko turned her head, seeming to scowl at him, "Do you mind?"

"Huh!? Ah!? I'm sorry!" Makoto covered his face with his fingers, blushing. Shuichi and Toko looked at him with woe and pity in their eyes. Meanwhile, Komaru and Kaede both had smug, understanding smirks on their faces.

"You were saying?" Monomi put her hands on her hips and rolled her eyes.

"I was saying that assuming my theory about Jabberwock Island's similar structure is correct, there should be a total of 6 islands in this archipelago, including the central island. The fact that this rendition has bridges to cross makes it easier for us to get around," Kyoko continued now that she was feeling the coolness of the air on her back, "I say, assuming she's up for it, that Usami can drive us in her bus form over the bridges. Then we can search each island for any sign of Hinata's treasure. We're bound to come up with something eventually."

"Are we seriously going to search all 6 islands for this damn treasure!?" Toko spat, "That's gonna take forever! Do we even have enough time in the day!"

"Toko-senpai, you've done basically nothing since we got here but complain and complain some more," Kaede scowled, puffing out her cheeks, "if you actually had any suggestions on how to best make use of this limited time in the day, we would all very much love to hear it."

Toko didn't have a response to this. Instead, she just bowed her head and growled under her breath, as she often did.

A Dead End to the Ocean's Aroma - Danganronpa 2: Goodbye Despair

Usami transformed into a bus and drove the Phantom Thieves across the bridge. It turned out that the bus had an AC in it; something she had never had to use before since nowhere in the Metaverse, especially not Mementos, had ever been this hot before. However, to the dismay of the other Thieves, it wasn't an especially powerful AC.

Regardless, the drive across the bridge went just as smoothly as everything else up until now had been. Aside from the blazing heat, nothing really happened. It was a quiet, cool, and calm ride over.

The next island was very small compared to the island the Thieves' had arrived on. However, upon arriving, it was clear that Kyoko's theory about the connections to Jabberwock Island held water. The island was small enough to allow the group to see 4 other bridges besides the one they had arrived from connected to the island, leading off to the large masses of land in the distance.

Aside from that, the rest of the central island was comprised of fresh greenery and little infrastructure. This was reaffirmed when Shuichi discovered a sign labeling the area as "Jabberwock Park." The only thing of note was in the very center of the island stood a large bleach bronze statue, depicting a man riding a horse, brandishing a sharp spear; a tiger and viper at the base of the structure, accompanying the soldier and his steed, and a falcon perched at the top, as if guarding the warrior from above.

"Is anyone else kind of put off by how peaceful this all is?" Kaede mentioned, "I don't mean to jinx it, I'm just saying..."

"Doesn't this kind of settle it?" Komaru inquired, "What Kyoko was saying about Jabberwock Island? Seems like a dead giveaway at this point."

"Sort of," Kyoko piped up, "there are some notable differences from what I know about the original island."

"Such as?" Shuichi queried.

"I remember reading in the original manual that told me about the island that an administration building was built on the central island," Kyoko recalled, "the lobby of the administration building housed a statue representing the island and its history."

"A statue like that one?" Shuichi gestured toward the building in the park's middle.

"I believe so," Kyoko replied, "but as you can see, no administration building is here to be-"

However, she was cut off quite suddenly as Makoto let out a quick, small gasp, his eyes shooting up towards the sky.

"What? What's the matter?" Komaru tapped his shoulder, worried at his sudden surprised and scared expression.

"Up there!" Makoto pointed to the top of the statue, "There's someone standing up there behind the statue!"

Everyone's eyes and attention snapped to where he was pointing. And no sooner did they do so than said figure dashed out of their hiding spaces and landed squarely in front of the group, rising again, and casually striding towards them.

Even without their weapons, everyone had their guard up, but now that the figure had revealed itself, everyone recognized who it was immediately. That long, untidy black hair that flowed so freely. That light grey skin tone. That suit that was black and had three white buttons. That white dress shirt inside, with a black tie. Those pants, loafers, and black belt. It was the most incongruous thing to wear in the summer heat, but at least it was unmistakable.

"Y-You!" Komaru exclaimed, "Who the hell are you!? Why are you here!?"

"Komaru..." Makoto inhaled a shaky breath bit by bit, "Meet...Izuru Kamukura."

"Wait...Wait, THAT'S what he looks like!?" Komaru, completely bewildered by Kamukura's inhuman appearance, pointed an aghast finger at the character, who even in the shine of the sun still was silhouetted in shade, "I thought you guys were exaggerating what he looked like! It sounded way too ridiculous at the time!"

"The better question is how is he here and why!" Shuichi exclaimed, "Does he really possess the means to enter the Metaverse?"

"Even if he did, it doesn't matter," Usami chimed in, "they may look perfectly identical, but my keen eye and even keener nose can distinguish them. This one's not real."

"Wait, so you mean...?" Toko was about to ask, but the question answered itself for her.

Kamukura had been there for the entire time with his eyes closed as if he was in some sort of trance or meditation. But he finally opened them while the Thieves were chatting among themselves about his unexpected appearance.

Now, normally, Izuru Kamukura had a demented red color to his eyes, and across his pupils were symbols that looked like target radars. This figure's eyes were a different color. A glowing, ominous bright yellow.

"Aha...I see..." Kyoko relaxed her guard slightly, standing up straight, "You're Kamukura's Shadow."

"Shouldn't you look a little bit different in this world?" Kaede scratched her head, "My Mom's Shadow looked like a walking artistic disaster in her Palace."

"Sometimes, when corrupt people fully embrace their dark aspects, their Shadows can match the real person in appearance and attire," Usami explained, "considering Kamukura's premise is deep-rooted in the Steering Committee's tampering, it's actually not surprising that his Shadow wears the same clothes as the real world version does."

"Well, it clashes with this little theme we've got going here," Komaru made a waving gesture with her hands, "and the graphic designer in me is pissed off."

Shadow Kamukura, now having made his presence known to the group fully, stepped forward and scanned them with his laser-piercing eyes. All of them stood there in quiet suspense, waiting for him to say or do anything if he did at all.

"...Ultimate Lucky Student...Ultimate Writing Prodigy...Ultimate Pianist..." he started to list them off, "...and two Ultimate Detectives...Accompanied by a talentless person, and...whatever you are..."

"Did anyone else notice that his tone became kind of sour when he mentioned me..." Komaru pursed her lips, frowning in disapproval.

"How about we all just be quiet for a second?" Makoto whispered back.

"So you know who we are?" Kyoko checked, "am I to assume this is from having met us the first time?"

"Why are you here?" the Shadow asked, choosing not to give her an answer to her question, "for what reason do you come to this isolated place?"

"Well, as much as I would like to relax by the sea with a cold melon soda float in my hand," Kaede stepped forward, "we are here to find the Treasure hidden somewhere on this island, steal it, and turn you back into...well...you!"

"We're not here to cause you harm," Makoto assured him, "I understand the idea of your Treasure being taken as the Palace ruler might not seem favorable, but we're doing this to help you..."

"The Treasure?" Kamukura repeated, casting his gaze slowly upwards, "Ah yes...That Treasure...The one that he has been...Hm..."

""He?"" Shuichi frowned, noting this strange choice of words, "who is "he?" Is someone else here?"

"Those who bet this asshole isn't gonna answer that, raise your hand," Toko sighed sarcastically. However, Kamukura shook his head with a sigh.

"I hadn't expected that all of you had the powers to infiltrate this domain," he said softly, "if you've come here to cause chaos and change the boy's heart...Well, I'd like to see you try..."

"So even Kamukura's Shadow is aware that he's in the Metaverse," Kyoko observed, "and that people from the other world can come here."

"Sorry, you'd "like to see us try?" Feh!" Komaru stuck her nose to the sky, "You've got some nerve, haven't you!?"

"The Treasure of this island has been hidden away for a long time," Kamukura said in his monotonous voice, "you people could never hope to steal it...Hm?"

Raising a solitary eyebrow, Kamukura lifted his head again, noticing something. However, this time it was pretty obvious what it was.

Out of nowhere, the Phantom Thieves' suddenly felt the pain of noises...whispers...hushed calls erupting into their ears, accompanied by cacophonic ringing noises. Kaede and Usami even covered theirs to block it out, seemingly to no avail. Despite the slight pain, Makoto made sure to listen closely to what the words were saying.

"He has no talent."

"It's pointless!"

"His parents are stupid too!"

"You can't just PAY your way in!"

"That moron wants to succeed THAT much?"

"Must be nice having some money in your pocket..."

"What...What is this...?" Kyoko clutched her head, trying to shake it off.

"These thoughts...these...memories...?" Shuichi added, "I don't understand how or why but...I can feel the pain coming from them...The shame...the...the feeling of insignificance..."

"These thoughts...could they be Hajime-kun's?" Monomi asked herself.

"Those whispers..." Kamukura closed his eyes and shook his head again, "the fact that you can hear them can mean only one thing...He knows that you're here..."

"Who!?" Makoto snapped, "WHO knows we're here!?"

"An insignificant, talentless loser, who only got as far as he did because he happened to have some spare change..." Izuru lifted his head, "That's the kind of person that Hajime Hinata is...and that insignificant whelp will fulfill his duty and take himself to the grave...leaving only me...The pinnacle of talent itself...The one that really matters..."

"Getting a little big for your boots, huh Kamukura?" Toko crossed her arms, "don't think you've earned my respect or anything."

"You...shouldn't be here..." a shadow was cast over Kamukura's face, "Ultimate's like you...He doesn't deserve to stand on the same pedestal as a talentless Reserve student...Not yet..."

The din of insults, secrets, bullying, and abuse grew ever the more potent in the area around them. While everyone's ears were focused on the noise, everyone's eyes were focused on Shadow Kamukura, who slowly started to fade away as he walked into the Shadow of the statue.

"I said it already...If you really think you can steal the Treasure before he does...I invite you to try..."

Makoto reached out a hand as if he was trying to stop and grab Kamukura, but the emotionless talent template suddenly blended in, and became a LITERAL shadow, skulking away before Makoto could reach him. However, the surprises did not end there.

As Kamukura vanished, Makoto, as well as his schoolmates and his sister, all burst bright with blue arcane flames that caked their bodies! The flames went as soon as they came, but once they did, the team leader was shocked to see that his hand now wore a white glove, and short sleeves had become long and emerald green.

And sure enough, he reached up to his face to find his signature mask placed there.

"What the-!?" Kaede gasped as she stared down at her own hands and body, "Our Thief clothes! They're back! But...doesn't that mean-!?"

"He sees us as a threat now!" Shuichi, or rather Sleuth, exclaimed, "What's going on!?"

"Dammit!" Razor grabbed her hair and pulled on it stressfully, "I knew this easy picking wasn't going to last!"

At the same time, in the real world, Izuru Kamukura lay calmly and quietly on his bed, hiding away in the underground lab beneath the headmaster's statue. A regular pastime of his was to simply lay down and stare at the sky, embracing the pure nothingness within him.

But this time was different. He started to hear...voices...and a painful pounding in his brain that forced him to clutch his head, listening to the insulting whispers.

"He has no talent."

"It's pointless!"

"His parents are stupid too!"

"You can't just PAY your way in!"

"That moron wants to succeed THAT much?"

"Must be nice having some money in your pocket..."

"These...thoughts..." he clenched his teeth, grunting "What...what AM I...rgh...!"

However, his mind suddenly flashed back to that encounter from a few days ago, and for a mind as brilliant as his, he connected the dots almost instantly.

"Those kids..." he groaned, pulling on his long hair.

Back in Kamukura's Palace, though things had descended into chaos, the panic was yet to reach its zenith. What happened next was truly the most surprising, and terrible thing, that could have possibly happened.

The ground started quaking, nearly knocking the Thieves over, as they looked around sporadically for any sign of potential danger. Leprechaun's worried eyes suddenly snapped towards the bronze statue of the warrior and his pets, as he heard some loud cracking noises. To his horror, the statue started to break open like it was hatching, and as pieces of it fell away, the first thing he noticed was an ominous glowing red eye on the horse.

Several more eyes joined this first one, as the viper, tiger, falcon, and warrior atop the horse broke apart as well. And then, with a loud crashing noise, the statue completely shed its bronze skin.

Tropical Despair - Danganronpa 2: Goodbye Despair

This was followed almost immediately by several more crashing noises, as 5 enormous visions of death loomed over the Phantom Thieves...5 massive animal-themed robots that looked ready to kill...!

These poor kids had seen a lot of strange and surprising things since they first became Phantom Thieves. The Metaverse being a place made of the human subconscious did that to you. But still, the phenomenon taking place in front of them at this very moment was blatantly out of this world.

The strange thing about genuine surprise sometimes, Makoto was forced to realize in this moment, is that when it happens, sometimes your voice doesn't let you express it. The sudden appearance of a monster this size and shape might be normal in a movie or a video game...which was exactly why he couldn't grasp the reality of the situation, Metaverse or not.

He wasn't even "afraid," he was just...aghast.

"WHAT THE FUCK ARE THOSE!?" Razor shrieked.

"I don't know!" Usami cried, "But the sheer power they hold! It's incredible! I-Insurmountable! There's no way we can even scratch them as we are!"

"So uh...Run!?" Highwayman exclaimed.

"RUN!" Leprechaun shouted, finally getting himself together and running, grabbing the closest person to him (Kyoko) and pulling them along with him. The rest of the team also turned tail and booked it, with the Titans all giving out a garbled, electronic cry, tantamount to a battle roar.

The ground shook fiercely as the 5 monsters gave chase to the Phantom Thieves. With little to no other escape options, the team dashed as fast as they could towards the bridge they had traveled over to get to the central island, back the way they came from. However, the heavy and quick footsteps of the mechanical beasts (excluding the viper and the falcon) made the passage tremble violently like it could collapse beneath their feet at any second.

"We're gonna die! We're SO GONNA DIE!" Toko squeaked, petrified and literally running for her life, struggling not to turn back and see the horrifying sight right behind them.

"They're too fast!" Kyoko shouted, "They're gaining on us!"

"Like, we DON'T NEED TO KNOW THIS!" Komaru shrieked, "Usami! You! Vroom Vroom! NOW!"

"I know! I need! Hah...TIME!" Monomi cried back. However, this excuse clearly wasn't good enough for Kaede, who reached out and yoinked Monomi by her ears, flinging her back and clenching her own teeth.

"FUCK IT! YEEEET!" she hollered, heaving her whole body to catapult the plucky rabbit high into the air! Monomi screamed in terror, as the falcon robot, flying high above them, almost snatched her while she was airborne with its talons, but luckily she rolled out of the way, and swiftly transformed into her bus version, falling back safely upright on the bridge with a clunk.

Sleuth, who was in the lead of the charge, procured his grapple and cast a line out, angling the hook underneath Monomi's rear bumper. He heaved himself forward with all his might, and understanding his mission, Usami quickly flung open the rear window, letting him fly inside. He then dashed to the front of the bus, grasped the wheel firmly, and slammed his foot down on the pedal!

"LET'S GO!" he cried as loud as he could through the window. With seconds to spare, the rest of the Thieves cast their lines out and hooked themselves onto Monomi's bus form as well, with Leprechaun tightly holding onto Kyoko as they sped across the bridge, holding onto their lines for dear life.

However, the mechanical monsters didn't relent, and though Usami was fast, they were easily keeping pace, especially the falcon, which swept down to strike at them! Highwayman saw this and did the only thing she could to protect herself and her allies.

"GARULA!" she shouted, summoning Parker, and having her Persona fire a gale of sharp green blades of wind towards the mechanized bird.

However, the worst possible outcome immediately came about as the bird spread its wings out to take the attack head-on. Not only did it not leave a scratch on the creature, but Komaru's spell REBOUNDED back at her! Though Komaru had resistance to her own element, the rebound was so poorly positioned against her, that she ended up being smacked in all the vital points, like her face, stomach, and arms, by her own spell!

She let out a cry of pain before her eyes rolled back into her head, and now unconscious, she let go!

"KOMARUUUU!" Razor saw this and reacted at a god-like speed! She released her own grapple shot, then swung it around to snare Highwayman's body, catching her and heaving her forward, just before the gorilla-shaped robot could grab and crush her in its gigantic metal hand!

With Leprechaun unable to do much while keeping Kyoko safe, Mozart held on as tightly as she could to the room of the Usamobile and threw out her grapple to grab both girls. Razor turned, having clearly been counting on Mozart to do this, and firmly grasped the end of the line with one hand, holding Highwayman close with the other. The weight of both girls almost caused Mozart to lose her grip, but fortunately, Leprechaun carefully swung Kyoko inside the car, then grabbed hold of her to support her, helping them pull Toko and Komaru forward until they were safely on top of the car.

Well, "safely" wasn't exactly accurate. For the viper robot suddenly slowed down for a bit, only to bounce off its long winding mechanical tail like a spring, and fly through the air, diving down towards the Usamobile, brandishing the end of its tail like an iron hammer, about to crush the car like one crushes a bug with their thumb!

"SOMEBODY GET US OUT OF HERE!" Leprechaun shrieked, trying to tell any one of his teammates to activate the MetaNav and get them back to the real world! However, with Usami in her bus form, Sleuth at the wheel, and Razor and Mozart trying to resuscitate the unconscious Highwayman, Kyoko was the only one who had any time, which meant it was up to her.

She quickly pulled out her phone, desperately opened up the MetaNav, and practically mashed the navigation button! In the background, all she could hear was the screams of the Phantom Thieves up top as the serpent came falling down, closing in until-!

*SMAACCKK!*

"Oooh! So close!"

Kaede called out in encouragement to Shuichi as he swung and bit the incoming baseball with the bat. Unfortunately, his swing was too hefty and at too weird an angle, so while he did manage to hit it, it was the furthest thing from a homerun possible.

The Phantom Thieves had very narrowly been able to avoid death, and now that they were out of the Palace, they decided to reconvene at some nearby batting cages to process everything and to calm down. Fortunately, right at the last second when the viper robot came crashing down on them, Kyoko had managed to warp the group to safety using a Goho-M.

All All Apologies - Danganronpa 2: Goodbye Despair

While Shuichi was up to bat, Makoto, Komaru, Toko, and Kyoko sat down on a bench outside the cage while Kaede stood up against it, eagerly watching Shuichi bat. Komaru had recovered after they had made it out, but she now sat down with an ice pack on her forehead. Fortunately, besides an ear-splitting headache, her injuries and wounds weren't that bad.

Unsure of what to say, everyone just silently watched as Shuichi pulled away from the cages and handed his bat to Kaede, with him returning to the rest of the group as his girlfriend entered the cage and stepped up to bat. It was only here that he finally broke the silence.

"So...I hate to state the obvious," he sighed, "but that infiltration? ...It really sucked..."

"That was too close for comfort..." Monomi scratched her nose, "I could never have expected an encounter like that..."

"It wasn't just Komaru's spells," Makoto added, "Kaede and I tried shooting them with our guns as well before Kyoko warped us out. They just bounced off those things the same way that wind attack did..."

"But why did any of that...Ow...! ...happen?" Komaru grunted, "Kamukura's Palace was peaceful and enemy-free from the moment we arrived right up until we got to that central island. What happened to set off all that security? Did Kamukura's Shadow do it?"

"For some reason, I don't think so..." Makoto thought hard about it for a moment, "if Kamukura becoming on edge really was the reason why those robots attacked us, why didn't they pop out the moment he saw us? Plus...this could just be me...but becoming paranoid about us really goes against anything we've seen of Izuru up until now. He didn't seem to fear us or be surprised when we met him in the lab, so what makes the Palace and his Shadow any different?"

"No, I think you've got a point there," Kyoko crossed her arms, "plus, I believe he mentioned the presence of someone else in his Palace...He said...what was it? "He knows that you're here..." Who did he mean?"

"We can think about that later," Toko stated, "the matter at hand is that if those monsters are roaming those islands, it's going to make finding and stealing Kamukura's Treasure very very difficult.

"From my initial observations, it seems that those mechanical beasts are being affected by some sort of special barrier that stops any attacks that we throw at them, and sends them right back at us," Shuichi observed, "there has to be a way around them, but...I can't for the life of me think of what it might be."

*SMAACCKK!*

The conversation was briefly cut up as Kaede reeled back and punted the incoming ball with the bat. Her swing was a bit more successful than Shuichi's, but still not great.

"Well, we'd better hurry up and find it out then," Makoto said, "we need to get this done before Sports Day rolls around. Otherwise, we'll lose our chance to stop the Steering Committee for good."

"Yeesh..." Komaru pouted, "There goes my plans for an easy-going summer break."

After she hit a 5th incoming ball, Kaede stretched her arms and left the cage, heading back towards the rest of the group, holding out the bat for anyone to take. However, when nobody did, she just rested it down against the bench.

"I get that our morale is kinda shot after what happened back there," she sighed, "but it's not a matter of can we or can't we. We HAVE to do this. We don't have much of a choice. It's either this, or let the Steering Committee get away with treating Hajime Hinata like a tool, and then some."

"I know..." Makoto nodded, "Let's try the Palace again another day. I doubt we'll be making much progress from this side of the border."

Though the conversation ended in rather dismal silence, everyone nodded their heads in agreement. Only a few weeks left, and so little time to lose...What else would that wreck of a Palace have in store for them?

Beautiful Lie in ProgramWorld - Danganronpa V3: Killing Harmony

[THAT NIGHT...]

One of the most notable things about Chiaki Nanami was she had a tendency to nod off while playing video games and to take long pauses during conversations to consider what she wanted to say. A big part of why she was like this was her poor sleep schedule and insomnia since she spent the late hours of the day playing video games. Sometimes...or rather most of the time...she'd pull all-nighters if she got really into it.

And if it was a video game that she could get any kind of enjoyment out of, regardless of whether the game was good or not, then she WOULD undoubtedly get into it.

This time was a bit different though. She sat in a pile of stuffed animals and bean bags, with a game console hooked up to the large TV on the wall in front of her, and her eyes focused on the UI and her inputs as she unleashed a combo on the enemy she was fighting. The only thing that could ever break Chiaki's focus is if she had something else heavy weighing on her mind.

And she most certainly had something else heavy weighing on her mind.

Her train of thought was interrupted when she heard someone knocking on her bedroom door. She paused her game, took off her headphones, and turned her head to see her father walk in, wearing a purple hoodie and blue shirt, he had rose-gold eyes and light brown, silky hair. He smiled at her warmly as he entered.

"Just popping in to let you know that your mother and I are going to bed now, Chiaki darling," he whispered, "also, I brought you some chocolate mousse earlier and forgot to tell you. I'll put it here for you."

Chiaki's parents were the doting sort. They didn't necessarily approve of some of her lifestyle choices, such as staying up late and playing games, but they accepted that it wasn't something that she could really control and wasn't necessarily harmful in the grand scheme of things. They were very proud of her for having become an Ultimate Student and being top of her class, and they did everything they could to support her. Chiaki considered herself very lucky, even though she didn't spend an awful lot of time with her parents.

Partly the reason she had chosen to come home this summer was to spend time with them, as well as take a break in general. But even she knew it didn't amount to much, since she was just doing the same thing she always did; play video games by herself.

"Thank Dad..." she smiled back at him, "you're the best."

Chiaki's father gave a little chuckle, putting the tub of mousse down on Chiaki's bedside table. However, before he closed the door, he called out to his daughter once again.

"Chiaki...You know how much I hate prying into your personal life," he said, "but are you alright? You've seemed rather out of it since you got home. You're not sick, are you?"

"So you noticed..." she sighed, "well, yeah, I've just had a lot on my mind lately. It's just hard coming to terms with the fact that I only have a semester or two left at Hope's Peak, and then I have to jump out into the big world. With everything that's happening it's...I'm not sure I'm ready to face the world...and I'm not sure I'm ready to say goodbye."

"Well, you don't have to say goodbye. I'm sure you and your classmates will stick together and you'll meet each other later down the line," Mr. Nanami reassured her, "you know how good you are at making friends and pulling people together, right?"

"...Yeah..." Chiaki sighed, overcome with a sudden sadness at his words. She couldn't fault him though; he was trying to comfort her.

"Hey...I'll leave you to your own devices, but remember, if you ever need someone to talk to, Daddy's always here, ok?" he winked. Chiaki chuckled as he waved like a cheeky child, slowly backing out of the doorway.

Once he was gone, Chiaki got up out of her seat and grabbed the tub of chocolate mousse he had left before returning to her original position and staring at the screen. However, she didn't unpause her game immediately.

As kind as her Dad was, there was absolutely no way she could talk to EITHER of her parents about what had happened, or what she had seen. Even in the case that they believed her, that might have been an even worse outcome than thinking she was making it up. They would freak out, shout about it from the rooftops, and get Naegi in a whole heap of trouble.

She wasn't going to betray his wishes or anything, but still, she couldn't get it out of her mind.

She sighed, suddenly feeling the pangs of thirst. She glanced over at an empty bottle of energy drink and several more full bottles sitting not too far away from it. While tempting, it wasn't what she needed. Just water would have sufficed.

Fortunately, there was also a half-empty bottle of water sitting not too far away, and brainlessly, she grabbed it and chugged the remaining contents. She put the bottle down next to the other empty one, but then suddenly felt a twinge of doubt and shame. She picked up both bottles, as well as any other recyclables in her room, and moved them by her bedroom door to take out in the morning.

Anything to distract her. Something that wasn't the game.

To be honest, the explanation she had given her father for her strange feelings was more of a half-truth than a lie. Saying that Chiaki disliked silent reflection would be akin to saying that Dork Soles, the notorious hack-and-slash RPG game, was only a little difficult. It didn't mean much to her when she was younger because there wasn't really anything significant to consider. All she had to do was keep being a naive child and concentrate on her games.

But now she was growing up. 17 years old and yet somehow already experiencing a midlife crisis. And this whole Metaverse thing? And the fact that new information had come up about her long-lost friend? Yeah, it wasn't helping.

It was all too much to process. This was not the usual kind of exhaustion, and the reason for her lack of sleep was that there were so many secrets, conspiracies, and other things piercing her mind like iron nails. Although there was obviously nothing she could have done to stop Makoto, there was still a part of her that was angry with herself for allowing him to risk his life for her. There was a strong sense in her mind telling her that everything she knew was insane and that she was actually investigating a topic she had only heard of in mystery games.

However, this was no game. This was real life.

Chiaki pulled out her phone and scrolled through her game apps. Eventually, she found the icon that she had seen before, featuring the red background and the ominous eye. She opened it up to come to the navigation screen.

Just from the way Makoto and Monomi had described it, it seemed pretty simple to figure out. Naegi-kun and the Phantom Thieves of Hope could locate their targets by using the app on their phones, and they could then sneak into those "Palace" locations to steal the hearts of people with deviant desires. Corrupt individuals such as the mother of Kaede and the grandfather of Kirigiri-chan. Three things were necessary to infiltrate a Palace: the name of the target, the location, and, as Monomi had described it, the distortion the target perceived the location to be.

She hadn't explained it in full detail, but fortunately or unfortunately, Chiaki was a pretty smart kid.

And it was also because of this fact that Chiaki had been connecting the dots. Monomi had told Chiaki that they had been working on an investigation into the Reserve Course. But why else would they be doing that if it wasn't somehow related to their actions as Phantom Thieves?

Naegi-kun hadn't gone into details about Hinata-kun's case. He'd clearly on-purposefully kept some details hidden from her...Important details that might have led her to her friend...To figure out what REALLY happened to him...

Chiaki didn't spite him for this though. She understood perfectly why he did it. He didn't want her getting involved in this any further; to keep her safe. Unfortunately for him, the Ultimate Gamer was more stubborn than he thought. She knew this was stupid. That she might just be putting herself in more unnecessary danger...

...But she tried it...

"H-Hajime Hinata..." she spoke in a low hushed voice. The app was still able to pick it up and responded in kind.

[CANDIDATE FOUND!]

She knew it...This app...That other world...It was all connected to Hajime after all.

What else was needed? A location. Somewhere that would serve as the real-world equivalent of the place that he might be hiding. This was pretty clear-cut. There was only one place that Hajime ever wanted to be.

"Hopes Peak...Academy..." she whispered again to the app, slowly, hesitantly, and with worry, and yet determination overpowering everything else.

[RESULTS FOUND!]

The more of these things that Chiaki guessed, both her excitement and nervousness grew. There was only one more category to meet, and she could go back to that world. A different world. One where...she might find him.

It was a hard battle to fight inside. She knew that this wasn't her responsibility. Naegi-kun and his friends were probably doing all of this to save Hajime, and with their powers and her...nothing, the safest thing to do was to leave it to them. Let the heroes do the heavy lifting.

At the same time though, it's not like this was none of her business. She was a big part of this story, and Hinata-kun was her best friend, even after all this time. She knew he was trapped somewhere in that world like she had almost been. After 3 years, he was finally in arms reach! She couldn't just LEAVE him!

Just one more...! What kind of place Hinata saw Hope's Peak as...

And yet, just like that, as if an angel had whispered it into her ear, Chiaki Nanami remembered that one conversation...That key...His words...

"Hope's Peak is...an Island Paradise..." she said out loud without really thinking, as well as tapping the enter button at the bottom of the screen. And yet the app responded to her call.

[KEYWORD ACCEPTED. BEGINNING NAVIGATION.]

What followed was very sudden...!

The dark room suddenly became even darker, and Chiaki's warm, snug body, wrapped up in a blanket, became unbearably cold! She had little sense or time to process what had just happened, but enough to know where she was...!

Underwater...! Deep, DEEP underwater...!

The Ultimate Gamer felt a wave of fear and panic come over her instantly! Suddenly, a shot of water felt like fire shooting up her nose in this pregnant darkness! Thankfully, she had paused to take a deep breath before showing up here, otherwise this could have been really bad!

Nevertheless, after suppressing it for a while, she began to feel as though the air inside of her was slowly destroying her, begging to come out! Her thin pajamas, which were now completely drenched, constricted around her, giving the impression that a massive, damp hand had been brutally forced around her body!

She was being pulled down hard by the turbulent, rough water! She kicked her legs and thrashed her arms in an attempt to fight against it, but she was helpless! She wanted so badly to gasp for air, but all she could take in was water, and fear took hold of her! She could feel the cold water engulfing her as she sank farther and deeper!

But in that darkness was a small glimmer of hope. Her mobile phone floated in front of her, and keeping herself as calm as humanly possible, she grabbed the device, which still had the navigator open! Thankfully it was waterproof, and she desperately tapped the icon she had pressed to enter this dreaded ocean in the first place!

Chiaki's ears were blocked, but through the ocean, she could still hear a noise from her phone that sounded like "Returning from something-something." And as her eyes slowly began to roll back into her head as the ocean's pull dragged her into its depths...

She was back...Back in her room, right where she had been before the sudden scare. Everything was exactly as she left it, with the only difference being that her body was completely and totally soaked through. She immediately took the biggest gulp of air mankind had ever recorded, and fell over on her side, choking up the saltwater that had snuck its way into her lungs! Somehow throughout all of this, she hadn't awoken or garnered the attention of her parents.

In one way or another, that was a stroke of luck. There was no way she could reasonably explain why she was suddenly so wet.

What she had just subjected herself to was the most horrifying experience that she had ever been through. She had randomly appeared at the bottom of an ocean and would have almost drowned. If she had, she would have been lost in that world forever. No one would ever see her again. Not her parents, or her classmates and friends. She could have disappeared forever if she hadn't gotten out in time.

And yet despite that near-death experience, Chiaki sat up on her knees, stared at her screen again, shivering in her wet clothes, clutching her phone, and only one quiet word came out of her mouth...

"Wow...!"

Chapter End Notes

Think about it for a second. What WAS Jabberwock Island if not Izuru's playground?
Like, do I even need to say where the connections for this island come from? Welcome to Danganronpa 2 baby, it's Jabberwock Island all over again, except this time with a Metaverse twist~
This has already been confirmed via the TV Tropes Page, (thanks again to everyone helping to update it) but Izuru's Palace represents Sloth for reasons that I should hope are obvious. And as mentioned in the chapter itself, his Shadow looks no different from his real-world self, other than a change in eye color.
This Palace is gonna be a little different than your standard fair for not just this story, but from the original game as well, so look forward to that.
Before I close out, I want to give one last huge shoutout to lunatichyness on Tumblr for making some absolutely incredible fanart for the story and linking me in on it. You're awesome, keep up the good work, I love to see it - https://www.tumblr.com/lunatichyness
Thank you for reading. I love to get feedback from my readers, so feel free to leave a comment, and some kudos if you feel up to it.

Ultimate Summer Camp

Chapter Summary

After an unfortunate setback, the Phantom Thieves once again dive into Kamukura's Palace and prepare to fight the monsters that defeated them last time. However, things take an unexpected turn when the team encounters a mysterious and overly curious Shadow. Not as an enemy...but as a potential friend?

Chapter Notes

See the end of the chapter for notes

Beautiful Ruin [Summer Salt] - Danganronpa 2: Goodbye Despair

If there was one good thing among many other bad or annoying things that came from the situation, it's that the summer break made it a lot easier to meet up and discuss plans of action. Since nobody had school or classes, they could show up to the Thieves' Den any time, any day, so long as they weren't busy with other stuff.

What delayed them most right now would be the favors and preparations that Makoto handled, spending time with the confidants of the Phantom Thieves. But he put that to the wayside and reconvened with the team the following day in the Den. He stood on one side of the whiteboard that had a selection of Komaru's sketches on it, showing several familiar faces, including Izuru, Chiaki, and Tengan (the Izuru sketch had an arrow pointing at it with the words "piss baby" attached to it. Toko's personal touch.)

Next to it was a list of fact checks, and a documentation of the teams' current progress, with some hastily scribbled childlike drawings of a gorilla, horse, snake, bird, and tiger, symbolizing the monsters that had attacked the team last time.

Kaede stood on the other side of the whiteboard, using her spear (well, it was a wooden stick in the real world, but still) and used it as a baton of sorts, pointing to whatever was on the board. Toko and Kyoko sat sensibly and upright on Toko's bed, while Komaru sat lazily in the beanbag, with Monomi on her lap. Shuichi was perched on the seat of the workbench where Makoto usually made lockpicks and other tools.

"Alright, listen up!" Kaede tapped the whiteboard, shifting into boot camp mode, "Let's all get our heads in the game people! As of today, the expedition into Izuru Kamukura's Palace has officially begun! Now, let's all face the music. This is very much unlike any other Palace that we've dealt with before."

"Yes, most certainly. Honestly, I'm quite surprised," Monomi said, "we had a nasty scare when we went in the first time. We'll have to make sure that we enter the Metaverse closer to the school than we did before, even if we risk people spotting us."

"Guess we don't have much of a choice in case we feel like going for a swim again..." Komaru pouted, "What's the deal with that anyway? Aside from the archipelago itself, everywhere you look in that place is just ocean!"

"Thinking back, maybe we should have expected that. The literal DEFINITION of an island is a piece of land surrounded by water," Toko remarked.

"Well, every other time we've entered a Palace, it's just been normal cityscapes aside from the distortion itself," Makoto pointed out, "so much so that the first time around with Towa, we didn't even know we'd entered the Palace."

"However, that still remains a part of the Palace," Monomi educated, "it was still cognition, even though the city wasn't warped. My only assumption is that Izuru doesn't know what the outside world looks like because he isn't permitted to leave Hope's Peak Academy. It doesn't exist in his subconscious as a result."

"It could also be the case that he knows but doesn't have interest, therefore it doesn't have a lasting impression on his consciousness," Kyoko theorized, "aside from that, one of the big aspects of this Palace is how much of a paradise Hajime/Izuru sees Hope's Peak as, and isolates it, and himself by extension, from the rest of the world. Hence why such a vast ocean exists."

"Though I doubt many well-known criminals are reclusive like him," Kaede stated, "that should hopefully mean that this "drowning" businitch won't happen to us in the future."

"Well, at least we know what to do when we enter this time. But that's not the problem at hand," Makoto piped up, "even not counting the monsters that came out of the statue last time, something tells me that this infiltration and exploration isn't going to go as swimmingly as it did last time."

"You're right," Monomi raised her head, "even as we were leaving the Palace, I could sense more enemy presences than just the beasts that attacked us. The security level in the Palace shot way up, and I think it's quite likely that we'll meet our regular old opposition now."

"You mean Palace guards..." Shuichi clicked his tongue.

"Actually, hold on. This is kind of an irrelevant question, but it's something that's been in the back of my mind for a long time and I keep forgetting to bring it up," Komaru interrupted, "Monomi. You're always saying that you can sense when security is up and when Shadows are nearby. But how? And how come you seem to be the only one with that ability?"

"Actually, yeah, now that she mentions it..." Kaede pondered, "Are your senses just that good compared to ours?"

"Well, my eyes, ears, and nose are impeccable!" Monomi boasted, her ears twitching in compliance, "but truthfully, not completely. Those abilities are actually derived from my Persona's power."

"Your Persona?" Toko asked, "I didn't think our Persona's were even capable of that."

"They're not," Monomi stated suddenly, "my Persona's main use is for combat, healing, and general battle support, as you've seen already. However, Mr. A possesses unique properties. Using their full power, I am able to predict where particular enemies will be in the Metaverse, assess the weaknesses of different opponents, and, if necessary, provide insightful analysis and battle callouts from a distance; almost as if I have a telephone inside me. I can also easily determine when you've reached your breaking point and need my help to heal you because I have access to other Persona users' status information."

"Your Persona is capable of all of that?" Kyoko seemed genuinely impressed, "that's a special kind of power."

"Why have you never mentioned being able to do this before!?" Makoto exclaimed, "We've known you for what? 4 or 5 months now? We've been through so much and only now we're learning about this!?"

"I've never had a need to utilize most of these abilities before. And even if I did, you're seriously overestimating the power," Monomi sulked, "most of the analysis my Persona is capable of achieving, Shuichi possesses through his detective insight alone. We've also never strayed apart as a group, which renders my communication ability unnecessary. Believe me, if I need to use them, I will."

"So...is your Persona the only one that has these powers? Is it because of your connection to the Metaverse?" Komaru crossed her legs. Monomi shook her head.

"Not necessarily. I possess these abilities because they derive from my desire to be your teacher and guide through the Metaverse as both a place and concept," she explained, "Let's say by chance, someone were to awaken to their Persona with the sole desire of helping someone close to them or providing support to people who need it. In that instance, a Persona might appear as a being not suited for combat with no physical prowess, but incredible supportive power; far superior to my own."

"It's incredible how long we've been Phantom Thieves, and yet how little we understand about the way the Metaverse works..." Shuichi slighted.

"You're telling me..." Toko pouted, "I was under the impression that Kamukura was pretty off-hands about everything, so it made sense that there weren't any enemies when we entered the Palace...And yet now? Boom! Loads of the damn things."

"I don't suppose you have any clue why security skyrocketed like that?" Kyoko tilted her head at the bunny. Monomi shook her head.

"No clue..." she replied, "this will require further investigation...But suffice to say the end is a long way in sight."

"Considering Kamukura's calm and unbothered disposition, it strikes me as odd that he would feel insecure in our presence. I would love a chance to confront him face to face in this world, but that may prove difficult," Shuichi said, "but it is admittedly frustrating just how little we understand about this Palace and the sheer opposition we face."

"It doesn't matter," Makoto put his foot down, raising his voice an octave to assert dominance and will, "Izuru Kamukura and his Palace are nothing more than a void of personality to make way for a twisted world of "talent." Hajime Hinata is IN that void somewhere, and we're getting him out."

"And if you're wrong about that?" Kyoko asked, "Just to set your expectations, what if Hajime Hinata is well and truly gone? What if there is no saving him?"

"Careful Kyoko, your Toko is showing," Kaede smirked, pointing at her with her stick.

"Oi!" Toko snapped.

"Doesn't matter. It doesn't change the fact that Izuru has to go," Makoto replied, "this is for the sake of more than just Hinata and Nanami-senpai. It's about stopping the Steering Committee from running wild and abusing the Metaverse. It doesn't change what we have to do."

"Good," Kyoko smiled, "so...What's the game plan?"

"Hoo...Thank god we're not in the ocean anymore..." Highwayman whistled once the group made it inside Hinata's Palace safely, appearing back on the beach they had washed onto the first time around.

"Hey guys, check it out..." Mozart spoke up, looking down and examining her own body, "We're in our thief clothes already."

"That proves that he still sees us as a threat," Usami asserted, "let's make sure that we're careful from this point forward."

"Our only real option right now is scouting out the Palace and trying to get any information we can on how to beat those monsters," Leprechaun said, "we'll explore the first island to see if we can get any ideas, then cross the bridge to the central island if we can't find any."

"But if we go to the central island, we risk confronting those monsters again," Sleuth deduced, "we should make sure to cover as much ground as possible, and save that expedition for a last resort...That being said, I'm not exactly looking forward to bearing this heat in these clothes..."

"You're wearing mostly white, you're probably suffering the least right now..." Leprechaun sighed.

"Yeah, besides," Mozart seductively wiggled her eyebrows, "you could always take it off, you know?"

Shuichi blushed, making his already hot face look even redder.

"Kae-Um...Mozart...Please, this is serious...!" he whimpered.

"What?" Mozart shrugged, "I meant your hat, silly!"

"No you didn't..." he spat.

"Alright, so where do you guys want to...Hm?" Highwayman started to say something but trailed off. Everyone immediately took notice and turned to her.

"What's the matter?" Kyoko asked.

"Razor, are you alright?" Highwayman asked, "You've been staring in that direction for a while..."

Everyone's heads then turned to Razor who, sure enough, was laser-focusing her vision west of where the team was standing. Not taking her gaze away from where she was looking, she whispered to her team.

"That bastard from the other day," she said, "Kamukura...He's over there, watching us..."

Despair Syndrome 01 - Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc

Sufficiently alarmed, everyone's eyes suddenly snapped in the same direction she was facing, scanning everywhere for any sign of life.

"Where!? Where is he!?" Mozart panicked.

"The beach hut," Razor snarled quietly, "in the doorway. It's open a crack, but I see the bastard..."

Using his third eye, Leprechaun focused his vision on where Razor pointed out. Sure enough, he could just barely make out a shadowy figure with one glowing yellow eye, staring at him with a frown. It was a ways away, but he felt a shiver run up his body, despite the heat.

"You're right! He's over there just watching us!" Leprechaun whispered.

"Yeah, I see him..." using the visor of his sniper rifle like a telescope, Sleuth spotted Izuru's Shadow through the beach hut doorway, "what does he want from us?"

"You uh...think we should say hi?" Mozart suggested.

*BANG!*

"AGH! JESUS FUCKING CHRIST!"

Mozart immediately proceeded to drop an unexpected f-bomb, as the equally unexpected sound of a gun being fired ruptured her ears, making everybody on the beach nearly jump out of their skin! Heads snapped angrily towards Sleuth, but Shuichi himself was equally as alarmed.

As it turned out, while Sleuth had his target in sight, Razor had spontaneously reached over and pulled the trigger, causing Sleuth's gun to fire involuntarily! Leprechaun's head snapped back towards the doorway! Kamukura was gone, but not too far away, a cloud of sand with a line beneath it was kicked up.

"GOT A BIT OF A VOYEUR THING, DO YOU KAMUKURA!?" Razor shouted at the top of her lungs, "I KNOW YOU'RE WATCHING! COME OUT AND STOP BEING A CREEP!"

"YOU stop being so DAMN LOUD!" Sleuth snarled through grit teeth, yanking his sniper rifle away from her and holstering it, "Do you want the Shadows to come and find us!? What did you do THAT for!?"

"Eh...Just needed to set an example," Razor shrugged, "I wanted to put that freak in his place, especially after he ditched us last time. Think I got him running scared...Least I hope so..."

"Razor, if we kill him, we might kill him in the real world!" Leprechaun snapped, "Do NOT do that again!"

"Alright, I won't. But I bet he's fine," she rolled her eyes, "fucker's so fast I might as well have sent that bullet to him in the mail. Plus, we saw yesterday he can move through shadows."

"Highly observant of you..."

Everyone got yet another jumpscare as another figure seemed to almost teleport behind them! Everyone backed away, as Izuru Kamukura's Shadow was now on full display, unhidden, standing in the middle of them. Somehow, he had shown up without alerting anyone's presence.

Razor immediately pulled out her taser and pointed it at him, but she held fire for the time being. Everyone else also remained on guard, while Shadow Kamukura reacted very nonchalantly to having a weapon aimed at him.

"See? What'd I tell you?" Razor smirked before returning to serious mode, "what the hell do you want?"

"I was just surprised is all," Izuru played with the cuffs of his shirt, "I'm surprised that you thought it was a good idea to come back here..."

"Couldn't you have seen us coming with your Ultimate Talents?" Kyoko asked, "Tengan informed me that you have extraordinary speed and accuracy in your prediction-making and that you can read people and analyze them the moment you set eyes on them."

"That's not really how it works. I am capable of doing that, but even for me, there is a limit," Izuru strode calmly along the sand, circling the group, though Razor did not pull her weapon away from him, "almost anything that happens to me can be predicted, barring events that are entirely beyond my comprehension and experience. Would you believe someone could fire a gun after having their head severed by a chainsaw, for instance?"

"What is that example!?" Mozart exclaimed, "Please don't tell me you've actually SEEN that!?"

"Not exactly," the Shadow shook its head, "but those kinds of instances are unpredictable, as is your sudden return despite your previous failing. Those are the only instances that can give me any kind of excitement in my life."

"Well, I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but we're not here to sing and dance for you Kamukura," Leprechaun squared up to the Shadow, trying not to look intimidated or show any weakness, "after what you put us through last time, you're lucky we even bothered to come back. We're only here because we've got to be."

"If you're referring to the Mechabeasts attacking you, that was not my doing," Izuru closed his eyes and turned his back to the Thieves' leader, "they're designed to protect this island from intruders like yourselves. I have no control over their directive."

"So they're called Mechabeasts..." Sleuth noted.

"Fuck this noise! If you've got nothing useful to say, then skedaddle!" Razor gestured over her shoulder, "Or what, did you come here just to taunt us?"

"Of course not," Izuru scoffed, "I'm here to fulfill my duty on this island. To explain...the rules..."

"The "rules?"" Highwayman parodied, raising her eyebrows, "What the hell does that even mean?"

"It's quite simple. You wish to defeat the Mechabeasts and get to the Treasure, right?" Shadow Kamukura turned her way, "I'm here to teach you how to do that. How to bypass their weaknesses."

"Wait, you're HELPING us?" Mozart frowned, "do you want us to steal your Treasure?"

"I don't care what you do. But as the manager of the islands, when people come to the island looking for the Treasure, it's part of my job here to explain how to get to it...What they do, whether they die or not, is of no concern to me."

"Lovely..." Usami pursed her snout, "but "rules" implies that there's some sort of game that needs to be played...I'm not sure I like the sound of that..."

"Nevertheless, if there is a way to defeat the Mechabeasts, we need to hear it out," Kyoko chimed in, "there are not many other options from the way I'm looking at things."

"You're right," Leprechaun acknowledged, "alright Kamukura. How do we play this game of yours?"

DISTRUST - Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc

"Taking down each of the six Mechabeasts on the archipelago's central island is your primary objective," Izuru clarified, "To accomplish this, you must acquire one grimoire for each beast. Each scroll grants you the ability to defeat one, and there are a total of six scrolls, as well as large Mechabeasts."

"Wait...A game where your objective is to defeat monsters...like...in a game...?" Mozart suddenly interrupted, arching her hands and pacing back and forth in deep thought, "Wait a second...!"

"What? What's with you?" Razor asked.

"To be honest, ever since we got to this island and looked around, and ever since we saw those 5 monsters, it kind of gave me a feeling of deja vu..." Mozart explained, "And it's kind of just hit me why! I played a video game that was EXACTLY this when I was a kid with my Dad and Kaori!"

"For real!?" Highwayman exclaimed.

"What game was that?" Sleuth asked.

"It's called "Ultimate Summer Camp." I barely remember it because it's been such a long time since I played it. It's one of those party games where you roll a dice and navigate a board," she explained, "Your goal is to defeat as many enemies and boss fights as possible, and attain the high score. The bosses were all in the middle island, and you needed something to defeat them...and now that I think about it, I do remember that they were all modeled after animals! Including a gorilla and a snake!"

"There are too many connections there to brush that off as a coincidence," Kyoko pondered, "you mentioned that this game had islands as well?"

"Yeah. The game centers on a group of 62 different playable characters who go on a 50-day summer test program, searching for a treasure on a tropical resort that is modeled after a real-world location!" Mozart explained.

"Based on a real-world location...such as Jabberwock Island..." Kyoko repeated, "It's not just similar circumstances...It's almost the exact same."

"Ok, so what you're saying is we're not just stuck on a deserted archipelago...!?" Razor grit her teeth, "We're inside a FREAKING VIDEO GAME!?"

"That actually makes a lot of sense," Sleuth considered, "we know that Hinata spent most of his free time during his school days playing games with Chiaki Nanami-senpai. And if he'd been playing games since he was a kid, this might be a classic one that retains in his memory, even after being erased."

"Whether it's a video game or not doesn't matter," Leprechaun said, "we need these scrolls or grimoires to defeat the Mechabeasts, right? How do we get them?"

"The scrolls have been given to powerful Shadows on each island for safekeeping. You'll need to scour every island to find them," Kamukura explained, "once you defeat them, you'll obtain the scroll for one of the Mechabeasts. The Mechabeasts will be waiting on the central island guarding the bridges. Defeat one Mechabeast, and the bridge becomes available to you, allowing you to explore the next island at your leisure."

"So we rinse and repeat until we defeat all 5 beasts," Mozart recounted, "woah! That was almost a poem!"

"We have to explore ALL 5 ISLANDS!?" Razor exclaimed, "UUHUHUHUHUUUGHWHYYYYY!?"

"RAZOR! Razor!" Highwayman slung her arm around her partner, "don't feel so blue about it! Think of the places we might see! The loot we might find!"

"Doesn't make it sound worth it," Razor grumbled, "can I just put an electric jolt through his eyes and call it a day?"

"NO!" everyone snapped.

"You couldn't if you tried," Kamukura taunted, which frankly didn't make things better, "oh...And it goes without saying, but the guards of the island will likely try to stop you from achieving your goal if they end up spotting you. So be prepared for that eventuality."

"Thanks for the tip," Leprechaun saluted casually, "and fine...If playing your game is what gets us to the Treasure, then we'll comply...for now..."

"One last tip for the new player..." Kamukura turned his back again and strode off, "The first grimoire is located in the hotel area of this island. That will be all..."

Before anyone had the chance to stop him, Kamukura once again vanished into the Shadows as he did before. Spitefully, Razor shot the ground where he finished, before finally putting her weapon away.

Love is Paradise - Danganronpa S: Ultimate Summer Camp

"I really hate that guy..." she growled, "making us do so much work..."

"Come on, you're just pissy that this turned out not to be smooth sailing after all," Highwayman made finger guns, "aside from the game aspect, this just sounds like standard fair to me."

"Something bothered me about what he said back there..." Sleuth chimed in, "Did anyone else notice what he said about the number of enemies to defeat?"

"He said that we needed to defeat 6 bosses in order to get the Treasure, right?" Mozart recalled.

"Yes...But..." Sleuth explained, "we only got attacked by 5 beasts the last time we came in here. Kamukura thereby just implied the existence of a sixth enemy we need to defeat that we haven't seen yet."

"Hm...Good point..." Highwayman recognized, "I don't think I would have noticed if you hadn't pointed it out."

"It's probable that the final boss of the island is Kamukura himself," Kyoko theorized, "after all, you've had to fight climactic battles with all your previous Palace rulers, no? Maybe he's just saving the surprise."

"Either way, at least we know what to do now. Assuming Kamukura's not lying to us, we've gotta track down the grimoire in the hotel. Then we can go to the central island, and use it to take down the monsters there. It'll be a slow process, sure, but at least it's a simple one."

"Ok, but just saying it's in the hotel area isn't really giving us much to go on," Highwayman said, "the hotel's kinda big. Where would you even hide a magical scroll?"

"Actually, it's not that hard to figure out," Kyoko stated, "last time we came here, that rickety old building off to the side is the only place that we didn't investigate. The scroll has to be in there somewhere."

"Then I advise we get to it immediately," Usami suggested, "hop to it, Phantom Thieves!"

Keeper of Lust - Persona 5

Leprechaun took the lead as the team returned to the hotel area of the first island; which they had visited the previous day. Only this time, it was a bit more of a challenge to get there, given that the island was now infested with voodoo-shaped Shadows, and there were little places to hide in such an open sunny area.

However, knowing that the team would have to prioritize fighting the bosses, both the ones that held the scrolls and the Mechabeasts, they did their best to avoid fighting any grunts that came their way. They successfully managed to sneak their way to the old building, and Leprechaun quickly walked up the steps and opened the door.

He immediately started coughing as he was hit with a wave of dirt and dust. It was clear that the term "old building" was no exaggeration. The place was dark, dank, full of dust and cobwebs, and clearly hadn't been cleaned...possibly EVER.

"Hold on senpai," Mozart reached for her mask and stepped in front of him, "I'll take care of this...!"

"NO! Don't!" Leprechaun grabbed her wrist, "What if you set the building on fire and burn the scroll!?"

"Huh? Oh, no! I was just gonna...cut through the webs with my spear," Mozart held up her weapon, "I was just readjusting my mask is all."

"Oh, sorry!" Leprechaun blushed, "By all means!"

Mozart took the lead, spinning her spear around like some practice baton as she cut through the webs strung all across the narrow hallways. Even with her interference, it was hard to breathe in the darkness of the old building. Kyoko opened whatever windows she saw as they passed by, attempting to make it a little easier on the lungs and the eyes.

It might have been worth doing a full exploration of the building, but wanting to get out of this situation as soon as possible, Leprechaun opened the first set of doors that he found, which led into a fairly large open, yet empty room. A dining room it seemed, though it was devoid of any tables or chairs.

Right in the middle of the room, with a single spotlight shining down on a grandiose treasure chest. Unlike the typical chest that the Thieves used their lockpicks to open and get loot from, this one looked pertained to the environment around it. Like it had some importance to the narrative they'd been goaded into.

"Well..." Razor nodded her head towards it, "Go get 'em, fearless leader."

"This is too easy, I'm definitely about to get attacked when I do this," Leprechaun sighed.

"Oh well, that'd be a shame," Highwayman smirked, "go on!"

"You guys are so mean..." Leprechaun could only chuckle and roll his eyes, "All alright, but be ready to pull me out if I get dunked on..."

Leprechaun wasn't really afraid right now. This wasn't the first time he was going to be fighting powerful Shadows for a key of some sort. The only difference was that every other time, in Towa, Kirigiri, and Kaede's Palaces', the Shadows hadn't exactly made an effort to hide. So while he knew that a monster was guarding the place, the fact that he couldn't see it gave him rightful cause for concern.

Nevertheless, he approached the chest and opened it, and sure enough, lying at the bottom of the burly box was a neatly packed scroll.

"Well, it's here!" he called back to his teammates, "think I could just grab it and-"

*SMASH!*

"NOPE!" Highwayman exclaimed, as almost immediately did he place his hand on the scroll that a large insectoid-looking Shadow came crashing through from the ceiling. Sensing this coming, Leprechaun was able to backflip away from it in time as it loomed over him.

It then proceeded to burst into sludge and then reshape into its true demon form, that of a terrifying half-snake, half-woman that even in the narrow room, towered over the Thieves.

"ĐØ ₦Ø₮ ₳₱₱ⱤØ₳₵Ⱨ ₮ⱧɆ ₴₳₵ⱤɆĐ ₴₵ⱤØⱠⱠ! ɎØɄ ₩łⱠⱠ ฿Ɇ ɆⱠł₥ł₦₳₮ɆĐ, ł₦₮ⱤɄĐɆⱤ!"

"Sleuth! Usami! Stay back and protect Kyoko! Get ready to jump in if you need to!" Leprechaun commanded, "Highwayman! Razor! Mozart! With me!"

At his command, Usami and Sleuth leaped back to guard Kyoko, while the other three grabbed their weapons and jumped forward.

"Alright, let's do this!" Leprechaun began the battle, swiping at his mask, "Clotho! Marakukaja!"

The form of a Cold-Sounding Woman appeared above Leprechaun and raised its roll of string, casting a spell upon himself and his teammates around him. The team felt their bodies fortify as a result of the spell, allowing them to take hits a lot easier. It helped a lot when the snake woman opened with a lash of the tail, which only Razor was able to dodge, but the other three took the hit very well.

After dodging, Razor spun around in the air, then dashed at the enemy, making use of her limited movement. As she did, she moved so fast that the enemy didn't realize she had arrived until she was right on top of her.

"First hit!" she yelled triumphantly, summoning Barrow to attack once she got close enough, "TEMPEST SLASH!"

The enemy Shadow let out a shriek as Barrow's blade arms rotated and started stabbing at it. However it didn't do much to phase the enemy, as it whirled around and tried to uppercut the Persona with its tail. But with Razor's command, Barrow countered the attack with a Rising Slash of its own.

"Alright, me next!" Mozart rushed in, swiping at her mask, "Maragion!"

Irene appeared, and as Mozart ran straight toward the enemy, it launched an array of crackling blasts of fire at the snake woman. The creature hissed, trying to use its tail to block the attack, but this gave Mozart a prime opportunity to close the gap and launch her next attack.

"ASSAULT DIVE!" she cried, with Irene flying above her, planking her body and launching down towards the Shadow like a torpedo. The Shadow cried out as Irene slammed down on it, but said scream became a roar as it smacked the Persona with its tail again. The Persona shattered, and Mozart clutched her head as the damage reflected back onto her.

Before the Shadow could turn its attention upon Kaede however, Highwayman cast out her lasso and hauled her teammate out of the way, pointing her gun at the Shadow with one hand and reaching for her mask with the other.

"TRIPLE DOWN!" she commanded, as Parker took form beside her, and in tandem with its user, started to hail several bullets down on the enemy boss. Unfortunately, the bullets didn't seem to be doing a lot of damage, and the Shadow easily shrugged them off. It proceeded to let out a shout of rage, and then launch an attack of its own!

"Watch out!" Kyoko shouted, prompting the four people out front to dodge the attack.

Leprechaun and Mozart dived right, while Razor and Highwayman dived left, all of them doing the best they could to avoid the crackling fire the Shadow launched at them. Unfortunately, the attacks came in too fast, and the Phantom Thieves were forced to bear the brunt of it. There were several shouts as the four out front were knocked back by the flames. Due to her resistance to fire, Mozart was the only one who remained standing, but fortunately, none of the team were completely knocked out by the blow. Only inconvenienced a little.

"Are you guys alright!?" Usami exclaimed.

"We're good!" Razor assured her, "But I don't think we could take many of those attacks with the defense buff at the start...Good thinking Leprechaun."

"My guns don't seem to be doing an awful lot to help here," Highwayman considered, "this thing's gotta have a weakness, but that ain't it."

"Well, you know what they say," Sleuth chimed in, "reptiles are cold-blooded. And that fire attack makes me think that this snake is no exception."

"Alright, change of plans," Leprechaun directed, "Highwayman, tag out! Sleuth, get in here! Be careful though. Fire's not your strong suit either."

"Got it," Sleuth saluted, tagging out with Highwayman, who took his point in the back lines, "we should try and finish this as fast as we can."

"Alright!" Mozart called out, "Ready for round 2!?"

"Yeah! Let's go!" Leprechaun called back, and the four Thieves once again rushed towards their target.

Mozart took the lead, once again firing multiple flaming sparks at the enemy. The Shadow merely swiped this magic away with its tail, however, it was enough of a distraction to allow Razor to circle around it and get from behind.

Razor then summoned Barrow again and threw herself at the enemy, slashing it in the back. The snake enemy turned around to attack her, but this gave Sleuth an opening. He got in close enough, then summoned Casanova to attack with its ice magic.

As predicted, the ice turned out to be super-effective on the boss, and its yell was only silenced when Razor went in for another slash.

"Got it!" Sleuth exclaimed triumphantly.

"Good! Now keep it up!" Leprechaun said, summoning Jack Frost and aiding him. Mozart also ran in and supported Razor; the two of them attacking the boss physically while Leprechaun and Sleuth shot at it from a distance.

For a while, it seemed to be working well enough. The Shadow was being pushed back, and it seemed to be on its last legs...if it had any. But things took an unexpected turn when the Shadow let out a cry and slammed the ground with its tail. This caused a tremor, making the entire building shake and pieces of the ceiling come falling down.

Highwayman and Usami moved Kyoko out of the way, and the rest of the Thieves' did their best to dodge, but no sooner did the team leap up into the air, than the Shadow turned its attention towards Sleuth and fired an array of fireballs at him, while he was midair and unable to dodge.

However, just as Sleuth watched helplessly as the crackling flames homed in on him, Leprechaun landed on the ground, made a run for it, and tackled him out of the way, bearing the brunt of the flames himself, with a shout of pain!

"LEPRECHAUN!" Sleuth exclaimed, with everyone looking aghast as Makoto went flying! The snake Shadow came back for seconds after seeing him get knocked prone, and tried to smack him with its tail...

But that was when something TRULY unexpected happened.

Objection -CROSS SWORD- - Danganronpa 2: Goodbye Despair

Right as the attack was about to land, Leprechaun felt something wrap around his ankle, and pull him out of the way, just before he could splat into the wall! Thinking it was Highwayman throwing her lasso to catch him, everyone's heads turned towards her, only to see that she was too far away and in no position to do that.

The surprise grew as a humanoid figure suddenly flew through the air and caught Leprechaun in his arms, gently setting him down. Leprechaun looked up to see what looked to be a young man about his age, wearing an adventurer's kit, complete with a hat, goggles, and a bandana mask around his mouth.

Before Leprechaun or any of the other Thieves could say or do anything, the figure gestured to him to stay put, then turned and ran towards the snake.

"You!" Razor cried "What are you doing!?"

The character didn't reply. Everyone watched as the snake woman slapped at him with its tail, only for him to jump over the attack and run along said tail until he was right in the woman's face! The boss Shadow tried to swipe at him with her hand, but he narrowly avoided it, then slapped what looked to be a handcuff of some kind onto her wrist!

It let out another shout and tried to do the same with its other hand, only for the same result. The mysterious new fighter then jumped over the Shadow's body, holding a rope that seemed to be connected to both cuffs. Once he landed on the ground, he yanked the rope, which hoisted the Shadows' large body down with it, leaving it open to attack.

"NOW!" he shouted suddenly, "if you want to take it out, now's your chance!"

"I don't know who you are, but thanks for the save!" Leprechaun scrambled to his feet, waving his arm towards the enemy, "Our enemy is down! Let's end this with an All-Out Attack!"

Leprechaun, followed by Sleuth, Mozart, and Razor, jumped into the air, soared down towards their enemy, and assaulted it with everything they had, punching, cutting, beating, and slicing it to a fine paste!

"THIS IS THE END!" Leprechaun declared as he flew down from above with a powerful fist, hungry to meet the Shadows' flesh! And just like that, with one powerful blow to the noggin, the Shadow exploded, dissipating into black grime!

As he usually did, when Leprechaun ended the All-Out Attack, he landed with a cool pose, but he quickly dropped his bravado and flair when he realized how exhausted he was. It wasn't just him, but the rest of the team as well. Once everyone was certain that the danger was over, they reconvened in the middle of the room.

Desire for Execution - Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc

"Looks like we're all still in one piece," Mozart acknowledged, "that's good. That fight wasn't as easy as I'd hoped it would be."

"And that was just the miniboss..." Highwayman took off her hat and wiped her brow.

"Don't worry," Razor reassured them, "assuming piss-baby wasn't talking out his ass, that scroll should help us-HEY!"

Attention was immediately cast upon the mysterious new arrival to the group, who had helped them take out their powerful adversary. To everyone's understandable concern, he had gone over to the chest and pulled out the scroll the team needed to defeat the Mechabeast, examining it closely before his eyes turned back to the group.

"Easy now," he waved to reassure them, "here. Take it. I've already seen its contents for myself."

Razor quickly reached out and snatched the grimoire as the mysterious adventurer tossed it to her. She held onto it tightly, but before she opened it, everyone watched as the newcomer removed his hat, goggles, and mask, letting them all get a good look at his face.

He had tanned skin and short, somewhat spiky brown hair, but the boy's most striking feature from the beginning was his piercing golden eyes that glimmered as he smiled at them.

"You!" Usami exclaimed, "you're...a Shadow!?"

"Yep..." the boy responded rather casually, "but I'm not one of the bad guys, I promise. Not all of us turn out to be freaky monsters like that thing."

"So...is he like one of those things you mentioned?" Mozart asked, "Shadows that get infused with cognitions or something?"

"No, not this time...I'm having a hard time telling what he is exactly..." Usami explained, "he's most certainly a Shadow, and yet..."

"Hey...Are you gonna read that scroll or what?" the young man asked.

"Read it?" Sleuth parroted. He nodded.

"Yeah, that's what a scroll's for, isn't it?" he nodded toward the grimoire in Razor's hands.

Looking skeptical, Razor gathered the rest of the group around her and slowly and carefully opened the scroll. On it were not words, but instead, a picture. It was quite hard to make out, given how old the penmanship was, however, the picture clearly detailed two figures, one with long brown hair, the other with shorter curlier brown hair, both wearing black suits, with a boy in a simple white shirt sitting cross-legged between them.

Before anyone could comment on the picture, everyone suddenly heard the sounds of whispering and talking echoing inside their skulls, causing much discomfort. Nevertheless, they all kept an ear out for the words, in case it contained some kind of clue.

What they heard in their heads seemed to be a passing conversation between the two people in suits.

"He'll never get anywhere in life as he is."

"That doesn't mean we can just force him to be something he's not!"

"And what is he then? If he's not successful in his life, what is he? He's NOTHING!"

"How can you say that!? He's our son!"

"I'm saying this BECAUSE he's our son! What do you want me to say to him!? That he's worthless!? That his dreams won't amount to anything!? Is that what you'd prefer!?"

"I..."

"We need to fix this...Hajime's entering High School. What if he stays like this until he's a grown adult!? We're almost always working and never at home! What if something happens to us!? How is he going to survive when that time comes with nothing to fall back on!"

"It's our fault...We've been too demanding of him. He's like this because we've been too strict with him."

"No, we haven't been strict enough. He's like this because we spoiled him far too much. And now we live in a society that won't accept him...Because if he's not special...he's nothing..."

The voices carried an air of resentment, spite, and upset in them, which directly affected those who heard it. Despite standing a distance away, even the mysterious newcomer clutched his head, cringing. In fact, he was doing it more than anyone else was.

"Hey..." Leprechaun spoke to him, "Are you alright?"

"It's fine..." he sighed, "it's nothing I haven't dealt with before...This is what, the 50th time I've had to relive that damn conversation now?"

"The boy in the middle...in the white shirt," Kyoko observed, "he kind of looks like you."

"Well, that's because he IS me," the stranger dropped rather casually, "and those two behind me are my parents, worried about me because I'm so useless."

"You? And your parents!?" Highwayman gasped.

"Hold on a moment," Kyoko stepped forward, facing the boy, "does that mean that you're...Hajime Hinata?"

"Yep, that's me," he seemed rather surprised to be recognized, "you know who I am?"

"Y-Yes, you COULD say that..." Sleuth, surprised as the rest of the Thieves with this revelation, still tried to mimic the mood and address him calmly, "though to be completely honest...we weren't expecting to meet you like this."

"What's going on?" Highwayman whispered, "This Shadow is Hajime Hinata? But I thought Izuru was the Palace ruler?"

"The Steering Committee artificially created this Palace," Usami theorized, "given the differing circumstances, it's possible that two Shadows of one's real self dwell here. One for Izuru, and the other for Hajime-kun."

"That's really possible?" Razor asked.

"Well, I don't know," Usami shook her head, "I'm just taking guesses here."

"Ok, so now it's my turn to ask some questions," the Shadow, who was apparently the Shadow of Hajime, rubbed the back of his neck, "but first, we should probably get out of this place before that monster decides to come back."

"Wait, "come back!?" But we killed it!" Mozart exclaimed, "You mean these guys can just come back to life any time they like!?"

"At least when the game resets," Hajime explained, "come on. Exit's the same way we came in. I don't want any more dust in my lungs, you know?"

Without waiting for a response, Shadow Hajime turned and seemed to march out of the room, waving them to follow him. This situation was rather abnormal for a Palace, and none of the Phantom Thieves were sure of how to react, so for the time being, they played along, finally making their way out of the dusty and dirty old building.

Love is Survival - Danganronpa 2: Goodbye Despair

"Thank god we're out of there. That first boss is always the worst one," Shadow Hajime rolled his eyes once they were out and got a waft of the fresh island air, "I hate going in that stupid old building."

"Yeah, I'm not surprised," Mozart scowled, "the place was covered in webs. If you've been there before, why not clean it up once in a while?"

"What's the point? I'll just get attacked by Shadows if I loiter around too long. Plus, I've got a game to complete," he shrugged, "speaking of which...Who are you guys and how'd Ultimates like you end up roped into this game anyway?"

"Well, um...we already know who you are so...Wait..." Leprechaun began to say, but frowned, "How'd you know we were Ultimates?"

"Oh, I can tell. Talentless people like me can recognize those with real skill just from a glance," he explained, "if anything, it's the one talent I DO have. Awareness of how outmatched I am."

"Well, you coming in when you did help us out a lot, so give yourself some credit," Highwayman smiled, "also, as a fellow talentless person, I kind of understand what you mean. Name's Highwayman by the way!"

"Highwayman? But...you're a woman, right?" Hajime asked, "Sorry, is that really your name, or...?"

"No, it's just a code name. I don't use my real name when I'm on the job," she explained, "we're the Phantom Thieves of Hope. This is Sleuth, Mozart, Razor, Usami, Kyoko, and our leader, Leprechaun."

"We're here looking for the Treasure in this Palace, but we got roped into this random game in order to get it," Leprechaun explained, "we still don't really know what's going on though."

"So...You're looking for the Treasure too?" Hajime asked, frowning conspicuously, "How come? Who told you about it?"

""Too?"" Sleuth parroted, "Kamukura said that playing the game was the only way to get to it. So you're also looking for it?"

"Ugh, THAT guy..." Hajime clicked his tongue with a look of spite and exhaustion on his face, "I've BEEN looking for it. For a long time now, ever since I first showed up here. I had hoped the Treasure was my ticket off this pile of rocks, but even though I've trained for it, I've never managed to get past the fourth island. I get to the third at best, and every time I lose, the game resets, and I have to do all my work all over again."

"So that's what you mean when you said you'd heard that message 50 times already," Leprechaun acknowledged, "that must be...rough..."

"It is what it is," Hajime scowled, "anyway, back to the point; I got lots of questions. Who are you "Phantom Thieves" guys supposed to be, what do you want the treasure for, and what...is that demon rabbit thing supposed to be?"

His last question was directed at Usami, who went red in the face.

"I am USAMI!" she spat, "I'm this group's squeezably soft teacher! And I'll have you know that we came here seeking the Treasure for...well...technically speaking, it was for the same reason as you!"

"You're also stuck here?" Hajime asked.

"No, we're not. We can leave whenever we want," Mozart explained, "what she means is that we came here to help YOU escape from the island, Hinata-kun."

"For real? You're here to rescue me?" he seemed pleasantly surprised by this revelation.

"You don't belong here. Some bad people put you in this situation, and all we want to do is help you to get out of it," Sleuth explained, "how many attempts have you made to escape this island? Is it really that difficult?"

"I don't know...Like I said, I've never made it to the end," he played with the large spiky ahoge atop his head, "feels like I've been stuck on this island for 50 years now..."

"You look to be 18 at most..." Kyoko pointed out. Hajime rolled his eyes.

"Yeah, I'm exaggerating, obviously...! I said it FEELS like I've been here for 50 years. My life's just been this endless cycle of "roll the dice, fight the monster, lose, reset, repeat." And frankly, I'm getting sick and tired of it...Though it's not like there's anything else I can do."

"Well, how about this then?" Leprechaun stepped forward, "maybe we can make a deal? We've got just over 2 weeks to get the Treasure and get you out of here, and you helped us out back there with that boss. Since we're after the same thing and all want to get out of here in one piece, why don't we work together to defeat the Mechabeasts? If we team up, we might stand a fighting chance."

"You're making a deal?" Razor frowned, "with HIM?"

"He just saved scratched our backs, why not scratch his?" Leprechaun asked, "seems like he wants to change his own heart as much as we do. What do you think of my offer?"

"Hm...You give me an offer I can't easily refuse..." Shadow Hajime pondered, "Well, I think...Huh!? Hold that thought!"

Curiously, everyone watched Shadow Hajime as he suddenly started sneaking towards the bushes. And a few of them jumped as he suddenly leaped into them like a wild panther hunting for its prey! He seemed to almost dig into the ground from behind the grass and shrubbery until he lifted his head with mud on his hands and the most triumphant smile on his face.

"Haha! Hope Fragment!" he yelled successfully, holding up a small yellow prism object that glowed in the sun, "I've been collecting these! Don't mind me, I'm just gonna keep looking for these over here!"

"Oh yeah..." Mozart scratched her head, "the original game did have collectibles..."

"What an...odd duck..." Kyoko brought a finger to her lips, thoroughly confused by the display in front of her.

"Are you sure Leprechaun?" Sleuth asked, "Friendly he may be, he is still a Shadow. And he seems a little...loopy on top of that."

"Yeah, but how many Shadows have we met that are actually on our side?" Leprechaun asked, "We've said this a dozen times already, but this already isn't our standard Palace fare, so what's the problem with shaking it up a bit?"

"I'm not too sure myself, but I have to agree," Mozart chimed in, "we need to do this for both Hinata-kun and Nanami-senpai's sake, so we need to start taking more risks-"

"What did you just say...!?"

"BUAGH!?"

Mozart jumped and fell over backward as in the blink of an eye, Hajime's Shadow was right upon her, glaring at her with eyes wide. Sleuth instinctively jumped between them, wanting to protect her, then helped her to her feet.

"Nanami-senpai...?" Hajime hissed, narrowing his golden eyes, "Nanami...like...CHIAKI Nanami, by any chance?"

"Huh? Uh...Yeah?" Mozart stiffened up, worried about his reaction, "that a problem?"

"How do you know her?" Hajime enquired with a look that seemed to straddle the line between genuine curiosity and a brief desire to tease her, "Are you friends? Arch-enemies? Wait, don't tell me...!

"..."

"...Nevermind, tell me!"

"She's our upperclassman in school," Razor grumbled, also separating the overly-curious boy from Mozart, "and she's the one who told us some neat little things about you."

"All good things I hope...?" the Shadow asked suspensefully.

"She said that you were her first friend, and her best to this day," Usami told him, "she cares about you a lot."

"I...I see..." Hajime's curious and jovial disposition dampened a tad as he let these words soak in, "Well...if you really can leave whenever you want, and see her again, be sure to let her know the feeling is mutual."

"Are you alright?" Sleuth asked, "You seem...weirdly awkward talking about it."

"It's just been a long time since I saw her last, okay?" he shrugged, "I wouldn't know what to say to her-GAH!?"

"Wh-What now!?" Razor hissed.

"I think I spotted another shard up that tree!" he said, "I'll be right back, I swear!"

In united dismay, everyone sighed and watched as Shadow Hajime bolted to the tree and started to climb it like some deranged lunatic.

"Shadow or not...is anyone else not exactly happy with the idea of teaming up with someone this easily distracted?" Razor asked.

"Ditto..." Highwayman frowned, "Mozart, can we just shove him in the boot with you when we cross the bridge? You like talking, right?"

"Don't you dare!" Mozart spat.

"Guys, it'll be ok!" Leprechaun reassured them, "We just have to keep his attention long enough to get to the central island and take out the Mechabeasts. I'm certain that we don't need his help for most of the traps and tricks on this archipelago. I'm just saying it'll go by faster and more effectively if we have an extra pair of hands."

"Plus, we're going for the same thing anyway, and for the same reason," Mozart added, "it's not like we should completely let our guard down around him, but think of this as a temporary truce with the beings of the Metaverse, united under a common goal. Sound good?"

"While the opportunity is here, why not seize it?" Kyoko added.

"Even you're saying we should try it? Ugh...Alright, fine...We'll give it a shot," Razor sighed, "hey, hot shot! Get your ass over here! I got something to ask you about this scroll!"

"You know Razor? I think you can be a little bit nice to them..." Highwayman chuckled awkwardly.

Nevertheless, Hajime's Shadow scurried over after dropping out of the tree. Before he could say anything, Razor grabbed the scroll and held it up to him.

"This scroll. Where and how do we use it?" she asked. He paused for a brief moment, examining the scroll before he gave his answer.

"Well, this scroll is called the "Tiger Scroll." And as I'm sure you've already figured out, we need it to defeat the Tiger Mechabeast," he explained, "the Tiger is the least powerful of the beasts, and it's usually the one that I go for first. Literally, all you have to do is have the grimoire in your possession or close by, and it will instill you with the power to defeat the Mechabeast that it is bound to. It'll dispel its barrier and any attacks you have will hit it."

"That's it?" Razor checked.

"That's it." Hinata clarified.

"Wow, I...I thought that'd be a lot harder..." Razor fiddled with her mask. However, Shadow Hajime tutted and waved his finger.

"Don't be like that. Trust me, letting your guard down will cost you everything," he told her, "I said the Tiger was the least powerful of the beasts. Not that it was powerLESS. We've got one hell of a fight on our hands one way or another."

"And yet you were able to defeat this one by yourself?" Sleuth asked, "How did you pull that off?"

"Make sure you stick close to me when we confront that monster, and I'll be glad to show you," he promised, "though honestly, I'm hoping you're all skilled enough that it doesn't come to that."

"So we have a deal?" Leprechaun asked. He nodded.

"Sure," he smiled, "put 'er there."

He held out his hand, and with a certain degree of caution, Leprechaun shook it.

A lot of what had happened in this Palace so far had proven to be strange, and it was a mystery to everyone how this partnership with a Shadow was going to turn out...But one thing was for certain...

This was about to get very interesting...

Chapter End Notes

So this is a fine situation.
I'm quite looking forward to hearing what you guys think of this current way of things. Two Shadows, one of which appears to be on the Thieves' side. How will this turn out?
There's not much I can really say about Shadow Hinata without giving away the future details of the plot, but in the context of a game, think of him as a temporary party member for this Palace only. Effectively the same case as Shinjiro or Akechi where they're only available at a certain point in the game before they permanently leave the party (at least pre-royal).
I'd detail his abilities, but we'll save that for the actual fighting. But yeah, in case it's not obvious by this point, Hajime's Palace is basically a Persona-fied version of Danganronpa S: Ultimate Summer Camp. Within the universe of this story, Ultimate Summer Camp is the same game that functions exactly the same way, just not with the actual Danganronpa characters.
I say this now because I won't detail the actual traps and tricks of the Palace, but they are similar to that game, so look at it for reference.
Thank you for reading. I love to get feedback from my readers, so feel free to leave a comment, and some kudos if you feel up to it.

The Dares and Decisions of a Detective

Chapter Summary

With a new companion to aid them in their exploits, the Phantom Thieves and Shadow Hajime battle the first of the Mechabeasts. Meanwhile, Kyoko has an epiphany about herself.

Chapter Notes

See the end of the chapter for notes

Love is Paradise - Danganronpa S: Ultimate Summer Camp

"So your grandfather raised you, and it turned out that he was making you live a lie for all those years of your life? Woo! What a plot twist! I'm...really sorry to hear that though. I hope you're doing a lot better. But wow...a puppet theater. I've always wanted to go to one of those places, but never really got the chance. Same goes for a gala, but then again, not many people have the chance to go to a gala. I bet you guys could go. You're special and important. Speaking of special, I can't believe that there are already two Ultimate Detectives in Hope's Peak, and they're part of the same group of vigilantes! Lucky Students I get. You know, it's kind of weird we didn't end up getting another one this year. Did Hope's Peak just decide to ditch that idea after a while? Did they run out of slots? There are just so many characters to keep track of! Is it any wonder that not all of them get time in the limelight? Wait...Sorry, what was my original question again?"

The ride across the bridge to the central island turned out to be a lot more...eventful this time.

Tedious was another word for it.

It was rather unexpected, especially given both the portrayal of Izuru and what they had heard of Hajime Hinata's original personality so far, but to the Phantom Thieves' dismay, the guy just would NOT STOP TALKING! He had an innate curiosity about everything that made him seem as inquisitive as a cat.; so much so that the Phantom Thieves believed they may have to recount their entire life stories by the time this Palace excursion was done.

It was to be expected. Within the world of the Palace, Shadow Hajime had been stuck on the island by himself, having to fend off the monsters all alone for a very long time. And in the real world, the real Hajime had been subjugated into the prison of his own mind for almost 3 years; not even mentioning that Kamukura spent most of his days hiding away in the underground lab with little to no contact with the outside world.

So he couldn't be faulted. Unfortunately, answering so many questions risked burning the Phantom Thieves out before they even MADE IT to the island. Razor, her eyes blinking independently of each other, nudged Highwayman's shoulder.

"Highwayman...It's your turn...guuugh..." she groaned.

"You were asking us about our outfits..." Highwayman sighed, rubbing her eyes and letting her fingers slide down her nose.

"Oh, riiiight! Sorry, got sidetracked!" Shadow Hajime beamed, "Love what you've done with your suits. Where'd you get your inspiration? How come you're not wearing one, "Kyoko-sama?" You not part of the club?"

"Again...Kirigiri is fine," Kyoko huffed, "and I'm sorry, but do you think you could hold off on the questions for the time being? It's hard to concentrate in this heat."

The annoying questioning then gave way to an awkward silence. Kyoko's straightforwardness was enough to get him to shut up and curl up in the back of the Usamobile. Even Kyoko looked a little bit guilty for being so straightforward and brutally honest with him.

"Sorry..." Shadow Hajime sighed, "I just figured since we were on a road trip anyway, now was the best time to ask the questions that I had. I guess I didn't consider that I was being annoying."

"It's not you that's being annoying."

"It's not?"

"Shut up Razor," Leprechaun snapped, "he's been stuck on this island for almost 3 years."

"Feels like I've been stuck in this conversation for 3 years!" Razor spat. Leprechaun chose to ignore her and turned his head to Hajime.

"Look. It's just that this whole Palace atmosphere is getting to us. It may be nice, refreshing, and sunny out, but coupled with how much work this is turning out to be is putting us a little on edge. We're used to trouble, but we've never gone through THIS much trouble. And to make matters worse, a lot's on the line this time. We can't afford to let this go by, so we're trying our best not to let ourselves get too worn out or distracted before the real mission begins."

"And also we've never directly teamed up with a Shadow before," Sleuth added, "forgive me for being so crude, but personally, I'm not certain whether you can be trusted yet."

"Huh? Ok, so I get what you're saying about staying focused. You guys have clearly been through a lot before, and you've got your head in the games. No room for messing about, I can see that," Hajime's brow furrowed, "but...what do you mean you've never teamed up with Shadows? From what I've seen, you look pretty used to it by now."

"Huh?"

Sleuth frowned, turning his head around to look at the golden-eyed boy in the back, who stared back equally as confused.

"I'm talking about your Personas," he clarified, "those powers you have. You summon those Shadows to fight for you. So what's your issue with teaming up with me?"

"That's not the same thing," Mozart waved her hand, "Personas are what we use to FIGHT Shadows."

"And how do you think they're able to do that?" Shadow Hinata asked, "Has it never once dawned on you why Personas only manifest in this world? Or why you share many of your abilities with that of the enemies you fight."

"You know a...surprising lot...about the way these powers work," Kyoko observed. Hinata nodded.

"Of course I do. I see them on a regular basis, and I AM one of them!" he urged, "Personas and Shadows are the exact same thing. Did you think they were just some weird gross creatures from this world or something?"

There was silence.

"The darker aspects of each person's psyche are known as Shadows. Human thoughts are suppressed and given physical form," Shadow Hinata explained, "people's Shadows emerge when they are unwilling to confront them, uncontrollably. However, occasionally, people with a unique kind of awareness are able to master and subdue their Shadows. Those are Persona-users, like you. Surely you must have known that, right?"

"No, we DID know that, it's just..." Sleuth played with the brim of his hat, "I'm having a hard time coming up with a rebuttal to your point."

"Well there you go then," he smirked, "no problem at all allying yourself with me. After all, I'm pretty much a special case too!"

"A special case?" Mozart parroted, "How so?"

"Well, let me ask you," Shadow Hinata queried, "have you ever broken into a Palace with two Shadow selves before?"

"No, we haven't," Highwayman said. Hinata's expression suddenly became rather dull and cynical.

"I'm just a Shadow of a Shadow. Someone stuck here for no rhyme or reason. I'm not even worth the trouble," he sighed, "you want to know why I'm asking so many questions? It's because I'm starved of attention out here. The only other person on these rocks capable of speech is too dumb to see past his own nose."

"Who?" Leprechaun asked, "You mean Kamukura?"

Hinata visibly cringed at the mention of his other half's name

"So many talents. Capable of everything. And for what?" he hissed, "concerned with absolutely nothing, only dipping his head into trivial things. What a fucking joke..."

"Well...Yeah," Mozart was rather uncertain when faced with his scarring tone and angstiness, "but...even still, Kamukura doesn't seem MALICIOUS or anything. Maybe he is the Palace ruler, but I don't exactly get bad guy vibes from him."

"But you get them from me?" Shadow Hinata pointed to himself.

"N-No, I didn't-! I wasn't-!" Kaede rambled, but Hinata waved his hand to silence her.

"I'm just pulling your chain. I get your skepticism," he said, "Still, I might have a chance at fixing all these problems and getting away from that freak if I manage to get to the Treasure. And with you guys here, my odds just got a whole lot better."

"Those beasts are scary," Highwayman remembered the close shave she'd suffered the last encounter with the Mechabeasts, "honestly, I'm really curious how you managed to get past the first few by yourself, even if you didn't ever make it to the end."

"Well, stick close to me when the Tiger Beast comes out, and maybe I'll show you," the Shadow offered, but immediately backtracked, saying, "Then again...the best case scenario is the one that I DON'T show you..."

"Well that's...ominous..." she remarked.

"Heads up Phantom Thieves," Usami's voice sounded out from the radio, "we've arrived at the central island."

"Oh thank CHRIST!" Razor wheezed, slumping back into her seat, "that felt like it took a week!"

Beautiful Morning - Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc

Usami parked outside Jabberwock Park and once everyone had clambered out of her, she transmorphed back into her bunny rabbit form and walked alongside the rest of the group down the path. It should have been a relief to finally touch solid ground and have to have fresh air on their skin, free from Shadow Hinata's ramblings. Unfortunately, a new form of tension came to replace the one prior.

Even from a distance, everyone noticed the statue in the middle of the park was still just a podium. The beasts hadn't returned to their original positions, and the rumbling in the ground made it clear that they were still roaming the island, potentially looking for prey.

"Don't worry," Shadow Hinata assured them, "the Mechabeasts are directed to protect the bridges. They don't roam the island looking for intruders until night time."

"Does time even pass in this world?" Highwayman shielded her eyes as she looked upwards, "it's always sunny in this place."

"Trust me," he said, "but keep an eye out. There are still regular Shadows looking around at this time."

The team heeded his advice and cautiously followed him and Leprechaun in the lead towards the designated bridge. With the grimoire in possession, the team was ready to take down the first Mechabeast, which according to the scroll, and Hinata's words, was the Tiger.

Along the way, Leprechaun made motions with his arms to signal his team when they could move past the structures and the bushes without the Shadows spotting them. Shadow Hinata was especially impressed with their stealth skills.

"Remind me to get lessons from you guys about sneaking around if I ever get the chance," he remarked, "in the case this doesn't work out, it'll make my life a lot easier in the future."

"Don't worry. That won't be necessary, I can assure you," Kyoko winked, "I've seen firsthand what these guys can do. The problem isn't Shadows like these. It's-"

"Kamukura," Leprechaun said.

"Not what I was going to say, but now that you bring it up," Kyoko said, "he hasn't shown any opposition so far, but we should keep an eye out for-"

"No!" Leprechaun interrupted her, pointing further down the path, "Kamukura...He's here."

Weekly Despair Magazine - Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc

Everyone followed where he was pointing and spotted the familiar figure of Kamukura's Shadow standing at the entryway to the second bridge. Though originally gazing off into the distance, the long-haired Shadow's head turned the group's way.

"Something's not right..." Shadow Hajime broke out into a sweat, "why is he here? Where's the Mechabeast?"

"Calm down," Kyoko reassured him, "he's already noticed us, so let's see what he has to say."

With Leprechaun in the lead, letting his hand hover over his gun holster just in case, they approached Kamukura, who silently stood there waiting for their arrival until they got close enough to be within earshot.

"So...you're still persisting with the challenge," Kamukura spoke quietly, "despite your struggle against the miniboss."

"Of course we are," Leprechaun frowned, "did you really expect that we would give up after the first hurdle?"

"I expected you to die," Kamukura replied bluntly, "what I didn't expect is that you would choose this course of action. Teaming up with a being of this world to make ends meet."

"You said it before," Highwayman scoffed, "things that you can't predict are the only things that excite you. So are you entertained yet?"

"No," the Shadow said, "now that I know your plan of action, I only see this ending one way..."

"Let me guess," Toko scowled, "in our utterly humiliating defeat? Because trying is pointless?"

"Trying is only pointless for someone like me," Izuru deadpanned, "you may be harder to kill than I suspected, but this folly of yours is pointless. Your defeat is...inevitable."

"So what are you? A good guy or a bad guy? Who's side are you on!?" Mozart snapped.

"Making an enemy of me is a death sentence," Kamukura blatantly responded, "I am smarter, stronger, and more powerful than anything and anyone in existence."

"Hubris much?" Razor frowned.

"Well, it's not like he's WRONG per se?" Usami shrugged.

"Can you just stop being so vague about everything?" Mozart asked, "You said some strange things the last two times we spoke, and I would like you to-"

"Wait...!" Shadow Hajime gasped, "MOZART! GET BACK!"

Fortunately, his call reached the pianist's ears in time, and she jumped back out of the way! She coddled up to her teammates, and they all looked upwards in horror...!

A tremendous roar resounded, chilling them to the bone! A massive, terrifying monster with a steel body and glowing red eyes that seemed to pierce through their very souls descended from the sky and loomed over them! Strapped onto its back was a gigantic mounted laser cannon, and at the end of its tail was a spiked club that could flatten a man into a paste.

The monster let out a tremendous bellow that seemed to shake the island beneath the Phantom Thieves and their adventurer ally, freezing them in fear. The arrival of the Tiger beast did not seem to phase Kamukura, who turned around and gave the team a last, fleeting look before starting to fade into thin air.

"You're making a mistake, Phantom Thieves," Shadow Kamukura seemed to snarl, as he started to sink into the shadow of the monster, "but I wish you the best of luck..."

Though terror-struck, Leprechaun pulled out his weapon, ready for the inevitable battle between man and monster.

Justice for our Prime Suspect! - Danganronpa 2: Goodbye Despair

"That scroll thing had better fucking work!" Razor spat, doing the same. As did the rest of the team.

The battle began with the Mechabeast crouching down, and the Thieves' eyes widened as they saw the cannon on its back start to glow with red energy! Leprechaun immediately grabbed Kyoko, and the team darted out of the line of fire as a massive red laser beam blasted out and nearly smashed into them. Had they not dodged when they did, the attack could have eviscerated them.

As it happened though, the beam blasted up a hefty cloud of smoke, and just when the Phantom Thieves thought they'd avoided the attack, there was a shriek of pain from the front of the group, as Mozart was struck dead with a frighteningly fierce blast of electricity!

She jittered in place, spasming out from the lightning coursing through her body, and then within a few seconds stopped moving altogether, collapsing onto the floor, paralyzed and shocked in position.

"Are you alright!?" Leprechaun cried.

"N-Nghoooo...!" she forced out through clenched teeth. Fortunately, aside from being shocked and unable to move, she survived and seemed mostly fine.

Thank god for the Metaverse. An attack like that in the real world would have killed her instantly.

"Watch out!" Sleuth shouted, "It's coming!"

The cloud of dust and ash from the laser beam was blasted away immediately as the tiger rushed through it, the pressure of its body completely blowing it all away! Sleuth grabbed Mozart and moved out of the way as its gargantuan mass came crashing down again. It then let out another roar and sent lightning scattering everywhere in the surrounding area, forcing the Thieves to stay on their toes.

To the misfortune of the heroes, the streaks of lightning danced across the floor, seeming to direct to any substance or construct around it. Razor and Highwayman unwittingly dived into the trees to avoid the tiger dropping on them; a poor move in hindsight, as the crackling electricity shot right towards them.

The energy was so fierce, in fact, that it completely lodged some of the trees out of the ground! Unfortunately for the duo, one of the thicker barks cracked in half and came crashing down on them! Highwayman was only able to avoid it as Razor shoved her out of the way, getting crushed underneath the bark! Fortunately, she was strong enough to catch it with her hands and legs before it completely flattened her.

"TOKO!" Highwayman cried, "Are you alright!?"

"JUST! FUCKING! SHOOT IT!" she snarled like a banshee, pushing the tree off of her with her feet and attempting to slice the bark apart with her scissors.

Highwayman looked back towards the monster, realizing she had a clear shot at it, and summoned her Persona without hesitation.

"PARKER!" she exclaimed "TRIPLE DOWN!"

The Persona appeared and, as it often did, it hailed an array of bullets and rockets into the side of the creature, littering its body.

The good news was that this attack, unlike the last time, didn't immediately bounce back towards her, and actually seemed to hurt the creature a little. The bad news was the emphasis on the "little" part, as the tiger barely seemed to notice the damage, turning its vicious head towards the cowgirl, and letting out a garbled roar or rage.

"Weeeeellll HELL!" Highwayman spat in reaction to this.

"ANZU!"

While its attention was turned towards his sister, Leprechaun rushed up from behind the Mechabeast and lunged towards it, summoning a new Persona of his; one with the head and mane of a lion and the body of a falcon, to swoop down and attack with its talons. The beast, however, moved like the very lightning it cast out and dodged this attack, flying towards Highwayman with its claws brandished and its fangs bared!

It would have hit her if Razor wasn't equally as speedy. She quickly snatched her partner into a princess carry and dived out of the way! The beast was still hungry for more, so it spun around and started to chase her through the trees!

Kyoko and Shadow Hinata, who were seeking cover behind the barks, screamed as the tiger came rushing through, the heavy and fast steps of the monster destroying the ground beneath its metallic paws, and almost knocking them over! As it turned again, its tail lashed out like a whip, and the mace part at the end smacked right into the Ultimate Detective, sending her flying and going *SMACK!* into the base of the Jabberwock Park statue!

"KYOKO!" Leprechaun yelled, witnessing this and instantly ducking down and SPRINTING towards his classmate, who spat up some blood as she collapsed against the statue and clutched her stomach.

"D-Don't worry...!" she wheezed as he quickly pulled out some medicine from her pouch and distributed it to her, "I'm alright...Statue broke my fall...!"

"Stay here!" Leprechaun demanded, "This fight is way too dangerous for you!"

"You got it boss..." she saluted, panting as she got her breath back, popping a sweet into her mouth to restore her energy. Before he jumped back into the fight, Leprechaun decided to stay with her to make sure she was stable, as both of them turned their heads back towards the second bridge where the fight ensued.

The tiger was still chasing after Razor and Highwayman; Razor who hadn't had a chance to put Highwayman down yet, so she was still running with her in her arms as they both fired their guns at the enemy.

Eventually, this chase was stopped when the tiger suddenly somersaulted through the air and crashed down in front of them, forcing Razor to screech to a halt! It reeled back its head like it was about to let its jaws snap down on them!

*squeak!*

However, before it could do that, all of a sudden a gigantic boxing glove thrust itself into the side of the monster's head. Everything suddenly went dead quiet as all present, including the Mechabeast itself, stared in bewilderment and confusion as the giant puffy glove socked the beast...doing basically nothing.

Quickly recognizing this as Usami's Lucky Punch technique, everyone's heads (again, including the Mechabeast) slowly turned to stare at the plucky rabbit, who had clearly been hoping for a good hit, but instead stood there with her Persona like a lemon, shuffling in place and sweating bullets.

"Uuuhuhuhuhuh...huuh...Oops..." she whispered, scratching her head with her staff.

"Stop using that move, it fucking sucks!" Razor snapped.

Battle with Final Despair - Danganronpa Another Episode: Ultra Despair Girls

The Mechabeasts' confusion quickly gave way to agitation. It decided to forsake its hunt and instead focused its lethal expression onto Usami, who even without looking could sense the danger coming. And just like that, her tiny little legs started to scuttle like a cartoon character, as the tiger once again crouched down and started to charge its weapon, glowing red and ready to fire!

"Guys! Guys!? GUYS!? GUYS!? GUYS!? GUYS!? GUYS!?" Usami squealed as the laser fired and started to chase her, begging for help from anyone! However, while she did well to outrun the laser, lightning came crashing down around her, with one bolt shooting at her feet and tripping her up!

"NO! USAMI!" Kyoko shouted, watching helplessly as the red beam flew at the bunny, ready to swallow her whole!

However, right at the last second, just before the laser could hit her, Shadow Hajime suddenly dived out of the forest, rolled on the ground, sprinting toward Usami. And when he was in good enough range, he threw out his hand, and snapped his fingers, shouting something.

"MAKARAKAAAARN!"

Usami shielded her eyes, bracing herself for a blast that somehow never came. She quickly lifted her head and looked up to see a round see-through barrier blocking the blast from consuming and disintegrating her! Shadow Hajime finally reached her and grabbed her, just in time to see the laser suddenly burst and go flying right back at the tiger, hitting it dead on!

The tiger fell backward and collapsed, whimpering as it heaved itself to its feet. But by that point in time, Hinata and Usami were already out of their line of sight, crouching behind a rock alongside Leprechaun and Kyoko.

"Woah! That was amazing!" Leprechaun whistled once they had some breathing room.

"How did you do that?" Kyoko asked, slightly peeking her head over the cover to see that Sleuth and Mozart, the latter of whom had recovered from the paralysis, were now engaging with the enemy.

"You were wondering how I was able to take down these other Shadows by myself in the past. Well, this is how," Shadow Hinata huffed, catching his breath, "I don't have any great attacking spells, but my powers let me create barriers that absorb enemy attacks and send them right back where they came from."

"That's incredible," Usami patted him on the shoulder, "those powers just saved my life. Thank you so much."

"You're welcome. Trust me when I say it's not all it's cut out to be," he rubbed the back of his neck, "I've never been able to reach the Treasure with the powers alone. They drain my energy, just like your attacks do, and by the time I get to Beast 3, I'm usually running low, even if I avoid the Shadows."

"Well, take one of these for safekeeping," Kyoko said, reaching out and handing Shadow Hinata a Snuff Soul. Though initially confused and curious about what it was, he realized that now was not a good time to ask questions, and just pocketed it.

Back in the battle, Sleuth was struggling. There were no good vantage points around him that he could use to snipe the beast from a distance. The trees were far too risky considering how well they were conducting the lightning that this monster shot out. So the best he could do was keep rolling to avoid its attacks while Mozart rushed in as his diversion. As he took a second to reload, Razor came sliding up next to him, and though he didn't mean to, he shot her and her partner a glare.

"I don't mean to sound rude or anything, I swear on it," he tutted, "but would you two mind lending a hand? Or do you plan on playing bride and groom all day!?"

With both her and Highwayman suddenly flushing red, Razor quickly put Highwayman down.

"G-Got any insight on how we can kill this thing!?" Highwayman stuttered in embarrassment, shaking it off as she pulled out her gun and started shooting the monster alongside Sleuth.

"I dunno!" Razor snarled, summoning Barrow and having it tank some of the incoming lightning for her, "this whole damn robot is a weapon! Just getting close to it can deal you some serious harm! We've gotta find a way to knock it down a peg! That might give us a chance!"

"Take out its weapons you mean!?" Sleuth cried back, "Not a bad idea! If nothing else, we need to deal with that cannon!"

"Tetrakarn!"

Sleuth yelped as all of a sudden Shadow Hinata flew in and tackled him. Just in time to avoid being charged head-on by the beast as it crouched and broke out into a rush towards him; its cranium repelling off the barrier he created. Highwayman and Razor were almost tackled by it as well and narrowly ducked as it spun around and lashed out its mace tail.

"HUURAAGGH!" Mozart shouted as the monster fired more lightning, jumping around it and spinning her polearm around, reeling back for a heavy slash. Unfortunately, her spear ended up getting lodged deep in the ground, as the monster dashed out of the way at sound speed.

"It doesn't matter what your plan is!" Shadow Hinata declared, "You're not gonna do shit if it keeps moving around like that!"

"Makoto, go!" Kyoko demanded, "You need to help them!"

"Yeah, I know!" he exclaimed, "but what are we gonna do?"

The two of them poked their heads up over their cover to watch the fight, with Leprechaun looking for an opening to hurry in and support his teammates. The Mechabeast rounded on Mozart after she tried and failed to swing at it, and it powered up the cannon on its back, firing another laser at her. As they witnessed it, however, the duo spotted something.

"Leprechaun!" she whispered, "do you see that?"

"See what?" he asked, "what are you talking about?"

"I might have a plan!" she said, "get everyone over here so I can lay it out."

Leprechaun nodded to her, then jumped out of the cover, running towards the Mechabeast and distracting it with gunfire.

"EVERYONE, FALL BACK!" he shouted, "Kyoko's got a plan!"

"I would love to, really!" Razor spat, as the rest of the Thieves heeded his call and started to run alongside him, "But I don't know if you noticed but there's a GIANT CAT chasing us!"

Leprechaun looked back to see said cat crouch down and run on its four quick legs straight at the party, gnashing it's steel fangs like it was hungry for their flesh.

"Sleuth! You know what to do!" Leprechaun called towards him.

"MARIN KARIN!" Sleuth nodded, and right as the monster was on top of them, he spun around and cast his Personas confusion spell on it. The lights bedazzled the monster, and even though the effect was very brief, it was enough to stun it. The creature fell over, trying to scratch at its own face, which gave the Phantom Thieves enough time to retreat.

Trial Underground - Danganronpa V3: Killing Harmony

As it recovered, it looked around for any sign of its prey. By now, the Thieves had all huddled together behind the base of the statue in the park. Still on the hunt, everyone remained very still and quiet as the monster's heavy footsteps sent terrifying tremors under their feet. Everyone was afraid to look, in case the monster might spot them.

"I know no one expected this to be easy, but this is just ASININE!" Sleuth spat, lowering his voice to an agreeable level so as to not attract the Mechabeasts' attention.

"I don't mean to be pessimistic on this one, but he's got a point," Mozart added, "we're getting crushed out there! This thing is way stronger than we prepared for, and this is the FIRST BOSS...!"

"It's worse than that," Shadow Hinata bit his thumb with a look of defeat and annoyance on his face, "somehow...it's even stronger than it's ever been before. I've battled this creature several times already, and I've never seen it at this peak!"

"Are you kidding me!?"

"What!?"

"Dammit!"

"Jesus dude, come on!"

These were a few examples of the disgruntled noises and words the Phantom Thieves spat out while they hid away.

"Yeah, things aren't great," Kyoko poked her head out briefly to see the monster still skulking around the park, "even with Hinata's help, and even with the scroll's power, our chances of victory over this thing are relatively low."

"So what's this amazing plan of yours?" Razor snarked, "Run out and tell it "Hey big guy, we don't know what the fuck we're doing! Please don't eat us, we taste bad!""

To her surprise, however, Kyoko pulled back into cover, turned her head, and smirked.

"That," she said, "is EXACTLY what I'm planning."

And in unison, the Phantom Thieves and their new ally made the exact same noise in response.

"Huh?"

"Hear me out," she huddled everyone together, "I noticed something the last time that monster fired the laser on its back. Did you guys notice what happened when it was finished?"

"Sorry, wasn't really paying attention," Highwayman sighed, "I was thinking too hard about how to dodge the lightning."

"Precisely," Kyoko pointed at her, "every time that the laser stops, that's when the monster starts firing off lightning. Why do you think that is?"

"Could it be..." Sleuth tried to connect the dots, "it's firing that lightning and keeping us on our toes at all times. It's not giving us any opportunity to get close and attack it, and when it dissipates, it dodges us anyway."

"Could that be what it's intending?" Usami thought.

"Here's how I think about it," Kyoko made some gestures with her fingers, "my theory is that firing the laser beam from the cannon takes up a lot of the tiger's energy, and it can't move effectively until it restores power. So it's using the lightning to keep you at a distance until it gets back to full power. Then once it is, it avoids and counters your attacks until it's ready to fire again."

"Like the cannon itself is a battery pack for it or something that recharges its energy," Leprechaun realized, "so if we destroy the cannon, we might have a shot at taking it out!"

"Easier said than done," Razor remarked, "it may have a cycle of pain, but it's not a door we can easily stick our foot in. How are we gonna do this?"

"I might have a way..." the lavender-haired detective winked.

"HEY! YOU! OVER HERE!"

The tiger Monobeast snapped its head to the center of the park. Right in the middle, in front of the statue, it witnessed a curious sight. An anthropomorphic white and pink bunny rabbit in a mask and a tutu was jumping up and down, waving its stubby little arms up in the air.

The beast hesitated, confused, but its desire to feast on the bunny overcame its senses and caution in the end, and it bellowed something fierce as it lunged toward her!

"That's right...! Come to mama...!" Usami grumbled, sweating buckets,

The monster drew closer, closing in on her like a hungry cheetah, ready to maul her once it caught her.

"W-Well, I'm not REALLY your mama...!" Usami panted, "I uh...I don't have...kids of my own! A-And if I did they-they probably wouldn't be...uh...giant...robotic tigers! Y-You know what I mean!"

As she rambled, the tiger finally reached her, and gnashed its terrible teeth, throwing its head down to bite her.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHELPMEHELPMEHELPMEITASTEVERYBADSOMEBODYPLEASEHELPME!" she shrieked!

"NOW!"

"TETRAKARN!"

DEAD OR LIE - 黒崎真音

Just as the monster's teeth came down on the lagomorph larcenist, both Kyoko and Shadow Hinata jumped out from behind the statue. Hinata instantly cast his barrier spell on Usami, and the Mechabeast staggered back as its fangs bounced off the air before her. Usami breathed a huge sigh of relief, glad that the plan had worked.

Usami breathed a huge sigh of relief, glad that the plan had worked

"Gotcha!" she winked, "MAPSIO!"

As Usami jumped in the air and spun around, she summoned Mr. A and blasted the Mechabeast with a wave of psychic energy. In response, it crouched down and began to charge the cannon on its back.

But this was exactly what she wanted...

"Wait, so you seriously want me to go out there and tell it to eat me!?" Usami exclaimed, "Are you crazy!?"

"Of course I don't want it to eat you," Kyoko explained, "the first phase of the plan is the most important. We need to put the creature under some pressure so that it'd be inclined to fire its laser. We're going to need to spread out, but it won't waste its shots on just one of us if it doesn't think it needs to."

"So you want to use the bunny to attract its attention, and you want me to use my barriers to reflect its attack and stress it out?" Hinata asked. Kyoko nodded.

"Usami can pile on the pressure from there," she explained, "and with the promise that it can take out the three of us in a single blast, we'll corner it enough that it'll be inclined to eviscerate us with the cannon. That's when the two of you come in."

"Leprechaun!" Kyoko shouted, "It's GO TIME!"

"GO FOR IT ANZU! ASSAULT DIVE!"

The tiger let out another roar just as the laser was about to fire, but right before the beam could crash straight into Kyoko, Usami and Shadow Hinata, Leprechaun, in tandem with his new Persona, swooped in and smashed into it underneath its jaw! The impact forced the body of the creature upwards, making the laser shoot off high into the sky!

"Quickly Sleuth!" he yelled, "you're up!"

"Right, right! Oh please work...! MABUFULA!"

Before the tiger regained any sense of its surroundings, Sleuth and Casanova rushed in and threw out the biggest blast of ice he could, aimed at the Mechabeasts' feet! Fortunately, he achieved the desired effect for Kyoko's plan, and the Mechabeast began to panic as its feet were entirely frozen over in thick chains of ice!

"Assuming my theory is right, and that the energy from the cannon is what gives the Mechabeast its power, then freezing it in place will limit its options immensely," Kyoko explained, "it won't immediately be able to break through its restraints, and while it's prone like that, it'd be the perfect opportunity to get in close and take out the weapon entirely."

"But we'd still have to contend with the lightning," Usami reminded her, "even if the cannon does need to recharge, and even if we do freeze it in place, it's not going to stop those bolts coming down on us."

"I know. That's where you come in Razor," Kyoko turned towards the Writing Prodigy, who had clearly been expecting this part.

"Yep, saw that coming," she affirmed, "it's because I resist lightning attacks, right?"

"That, and also you're the fastest member of this team," Kyoko stated, "this next part needs to be quick. We need someone who can close in as soon as possible while Sleuth and Leprechaun get away from the hazard zone. With that in mind, you're the best we've got."

"Peachy," she made an ok symbol with her fingers.

"And once she's opened the wound," Kyoko turned towards the teams' resident cowgirl, "that's when you deal the vital blow."

"Me?" Highwayman asked.

"Let's go!" Razor shouted towards Sleuth and Leprechaun as they immediately backed away from the danger zone, reacting in time as the monster roared to the sky and brought lightning crashing down around them! Given that it was in a pinch, these attacks were far more sporadic and far more potent than they had been up until now.

Razor, however, was expecting this. Most creatures are their most dangerous when cornered, and she wasn't about to let it stop her. She took advantage of her immense speed and darted through and around the bolts and streaks of thunder, sprinting, ducking, and rolling to take as few hits as possible.

Even she couldn't avoid all of them though, but fortunately, what ones did hit her, she was able to shrug off pretty handily thanks to her resistance. Desperately, as she closed in on the beast, it tried to lash out with its mace tail and crush her underneath it. Instead, she simply jumped above this attack as the mace smashed into the ground, and propelled herself off it!

She grunted as she plucked her scissors off of her belt and stabbed them into the creature's back, sliding along it and leaving a gash down its body. Now she was on top, and before the Mechabeast could hit her with its tail, she summoned her Persona and did her deed!

Now she was on top, and before the Mechabeast could hit her with its tail, she summoned her Persona and did her deed!

"Viciooouus...STRIIIKE!"

Barrow whirled all its sharp arms around and spun like a top as it carved a large wound into the Mechabeasts' cannon weapon! It cried out in a fluster, writhing its body around in a mad attempt to escape its predicament! Hearing the sound of the ice cracking from the pressure, Razor decided now would be a good time to get the hell out of there! She bounced off the cannon and rolled away into the forest!

At the same time, Highwayman came rushing in as the lightning started to die down, and before she did anything, she heard Kyoko holler. She turned her head to see something being thrown at her, and caught a Rasetsu Ofuda, feeling its attack-boosting effects once she grabbed it!

"LIGHT THEM UP HIGHWAYMAN!" Kyoko shouted! She didn't need to be told twice.

"One...! Shot...! KILL!"

Parker appeared and fired its most intense attack; a gigantic magical bullet blast that flew directly towards the cannon! As it usually was, her aim was on point, and it smashed straight into the gash in the weapon that Razor had made just a second ago!

And like fire to fuel, the weapon EXPLODED! An explosion so immense and powerful that it almost cratered the Mechabeast into the ground and shattered its icy cuffs! The attack boost from the item Kyoko had tossed had seen to that.

"And with the cannon taken care of before the Mechabeast can recharge, it'll be weakened and vulnerable," Kyoko laid out the final details of her plan, "and we leave it up to our ace to deal the killing blow."

The Mechabeast let out a vociferous roar of rage and fear and flung its mace tail around to attack. However, now that it had lost its primary weapon, its attacks were sluggish, and easily avoided. It then brandished its claws and charged at the first enemy that fell within its line of sight, which happened to be Leprechaun

"Well! Look who's nice and slow!" he called out, unafraid, "you know what to do!"

As the tiger pounced, it quickly found its attack being repelled as another figure jumped in the way. Mozart flew in and smacked it in the face with her polearm. As she landed, Highwayman tossed the Ofuda to her, and she quickly applied it.

With the end of the line in sight, Mozart took a page out of the Mechabeast book, and let out a tremendous roar of rage, grabbing her weapon and charging straight towards the danger, with the tiger rushing back at her! She reeled back and tossed her weapon forward, nailing the Mechabeast dead in its evil eye and tripping it over! She jumped into the air, summoned her Persona, and came falling down for the finishing touch!

With the end of the line in sight, Mozart took a page out of the Mechabeasts book, and let out a tremendous roar of rage, grabbing her weapon and charging straight towards the danger, with the tiger rushing back at her! She reeled back and tossed ...

"IRENE! ASSAAAUULLT DIIIIIIIIVVE!

With its fist brandished, Irene crashed and landed straight on the Mechabeast's head! Everyone raised their arms and shut their eyes as a mammoth cloud of ash, mud, dust, smoke, and cinder flew out in all directions where the fire met the lightning, coating the trees and the ground, not to mention the thieves themselves, in the dirt.

Once it dissipated enough to the point everyone could see, they all looked intensely back at the center, panting for breath in the stunning silence. Once the cloud dissipated entirely, everyone bore witness to the same scene.

Mozart stood above the Mechabeast's lifeless body, plucking her polearm out of the ground, and resting her foot atop the monster's head, which had been completely and totally crushed like paste under a hammer.

As she turned her head, the intense glare in her eyes quickly gave way to a cheeky and relieved smile, brightening up her very dirty and messy face.

"Hee-hee! I got 'em~!"

Beautiful Ruin [Summer Salt] - Danganronpa 2: Goodbye Despair

With the threat taken care of, the Phantom Thieves gathered themselves together and took a quick break, before hopping back into the Usami bus and riding across the now vacant bridge to the next island.

Fortunately, this trek was a tad quieter, as Shadow Hinata was far too exhausted to ask any more questions. Everyone was too covered in dirt, too sweaty, and too tired to do much of anything. Now that the adrenaline had died down the damage the creature had dealt was hitting them tenfold; especially Kyoko who had taken that nasty hit earlier.

All Leprechaun could do was give her some Seiko medicine and let her recover while giving her a massage.

While being careful to avoid any more fighting, especially with the condition the team was in, the Phantom Thieves did a once over of the new island as they did before, looking around to see what this one had to offer. Except this time, they had Shadow Hinata as a tour guide.

The group first visited a pharmacy, where they were able to find a wide range of medications. Hinata claimed that anesthetics could even be found there. Regrettably, the Thieves themselves found the medication inside to be ineffective. Shadow Hinata appeared to be the only one who could use the drugs.

They also discovered a sizable library with a vast collection of local and foreign books, as well as occult magazines. Hinata claimed that the island was the site of an installation that was on par with the national library. Kyoko added to this by stating, as a result of her real-world research, that a lot of wealthy people spent extended periods of time on Jabberwock Island, and the library was established with their donations.

The next place was a contemporary diner restaurant that, for some reason, had a parking lot and a spinning sign outside. There was a dining table, a bathroom, a food shelf, a bar table, and other items inside the restaurant.

Then there was the beach. The sign next to the entrance to the beach named it "Chandler Beach." It was much more secluded, yet far more pristine than the beach on the first island. Clearly more geared towards tourists than a result of the natural world. This one didn't have a shack, but instead had a clean-looking beach house.

But by far the most notable addition to the island was gargantuan ancient ruins. Unlike the rest of the island, the air was thick with the scent of earth and decay as opposed to the fresh ocean air of the rest of the archipelago. Vines twisted around ancient stones, forming a huge spire that blocked out the sunlight and cast a massive shadow.

But what really piqued the interest of the Phantom Thieves was that these ancient ruins looked EXACTLY like Hope's Peak Academy's main building. Just as it would be if it was abandoned for several hundred or thousand years. Unfortunately, the ruins themselves were barred with a steel, impenetrable gate, so getting inside was a no-go, at least for now.

"Don't worry," Shadow Hinata waved his hand, "we don't need to go in there just yet. The next miniboss is in the beach house on Chandler Beach. If you want the next scroll, that's where we'll find it."

"Right, so here's an idea," Mozart gestured, "how about we DON'T do that right now?"

"Yeah uh...all of those in favor of calling it a day and taking a break, raise your hand." Highwayman lifted her arm in the air.

Everybody raised their hands, except for Shadow Hinata.

"Glad to see we're all completely spent," Sleuth sighed, "most of us anyway."

"Well...I understand that..." Shadow Hinata acknowledged, "Sorry, I kind of forgot that you guys could just...go...whenever you wanted."

"Yeah, sorry about that," Leprechaun scratched his face, "we'd take you with us if we could."

"Don't worry about it. It's not like you'll have a hard time getting in touch. I'm not going anywhere," he hung his arms behind his head, "still though..."

"What? You thought we'd still have some fight in us?" Highwayman asked, "If I could keep going, I would, but if we're gonna be fighting more of those big monsters, I think it's best we take our time with this one."

"I don't know," he shrugged, "I kind of figured you were the type who would complete a dungeon in one day is all."

"What kind of moron would do that?" Razor asked, "We're not video game characters."

"Alright, alright," he waved his hand, "I'd see you off and everything, but I'm gonna have a look around the island. Not much else I can do in your absence."

"Well, if you managed to get this far by yourself before, why don't you go get the next grimoire for us before we come back?" Highwayman asked, "It'd save us some time."

"Ouch...You can be harsh sometimes," Hinata rubbed his shoulder, "I wouldn't mind, but I think that's a tad too risky at this point in the game."

"Why's that?" Mozart asked.

"Because the Shadows and Mechabeasts are clearly a lot stronger than they were before you all showed up. Personally, I think your arrival is increasing their power; like their levels have raised so that they present a fairer challenge to the whole party," Hinata explained.

"Yes, I assumed as much as well," Kyoko added, "though I can't exactly say for sure with no reference besides you."

"My point is if I take on the next miniboss on my own, I might not win. And if I lose..." he scratched his head, "the game resets, and we'd have to start this entire thing again from scratch. Which means we'd have to fight the first island boss, then the Mechabeast we just defeated all over again."

"OOOOOOKAY! Let's NOT do that then!" Highwayman exclaimed, suddenly feeling an existential dread wash over her, "Thanks for the heads up!"

"Heh...You got cold feet all of a sudden," Razor smirked.

"Oh shut up Toko-chan!" Highwayman elbowed her, "Quit taking pleasure from my pain!"

Shadow Hinata tilted his head.

"Um..."Toko-chan?" Is that a nickname of some kind?"

"Oh...shit..." Komaru gasped, realizing she'd let the secret slip.

"Don't worry about it Highwayman," Leprechaun told her, "we basically already told this guy our life stories up until this point. Knowing our names isn't gonna do any further harm, I'm sure."

"Yeah, plus I don't think there's much of a risk if Izuru in the real world learns our names," Mozart added, "he probably already knows who we are anyway."

"Real names?" Hinata parroted, "Oh yeah, you mentioned something about code names earlier."

"Right. With the exception of myself, everyone here uses a code name so that enemies in the Metaverse won't discover their identities," Kyoko explained, "you don't apply to this though."

"My name's actually Toko Fukawa," Razor told him, "this dolt is Komaru Naegi."

"I'm Makoto Naegi, Komaru's brother," Leprechaun unveiled, "and this is Shuichi Saihara and Kaede Akamatsu."

"Nice to re-meet you!" Mozart winked.

"Likewise," Hinata smiled, "I look forward to seeing this partnership through."

Beautiful Days - Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc

"By the way Makoto," Kaede asked suddenly while munching on a freshly baked cookie, "I kind of forgot to ask you earlier, but how's your nose doing?"

"Huh?" he frowned, "oh, you mean after what happened with Nanami-senpai."

Following a brief reconvening in a safe room they'd found on the island, the Phantom Thieves said their farewells to Shadow Hinata for now and returned to the real world for the evening. Komaru and Kotoko had baked cookies for the group, and the Phantom Thieves were chowing down on them as they relaxed in the Thieves Den.

"Didn't you hurt your nose after you smacked your face on the fence?" Monomi recalled.

"Uh, yeah, but I didn't really want you to just say that..." Makoto deadpanned, solemn, and embarrassed.

"Wait, what?" Komaru poked her head up, "what happened?"

"When I was chasing after Nanami-senpai, I tried to vault the school gate," Makoto quickly explained, "In the Metaverse I can do that pretty handily, and my brain was thinking I could do it here too. But muscle memory is the only thing that retained from that side, so when I tried, I smacked my face and fell to the floor. Then a bunch of stuff happened after that and...It just wasn't a very lucky day for me."

There were several groans and visible cringing amongst the entire team.

"Ordinarily, I'd find that extremely funny," Toko frowned, sipping on some iced tea through a straw, "but honestly, I more feel sorry for you."

"I'm not sure what's worse, to be honest..." Makoto pouted.

While the rest of the team talked, Kyoko silently sipped her hot coffee.

"But I do kind of get it. We do so much wacky shit in the Metaverse that by now we're just used to it," she added, "this is kind of embarrassing, but sometimes, whenever I turn a corner, I kind of press myself up against the wall and peek around before I move. Like we do whenever we're sneaking through hallways in the Metaverse."

"Oh God, you too!?" Komaru gasped, "I do that sometimes as well! It's so embarrassing when the other girls at school see me do it!"

"Do you guys do things like that too?" Makoto turned to his kouhai.

"Hm...Well, now that you mention it," Kaede pondered, "you know how my Phantom Thief outfit has dress? Maki told me recently that I have very wide strides when I walk. I think since I'm so used to wearing it by now, I just habitually always walk like I'm donning it."

"I get really awkward whenever I walk through a doorway," Shuichi admitted, "I'm worried that my cape might get caught if I walk through a doorway."

"Uhuhuu!" Monomi chuckled, "Honestly, you're all such silly children. Give it time, and you'll get used to making a difference. Just don't let yourselves get hurt like Makoto here until you do."

"Yeeess Mooooom..." Komaru rolled her eyes.

"Don't act like you don't have any problems going to and fro," Makoto jabbed her in the head with his finger, "I've seen you try to walk around on your hind legs a few times before."

"Th-That's out of curiosity!" Monomi blushed as the rest of the team giggled, "nothing more!"

Despite the merry mood, everyone stopped as Kyoko suddenly put down her now empty coffee cup, then stood up, grabbed her bag, and made her way for the door.

"I'm calling it a night," she said, unlocking the hatch, "I'll send you my schedule for this week and the next. I'll be waiting for the call to meet up."

And with that, she shut the door. Her exit had been so sudden that it took everyone a second to process it.

"Um...Is she alright?" Kaede asked.

"She did seem...off..." Shuichi observed, "Maybe there's something she's not telling us."

"But Kyoko's the hero of the hour!" Komaru groaned, "I thought she'd stick around to celebrate our victory, even if it is only step 1 in the plan."

"You guys wait here," Makoto stood up, "I'm gonna go talk to her."

Welcome to Despair Academy - Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc

"Kyoko, hey, wait!"

Kyoko hadn't gotten very far out of the apartment when Makoto came running out the doors and called out to her. She stopped and turned around as he jogged up to her.

He noticed immediately that her face didn't look best pleased; much like the Kyoko that he'd met on the first day of Hope's Peak. The cold, calculating, and emotionless Ultimate Detective, who never let anything slip.

"What is it?" she asked, "did I forget something?"

"I just wanted to thank you again for today," Makoto beamed, "your plan to take down the Mechabeast worked wonders. We couldn't have done it without you."

"Hm...Is that so?" she deadpanned, "you know that I'm not going to be there for every mission, right? I have a job to do."

"I know, but you were there today," he replied, "and we're all the better off for it."

"It leaves a bad taste in my mouth though," Kyoko frowned, "you're the one with the power and the skill. You definitely seem proud of that fact. It's just a little concerning that you're the ones who undergo the missions, and yet you need me, the only one without the power, to salvage it."

Makoto felt his stomach churn with these words.

"Are you alright?" he asked, "you're acting very...odd..."

"I'm acting as I always do," Kyoko diverted her gaze, "I need you to take this seriously though. If we don't do this, we might miss our chance to bring the Steering Committee to justice for good. That's what we do, right? We can't fail."

"What makes you think I'm not taking this seriously?" Makoto glowered, "You and I both want to save Hinata and take down the Committee. Why are you acting like this?

"You almost died earlier...WE almost died earlier...And here you are, laughing and making jokes about your powers and outfits like it didn't happen," she said, "this is not a joke Makoto. How can I trust you to be ready for this? For any of this? You admitted yourself in Kirie's Palace that you never planned ahead. What kind of behavior is that?"

"Are you..." Makoto tilted his head, "worried about us?"

"No! No, YES! I mean..." she stammered, "I know you can take care of yourself. You can fight those monsters better than I can, I'm just saying...

"Kyoko, what's going on?" he asked, "I've never seen you this uncomfortable before."

"Yeah, well...you have that effect on me..." she sighed, then immediately panicked upon seeing Makoto's distraught face, backtracked, and exclaimed, "Y-You make me more open to my emotions I mean! Not the uncomfortable part, I swear!"

"Kyoko please, don't shut me out. If something's bothering you, I want to help you!"

"Of course you are. I'm just another person for you to protect. You can never have too many. That's admirable, you know, that you go out of your way to help people even if they don't need it. Even if you get hurt or-"

"STOP!"

Kyoko jumped as Makoto suddenly snapped at her, cutting cleanly through her sentence. There was a pause, and he sighed.

"Please don't take that tone with me," he said calmly, "I'm trying to help you because you are a very dear friend to me. I'm not trying to undermine you; I'm just trying to figure out what's wrong."

He walked over to a brick wall and sat on it, patting the spot next to him.

"Hell, you don't have to tell me anything," he said, "but at least let me be in your corner for a bit. Please?"

Kyoko stood frozen in place for what felt like an entire minute, but eventually, she shook her head and sat down next to him.

"I'm sorry..." she said.

"I know..." he smiled, "but I've taken harsher verbal beatings. Now tell me what's going on."

"I don't know Makoto..." she sighed, "I'm just thinking..."

"That's basically all you ever do," Makoto snarked, earning him an elbow to the chest. It did seem to lighten the detectives' mood a little though. "Thinking about what though?"

"Let me ask you something," she said, "what is the end goal of the Phantom Thieves? Do you really believe you can eradicate the corruption, deceit, and hypocrisy around you?"

"Not all at once. But even if I usually don't want to stand out too much; I can't stand it when someone abuses their power. Once I found out what Towa was doing in secret to those kids...Once I awakened to this power...there was no going back for me," he said, clenching his fist, "Kotoko and her friends tried to commit suicide to get away from it all. I figured that if Hope's Peak was protecting Towa even after everyone saw that, then I...WE...were the only ones who could stand up to him. That led on to Fuhito, then Kirie, and now what the Steering Committee did to Hajime. And I quickly came to realize that bullies like them could just get bigger and bigger, and they're out there in society, hurting the people that I care about. So we kept doing it. And we'll keep doing it..."

"Well, I don't mean to burst your bubble," Kyoko frowned, "but if there's one thing I've learned from vigilante justice, those bullies always like to come back. Even if they don't, there's always a bigger fish. Though I'm sure I don't need to tell you that."

"No, you don't," Makoto chuckled sadly, "but even though I know it's a groaner, the phrase "with great power comes great responsibility" has never rung truer for me. There are people out there who are scared. I can't just...turn my back on them if they need me! I have to be better than that."

"But what if it never ends?" Kyoko asked, "in fact, it probably won't ever end. There are so many people in the world; even in Japan alone there's far too many."

"Then it never ends," Makoto replied almost immediately with conviction in his tone, "it's not a perfect solution...It won't last...I know I can't save everyone...We all know that even if we never say it. But it helps people. They need to know that they can always stand up to terrible people in power because we'll have their backs no matter what happens. It's not an easy road, but we've all chosen to walk it."

Kyoko nodded and went silent, staring off into the distance.

"What's the matter?" Makoto asked, "Again, if you don't want to talk, that's fine, but I'm gonna keep sitting here with you until you feel better. Whatever it is that's bothering you, I want to help."

"Heh...That's it, isn't it?" she chuckled, "you WANT to help. You don't need to, but you are."

"What?"

"Sometimes I wonder what my true purpose...no...GOAL is in life," Kyoko explained, "I'm the Ultimate Detective; an accomplished investigator that can solve most crimes with ease. You know I'm not usually a bragging girl, but despite my age, I'm the best in my field, and now I'm the leader of a company of PI's...And yet..."

She stopped, locking her fingers and looking down into her hands.

"And yet I've never stopped to wonder what I'm doing this for," she admitted, "I've never once thought about helping people get justice, nor did I ever think about what was truly right and wrong. I was determined to stay in that grey area and solve crimes as a detective should. For the sake of the job. And nothing more."

Her gaze turned to Makoto.

"But you Phantom Thieves really do care...You don't stick to the law; only your own code, and you're determined to help people, even putting your lives on the line for complete strangers. I kept telling myself I didn't approve of that, but then time passed and I slowly began to ask myself why," she sighed, "You have a drive and a purpose...You aren't hurting anyone and you do this because you want to, not because you have to. And you enjoy the satisfaction of a job well done. That's what I'm most jealous of."

"Jealous?" Makoto parroted.

"Yeah," she nodded, "Why wouldn't I be? Even though you and I are on different sides of the law, you as a Phantom Thief, and I as a detective carry out the same objective. Stopping corrupt people from getting their way. And yet all I hear these days is how amazing you are, and how the police are so obsolete in comparison."

"Well, to be perfectly fair, a large part of that may be due to the scandals with Fuhito and Kirie. One's a poor excuse for a policeman and the other bribed the court systems," Makoto considered, "which...now that I say that...is technically our fault as well...sorry."

"No, it's their fault. You wouldn't have had to expose those crimes if they hadn't committed them," she said, "but therein lies the issue. Taking these people out is supposed to be my job. MY responsibility."

"I'm not trying to run you out of a job!" Makoto exclaimed, "Your contributions to the world are valuable and-!"

"I know!" she snapped, "please...let me finish..."

Makoto complied and went quiet.

"I could have lived a life like yours. Surrounded by family, not having to worry about the greater problems of the world, and...grown up normal," she continued, "but thanks to Fuhito Kirigiri, I didn't have any of that growing up. I only had a few things...I told you this once before, but I was BORN a detective. I was born someone responsible for solving crimes and fixing the problems with the world."

She lifted her head.

"But you. It is by your CHOICE that you are a hero. You didn't have to; you could have been anything you ever wanted to be. But instead, you decide to live this life for yourself," she threw up her hand, "comparing my sense of justice to yours is nigh impossible. How am I ever supposed to live up to it?"

Makoto didn't know what to say or do in response to this. Kyoko had always been more open with him than anyone else. She knew full well that Makoto would never betray or lie to her without good reason. So in that regard, he didn't want to let her down...but also didn't know what to say.

He searched himself for the right words to say, but couldn't immediately find them. More than that, he was worried that he might say the wrong thing, screw it up, and make her feel even worse.

But the words came out rather naturally in the end.

"Haha...Ahahaha!"

"What? Why are you laughing?" she frowned, "I'm being serious here."

"I know, but I'm just thinking about it now and..." he made a motion with his hand, "it feels like you and I have swapped roles."

"Swapped roles?" she raised an eyebrow.

"I just thought it was funny is all. What you're going through now is a lot like what I went through in year 1 of Hope's Peak Academy," Makoto played with the hem of his shirt, "one of my biggest insecurities is that Hope's Peak chose you. That everyone at that school, including you, was chosen...aside from me. At times, I feel that my behavior as a student, including the time I spend with you and our classmates, is motivated by a need to establish my merit for being among you."

He reached out and held Kyoko's hand.

"It doesn't really matter how we got here, though. What matters are the decisions we make right now," he told her, "let me ask a question now. If you really feel this way about your detective work, why do you keep doing it? Why don't you quit?"

"Well...I..." for once, the lavender-haired girl was at a loss for words.

"Is it because you feel obligated to?" he asked, "or because it's all you've ever known?"

"N-No! That's not it..." she stammered, "It's not pretty work but...I have the qualifications...I have the talent...I might as well use it."

"And that's exactly the same reason why I continue to be a Phantom Thief," Makoto pointed out, "you see now?"

Her eyes widened in surprise, amazed she hadn't connected these dots, and she looked at him.

"Although you may believe that we are not the same, you're also always making the decision to be a hero when you venture out to solve a mystery, investigate a crime scene, or accompany us on our Metaverse adventures. The same as myself. The same as everyone else," Makoto told her firmly, "Take it from someone who's spent a long time trying to live up to the legacy and influence of the people around him to no avail. You don't have to be a better version of me. You just need to be the best version of yourself. And the reason your plan worked today is because we all knew that we could trust you. Because your skills are unique and we value you for them. At least I know I do."

"I...That's...Thank you..." she smiled sadly, "and I'm sorry for being so...There's a word for this; I'm not sure what it is..."

"Edgy? Brooding?" he suggested.

"Those work," she smirked, "In any case, I shouldn't have taken my emotions out on you. Makoto, you certainly deserve to be a Phantom Thief. Never question that."

"Only if you do the same," he smiled back at her, "honestly if you want my recommendations, I think you should take a break."

"Yeah, maybe," she shook her head, "but what would I even do if I were to take a day off? Most of the time I go out, it's for the sake of the Phantom Thieves. Exploring the Metaverse isn't what I would call a holiday."

"Well..." Makoto shifted in place, suddenly becoming strangely awkward, "if you don't mind...Do you think you want to come round for lunch?"

"Hm?" she raised her eyebrows, "you mean you want to go out to lunch with me?"

"No! Well, yes, but no," he said, "I mean come round our place. We can have lunch and hang out; me, you, Komaru, Kotoko, and my parents maybe? Only if you're up to it of course."

"That..." she said "sounds nice actually. I think I'll take you up on that. But are you sure now's a good time? The Hinata incident is still unresolved, and we don't have much time."

"Trust me," Makoto assured her, "you are just as important."

Chapter End Notes

1 down, 4 to go, but there's still a ways off.
I've decided that compared to the last three, I'm gonna take my time with this part of the story. I feel like the hurrying of the plot takes away from what ends up being some great character moments, and I like to portray them even outside the confidant chapters. So expect this Palace excursion to take a tad longer than even Kirie's arc was.
That said, even if there is some filler, I've geared it so that it will be as enjoyable as possible for you.
In regards to this chapter at least, it was entertaining to explore the intricacies of how Kyoko and Makoto's characters would turn out in this context, and the Mechabeast battle is probably one the best fights I've written so far in my opinion. And I hope I can keep a good thing going.
Another thanks to the fanart and another thanks to those helping with the TV tropes page, stay awesome.
Thank you for reading. I love to get feedback from my readers, so feel free to leave a comment, and some kudos if you feel up to it.

Things I've Never Felt Before

Chapter Summary

Kaede and Shuichi go on a date during their day off. However, Kaede becomes insanely jealous of Shuichi's cohort.

Chapter Notes

See the end of the chapter for notes

Shuichi Saihara had grown up reading detective novels. Many assumed that reading stories about your job could go one of two ways. Either you found them really boring, or really relatable, which hooked you in.

For Shuichi, it was neither. He enjoyed the sense of mystery a good writer could provide and enjoyed making his own theories. His keen observation skills aided him in figuring out the mysteries, but it was still fun and oftentimes satisfying if he turned out to be right.

If he wasn't? All the better. It was a twist that he hadn't seen coming and it opened his eyes.

But detective novels and mysteries were not the only genres that the young Shuichi liked to peruse. He was a fan of a few genres...particularly romance.

Romance novels arouse powerful emotions in us and help us feel an emotional connection to the characters. The reader frequently feels a similar intensity and passion in their real-life relationships as a result of this elevated emotional experience.

Many people—especially single people—would tell you that reading romance novels only makes your loneliness in real life more apparent. Those who were in relationships but ended them are particularly affected. Something that humanity generally considered sad and pathetic; that people could become envious of the book's characters.

That was not Shuichi's experience, though. Romance novels, if anything, made him feel LESS alone. Every time he wanted to visit, there were all these fascinating new acquaintances and lovers waiting for him inside the book's pages.

Besides, the young man's daily burn of anxiety was soothed by reading romance novels. What could be more seductive, after all, than a book that would take away all of his worries? If only for a brief moment in time.

There are many happy-ever-afters, reassuring and dependable book structures, neatly wrapped up side stories, antagonists or villains getting their deserved punishment, the boy winning the girl, or the heroine discovering self-love and accepting nothing less than what she deserves. That was more than just consolation for Shuichi.

Emphasis on "was"

Ever since becoming close with Toko, who specialized in romance novels, Shuichi had been opened to a whole new selection of these books. Even before meeting her, he'd read some of her work before, but now was getting proper recommendations from the author herself. And boy, she was GOOD. That talent of hers was more than earned.

However, Shuichi had started reading his current romance book a few months ago...But during that month...his life had changed.

"Ugh! Are you really bringing that up?"

Shuichi's eyes were taken away from his book as he overheard the familiar voice of Kaede raise an octave. She was standing at the front of the dorm room lobby, looking rather flustered and frustrated, talking to 3 of their female classmates: Tsumugi Shirogane, the soft-spoken Ultimate Cosplayer, Tenko Chabashira, the androphobic Ultimate Aikido Master, and Miu Iruma, the loud-mouthed and rude Ultimate Inventor.

"Some degenerate male tried to hit on you!?" Tenko snapped, slamming the desk with her hands, "What did he look like!? I will track him down and let him HAVE IT!"

"Chill the fuck out!" Miu snapped, "she ain't even done telling the story yet!"

"Right, so...I brought Kaede to one of my favorite hairstylists yesterday. I'm friends with the owner and I wanted to see if there were any accessories or styles that she was interested in," Tsumugi continued the story that Shuichi had clearly missed most of, "so I went in for my cut, and I walked out to see this guy chatting Kaede up."

"Was he hot?" Miu smirked.

"Miu...!" Kaede pouted.

"Anyway, I'm sure that he was trying to strike up a conversation, but he was talking about her hairpins," Tsumugi gestured to Kaede's music-note-shaped hairpins, "and he said "You should really consider changing those pins. Classical music will make people think a young gal like you is old school!""

"Degenerate bastard...!" Tenko growled.

"And what did you say?" Miu rested her head in her hands.

"N-Nothing bad!" Kaede assured her, "I just told him to leave me alone!"

"Your exact response was "You should really consider changing your face. It makes people want to vomit!"" Tsumugi recalled, "And then you walked away and didn't look back! I could physically see his confidence leave his body like a ghost!"

"DAAHAHAMN!" Miu whistled.

"That's our Kaede!" Tenko beamed, "Way to stick it to them."

Kaede sighed.

"Guys like that think things come easy for them. They happen to be a little handsome and they think they can use it to their advantage," she rolled her eyes, "if you've got nothing nice to say, don't bother saying anything! I mean, he HAD to know that if I didn't like classical music, then I wouldn't be wearing the hairpins, and yet he insulted it anyway! Guy or girl, hot or not, it doesn't matter. You don't just go insulting things people like!"

"True," Tsumugi smiled, "I've dealt with my own fair share of critics. I know how it feels."

"Besides," Kaede frowned, "he wasn't all that. Tsumugi is overstating how handsome he was. Defo not my type."

"What IS your type then?" Tsumugi inquired.

Shuichi could have sworn that Kaede shot a millisecond-long glance in his direction, so he diverted his eyes back to his book while keeping an ear open.

"Well, it's hard to say," she smirked, "but...I guess I kind of like those Bruce Wayne brooding kinds of boys. Like the kind that you just want to make happy, you know?"

"Peh! You and your bleeding heart..." Miu spat.

Kaede immediately went on to chew her out, much to the inventors dismay. But Shuichi's gaze automatically drifted back towards her and her friends. He was no longer processing what she was saying, as a single thought echoed throughout his mind as he gazed at her longingly.

*I cannot believe I kissed that girl...*

And those hearts started to beat in perfect unison as they finally kissed.

Though he enjoyed romance as a genre, Shuichi had never in a hundred years considered that he would ever meet, much fall for, a girl who shared his feelings of romantic affection for them. It was frankly a miracle that it could ever happen.

However, in those long-road romance novels, following a fruitful confession, that's typically the point at which ten years go by and both characters find themselves standing at the altar, dressed in white, ready to tie the knot. All of a sudden, the time passes quickly. The main characters are all successful adults who are paving their own paths in life. The male and female characters have all connected at random.

But this was reality, not a novel. So how to go on day-to-day? That was the REAL mystery.

Kaede and Shuichi had conclusively agreed to keep their new relationship, as well as the kiss they shared at Kaede's house, a secret from everyone for now. As of now, the only person who knew about their "relationship upgrade" was Makoto, who had accidentally witnessed their connection. Fortunately, he had agreed to remain quiet about it.

So unless she had told anybody, nobody else knew. Not Shuichi's friends, not Kaede's friends, not Shuichi's aunt and uncle, not Kaede's sister, and none of the other Phantom Thieves.

It wasn't like they were going to keep this secret forever. They'd hold it in until they were sure people could be trusted with the information. Kaede and Shuichi had only known each other for half a year at this point, so people may have something to say about their relationship, especially since this was the first real relationship Shuichi had ever been in with another person.

That being said, he didn't know if Kaede had been single all her life. Given how outgoing and attractive she was, it would make sense if she had seen other guys before him. Plus, even though they had kissed, they hadn't really referred to each other as boyfriend or girlfriend yet. And they hadn't been on a "date" since the night over.

Kaede was incredibly jovial and easy to get along with. She was the life of the party in every room she entered and had a large number of friends. Shuichi was sure she lived in a different world altogether when they had first met. Their worlds had now collided. It just seemed weird that she could ever be so worldly as he was.

However...that perception was about to change in a way that he would never expect.

"Shuichi?"

Shuichi finally broke out of his inner monologue and looked up when he heard his name be called. Kaito Momota and Maki Harukawa stood next to his desk, looking down at him with concern. Shuichi immediately put his book down and hopped to his feet with a smile.

"Kaito!" Shuichi smiled, "sorry I didn't say hi earlier. Glad to see you're feeling better."

"Glad to be back!" he gave him a fist bump, "we're still on for training tonight, right?"

"Of course!" Shuichi nodded, "assuming you're up for it?"

"Heh! When am I not!?" Kaito beamed.

"The last two weeks," Maki reminded him, "when you were sick?"

"That's not fair!" Kaito snapped, "I can beat many things, but disease isn't a beast so easily tamed!"

"What's up with you anyhow?" Maki turned to Shuichi, seeming to ignore his complaints, "You look distant. Something on your mind?"

Kaito and Maki had also been kept out of the loop on Shuichi's relationship with Kaede, as per her request. If they ever did decide to open up, they would probably be the first two people he would tell.

"Oh...no...I've just been reading this book," Shuichi lifted his copy, "Fukawa-senpai personally recommended it to me. It's just given me a lot of food for thought is all."

"Really?" Kaito frowned, "I've heard Fukawa-senpai was good, but is she really that good? What kinds of things are you thinking about?"

Shuichi hesitated, worried about what he might say. But after a pause, he opened up with a shaky voice.

"Well, it's just...Kaito...?" he stammered, "If you got...say...a girlfriend or something...would you tell me immediately?"

Kaito was evidently stunned by this question. It wasn't that shocking, but he clearly hadn't been expecting it from the mouth of Shuichi. Fortunately, he was quick to recover, but unfortunately, his response wasn't what the detective was hoping for.

"Huh? Sure I would," he said, "would you think I'd keep secrets from you?"

"N-No, that's not what I'm saying! It's just...it wouldn't be at all embarrassing to just come out and proclaim it?" Shuichi stuttered, "Besides, you've never mentioned having one..."

Kaito went quiet, as did Shuichi. He just watched as the Ultimate Astronaut crossed his arms, smirked, and looked towards the sky. Ironically, it was Maki who broke the silence.

"That's because you've been alone your whole life, right?"

"Maki-Roll...!" Kaito's expression did not change, but his posture became very rigid, and his tone of voice actually had some underlying disdain and frustration to it.

"Oh...so that's what that was..." Shuichi sighed.

"You guys can be real mean sometimes!" Kaito snapped.

As Shuichi and Maki tried to settle Kaito's temper, Shuichi suddenly felt his phone vibrate in his pocket. He quickly took it out to see that he had received a text from Ms. Kaede herself.

----------------------------------------------

Kaede-Chan

Hey.

I know now might be an awkward time, but did you get Makoto-senpai's message on the PTChat?

I did.

He's unavailable today, and so is Kyoko-sama.

So we've agreed to hold off on Palace exploration for today until they've taken care of business.

Right.

So like...

Unless you're busy, you wanna maybe grab lunch together?

My treat.

Sure!

Where though?

Ok, so have you ever been to Queue-Anon?

Isn't that an American conspiracy theory?

No, QUEUE-ANON, not Qanon!

It's this restaurant chain that was a favorite of Veronika's.

Oh, that's that half-English girl who hangs out with Kaori btw.

There's a chain near the SDA building that has one of those conveyor belt things that carry food around to the tables.

And the best part? The place I've had my eye on has some really special items on the menu.

Like what?

Beef Kalbi Roll, Hamburger Steak, Kalbi, even Parfaits!

That's not even fish at that point!? Does that even count as a sushi joint!?

Who knows? And who really cares? It's delicious!

Well, I'm all for new experiences. First time for everything after all.

Well, that's what I say now. The old me wouldn't have been so bold.

Well, it'll be because I'm there. This is a bonding thing.

I just kind of realized. I was talking with the girls just now.

I know. I heard. I'm on the other side of the room from you.

You're not exactly being quiet.

Oops.

Well, yeah, it got me thinking.

You're my boyfriend now, so...

----------------------------------------------

Shuichi retreated into himself as his eyes read over the word "boyfriend."

----------------------------------------------

We haven't really gone on a proper date before, so I just thought about it.

If you're busy, we don't have to, but...

Why don't we meet for lunch?

I have to go and grab some things from my uncles' agency.

But absolutely I would love to go. Meet me there.

Awesomesauce!

Thanks Shuichi!

Love you!

----------------------------------------------

He retreated further in, shielding his bright red face as his eyes scanned over the words "Love you!" Fortunately, neither Kaito nor Maki seemed to notice.

This girl was going to be the wonderful death of him.

Finding Peace Party - Danganronpa V3: Killing Harmony

Around lunchtime, Kaede left the school gates and practically skipped down the road. This wasn't the first time that she and Shuichi had gone to a restaurant or public place to hang out together, but it was the first date they'd have as an official couple, so it had taken her a while to get ready.

She was dressed in a plain white shirt with a loose-fitting ruby cardigan over the top. She'd swapped out her music note-shaped hairpins for one big note-shaped hair accessory (very original, she thought) and wore a knee-length pink skirt, cute white socks with tiny bows on them, and black shoes to finish the ensemble.

A few people had stopped her to ask what occasion had led her to dress herself like this, but she kept that a secret obviously. Even with all of Tenko's questioning, since she clearly suspected that she was going on a date of some kind, she'd managed to get by.

She was honestly embarrassed by how giddy she was about all of this. This was her chance to show off to Shuichi how serious she could be as a girlfriend, but she was way too excited for this. More than she'd let on in their text conversation.

It took her a while to hop on the train and make her way to the SDA's neighborhood; at least it felt longer than it actually took due to her excitement. But even as she finally arrived at the building and saw her love from a distance, she saw her date from a distance, and that excitement shot through the roof.

Shuichi was also wearing a white shirt with a chestnut brown jacket and blue jeans. Even when it was hot out, he always wore long-sleeved clothes, like had a problem showing skin on his arms for some reason. Kaede hoped it wasn't for any deep reason, and was just for comfort.

She smiled like a thousand suns upon seeing him and hurried towards him.

"Shuichi!" she called out "I'm here-!"

But as she approached, she suddenly spotted something that made her freeze in place. The passion she had remained, but it shifted into a different form. It went from the glow of a happy sun on a summer day to the uncontrollable force of an active volcano in a second.

Shuichi wasn't turned in her direction and was talking very intensely to another girl. Her hair was pale brown, and she had striking orange eyes and appeared to be wearing a casual attire of her own. She looked to be a year or two older than him as well. Whatever they were talking about, it seemed to be important.

This girl was Momoji Utsukuyakuzurami, the SDA's newest hire and one of Shuichi's work partners, though obviously, Kaede didn't know this at the time. She was a very pretty girl too...They seemed to be close...

She debated on what to do. Should she go over and interrupt? Should she keep watching? Neither option seemed very practical. In one situation she was a third-wheel and in the other, she was a creepy stalker.

Turns out she didn't need to debate this option for very long, as the orange-eyed girl suddenly spotted her acting shifty. She seized up as she pointed her out to Shuichi, and the boy turned his head to her, blushing.

"Oh!" he waved her over, "there you are!"

Awkwardly, and with a strange feeling that she'd never really felt before, Kaede waddled like an agitated penguin over to Shuichi and his "companion."

"Oh, you know this girl?" Momoji asked, before gasping and exclaiming, "Is this that really pretty classmate of yours you're always talking about!? Is she your girlfriend!?"

"Wh-What! No I-!? Um-!?" Shuichi stammered, briefly glancing at Kaede's way, who now looked even more disgruntled than she did before.

"Yeah..." she grimaced, "I'm-"

"She's my classmate!" Shuichi interrupted, "This is the Ultimate Pianist, Kaede!"

Kaede...

It had been quite a while since Shuichi had referred to Kaede with that moniker. Ever since she'd been around his apartment for the first time, he'd addressed her informally as Kaede. To hear him revert back to that...It stung a lot.

"Are you guys going out on a date?" Momoji teased. Shuichi vehemently denied it.

"We're just getting lunch!" he said, "don't think anything of it! O-Our friends are coming with us!"

*Liar...* Kaede thought secretly.

"Alright well, we can chat later," Momoji waved "Make sure to hit me up later! We'll get dim sum or something, okay Senpai?"

*SENPAI!?*

"Sure!" Shuichi waved after her, "Have a good day Momoji!"

*MOMOJI!?*

Kaede's head snapped so quickly toward Shuichi that it made an audible noise. Understandably concerned by this, he quickly looked back at her.

"Are you alright!?" he exclaimed.

"I..." the energy behind her eyes looked like it was dying, "I am fine. So you're going to get dim sum with her?"

"Uh...Yes, but that will be later," Shuichi nodded, "I was expecting your arrival sooner, but she came out and we started talking about a case that's been on our minds lately. Running a bit late, huh?"

"...Yes," Kaede replied, her face bearing a constant look of disapproval.

"I'm sorry I didn't introduce you properly," he chuckled, "she's one of the SDA's newest hires and my investigative partner."

"Uh-huuuuuh..." Kaede nodded slowly.

"She's really good. She's still green, but she's one of our best here," he enthused "You know, she attends a well-established private school as well. It's no Hope's Peak, but it's still one of the top schools in the country."

"Oho...!" Kaede slowly tore her eyes away from him, unable to look at him as the hole in her stomach started to widen.

"Yeah, our conversation turned out to be a bit longer than I thought, so we lost track of time..." he giggled.

"Is that soooo...?" she queried, "well...you...rather...Y-You two seem...pretty close...How long have you known each other?"

For a detective, Shuichi could be very dumb sometimes. He didn't pay any attention to Kaede's piercing glare towards him like eye-shaped daggers protruding from her face.

"A few weeks now," Shuichi blissfully smiled, "and yeah, we get along. Actually, the first time we met, it was at one of those conveyor belt restaurants like the one we're going to."

And with that, the volcano completely detonated.

"S-Something like that!? Shouldn't you have taken me instead!?" Kaede cried, making Shuichi nearly jump out of his skin.

"W-Well, that would have been kind of hard!" he panicked, "it was kind of like those business meals where you get to know your coworkers by...going out to a bar and chatting it up! My uncle set us up for that."

"Your uncle set you up with her...!?" Kaede gasped.

"Not like THAT! I told you, it's purely for business," he assured her, "and I couldn't really have invited you even if I wanted to. Plus, we weren't going out back then, and we had the whole Kirie situation to deal with too, so..."

"Why didn't you tell me about her!?" Kaede snapped.

"I...didn't think I needed to!" Shuichi exclaimed.

"But you told me you'd never been to one of those conveyor places before!" Kaede exclaimed "And now you're telling me you went with her!? Did you lie to me!?"

"What? I-I never said that!" Shuichi exclaimed.

"Yeah, you did!" Kaede pulled out her phone and quickly showed him their text conversation "You told me that you were all for trying new experiences!"

"Oh...Th-That?" Shuichi smiled awkwardly "I was...actually talking about the special items on the menu...Like the hamburger steaks and parfaits."

"...Oh..." Kaede said as she scanned the conversation again, "But...STILL! That...DOH Never mind...!"

She hunched over, utterly defeated and at a loss for what to say. She'd never ever felt like this before, but it SUCKED! This resentment she felt for this other girl whom she didn't even know. She felt extremely awkward and didn't know what to do about it.

"Kaede?"

"I'M FINE!" Kaede practically shouted in Shuichi's face when he tried to check on her, "Let's go already!"

"A-Alright!" Shuichi blushed as she boldly took him by the hand and basically dragged him away.

Rise and Shine, Ursine! - Danganronpa V3: Killing Harmony

Fortunately for Shuichi, as the hours went by, Kaede's temperament and attitude became less weirdly hostile. After a relaxing walk in the summer breeze, by the time the two of them arrived at the conveyor restaurant, she seemed to be back to her usual merry old self.

Shuichi hadn't really realized yet that Kaede was feeling jealous of Momoji, but he was understandably concerned about her. He had a feeling that something wasn't quite right, but he was having trouble identifying what. It was probably for the best that she was feeling better now, and he could work that out later.

Kaede couldn't contain her excitement as she sat down at the restaurant on a conveyor belt. The idea of sushi dishes rotating in front of her eyes, each one more alluring than the last, was something she could never get enough of. As it went by, she stuck out her hand and picked up a plate of sushi, enjoying the crispness of the fish and the sharp taste of the wasabi.

Shuichi was astounded by the assortment of foods being served. It seemed like everything was available on the conveyor belt, including sushi, sliders, dumplings, desserts, and of course, Kaede's beloved hamburger steak and parfaits. They laughed together, attempting to catch their favorites and daring each other to try some of the more unusual dishes.

Hours flew by as they chatted and relished the special dining experience while eating to their hearts' content. Their animated conversation was accompanied by the soothing sound of plates clinking and the belt humming.

"Wait, wait, I'm sorry...!" Shuichi exclaimed, "Say that again? You're telling me that Kaori-san eats the HUSK of Edamame!?"

"I don't know if she does it anymore," Kaede giggled, "but when you eat Edamame, what you're SUPPOSED to do is eat the beans inside the pod, then put the husk in a different bowl. So by the end of the meal, you have a bowl full of the Edamame husks, right?"

"Right."

"Well, every time we ordered Edamame as kids, dear precious Kaori Kaede always went ahead and ate out of that bowl! Like...HARD chewing! Like she's trying to tear them apart with her teeth like a Velociraptor!"

"Hahaha! That's so gross! She's basically eating your spit!"

"Yeah, but like...she eats the Edamame first. She goes from one bowl and then to the next bowl instead of eating it all in one go! It's so weird!"

"Look, punk. Dad always told me never to waste food. It ain't my fault I took him so seriously."

Shuichi and Kaede jumped as another voice joined their conversation, and both turned to the side of their table for a very unexpected surprise. Standing there, wearing a waitress uniform complete with a red cap on her ash-blonde head was the infamous leader of the Broken Instruments herself.

"KAORI!?" Kaede exclaimed, louder than she meant to, making a few heads turn her way. Blushing, Kaori almost reached out and pushed her back in her seat.

"Yep, that's my name alright..." she crossed her arms, "glad to see you two are having so much fun talking shit about me behind my back."

"I'm just having a laugh! I'm not trying to make fun of you!" Kaede asserted, "You were a kid! I just thought it was really funny."

"I haven't seen you since the Tokyo Dome," Shuichi waved to her, "it's nice to see you again. What are you doing here?"

"I work here." she replied bluntly, "wasn't that obvious?"

"I mean, yeah, sure, but I didn't know you had a job," Kaede exclaimed, "you never mentioned it to me!"

"Well, if I'm gonna be crashing at a friend's place, the least I can do is help pay the rent," she pouted, "gotta make that money somehow. What's up with you two? You on a summer date?"

"O-Oh! No, we're just getting lunch together!" Shuichi floundered.

"...Yeah, that's a date." Kaori rolled her eyes.

"What's it to you if it is?" Kaede growled.

"I mean...this is just me talking to myself an' all..." Kaori crossed her arms, not able to look at her twin sister or her boyfriend directly, "but I could marry an oil baron and have all the riches the world has to offer, and I still wouldn't be able to buy the experience of a summer date. So savor this moment while you can, sis. Savor it for the rest of your lonely little life."

"I am SO giving you one star!" Kaede hissed.

"Kaede, calm down, she's messing with you!" Shuichi tried to simper her aggression.

"Ok, so all serious now, I'm here to take any side orders you guys might want," Kaori plucked a notepad out of her apron and prepared to take an order, "we do Takoyaki here too. Just give me a heads up and your special order'll slide right down the belt for you."

"Oh! Momoji had Takoyaki for lunch the other day! It got me craving some!" Shuichi beamed, "I think I will have some of that please!"

And just like that, upon hearing that name again, that same hole in the stomach began to widen yet again, and Kaede's chipper eyes instantly went lifeless and solemn again.

"Uh huh...Got it..." Kaori nodded, noting the Takoyaki down, "And you Kaede? ...Uh...Kaede?"

Both Shuichi and Kaori looked towards the pianist, whose face had contorted into a frustrated frown.

"Give me some Akami Tuna," she demanded, "the blood-red kind."

"Ooookay crazy girl..." Kaori looked very thrown off as she jotted down the order, "we'll get that to you in a second."

She quickly made her exit to turn Shuichi and Kaede's orders in. Once she was gone, Shuichi turned back to Kaede and decided that he couldn't just stay quiet anymore.

"Are you alright?" he asked, "something's been going on with you ever since we met up outside the SDA. Did something happen to you this morning?"

"I don't know WHAT you're talking about..." she puffed out her cheeks, "I was just very hungry, that's all."

"But you've eaten," Shuichi observed, "and you're still acting cranky. Did I...do something wrong?"

Kaede retained her uncomfortable expression and started drumming her chopsticks on the table before she gave a reply.

"Shuichi...I have a question..."

"Yes?"

"If Momoji asked you out, what would you tell her?"

Shuichi almost spat his sushi out again.

New Classmate of the Dead - Danganronpa V3: Killing Harmony

"I-!? You-!? Wh-Where'd that come from!?" he spluttered.

"Oh...nothing...I just remembered another food-related thing from my childhood," she glowered, "see, I used to really like pineapple, and I used to think that tangerines were gross. But as I've gotten older, tangerines have started to grow on me, and, also, I'm not fond of pineapples as much as I was. Like I...fell out of love with one fruit and fell in love with another. And it was a quick change too. I didn't see it coming. And I kind of thought to myself "Hm...Maybe that's kind of how love works. Maybe that's why people in relationships start pining for other women?" I mean, I don't know for sure but...it was interesting..."

"Kaede..." Shuichi frowned in concern, "you didn't pick up any sushi that had alcohol in it, did you?"

"I'm NOT drunk, you jerk!" she snapped, making Shuichi almost jump off his seat, "just give me an answer! Would you date the woman or not!?"

"Well...No!" Shuichi started to get anxious, "because that situation implies that I'd either dump or cheat on you! I'd never do that!"

"But what if we weren't dating?" she asked, "I mean, we're barely dating as it is. You've never thought of maybe going after a different girl before me?"

"Still no. Momoji is a friend and a dependable coworker, but she's not my romantic focus," Shuichi asserted, "you would still be more important to me."

"And if you'd never met me?" Kaede's eyes narrowed, "what if she was the important girl in your life instead of me? Would you date her? You were the one saying all those good things about her, right?"

"Ok, seriously," Shuichi was becoming less nervous and now more annoyed at how unnaturally indirect she was being, "what is going on with you? You've been acting...odd...since I showed up, and I want to know why so we don't have this awkward air between us!"

"You're the Ultimate Detective here. If you're so smart, why don't you figure it out?" she asked with poison in her tone of voice, "maybe it's that I don't like it when you call other girls by their first name? Did you consider that that might be it? Or the fact that said other girls seem to appreciate you just as much as I do, huh?"

"Wait, huh!? H-HUH!?" Shuichi exclaimed

"Come on...You were the one overplaying just how smart and skilled Momoji is...! I bet it's a hoot to have someone so pretty and capable in the same agency as you!" she snapped.

"Kaede, you've got it all wrong! Momoji and I aren't like that! Besides, I'm...pretty sure she already has a boyfriend...!" Shuichi enthused, "I told you already, Momoji is just a friend! She's not-GAAGH!?"

This yelp of surprise came from Kaede suddenly picking up her sushi with her bare hand and throwing in Shuichi's face. The juices splattered over his clothes and the commotion they were causing attracted the unwilling attention of the other patrons, as well as the staff themself.

"Momoji this, Momoji that, Momoji everything! Why the hell do you keep bringing her up!?"

Shuichi should have been angry, but he understood Kaede's jealousy. It was more like he was in a situation that he just didn't know how to resolve. His will was broken even further when he looked back up to see tears in her eyes.

"Kaede...!" he said, desperation in his words, "please don't be like this...!"

"I...!" Kaede tried to bite back, but held her tongue, "I need the bathroom!"

With that, she stood up and stormed off towards the restroom, practically kicking the door open and heading inside. All Shuichi could do was watch, helplessly.

Moon on the Water - Danganronpa V3: Killing Harmony

He sighed, burying his head in his hands. He was acutely aware of all the attention he was receiving. Right now, he wished that a hole opened up in the floor right beneath him and he fell through it, not giving a damn what was inside. He was only brought back to reality when he suddenly felt something wet press against the side of his face.

He looked up to see Kaori holding out a wet cloth towards him to help him clean up. Silently, he took it from her. Even though it clearly wasn't proper work conduct, she looked around at anyone staring and shot them such an intimidating glare of death that it got them to look back at their food and away from Shuichi.

"Sit there and be quiet," she told Shuichi and an unnecessarily commanding way, "I'll take care of this."

"R-Right..." Shuichi nodded, "thank you..."

"Don't thank me," she scowled, "I'm not doing this for you. I'm doing this because I'll lose this damn job if I don't say something."

"Oh..." Shuichi hung his head again, "sorry..."

Kaori grunted in discomfort and headed to the bathroom. She flung open the door just as unceremoniously, even if not as violently. She stepped in to see Kaede leaning over the sinks and looking at herself in the mirror.

"Ok, so I'm taking care of this now," she glared at her twin, "what the fuck are you upset for?"

"I'm...NOT...upset...!" she hissed, her expression most certainly upset.

"Kaede..." Kaori deadpanned, "You just threw sushi at your boyfriend's face, and EVERYBODY saw it! I could butter you up, go into employee mode, and deal with this sensibly, but I'm choosing to do this as your sister. So quit being soppy and tell me what's going on."

After making sure that nobody else was in the bathroom to overhear their uncomfortable conversation, she walked over to the sinks and leaned on them thuggishly, not tearing her gaze away from her sister's red face, even though Kaede refused to look at her.

"Don't...Don't get involved in this Kaori," she said, "this doesn't concern you."

"That's cheap. I spent the last 3 years telling you that, and did that stop you from being a pain in the ass? Nah, it's MY turn to invade your personal matters," she prodded her shoulder, "You don't gotta tell me the sitch, trust me, I heard it. You're jealous of this other girl he's been talking to, right?"

"I'm not jealous!" Kaede spat, "I just...don't like the idea that this Momoji girl is taking Shuichi's attention away from me!"

"That's jealousy!" Kaori spat back, "Look, can we just evaluate what just happened out there? You got mad at that sad sack for just mentioning that other girl's name. SO mad that you PHYSICALLY ATTACKED him! Do you not see the fucking issue!?"

"I..." Kaede tried to bite back, but then Kaori dropped a set of words that made her boiling blood run cold.

"You're turning into Mom..."

Her head rose, shock and horror in her eyes, but Kaori continued.

"That's what she did. She couldn't stand anyone else being more successful than her, not even us, so she did whatever she could to undermine them. Attacking them in any way she pleased," she growled, "if this is all it takes to make you angry...Honey, you have ISSUES, and I am NOT letting them get out of control. So please don't do what she did and be amenable to some fucking reason?"

There was a pause that felt like it lasted an entire 2 minutes, even if it was only a few seconds. Kaori patiently waited, watching Kaede in total silence.

It was only after her sister's prompting that Kaede really considered everything she had done so far, and how bad she had made herself look in front of the boy she loved. Her heart felt heavy with sadness, and she couldn't hold back the flood of emotions any longer. Tiny splats of water sounded out in the silent bathroom as Kaede's tears fell from her eyes into the sink, feeling lost in her own world of despair.

"I screwed uuuup...!" she lifted her head, her gorgeous face scrunched up into something ugly as tears fell from her eyes and snot ran from her nose.

"Oh, Jesus-No! It's okay-I just didn't-Come on-Come on...!" Kaori grumbled as Kaede let the floodgates open, burying her head into her shoulder and sobbing like a loser drunk.

"He's maaaad at meeee...!" she howled, "I-I'm TERRIBLE GIRLFRIEEEHEHEHEEND!"

"No...! No, you're not...!" Kaori groaned, wanting to be literally ANYWHERE ELSE right now, but still loving Kaede enough as to not try and escape the situation she found herself stuck in, "d-don't stain my uniform with your snot please let's just-let's just talk about this, m'kay?"

"I threw suushiiii...! *sniff!* In his FAAHAHAHACE!" the pianist bawled.

"I know, I saw it...We all saw it...!" Kaori grabbed Kaede's shoulders, pulled a napkin out of her pouch, and wiped her sisters' eyes with it, "do you want some friendly advice from someone who's basically pissed off every single person she's ever met?"

Kaede sheepishly nodded.

"I don't need to know the full extent of what happened," she asserted, "but take a look inside yourself and ask this. That guy out there...You love him, right? Like, you ACTUALLY want to make something with him."

"Well, yes! At least I thought I.........yes..." Kaede nodded.

"And before today, have you ever once doubted that he loves you back?" Kaori asked, "Do you really think he'd cheat on you, or so openly leave you for another woman?"

Kaede didn't say anything this time. She just sniffed the snot back up her nose and rubbed her eyes.

"Then what the hell's the problem?" Kaori asked.

"I-I don't really know what to do. This is a new feeling for me," Kaede told her, "I would never have had an issue with this before, but the fact that there are other women in his life now that I'm his girlfriend and that he's never really talked to me about before...He even knew that something was bothering me, but he still didn't say anything about it!"

"You know why he didn't, right? It's because he was worried that bringing it up might upset you and lead to this exact situation we find ourselves in," Kaori jabbed her chest with her finger, "Kaede. Shuichi may be a great detective or whatever, but he's NOT a FUCKING MIND-READER! If something is bothering you on your date, or if he's doing something that you don't like, you have to TELL him! If you don't, chances are he'll keep doing it because he doesn't believe anything's wrong. I'm not saying he's completely the victim in this situation, or that you're completely the bad guy. You both fucked up and hurt each other's feelings, but if you can both understand that, you can still fix it."

"H-How?" Kaede whimpered, "What can I even do to fix it? Let him throw sushi in my face too?"

"I'm not gonna say no, because honestly, that'd be pretty damn funny," Kaori smirked, "but you are thinking along the right lines. Maybe you should focus on an apology?"

"How would I even apologize for something like this?" Kaede asked.

"Well, if there's one thing I learned from you, it's that words are for chumps. Actions speak a hell of a lot louder," Kaori advised, "like that time you punched me in the face to get me to listen to you."

"Yeah uh...sorry about that..." Kaede rubbed the back of her head.

"Hey. We both know it worked out in the end. And for the record, I'm not saying to punch him or let him punch you, I'm just using that as an example," Kaori asserted, "look, to be honest, it's like you said. I'm just working with what I got here. Talk to him, get to the root of the problem, show how much you care, and it'll be alright."

Kaede nodded, only for Kaori to add something to the end.

"But preferably don't do it here," she said, "you've caused enough of a scene already."

"R-Right...Don't worry, I'll pay the bill and we'll be off," Kaede promised.

"I'll get you that Takoyaki and Akami Tuna to go then," Kaori winked, but before she could leave, Kaede suddenly grabbed her into another hug.

"Thank you sis!" she smiled, tears coming out again. Kaori groaned.

"Just let me get back to work already!" she grumbled, but against Kaede's knowledge, was secretly smiling.

It took a short while, but Kaori guided Kaede back to the table, gave her and Shuichi their orders to go, and after Kaede paid, practically shoved them out of the diner. The couple stood on the street next to each other, in complete and total silence, neither knowing how to break the ice after what happened.

Shuichi was the one who spoke first.

"Should I...um...go home?"

Kaede felt her chest seize up.

"Are you ok? If you don't want me here, I can-"

"Please, stay."

Silence again. Shuichi yet again broke it.

"Should we...find somewhere to sit? To eat our meals?"

"S-Sure...Like a...park bench or something?"

"Well, that, or we could go back to the dorms...Or either of our homes..."

"Yeah, maybe...Good thinking..."

"..."

Kaede figured that if they talked normally, the situation would resolve itself, but with the more awkward words and pauses that happened, the air just got progressively heavier and heavier, with neither side knowing really what to do or say.

*She's absolutely still mad at me...* thought Shuichi.

*He's definitely still mad at me...* thought Kaede.

Shuichi still had absolutely no idea why Kaede was so angry or what had caused her to blow up on him like that. This had never happened to her before. She didn't seem like the type to get angry for no apparent reason. However, he was smart enough to know that it was somehow connected to Momoji.

Kaede on the other hand secretly believed that Shuichi still had no idea why she was, or rather had been, angry at him. Like Kaori said, she'd gotten pissy and done things she'd regretted because she hadn't been open with Shuichi about her feelings. In retrospect, she knew that requesting him not to talk to other girls was a ridiculous and stupid idea, and yet despite knowing that, she still let her resentment get the better of her.

But that ended now.

"I'm sorry!"

"I'm so sorry!"

They both jolted as they opened up and apologized at the same time. There was another silence, but this one was more of a stunned one than a sad one.

"Wh-Why are you sorry!?" Kaede exclaimed.

"Well, I...I get the feeling there was a reason you were so angry back there," Shuichi said, "I thought that I might have said or done something to upset you. I'm too dumb to know what it is, but...whatever it is, know that I didn't mean to hurt you..."

"Even if you did hurt me, that's absolutely no excuse for what I did...!" Kaede strode over and cupped his face with her hand, "you shouldn't be apologizing for any of this."

"But this all happened because I kept bringing up Mo-UH! I mean, my coworker...! I had a feeling it was making you upset, and I didn't realize that...I'm sorry, I'm not very good at understanding people's feelings."

"We both know that that's complete garbage," Kaede prodded his shoulder with her finger, "you care so much about what other people think that it makes you honest and vulnerable to a fault!"

"Is that supposed to be a compliment or an insult?" Shuichi genuinely couldn't tell.

"It's a statement," Kaede replied, "but...just out of curiosity...do you even KNOW Momoji's full name?"

"Yes," Shuichi nodded, "it's Momoji Utsukuyakuzurami."

Kaede's eyes widened and her brow furrowed, shaking her head like she'd been hit with information overload.

"Utsuki-shisugu-yaku-maku-WHAT-NOW!?" she exclaimed.

"It's a bit of a tongue twister, isn't it?" Shuichi chuckled, "She's aware of that much, so to make it easier on the rest of us, she requests that everyone in the office refers to her by her given name, since it is shorter and has more memorable syllables."

"So...everyone in the office calls her Momoji?" Kaede queried.

"Yes, that's right..." Shuichi affirmed.

"She also called you senpai..." Kaede recalled.

"That's because I'm technically her superior and have more on-field experience than she does," Shuichi told her, "even though she is older."

There were so many ways that Kaede could react to this situation, but in the end, she couldn't help but laugh at herself.

"Hehe...Are you for real?" she asked, "that's all it was? That's what I got so worked up over?"

"I'm really sorry..." Shuichi was still concerned, but smiled knowing that she was feeling better, "I should have told you that sooner. Then you wouldn't have assumed wrong."

"You told me already that you weren't dating. And there's no way that you could have known it was upsetting me if I didn't tell you," Kaede shook her head, "this is my fault, not yours. I'm sorry I hurt you."

"You threw sushi at me. It's not exactly a hard object," Shuichi chuckled, "you basically threw a soggy sponge at me, that's all."

"You realize that's damaging to your dignity, right?" Kaede asked.

"Yeah, but my dignity is already fragile as is," Shuichi laughed, "compared to being knocked around by Shadows, taking a sushi plate to the face is nothing by comparison."

"You've got me there..." Kaede chuckled, "But it was still super toxic of me to act that way and I shouldn't have done it."

Shuichi jumped a little as she suddenly held his hand, but he didn't pull away.

"Hiding this relationship turned out to be a bit more challenging than I thought. Especially considering you," Kaede said, "I want to be the kind of girl that you can brag about to others. I don't like how unsafe our relationship feels knowing we're the only two with any record of it."

"I can't say I don't understand," he chuckled, "what happened between us was very spur of the moment. We both realized just how much we meant to each other, and just like that, we're something more than best friends. I don't think we gave much thought to how much effort and how much difficulty is contained in an intimate and serious relationship. And at the time, I certainly wasn't expecting that you would feel the same way."

"I guess we both kind of dropped it on each other," Kaede sighed, "But you know what? I don't regret it. We've got stuff to figure out. Maybe we're not perfect. But even so, I like us together."

"I agree...and Kaede..." Shuichi started to go red, "You ARE the kind of girl that I wish I could brag about. I could search all of Japan, and I don't think I'd ever find someone as wonderful as you. You're fun, you make me laugh, not to mention you're extremely beautiful..."

"Oh, cut it out!" she flushed, "I get it ok!"

"Ahaha...Sorry...I just wanted to speak honestly for a moment and-"

He didn't get to finish this sentence. Suddenly, without warning, Kaede turned towards him and planted a soft, unexpected kiss on his lips. It was the same feeling he'd felt that night at her house, where time seemed to stand still as the world around them faded away.

But the world didn't matter. Nothing mattered in a moment like this. Nothing except her.

The kiss was intense and was only broken when Shuichi forced himself away, worried that he might lose consciousness. Both their faces had gone from red to a weird shade of purple for how long they had held their breath.

"Sorry, got a...little carried away there..." Kaede rubbed the back of her head, taking a few steps away from him.

"I don't mind..." Shuichi flustered, "That's just another thing I like about you. You act on your desires without giving your behavior a second thought."

"Well, assuming we're all good now..." she held up the box, "you wanna share my Tuna?"

"Only if I can give you some of my Takoyaki," he winked.

Confession Secret - Piano Ver. - Persona 5

"You know one thing I like about this street?" Kaede mentioned randomly in the middle of a conversation as they walked back the way they came towards the SDA office, "Not many people hang around this area, so it's nice and quiet. Like you couldn't find any real trouble here."

"Well, street punks don't really think it's a good idea to loiter around police buildings," Shuichi reminded her, "now that you bring it up, my uncle used to tell me that men on horseback would use this road."

"Really? What for?" Kaede asked.

"I think it was concerning government parades or patrol," Shuichi recalled, "like if an important figure was driving down the road for a special occasion, they'd come through on horseback. This was many years ago though, before I was even born."

"Oh!" Kaede gasped, her eyes going starry-eyed, "Do you mean like those beautiful white horses? Like Prince Charming riding down the road looking for the woman he loves?"

"Kaede. Japan has always been a dynasty. We've never had a king or queen, only emperors and empresses," Shuichi reminded her.

Kaede rolled her eyes.

"I bet you're fun at parties," she scowled, "let me indulge in my fairy tale nonsense! You know, I bet they're still around now. Beautiful princes I mean!"

"What would that even look like?" Shuichi asked, "If a man in a small golden crown and an old-fashioned outfit who came looking like he was from a picture book rode down the road on horseback?"

"Well, that's not really what I meant. A prince these days would be like...a handsome guy rolling up in a fancy foreign car or something," she tapped her chin in deep thought about this, "So yeah! Slap you in a fancy car? *click!* Instant Prince Charming!?"

"Wha-hey-you-hold on!" Shuichi flustered.

"What?" Kaede shrugged, "you were saying that you liked my no-filter way of saying things, right?"

"Well, yes, I do, but..." Shuichi went red, "I don't think I'm entirely qualified to play a prince...!"

"Hmhm...I didn't hear you deny the handsome part~" she teased. He sighed and shook his head. She nudged his arm with her elbow. "Calm down, I'm just teasing. Anyway, you needed to head back to the agency?"

"Yeah. I need to update my uncle on my progress with that case," he said, "are you going to head back without me?"

"I think I will," she nodded, "I need time to think about what happened today and reflect on myself. I'm still really sorry for the way I acted."

"It was a side of you that I didn't know you had," Shuichi winked, "I'll consider it a learning experience."

"Psh! I'm the one who teases in this relationship," she scoffed, planting a gentle kiss on his cheek as they both chuckled.

They arrived at the doors of the SDA, and Shuichi headed towards them with Kaede next to him. But as he placed his hand on the handle and went to head inside, someone suddenly called out to them.

"Ah-! Hold the door please!"

"Oh! Momoji!" Shuichi's eyes widened, as did Kaede's, as his coworker suddenly came scurrying towards the door, "I thought you'd left the office for the day?"

"Yeah, but I left something on Shuichi-sensei's desk that I needed later," she explained, "he called me and asked me to come and pick it up, so here I am."

Shuichi noticed immediately that as soon as she came in, Kaede's expression flatlined and her chest seized up. He wanted to reach over and hold her hand to comfort her but was worried at what Momoji might think if he did that.

However, he thought on it for just a moment and then did it anyway. Something that immediately relieved her mind of any tension that it was experiencing. He didn't look at her so as to not reinforce the gesture, but she looked at him and smiled like the sun.

Either Momoji didn't notice, or she was choosing to say nothing of it. Instead, she turned her attention towards Kaede.

"Hello! You're Shuichi's classmate Kaede, right?" she reached over and took Kaede's hand, shaking it in a friendly manner, "I'm Utsukuyakuzurami-san. You can call me Momoji though."

"O-Oh, thanks...Are you sure?" Kaede asked, "seems rather impolite to address you so casually..."

"Don't worry about it," she assured her, "honestly, I think it's more impolite to try to say someone's name and guess it wrong, so I just let everyone call me Momoji instead."

"You've got me there," Kaede chuckled, "but wait, how do you know my name?"

"Well, aside from the news coverage involving your mother..." Momoji shifted awkwardly, "Shuichi-senpai just won't shut up about you sometimes. Just the other day, in fact, he was telling me all about the piano performance you did. If I didn't know better, I'd say he has a little crush~"

"M-Momoji!" Shuichi blushed. Kaede giggled.

"Aside from that," Momoji moved on very quickly, "are you ok?"

"Huh?" Kaede asked, "Yeah, why wouldn't I be?"

"Well, when I saw you come pick Senpai up earlier, you didn't seem to be in a very good mood," Momoji explained, "I hope you feel better now that you've got some good food in your stomach."

"Oh...T-That..." Kaede scratched her face, "you...noticed that? Even from a distance?"

"Honey, it's my job to keep track of facial expressions," Momoji boasted, "sorry, it's still not my place to pry. Just a force of habit. Usually, I'm a lot better at first impressions."

"N-No, you haven't done anything wrong. It's nice to meet you," she said, "I'm not usually so glum..."

"I'll bet," she nodded, "anywho, I'm in a bit of a hurry right now, but you should bring her round sometime senpai. I'd love to get to know her a bit more."

"I'll definitely consider making plans," Shuichi affirmed, "Kaede? Can I ask..."

"Oh, first-name-basis, huh?" Momoji winked.

"Shush!" Shuichi scowled, "Kaede. Do you maybe want me to walk with you to the station?"

Kaede understood that the reason Shuichi offered this was because he was worried about what she might think if he walked through the doors with Momoji immediately after finishing their date. This sucker was going out of his way to avoid tripping on any more mines.

Kaede was grateful but also wasn't happy to see him treading so carefully for his sake. She had been the aggressor in this situation. She had to let him know that he was trusted.

"I'm alright," she said, "I'll see you at school, ok?"

Kaede said goodbye and said one last farewell to Momoji as well. As the other detective walked through the door that Shuichi held open for her, he jumped as Kaede stole one last kiss on his cheek before she skipped off down the road, as jovial as she had been that morning.

Shuichi threw his eyes to heaven before stepping into the agency after Momoji. He walked up the stairs and through the doors into the office. His aunt was in the kitchen and his uncle was at the desk drinking his latest cup of coffee. He lifted his eyes as Shuichi and Momoji walked through the doors.

"Ah, there you are," he acknowledged, "here. This is yours."

He handed Momoji an object that looked like a small button. Momoji pulled her purse out of her jacket and placed it inside.

"By the way Shuichi-senpai, I made a bit more progress in that case. I know I was talking to you about it earlier," she told him, "I might have established a potential motivation for the offense."

"Really?" he asked.

"Yeah..." she nodded solemnly, "I should warn you now. This kind of goes above and beyond a regular homicide case."

"Right..." Shuichi nodded, "Make sure you send me the details later. I'll review them."

"Are you sure Shuichi dear?" Tsubaki asked, "The last case you did involving a murder-"

"I'll be fine Auntie," Shuichi assured her, "I've changed a lot since that case. I can handle it now."

"Believe me, ma'am, there's no one I'd rather put my faith in," Momoji smiled, "I'll make sure to do that and send you the details. Will that be all?"

"Y-Yes...That will be all..." Shuichi nodded.

He watched as Momoji smiled and made her way to the door. Shinichi called out goodbye to her, but in this moment, right before she could leave for real, Shuichi felt something overcome him.

There was one last thing he needed to say...

"Momoji-san! Wait!"

"Hm? What is it?"

"That girl who I just showed up with. The one that I went to lunch with."

"Yeah? You've told me about her before. I kind of get what you were saying now."

"Her name is Kaede!"

"Yes, I know that already..."

"And...and she's my girlfriend!"

".........EH!?"

Momoji, Shinichi, and Tsubaki all immediately stopped whatever it was they were doing and stared at Shuichi in stunned silence.

"Say WHAT!?" Shinichi exclaimed.

断鎖 -break- - Megumi Ogata

The massive mechanical snake swung its head around, staring menacingly at Mozart and the other Thieves as her heart thumped violently in her chest. The group had now cleared the second island and were now squaring up to their second Mechabeast after returning to Hinata's Palace prepared.

The snake lunged at them, its wide-open mouth coming straight for them. Merely missing the lethal fangs that snapped shut just inches away, Mozart, Sleuth, and Leprechaun dove in one direction, while Highwayman, Razor, Usami, and Shadow Hinata dove in the opposite direction. With her supplies ready, Kyoko sought refuge from the creature among the trees of the central island.

Leprechaun's veins filled with adrenaline as he and his companions tensed up, gripping their weapons tightly and frantically looking for a weakness to take advantage of.

"Anyone got any bright ideas for this one!?" Razor exclaimed as she avoided a laser beam being shot at her from the serpent's eyes.

"This one can be a bit of a slippery customer! Literally!" Shadow Hinata called out, "We might have a chance if we can hit its mouth!"

"Alright!" Leprechaun acknowledged, "everyone! Try and surround it! See if you can get a good shot in on-"

"WATCH OUT!"

Leprechaun didn't finish this sentence. All of a sudden, he was shoulder-tackled by Sleuth just in time to avoid being chowed down upon by the mechanical monstrosity! Unfortunately for the detective and his pianist companion, the Mechabeast changed its aim almost instantly, coiling its enormous body around Sleuth and Mozart while its eyes burned with a feral hunger.

"GUYS!" Highwayman exclaimed.

"Oh, not good!" Usami panicked, "Don't worry! We'll get you two safely out and-!"

"DON'T!"

Everyone froze as they heard Mozart cry out from within the bodily prison of the beast. A wave of confusion washed over everyone, unsure of what to make of this until she continued.

"Don't worry!" she looked towards Sleuth with reassurance, "Leave this sucker to us! We've got this!"

Shuichi nodded, and as the serpent hissed and struck with unimaginable speed, he spun around and whacked it in the schnoz with his baton!

Kaede charged towards the enemy, her spear shimmering in the sun, while the Mechabeast shook off the blow in frustration. The serpent's overwhelming strength and Mozart's dexterity were the only things that separated them in the brief battle that ensued. She sidestepped its poisonous blows and struck back with quick, accurate strikes that sliced through the creature's armor.

Enraged by the meager girl's defiance, the snake slithering back and forth threatened to overwhelm her with a torrent of poisonous breath that gushed out of its mouth!

"CASANOVA!"

Sleuth let out a loud cry as he called upon his Persona, sending a freezing blast of wind through the poisonous cloud, striking the serpent's weak underside. The beast squirmed in pain, its angry gaze locked on the two fighters who dared to question its authority.

"Let's keep the pressure on," Sleuth told his ally with confidence, "we can take this thing down!"

"You got it!" Mozart saluted.

Rather hilariously, the rest of the Thieves couldn't do much of anything besides sitting back and watching the dramatic duo go to work. They were all ready to jump in and aid them should the tension pick up, or should the monster get one over on them, but from initial observations, it didn't look like that was going to happen.

They were all ready to jump in and aid them should the tension pick up, or should the monster get one over on them, but from initial observations, it didn't look like that was going to happen

"ASSAULT DIVE!"

As the snake hissed angrily and tried to fire its eye lasers again, Sleuth swiftly pulled out his sniper rifle and shot it in the face, stunning it and giving his partner a second-long window to land another heavy attack on the monster's body.

Sleuth ran in for a follow-up attack that the Mechabeast tried to fend off with some slaps with its tail. The hefty whip-like lashing did well to fend Sleuth off from getting close and dealing any good physical whacks, yet despite having a significant size disadvantage in both statue and weaponry, as well as not possessing a Persona geared for physical attacks, Sleuth did well to repel the smacks with his measly baton.

Realizing its defense wasn't working, the snake instead tried an offensive counter and slithered lightning-quick around Sleuth, attempting to bite him. However, right as the fangs came gnashing down on him, Mozart jumped in the way and jammed her weapon into the mouth of the creature, keeping it pried open!

However, right as the fangs came gnashing down on him, Mozart jumped in the way and jammed her weapon into the creatures mouth, keeping it pried open!

"Agliao!"

She spun around and snapped her fingers at the snakes open maw within seconds of doing this, summoning Irene and unloading a powerful crackling blast of flames straight into it! The serpent screeched with pain, but its cries were swiftly silenced as Mozart plucked her weapon out of its mouth, and Sleuth whacked it into the air with an upper-cutting swing of his baton!

Though significant damage had been dealt, the monster wasn't done yet. It snapped around in the air and shot like a bullet back towards the daring duo, but Mozart was already ready and anticipating this attack, spinning her polearm with a flourish and deflecting the incoming tackle with her weapon!

"SWIFT STRIKE!"

Irene appeared again and moved quickly, its body moving like beams of light as it barraged the snake with quick physical strikes! The pressure was evidently getting to the monster, and though it tried to hold firm, it slowly began to be pushed back as a result of being struck so many times in quick succession!

The forest itself appeared to come to life as the fight wore on like the winds were muttering encouraging words. Driven by her fury and love (however corny that may sound), she launched a barrage of blows that sliced deep into the serpent's skin, eroding its determination every second.

The last attack propelled the snake in the air, but it quickly soared back down again, attempting to crush Mozart underneath its tail like a bug under someone's thumb! But it failed to get this opportunity as Sleuth slid in front of her and blocked the attack with his baton, bearing the brunt of the blow, yet holding strong!

"Ngh...Tarunda!"

Making good use of the presented opportunity, Sleuth summoned his Persona, who mischievously tapped the monster on the forehead. Almost instantly, the creature began to feel its attack power draining.

With a shout, Mozart jumped out from behind him and jammed her polearm smack-dab in the middle of the creature's body through a crack made in the armor, and followed up by summoning her Persona.

"ASSAULT DIVE!" she shouted, and yet again, Irene smashed its whole body into the monstrosity, launching it up into the air!

"Boost me!" Sleuth exclaimed, dashing back, but then running straight towards his partner. Mozart turned, and in the split second, knew exactly what to do! She hunched down and held her weapon behind her head. As soon as Sleuth's boot made contact with the pole, she pushed herself off the ground and threw him high into the air after their enemy! Sleuth summoned his Persona mid-air, and his hand started to smoke with a powerful frosty energy, and the snake, helpless, could only watch as the instrument of its demise closed in on it!

"MABUFULAAA!"

Sleuth let out a desperate, yet determined cry of this spell, running his hand in unison with Casanova's up the long body of the Mechabeast snake! Slowly but surely, from the tip of its tail to the top of its head, the length of the monster was coated in and out in a thick layer of ice, freezing it completely! Hoisting himself on top, Sleuth stood atop the monsters frozen body, and pushed it back down to the ground with his feet!

"NOW!" he cried.

"MARAGIIOONN!" Mozart hollered, thrusting a fist up to the sky, making her Persona blast a tremendous wave of crackling flames straight up at the frozen serpent! And just like that, once the flames made direct contact with the snake and the air around it, the second Mechabeast was completely SHATTERED to pieces!

The spectacle of shining shards of snow and molten cinders and ash, raining down like a magical light show, was only concluded as Mozart reached up and caught her top-hat-wearing partner as he fell back down to the ground, gracefully catching him in her arms and spinning him around, leading into a pose like that of a movie.

And what could the other Phantom Thieves do in light of a spectacle like that other than give them a rightful round of applause?

Everyone's Killing Graduation Ceremony - Danganronpa V3: Killing Harmony

"That was INCREDIBLE!" Shadow Hinata, stars in his piercing golden eyes, hurried towards them, pumping his fists in excitement, "Where did you two learn to do all of that!?"

"Would you believe us if we said we kind of winged it?" Mozart asked.

"First time for everything, as they say," Sleuth turned to her and winked. She winked back.

"Great work you two!" Leprechaun patted both their shoulders, "That fight ended way faster than I thought it would."

"No kidding! I'm still raring to go!" Komaru stretched her arms, "if we keep up the pace, maybe we can even take down two of those Mechabeasts today?"

"Let's not be hasty here Highwayman," Razor reminded her, "you might still be full of energy, but Sleuth and Mozart had to have just expended a lot of theirs. We can't just leave them behind while we march on ahead."

"Well, how ARE you two doing?" Kyoko asked.

"A-O-K over here!" Kaede made an ok sign with her fingers, "Let me at the next target!"

"Are you absolutely sure about that?" Shadow Hinata asked, "Don't get me wrong, it's not that I don't believe you, but remember. I've never gotten past the third island. On the rare occasion that I do defeat the second Mechabeast, the third one takes me out easily. I'd hate for you to be low on energy when we take it on."

"Well, that all being said," Sleuth rubbed his shoulders, "a quick break would be nice."

"In that case, let us take the point," Leprechaun pointed to Razor, Highwayman, and Usami, all of whom nodded back, "you two stay in the back lines for now until you have time to recover. Get some snacks from Kyoko if you need them."

They both nodded back as everyone climbed into the Usamobile and crossed the now newly opened bridge to the third island. The island's atmosphere was entirely distinct from the other three. The group observed that it felt a little dangerous and not at all like a resort. Once more, Shadow Hinata gave them a quick tour.

The hospital was the first significant building on the island. It had three sick rooms, a lobby, and a main room on the first floor. On the second floor were a staff/meeting room and another resting room.

The second was a live music venue with a staff room and parking lot. "Titty Typhoon" was written on the sign outside the front, raising far more questions than it did answers.

The third was a motel for short-term residents. Leprechaun also learned that one of the motel rooms was a safe room where the team could rest, adding to Shadow Hinata's admission that he occasionally took refuge in the rooms if he needed a brief respite. Funny enough, like other Shadows, Shadow Hinata couldn't see the door to the room. Mozart laughed and said she would sit outside with him in case he got lonely.

Shadow Hinata had named the fourth location "Electric Avenue." Upon closer inspection, it was discovered to be a massive scrapyard the size of a small town, full of various electronic items like game consoles, laptops, and TVs.

Last but not least was a movie theater, where patrons could munch on snacks and watch movies. The Phantom Thieves conducted a quick investigation and found that the available movie genres included action, mystery, romance, sports, anime, animal films, horror, Yakuza, comedy, and sports. The store also sold a variety of snacks, such as hot dogs and popcorn in three flavors: curry, caramel, and salty. Highwayman was enticed to see one of the available films, but before she could speak out, Razor and Kyoko drew her away.

Shadow Hinata mentioned that from this point on, he didn't quite know what to expect. He had never successfully made it to the fourth island before as he'd never managed to get past the Mechabeast guarding the bridge. However, he did know that the miniboss holding the Bird Scroll was hidden away in the hospital.

"I swear to god, if this starts approaching horror movie territory, I'm done with this place..." Razor snarled.

"Pretty sure you were done with this place as soon as the Mechabeasts showed up," Highwayman reminded her, "just suck it up and let's do this thing."

The girls and Shadow Hinata discussed a plan of attack as they walked further ahead of the group, leaving Leprechaun in the back with Kyoko, Sleuth, and Mozart.

"I didn't get much of a chance to say this earlier, but that move you two pulled off sure was impressive," Leprechaun smiled, "did something happen yesterday that you're not telling us about?"

"Well...You COULD say that" Sleuth blushed, "but uh..."

"But THAT'S a secret," Kaede winked, booping Leprechaun's nose playfully, "what about you two? How was your lunch date yesterday?"

"Well, it wasn't much of a "date" in the end at all," Kyoko brushed her hair out of her face. Sleuth suddenly noticed that she and Makoto shot each other a rather awkward look.

"Are you two alright?" he frowned, "did something happen yesterday?"

"We're fine," Leprechaun assured him, "it's just...We'll tell you about it later. It's kind of a long story..."

Chapter End Notes

Cute date chapter is dedicated to my babies. Not much else to see here.
I would like to kindly state that I'm not trying to advocate any serious topics or views with this chapter. I understand it can come across this way, but really all I'm doing is portraying a feeling I feel most relationships go through at one point, and to show off the characters' personal growth.
Kaede let her feelings make her act in a way that wasn't good, and she recognizes that and learns from it. There's nothing deeper than that which I'm trying to advocate to the audience, no matter how it may look. Jealousy destroys the trust in a relationship and leads to more arguments and rifts being driven between both parties, so it's all the more important to just make sure you're honest with other people and to talk things out if things aren't working for both of you.
That's all I have to say on that though.
Thank you for reading. I love to get feedback from my readers, so feel free to leave a comment, and some kudos if you feel up to it.

The Obligatory Chapter where Makoto becomes a Harem Protagonist

Chapter Summary

Basically what it says on the tin.
Makoto invites Kyoko around his house to have lunch with his family, but things take a dramatic and somewhat awkward turn when two unexpected guests arrive at his doorstep.

Chapter Notes

See the end of the chapter for notes

Yes...

Yes, you read that chapter title right.

Is this a joke?

Well yeah, the title is a joke, but the description is basically what it says on the tin.

Of all the trials and tribulations Kyoko Kirigiri had faced, it was absurd that this was somehow one of her most difficult.

As a detective, she'd come under the threat of violence, kidnapping, being held for ransom, and so many other possible messed-up alternatives through the simple act of doing her job and enforcing justice. Being such a gifted investigator made you problematic for would-be criminals and organizations, and it painted a big red target right on her back. Nevertheless, she could fend for herself and had no issues when faced with threats.

In fact, Kyoko was far better at making threats and getting criminals to cave than they were at her. One time, she was held captive and her kidnapper threatened to pour petrol on her and set her on fire. Knowing full well that petrol and gasoline had different properties, the former being lethal for the kidnapper as well in such proximity, Kyoko at the time had kindly explained to him the difference...then simply did the deed for him, dumping the petrol on her body and threatening to light it, freaking the ever-loving fuck out of kidnapper until other detectives had arrived to help her.

Then there were her exploits as a confidant of the Phantom Thieves. As the only known confidant who knew of their powers and methods, and who had been to the Metaverse (obviously barring Chiaki Nanami by this point, and that little incident) she'd stared the worst kinds of death in the face and moved on like it was nothing. Actually, she was still a little uncomfortable from the painful shock she got from the Tiger Mechabeast, but it wasn't stopping her in any way.

Why was ringing a doorbell so much trickier than any of that?

Yesterday, Makoto had offered Kyoko to come round his house to eat lunch with his family. A proposition that she had been glad to accept, not thinking much of it at the time. But now that she'd showed up at his doorstep, she felt...indifferent to the idea.

Nothing to do with Makoto himself. He'd been nothing but supportive and helpful, even when she'd started having doubts about herself and her mission. And she acknowledged that he was doing this purely because he wanted her to have a nice day off, and to hang out not as co-conspirators, but as friends.

Her heart was thumping in her chest though, as she stood in front of said friend's home. She had checked her watch and it was 10 am, so it was still quite early in the morning. With a tight grip, she held the bouquet of sunflowers, hoping it would make his parents happy. At least Detective Kujo had instructed her to bring that sort of offering.

Having not done so correctly the last time she was here, she finally got a good look at the house standing before her, taking in the frame, the length of the fence, the desaturated color of the wall, and more. Despite the fact that this was the second time she had visited the Naegi's household, she was by herself this time. She inhaled deeply, attempting to still the butterflies in her stomach.

Makoto's father Takao had made it clear that their impression of Kyoko was good, inferring that Makoto had already said a lot of good things about her. But she had only briefly spoken to him last time and hadn't had a proper discussion, nor had she properly introduced herself to him or Makoto's mother. Looking back, they had no idea at all about her true nature.

She paused for a second, her mind racing with ideas about their perception of her. Would they get along with her? Would she come across well? Would they let her stay among them for the meal?

"Ugh...Don't be an idiot..." she clutched her head and talked to herself, "You're not his girlfriend or something; stop being so overdramatic."

She reached out and pressed the doorbell with a trembling hand. Her heart skipped a beat as the sound reverberated throughout the home.

There was silence.

Followed by more silence.

And then even more silence.

Kyoko didn't even hear the noise of footsteps approaching the door. It wasn't THAT early in the day, so she relaxed when she realized that maybe his family wasn't even awake.

Still, it was strange. This house contained five people, and not a single one of them had heard the door open? Makoto had made it very apparent that they would all be indoors.

After a few seconds, still, nobody answered the door. Kyoko rang the doorbell once more and could hear the noise echoing through the house. She stepped back, wondering if anyone would come to meet her or if she was really alone, her heart racing in her chest. Once more, nobody answered the door or unlocked the gate.

"Kyoko?"

"BUAGH!?

Beautiful Days - Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc

Just as she was about to turn and leave, or call Makoto's phone to ask him where he was, she suddenly heard the Lucky Student's familiar voice right behind her, making her jump. She quickly turned around, glaring at him.

"Don't do that!" she snapped.

"O-Oh! Sorry, I just..." he apologized, holding up a plastic bag, "since we were having lunch, I went out to get ingredients for Teishoku, since I found out we don't have much to work with. Are you ok? You seem weirdly on edge."

"I'm fine, you just caught me by surprise is all," she shook her head, "I rang the doorbell but no one answered. I thought you said that your family was here today."

"Yeah, they will be, but not for a few hours. Well...at least my parents will be. Honestly, I expected you would come round later, so I figured I had time to rush out and get food before you got here," he admitted.

"Komaru won't be joining us?" Kyoko asked.

"Nope. Neither will Kotoko," Makoto sighed, "turns out she's got a playdate with Jataro-kun today. He's gonna show her how to make paper plate friends. As for Komaru...Well, as it turns out, today's her first day of art class."

"Art class?" Kyoko parroted, "What do you mean?"

"I don't know if she ever brought it up to the rest of the group, but," Makoto explained, unlocking the gate, then heading to unlock the door and go inside, "Komaru's been thinking about her future, and she decided to sign up to a preparatory art school. I didn't realize she was going until today when she told me last minute. So yeah, she won't be here."

"Well that's a shame," Kyoko sighed, carefully stepping inside, "I suppose I can ask her about it later. That's quite interesting; I'm surprised she never mentioned it."

"Well, I think she's trying to keep it a secret from Toko for now," Makoto told her, "anyway, I'm assuming those sunflowers are a gift for my Mom. Just give them to me and I'll put them in a vase."

Kyoko did so.

"Detective Kujo at the agency told me that it's customary to bring a gift to one's parents when you make introductions," she explained, "so I got her these. I hope it's not too excessive."

"Not to burst your bubble, but I'm pretty sure that's usually when you're asking someone for their blessing," Makoto blushed slightly, "I'm sure she'll appreciate the gesture though."

"Hngh...I had a feeling that was the case..." she rolled her eyes, "I believe she misunderstood my intentions for today when I explained to her why I was going off the clock."

"Hey, don't worry about it. It was nice of you to consider that regardless," he assured her, "if you've brought anything with you, feel free to put them down somewhere and make yourself comfortable. And sorry if you find any messes. I didn't have a chance to clean the house before you showed up."

"Do you usually do the household chores by yourself?" Kyoko inquired as they entered the dining room and she draped her shoulder bag over the back of a chair.

"Not so much since I moved out, but yeah," Makoto nodded, "Around my second year of Middle School, my parents both became kind of busy with their jobs, so they didn't come home for long periods. They figured they could put in extra hours once I was old enough to look after myself and my sister, but honestly? Komaru is better at the housework."

"For some reason, I was getting that inclination. No offense," Kyoko smiled, "just from the way she conducts herself."

"Yeah, she had to get those cooking abilities somewhere," Makoto chuckled, "take a seat. I need to prepare lunch, but I can make you something to drink in the meantime. You want some coffee?"

"Iced tea please, if you have any." she requested. Makoto nodded and quickly went over to the fridge to get some out.

"By the way," he said as he poked his head in the fridge, "it's not often I see you wearing clothes like that. They look good on you!"

Kyoko bashfully looked down at her attire. She was usually a very professionally dressed girl, even in her regular attire when she wasn't wearing her school or work uniform. But for whatever reason, she had decided to go for a more casual look today. Her hair was pulled back into a ponytail, and she wore distressed jeans, colorful sneakers, and an orange t-shirt. Although she was dressed simply, it was a welcome diversion from her typically stiff and uncomplicated look and gave her a fresh style that was, for once, common for someone her age.

"Here you go," Makoto said, turning her attention back to him, as he placed a glass of cool iced tea down on a coaster, "I can give you some extra ice if you want it to be colder."

"Thank you very much," Kyoko nodded, "you're good at household chores, you're humble, and you're very good at taking care of people. Perhaps you would make a wonderful househusband someday?"

"O-Oh..." Makoto blushed, "you really think so?"

Kyoko's eyes widened, and her face went slightly pink as she processed the words that had just come out of her mouth.

"F-Forgive me! I...I don't know why I said that" she stammered, "still, I meant it. You're a very nice person."

"Well, sit tight," he smiled, "I'll get started on that Teishoku in juuuust a second."

Kyoko secretly told herself that whatever she was thinking to herself, she had to cut it out NOW!

She found herself sitting on his dining room chair in his well-lit, cozy home, her heart pounding with a mix of nervousness and excitement. He was not far away, carefully retrieving ingredients from the cupboard, his strange yet reassuring warmth lifting her spirits.

What he had mentioned about this being a date, plus the fact that his parents had yet to show up, was getting to her head. She had to make sure to quell these emotions and just...be normal...until they showed up.

*DING-DONG!*

Fortunately, it seemed that it wasn't going to be a problem as she heard the sound of the doorbell. Makoto smiled at her as he walked past, putting down the ingredients and heading to the door while she breathed a sigh of relief.

She had been so nervous to confront Makoto's parents on her own like this, but now for whatever reason, she felt like their arrival had spared her of an even stronger wave of nerves. It was like that hypothetical situation where you're asked to go down two different tunnels, both with something either terrifying, or generally undesirable down both of them, and you're forced to pick which one you could handle better.

Which was the same analogy Kyoko had used when discussing elections and politics, now that she remembered.

Makoto arrived at the door and quickly opened it, also expecting his parents to be on the other side.

"Hey! You arrived at a good time! I was just-HUH!?"

Junk Food for a Dashing Youth - Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc

Kyoko's ears pricked up at the strange exclamation he made at the end of his sentence and quickly got up to investigate what had caused it. When she poked her head around the corner, she felt her heart sink.

It wasn't Makoto's parents who had rung the bell. Standing there, sporting a denim jacket that was embroidered with vibrant flowers to add a whimsical touch, a pair of bright yellow sneakers with fluffy laces, a flowy pastel pink crop top, high-waisted light wash jeans that hugged her curves in all the right places, and a cap and large sunglasses perched atop her head...was the Ultimate Pop Sensation, Sayaka Maizono.

What was SHE doing here? Had Makoto invited her as well? Surely not. He would have informed her beforehand. Wouldn't he?

"Hey...Sayaka..." Makoto was happy to see her, though his tone of voice confirmed Kyoko's suspicions, "What brings you here? Is everything alright?"

"Yeah, of course! I just happened to be passing through this area, so I thought I'd stop by to check on you," she waved, carrying a handbag that matched the color of her top with one hand, and a small white cardboard package in the other, smiling like a possum, "how are you doing today?"

Kyoko frowned. Just from the way Sayaka was talking and acting, she figured out immediately that this was a ruse of some kind. There wasn't any feasible reason why someone of Sayaka's social standing would be passing through a quiet neighborhood like this if not to pay Makoto a visit.

"There's a cake shop nearby that I've been just dying to try out," she beamed, raising the cardboard package, "and I brought some over because I was hoping you would-...Wait...Kirigiri-chan!?"

Kyoko shuddered like a scared cat with its hairs standing on end. Realizing that she had been caught and couldn't hide it any longer, she shamefully shuffled out of her hiding place with both Makoto and Sayaka watching her.

"H-Hello...Maizono-san..." Kyoko nodded her head; a gesture that was more than a nod, but less than a bow.

"What..." the corners of Sayaka's mouth, though she tried to smile, twitched, "What are you doing here? Wh-What is she doing here?"

"Can she not be?" Makoto frowned, "Kyoko agreed to come have lunch with me today. I was just setting up to make us some Teishoku. I was just about to start when you showed up."

"O-Oh! Well, if that's the case, why don't I come in and help?" she exclaimed, suddenly getting very visibly excited, "we can have the cakes I bought for dessert!"

"Huh?" Makoto quickly looked back and forth between the eager Sayaka and the rather disgruntled-looking Kyoko, "W-Well, I'd hate to trouble you."

"Come on! We had a mean meal together before! I'm sure Kirigiri-chan would LOVE to see what the two of us can put out when we get serious!" she pumped her fist, "Unless...Unless I'm intruding on something...? Am I getting in your way? D-Did I bother you?"

"No! No! Of course not!" Makoto exclaimed, "You don't mind, do you, Kyoko? She's right you know, we do make a good cooking team."

"Well...No, I suppose I have no reason to object," Kyoko shook her head, "but...if that's really what's happening, then I insist you let me help as well. I won't sit idly by while you two make lunch for me."

"If that's what you want, sure," Makoto smiled, "but you ARE a guest. And so are you for that matter. I'd hate to make the two of you work for your meal."

"It's no problem," both Sayaka and Kyoko said in unison. Though still physically unsure, Makoto took the box of sweet treats off of Sayaka and walked past Kyoko back into the kitchen. Kyoko shot Sayaka a brief but awkward, and somewhat animus glance, before she turned around and followed.

For some reason, her mind had changed again. She was missing the feelings she was experiencing when the two of them were all alone.

Sayaka stepped into the house and carefully closed the door behind her, slipping off her shoes, wondering what in the world Kyoko Kirigiri of all people was doing at his house.

Was she trying to get ahead of her?

Wait, what kind of thoughts even were those!?

Makoto had briefly mentioned that he would be home with his family on this day. So Sayaka figured it would be a great idea to pop around unexpectedly and make a good impression on his parents. She hadn't expected to walk through the door and find another of their female classmates inside.

And for some reason, that made her burn with jealousy and discomfort. She figured that the secret meetings at his house were going to be exclusive to the two of them. Yet here was another girl, who WASN'T her, coming by for food, basically the same situation that had happened the last time she was here.

Could they secretly be in a relationship? That didn't seem very plausible, as close as Makoto and Kyoko were sometimes. By now, Sayaka basically HAD to loiter. She needed to figure out what was up.

But at the same time, she tried to simmer down a little. If Makoto really had invited Kyoko here, then that must mean that he cared about her a lot, and that was on brand for her. Trying to do anything to Kyoko, or pry into things too much, might upset Makoto in turn, and that was the last thing she wanted.

Meanwhile, Kyoko had already figured out Sayaka's ploy. She wasn't best pleased by how she'd dropped in to interrupt but knew that her intentions were good and that she hadn't interrupted on purpose, so she didn't expose her plan to Makoto. Plus, if she openly declared to Makoto that a mutual friend of there's was scheming, she knew he wouldn't take very kindly to that.

Makoto meanwhile...was barely keeping his shit together.

Having Kyoko around and alone in the house was already kind of stimulating, even though he himself was doing a great job of not making that obvious. The only reason Kyoko hadn't noticed his reactions till now was because she was equally as nervous. He had been counting on his family to be home and have his back, but Kotoko had gone, Komaru had dipped at the last minute, and his parents were who knows where.

But these two were his friends. He couldn't think like that. It wasn't good, and it certainly wasn't polite.

Your Affection - Persona 4

As Sayaka and Kyoko walked into the kitchen, subtly eyeing each other, Makoto quickly pulled out his phone and sent his Dad a text to ask him what was going on and where he was. He then pocketed it, remembering to get back to that later.

"Hey, Kyoko, check these out," Makoto called over to her as he placed the box on the counter and opened it up, "there's three in here and they're all different. There's one cake for each of us."

"Hm...So they are..." Kyoko diverted all her attention onto the cakes, "very very different...different indeed."

"Y-Yes...But it means you can pick and choose from whichever one you want, right?" Makoto smiled awkwardly, "you mentioned to me before that you liked sweets. That they relieve your stress and make you feel happy, right?"

"I...do recall mentioning that..." she nodded.

"When did she tell you this? Assuming I'm allowed to ask..." Sayaka raised her hand gingerly as she asked. Makoto turned to her.

"When she came round last time for hot pot," Makoto explained. Sayaka nodded, then turned her gaze towards Kyoko.

"I...see..." she acknowledged, "I had no idea you'd been to his house before..."

"Same to you," Kyoko retorted. "I would like to try the cakes as well, but...well..."

"What?" Sayaka asked.

"Even if we each pick a cake now, we'll miss out on the experience of each distinct taste," she calculated, "in that case, how about we divide up a small portion of each cake so we can taste the various flavors individually?"

"So what you're suggesting..." Sayaka pondered, eying her suspiciously, "is that we...feed each other?"

"W-Well, that isn't quite what I-" Kyoko began to say, but Makoto, blissfully unaware of the stagnant air between them, interrupted with his own take.

"I think that's a great idea!" he beamed.

"Really!?" both girls exclaimed in unison.

"Yeah! Why not? It sounds fun, right?" Makoto smiled at Sayaka and Kyoko's mutually excited faces, becoming suddenly quite bashful, "O-Oh but...now that I think about it, maybe it's not such a good idea...I mean, surely neither of you would want anything to eat that I've already put my mouth on..."

"Whaaaat? Noooo!" Sayaka forced a grin, waving her hand and brushing away his concerns, "That kinda thing doesn't matter to me at all!"

"M-Me neither!" Kyoko asserted, "I was the one who suggested it after all!"

Sayaka and Kyoko shot each other glances; albeit not hostile ones. More like the two of them had a common goal and, begrudgingly, they were willing to unite for the sake of it.

"A-Alright..." Makoto, very much unsure of what the hell his life was right now, carefully agreed, "If you're sure."

"Of course!" Sayaka enthused.

"Naturally," Kyoko nodded.

"In that case, I'll put these in the fridge for now so they're nice and cool for later," Makoto said and did as he suggested, "let's get started ladies. That lunch isn't gonna make itself!"

"Yeah!" Sayaka and Kyoko raised their fists and cheered, the former a tad more enthusiastic than the latter.

Once everything was brought out of the cupboard, Makoto handed his two female companions an apron each and then detailed the instructions to make their lunch. Sayaka already seemed familiar with the process, so it was mainly for Kyoko that the explanation had to be given.

Kyoko had made lunch before, but in her case, it was usually just rations that she needed for long stakeouts. She had never made anyone, not even herself, a proper lunch meal before. She wasn't about to mess this up for either of them though.

With great enthusiasm, Sayaka tackled the task of cooking the main course, which was a delicious grilled mackerel topped with a unique teriyaki sauce. Kyoko chopped the fresh vegetables carefully and arranged them in a captivating rainbow of colors for the side salad. Makoto concentrated on refining the miso soup, adding precisely the appropriate quantity of table sauce to attain a pleasing harmony of flavors.

The sound of laughter blended with the sizzle of the grill and the bubbling soup as they worked together. Makoto was filled with pride, appreciating how his classmates' friendship and camaraderie were evident in the food they had lovingly prepared.

It was almost enough to make him not be so worried about his parents' absence...Almost...

He checked his phone again when he had a second, but his Dad still hadn't come back to him. For reassurance, he went to text his Mom too. Right as he did, however, he suddenly heard the doorbell ring once again.

"Oh thank Christ..." he flung his eyes back in his head, "they're finally back! Where the heck have they been!?"

Makoto retreated from the counter and headed towards the door after quickly taking off his apron. Sayaka and Kyoko exchanged knowing glances before they turned off any cooking appliance around them, removed their own aprons, and followed him to the door, both rather anxious to make his parents' acquaintance, even though there were two of them now.

"What kept you guys!?" Makoto practically flung the door open to greet them, "I thought you guys were supposed to be back by-EH!?"

Mr. Monokuma's Lesson - Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc

Makoto's exclamation here came from the fact that it was not, in fact, his mother and father at the door, nor his sister or little Kotoko. Standing in the doorway with her familiar short black hair making her instantly recognizable, was the Ultimate Soldier, Mukuro Ikusaba.

And for the second time that day, both Sayaka and Kyoko, watching from around the corner, felt their stomachs sink with dismay and confusion.

Mukuro wore an easygoing, yet noticeably edgy, ensemble. A fitted black t-shirt with a subtle skull graphic on, coupled with a pair of distressed black jeans that had chains hanging from the pockets. She paired a small silver skull pendant with a velvet choker to add a touch of goth. She also opted for black leather ankle boots with silver buckles, which nodded to her signature fierce look while still feeling comfortable and casual, as opposed to the bulky black combat boots that she typically wore as part of her ensemble, whether formal or informal.

Mukuro had never been the stylish sort. It was quite likely that Junko had picked out this fit for her. Mukuro had admitted before that she usually got the fashionista's opinion when it came to styles.

"H-Hey...Mukuro..." Makoto greeted her, "What brings you here?"

"Did...Did he just call her by her first name?" Sayaka whispered.

"Hush," Kyoko retorted, "he did that for you as well. I didn't say anything about it."

"Do you think he's just the informal sort?" the idol questioned.

"I'm here to make a delivery," the soldier girl reached into her pocket and pulled out an object, "here. I believe this is yours."

Makoto's eyes widened when he saw what she was holding.

"Oh! that's my e-Handbook!" he exclaimed, "I didn't even realize I'd lost it! Where did you get it?"

Hope's Peak Academy students used a digital handbook called the Electronic Student Handbook, or simply e-Handbook. The e-Handbook served as a digital repository for a variety of information, including the school's regulations, the name and gender of the owner student, a campus map, and more.

"I found it in the classroom just this morning. It was beeping inside your desk. You must have left it there overnight," Mukuro explained, "I meant to give it back to you, but you were not in your dorm room. I did a full scan of the campus and could not find you, so I realized you may be at your family's home. That is why I am here now, giving the handbook to you."

"Riiiight..." Makoto carefully took his ID off her, "And how did you know where I lived off-campus?"

"I followed you..." she stated bluntly

"Ok, cool, that's not creepy at all..." Makoto deadpanned, "Please don't do that anymore."

"Understood." she saluted, "I'm sorry to interrupt whatever you were...doing..."

Mukuro's sentence trailed off as she suddenly peered over his shoulder and saw the suspicious eyes of both Kyoko and Sayaka glaring at her from around the corner. Mukuro's stomach fell when she saw that he was not alone.

"What...is the meaning of this?" she asked.

"Oh um...Don't think too hard about it," Makoto quickly snapped a look over his shoulder, sweating once he realized she'd noticed, "they're just here for lunch, that's all."

"Why come here?" Mukuro frowned, darkness casting over her eyes, "why not go out to eat somewhere? Why are they at your house?"

"That's a long story," Makoto explained, "you see um..."

"I have the day off today, so Makoto was kind enough to invite me over for lunch with his family," Kyoko asserted, stepping out from behind cover as Sayaka hastily scurried over after her, "a kind proposition that I was willing to take him up on."

"Yes, very kind," Sayaka added, "and I just so happened to be in the area grabbing dessert for myself, so I decided to bring the cakes I got round here as I passed through! Then I saw Kyoko inside, heard the full story, and decided to join them. I'm helping them make lunch as we speak."

"Yeah, what they said..." Makoto nodded, "Sorry Mukuro. Please don't get the wrong impression. We're just-"

However, before he could finish, Mukuro placed both hands on his chest and firmly pushed him back into the house, making him stagger back a little, leading Kyoko and Sayaka to hurry in and support him.

"H-Hey!" Sayaka snapped, "What gives!?"

"Makoto! Please let me in!" Mukuro asserted with a stone-cold and serious face, ignoring the fact that she had basically invited herself in already, "I wish to join you for lunch as well!"

"EEEEEEEEEHH!?" Makoto, Kyoko, and Sayaka all exclaimed at once.

Ms. Monomi's Practice Lesson - Danganronpa 2: Goodbye Despair

This situation had gone from "hot dog" to "holy shit" in a matter of minutes.

In the end, Mukuro didn't, or rather couldn't do much to help with lunch. She herself had no cooking experience and, like Kyoko, had only ever made measly rations for herself if she was to be out on the field for long enough. Still, an extra pair of hands ended up going a long way.

"You know, I really don't mind you stopping by Mukuro-san," Makoto told her, "but I do kind of wish you could have called or texted me first to let me know you were coming..."

"I thought it would be a unique and funny surprise if I was to drop by unannounced," Mukuro made a noise that sounded like a chuckle, but her expression did not shift, "did I amuse you?"

"Yes. You COULD say that..." Makoto scratched his face.

Kyoko and Sayaka weren't very pleased about the new arrival, but they envied the Ultimate Soldiers' confidence.

It was finally time to put the masterpiece together. Sayaka carefully arranged the grilled mackerel over a bed of fluffy rice and sprinkled some toasted sesame seeds on top. With meticulous attention to detail, Kyoko arranged the colorful side salad and finished it with a drizzle of zesty dressing. With the smell of fermented soybeans and seaweed enveloping them in a comforting embrace, Makoto ladled the steaming miso soup into ceramic bowls. Mukuro laid out the cutlery.

They sat down at a table decorated with their creations and excitedly began to work on the Teishoku they had made together, filled with a sense of mutual accomplishment. A feeling of satisfaction spread over them as they relished every bite, knowing that they had not only prepared a delectable dinner but also treasured memories that would last a lifetime.

As if...

There was a palpable cloud of awkwardness in the air as the group continued making lunch. Laughter felt forced and conversations tense. Their halting chats were punctuated by the sounds of silverware clinking against each other, the bubbling of the pots, and the hum of the appliances. Each of the three girls stole looks at Makoto, who either didn't know about the quiet competition between them for his affection and attention or was just choosing to outright dissociate himself from it.

Makoto's parents still hadn't come home. He had even left a portion on the side of the counter for them when they showed up. He glanced back at his phone to see if his parents had come back to him, and basically jumped up as he saw he had a text message from his Dad.

"Hold on, may I be excused?"

He quickly stood up from the table and walked around the corridor, leaving the four girls to sit at the table by themselves. Once he was out of sight, Kyoko, Sayaka and Mukuro all eyed each other suspiciously and somewhat enviously.

Deduction - Persona 4

"So..." Mukuro spoke softly, "what is the real reason that the two of you are here?"

"I don't know what to tell you," Sayaka shrugged, "as I said before, I happened to be in the area getting some cake, and passed my the Naegi household. Then I figured that I should share some of the cake with Makoto-kun as a token of goodwill!"

"So you mean to tell me that you, a stage idol who is required to watch her weight, decided to go to a store in a bare-bones disguise despite paparazzi being on the prowl for you, and buy three whole cake slices all for herself? And you just so happened to be strolling through the exact neighborhood that Makoto and his family live to go...where exactly? We're nowhere near your agency, are we?" Kyoko summarized.

Damn, she was good.

"How did you even know that Makoto lived here, Maizono?" Mukuro asked. Sayaka's face suddenly curled into a smug grin.

"Well, if you MUST know," she said, not trying to hide the pride in her tone of voice, "Makoto-kun and I have had some very...how do I put it...ENTHRALLING nights here together~"

Mukuro and Kyoko tensed up, even though both of them knew she was messing with them.

"Elaborate," Kyoko didn't request. She demanded.

"I first came here a few months ago when I helped Makoto-kun make dinner for his sisters. After that, I became a regular guest at the Naegi household. Sometimes on my nights off, I'll come here to play with Kotoko-chan. Komaru-chan is super fond of me as well..." Sayaka explained.

She tauntingly half-opened her eyes.

"Oh...and my massages are to die for...He'll tell you that firsthand~"

Mukuro almost choked on her food, and Kyoko's eyebrows raised in horror.

"Excuse you!?" the detective exclaimed.

"I'm not joking," Sayaka assured them, "I let Makoto-kun have a taste of my manager's techniques. It's done him the world of good. Sometimes he even feels like he got a whole night's sleep just from me giving him a rubdown."

"So you mean to tell me that YOU'RE the one doing the household chores of this place?" Kyoko frowned.

"Oh, not all the time. I'm not a maid or anything," Sayaka waved her hand, "but Makoto-kun is dear to me. I've known him since middle school, even if we only became friends in high school. But I've always admired how outgoing he is and how welcoming and affectionate he is towards others. Every single day I see him show care to people, and go out of his way to brighten up our day. I care about him very much, and he makes me a very happy girl."

The other two girls were honestly quite impressed by her genuine display of affection, but Sayaka very quickly went back to being casually smarmy as she wriggled her massage fingers.

"Oh, and between you and me? He's got a pretty firm body, even if it doesn't look like it," she said, "I would know. I've run my fingers all over it~"

"Is that right...?" Kyoko scowled.

"In that case, there is but one thing to do...!" Mukuro suddenly swiped her knife and clenched it tightly in her fist, "I must strip Makoto Naegi of his clothes and see this body for myself...!"

"Don't you dare!" Kyoko spat, "Do you want me to arrest you!?"

"Aw c'mon. Why shouldn't the girl let off a little bit of tension?" Sayaka winked.

"You know damn well why!" Kyoko glared, "Ugh...You two are seriously doing a good job at getting on my nerves..."

"Alright then," Mukuro put her knife back down, "what about you, Kirigiri? You were the one who was personally invited over today. What is your relationship with Makoto Naegi?"

"My relationship? You sound like his sister..." Kyoko sighed, "We're friends, that's all. Although..."

"Although what?" Sayaka asked.

"Well, I suppose we are closer than the average friend. And I can affirm that I trust him more than I do most people," she said, "there aren't many in this world who I trust wholeheartedly. I believe that everyone has something to hide...Except Makoto. For some reason, he seems like one of the few exceptions; a man that I can put all my faith into. So naturally, I've told him many things about me that no one else knows, because I trust him to keep the secret. And he certainly hasn't betrayed that trust yet."

She turned her surprisingly boastful glance towards Sayaka.

"I don't get much time off these days, what with attending class and managing the KDA, but whenever I do get time off, I usually spend it with him. And after everything I've been through recently, it's nice to have a presence like that in my life," she said, "he does what he can to ease the burdens on me, even if he doesn't understand, so it's not out of sorts to say he thinks of me a lot~"

Sayaka puffed out her cheeks and pouted at this last sentence in particular. Mukuro looked back and forth between them, sensing the debate they were having. She looked down at her food again, then back at the two girls, who were now looking back at her as if to say "It's your turn."

"I..." Mukuro spoke quietly, then paused for a second as she thought about what she wanted to say, before claiming, "I have...slept with him?"

"WHAT!?" the detective and the pop star shouted, slamming their hands on the table and jumping to their feet.

"During the trip to Kyoto, we were assigned as partners," Mukuro clarified, "we spent a whole day and a whole night together. It was really fun."

"Oh...Oh you mean you shared a ROOM, not...I mean..." Sayaka relaxed, "did you...sleep in the same bed?"

"I don't think we were allowed to," Mukuro shook her head, and Sayaka and Kyoko collapsed back into their seats, relieved. Only for Mukuro to suddenly add, "Not that I would mind that."

They both shot glares at her.

"Alright then," Kyoko leaned forward, "what do YOU like about Makoto, Ikusaba?"

"That's easy. There aren't many people in this world who show me such genuine kindness. Not many see through the coldness in my eyes and think they know everything about me. Makoto isn't like that. Even with my coldness, he still tried to make me comfortable and speak to me as an equal, and it's thanks to him I've been able to fit in better with everyone else around me," Mukuro explained, her face slowly becoming something warm, "aside from that...well...He's kind...He makes me smile, which is also a very rare occurrence...He's intelligent and reliable...I think he's surprisingly complicated and layered...And...I am not very good at using my words, and I'm fresh out..."

It didn't matter that she was out. She'd said more than enough to convince the other two girls, and they felt as annoyed as they were impressed.

"I didn't think you had this much of a heart on your sleeve..." Sayaka stated.

"My heart is not on my sleeve, it's in my..." Mukuro started tapping her chest before she stopped and looked up in surprise, "ah...That was an idiom..."

"Yep." Sayaka nodded, unable to help herself from smirking.

"So if I'm hearing this right," Kyoko raised an eyebrow, "it sounds to me like you have something of a crush on Makoto..."

Sayaka looked at her in surprise. She was going straight for the goal!

"What! No, I don't want to crush him, I-...Ah...another idiom, right?" Mukuro asked, "Sorry, I'm unfamiliar with that one."

"Oh...Um...ok..." Kyoko became awkward, realizing she'd have to explain it to her now, "So...a "crush" is when you have strong, possibly romantic feelings for...somebody else...and usually it's not expressed outward, and is more...internal thoughts...I...Well...Ugh, Maizono, please help me explain it!"

"What, why-!? Ugh!" Sayaka huffed, "ok, so basically what we're asking is do you think you might be in love with Makoto-kun!?"

"In...love...?" Mukuro parroted.

"Oh come on, you know what love means, surely!" Sayaka pouted, "So like...how do I put this...Well, since Kirigiri already brought it up, have you ever considered maybe being Makoto's girlfriend? Or getting married to him?"

"I think that's a little beyond what "crush" means," Kyoko told her, "but yeah, she's right. Have you?"

Mukuro's expression went blank. Slowly but surely, she replayed their whole conversation word for word in her head, until she calmly rested her hands on the table. But then, once she finally put the pieces together, Mukuro Ikusaba felt two raw emotions that she had never ever felt before in her life.

Embarrassment and panic...!

Kichijoji 199X - Persona 5 Royal

"Huh...? Huh...!? HUH!?" she cried. Her cheeks flushed and her eyes widened in shock. She tried to regain her usual stoic composure, covering her red, freckled face with her hands. If it didn't bother Sayaka and Kyoko so much, they probably would be enjoying seeing this new side of her. After a while, Mukuro removed her hands from her face and silently answered their question, still blushing and feeling completely defeated by what they had said.

"W-W-W-Well..." she stammered, cat scratching at her tongue, "I can't s-say I've ever thought of it, b-but...If it was with M-Makoto then I...I uh...I guess I...wo-wouldn't...mind...that...Ahaha...Oh lord..."

Sayaka and Kyoko were both immediately hit with a wave of awe from just how damn cute she was, but also resentment knowing now that her affection could go beyond that of a friendship. However, while her cheeks remained pink, Mukuro's composure shifted less into embarrassed and more into surprised realization as she glanced between them again.

"Hold on...The fact that you are asking this," she said, "am I to surmise that the same is true for the both of you? You are also trying to crush Makoto Naegi?"

"We're not trying TO crush anything, that's not what it means," Kyoko played with her braid, "and well...no, I wouldn't GO that far. He's a dear friend but beyond that..."

"Ok, so I need to be the one to say it because we're all thinking it," Sayaka pinched the bridge of her nose, "which one of the three of us do you think has the best chance with him? We all seem to care about him a lot."

"Don't be silly!" Kyoko snapped, "That's a purely hypothetical situation. Makoto does not like us that way."

"But what if he DOES? Mmm?" Sayaka leaned towards her.

"Don't worry!" Mukuro jumped to her feet, very excitedly, "I will ask him!"

"NNNOOOO!" Sayaka shrieked, her face turning pale as she practically tackled Mukuro as she started to scurry out of the room, much to the Ultimate Soldier's dismay! Kyoko also leaped to her feet to break them up and get them both to calm down!

Meanwhile, while THAT shit was going on, Makoto Naegi had been pacing back and forth in the other room. The reason he'd been taking so long was because of the text that his father had sent him, and now he was trying to figure out just how to deal with this whole thing.

----------------------------------------------

Dad

Hey buddy.

Sorry that we're running late, but we got caught up in something.

A lady in the next neighborhood over lost her pet Iguana, so your mother decided to help search the streets looking for it.

We think we've got a lead, and we've called some investigators to help, but we're gonna be a while. We might not even make it back until the evening is done.

Sorry we couldn't be there. Have fun with Kyoko, ok?

----------------------------------------------

Makoto felt his heart skip, then immediately sink. This wasn't how it was supposed to go at all!

Seemed that kind of luck, as well as weak will when it came to helping out random strangers ran in the Naegi family. First Komaru with Kotoko-chan on the day they had met, then himself with the 1,000,000 yen incident, and now his parents.

Now he was stuck in his own home by himself with three very close, not to mention very attractive, classmates of his.

Ugh...What kind of thoughts even were those? They were his friends. They were here to eat.

Though he knew that as much as he told himself that, it would never calm the nerves bubbling in his stomach. He hadn't prepared himself to host a party of girls all by himself, and who knew where the conversation may take them? Somewhere he wasn't willing to go right now, that was for sure.

There was only one thing for it. Finish the cakes and find a way to get them all out of the house.

"Sorry about that," Makoto apologized as he walked back around the corner to return to the table, "just had to answer a...text..."

His eyes widened as he saw the display in front of him. All three girls were looking at him in awkward silence, but Kyoko had her arm locked around Mukuro's neck, trying to hold her still while the soldier struggled to break free, and in her other hand, she was holding Sayaka's ankle, who was lying face first on the floor. Sayaka also grabbed Mukuro's leg while Mukuro rested her foot atop Sayaka's back.

"Wh-What's going on!?" Makoto exclaimed, "Are...You guys aren't fighting, are you?"

"No no no no NO!" All three girls quickly stood up straight again, releasing their grip on each other, and shook their heads in united denial.

"We were just..." Mukuro looked off to the side shiftily, "preparing dessert while you got back."

"Yeah!" Sayaka smiled, "I was just getting the cakes out for dessert. We were having a look at them to decide who gets to feed-Uh...Who gets a piece first."

"Ikusaba being here complicates things a little bit..." Kyoko stated "There's three cakes, but four of us. We won't be able to pass them around as effectively." This wasn't meant as an insult or a slight, but Mukuro turned her head and seemed to shoot Kyoko a glare.

Makoto took a second to examine the cakes in front of him. Sitting next to Mukuro was a traditional vanilla sponge cake with pink icing; Sayaka had a rich chocolate fudge cake with a dollop of white chocolate on top, and Kyoko had a strawberry cream cake decorated with edible flowers.

Makoto thought about which one they should share first, but before he could come to a proper decision, Mukuro made her move. In what was an honestly really impressive display of efficiency and precision, she grabbed a fork and slammed it down on the plate with the sponge cake, not scratching the plate on impact, but hitting it hard enough that the dissected piece flung into the air.

And while the piece of the cake was airborne, Mukuro quickly plucked it with her fork and held it towards Makoto.

"Now say "aaaah..."" she smiled, her eyebrow twitching and her face going partially pink at the cheeks.

"H-HUH!?" Makoto went bright red as Sayaka and Kyoko's jaws dropped.

Though not the sound that Mukuro was looking for, Makoto opened his mouth wide enough for her to slot the cake inside. Before she could bypass his lips, however, Sayaka grabbed her arm.

"Hold it, HOLD IT! You're moving a little too fast, aren't you!?" she snapped.

"What are you talking about?" Mukuro asked, "Don't tell me you didn't plan on doing the same thing. Are you jealous that I beat you to it?"

"Th-That's not it!" Sayaka stammered, "It's just that this wasn't what we agreed on!"

"What DID we agree on?" Makoto floundered, not sure what to make of this situation. Sayaka smirked as she began her demonstration.

"Well, we'll try and divide the pieces of the cake up into four so that we all get a bite of each one," she said, proceeding to cut through her chocolate cake with the fork and slide a piece of it into her own mouth, licking her lips, "and THEN we share, like so..."

"But I was first..." Mukuro groaned, seeing Sayaka reach out her fork towards Makoto which now had another piece of cake on it. It felt like all 100 billion neurons were activating in Makoto's brain as this beautiful idol reached out to feed him with cake, which by the way, was on a fork that had just been in her mouth.

"D-Do we really have to do it like this!?" Makoto forced an embarrassed smile, "I mean, there's no reason why I can't just pick up a piece with my own fork!"

"No, Maizono-san is correct," Kyoko asserted with a stone face, "Passing food around like this is the proper gesture. That's how this is supposed to work."

"Don't worry about it!" Sayaka's smile widened, yet her brow furrowed, "say "aaaah!""

Makoto's hands ended up moving on their own, much to Sayaka's disappointment. Instead of reaching over and eating the cake straight off the fork, Makoto plucked it off with his fingers and popped it into his mouth.

All three girls pouted, giving him a look of disappointment. All he could do in response was apologetically shrug back.

"Well, aside from the...circumstances," he said, "that was a pretty good cake! Try it Mukuro!"

Mukuro merely frowned back at him.

"What?" he asked.

"Feed it to me," she demanded, "please."

"Are you for real!? Ugh..." Makoto threw his eyes to heaven, "If I agree to feed you all, will you promise to get off my case!?"

All three girls simultaneously nodded. He sighed and picked up a piece of the chocolate cake he'd just eaten. He told Mukuro to hold fire, since she already had cake on her fork, and instead reached over to give the cake to Kyoko.

Whether it was the notion of being fed by him or the taste of the cake itself, the gesture gave the Detective recollections of joyous occasions, warm winter evenings by the fireplace, and birthday celebrations as a child, not that she'd had many of those. Her heart felt an unrecognizable warmth as the rich chocolate melted in his mouth, leaving behind a symphony of indulgence.

Mukuro eagerly awaited her turn, and Makoto felt that he'd left her hanging long enough, so he fed her some of the strawberry cake. The soldier was briefly taken to a fantastical world where the flavors of sweet strawberries danced like a symphony on her taste buds as soon as the first bite touched her lips. The moist sponge cake melted in her mouth and was the ideal match for the rich cream. Every mouthful felt like a happy rush, enveloping her in coziness and warmth.

Sayaka was last, and Makoto fed her some of the vanilla sponge that Mukuro had tried giving him earlier. As she gently ate it and chewed it, the fluffy, light cake melted in her mouth like a sweet cloud. Rich and fragrant, the vanilla flavor gave her the impression that she was strolling through a field of blooming flowers. Additionally, the pink icing gave the already delicious dessert the ideal whimsical touch. It was like a delicate blanket of sweetness.

Fortunately or unfortunately, it was only after the cake had gone down that the three girls, and Makoto for that matter, realized what he had just been coaxed into doing, and they were all naturally embarrassed upon consideration. Kyoko, Sayaka, and Mukuro all went red as they realized that they MIGHT have gotten a LITTLE too carried away with this particular stunt.

"S-So!" Makoto stood up suddenly, "do any of you girls have any p-plans after we're done with these?"

"N-No, I don't think so..." Sayaka shook her head, "today's one of the few days I actually get a day off..."

"You know I'm not busy..." Kyoko played with her hair.

"I have no immediate plans," Mukuro stated, "Wh-Why do you ask? Were you planning on asking us to play games?"

"Well...Yes, actually!" Makoto chuckled, "But not here. If you don't mind, I'd like to go somewhere with you all."

Chapter End Notes

So this chapter and sequence of events ended up being very long in the end, so I had to pad it out to two chapters, so the continuation of the events of this tale will be carried over and concluded in the next part.
I usually try not to let each chapter of this story exceed 120,000 words if I can help it, but sometimes they end up being longer than I bargained for and I have to split them up. But in this case, it does give me an opportunity to pad and flesh them out a bit more.
As I mentioned already, none of these relationships are exactly "end-game" but it's nice seeing Makoto's relationships be played around with, and while the story is often Naegiri-focused, that's only because Kyoko has more screen time than Sayaka and Mukuro do. Honestly, I love all three pairings and I think a dynamic like this has the potential to be hilarious, even if it's a classical harem interaction.
Also, note that Mukuro is the only one who truly admits she likes Makoto because she's the only one who canonically had a crush on him.
So these two chapters are just some silly little ideas that I wanted to play with.
On a more serious note, I would like to say that these chapters of the story are dedicated to Mangaka and Dragon Ball creator, Akira Toriyama and Japanese Seiyuu Tarako Isono, voice of Monokuma, both of whom passed away very recently. May they rest in peace and always be remembered.
Thank you for reading. I love to get feedback from my readers, so feel free to leave a comment, and some kudos if you feel up to it.

Electric Arcade Boogaloo

Chapter Summary

Makoto brings Sayaka, Kyoko, and Mukuro to an arcade to hang out, but moving the location of their date does not disperse the awkward air around the three girls. However, a chance encounter with some of Makoto's old classmates sows the seeds for the three to come together and bond over the one thing they share in common - their affection for the Lucky Student.

Chapter Notes

See the end of the chapter for notes

Makoto felt relieved as he no longer found himself stuck in the house alone with the girls. There was a limit to what each of them could do if he kept them sitting around the table, and he suspected that should they get bored enough, they might go exploring.

Then one of them may end up in his bedroom, or in another room where he didn't want any of them going, and...well, you get the picture.

Granted, Mukuro was the only one of the three who hadn't seen his bedroom. He hadn't been especially shy with Kyoko or Sayaka seeing it, since he didn't feel he had much reason to. But if he was distracted dealing with the other two girls, he was worried about what the third could find if they poked about for too long.

After all, as innocent and kind-hearted as he was, Makoto was still a teenage boy. He wasn't about to let a girl his age into his room without having a careful eye on them at all times.

So instead, he proposed they take this "group date" elsewhere. So what had he decided to do? Well, put plainly, he decided to invite the three classmates to join him at the arcade.

Makoto had guessed beforehand that none of the three girls, given their upbringing and backgrounds, had ever truly spent time at the arcade before, and for the most part, he was correct. Kyoko and Mukuro certainly hadn't, given the former's sheltered childhood, and the latter's...insensitivity to everything, being on the battlefield for so long.

Sayaka HAD been to an arcade before but admitted that she hadn't done so for many years, not since before high school; especially not after making her debut as an idol. She'd always been quite scared to come alone, but despite feeling a little sour over Mukuro and Kyoko's presence up until now, with the four of them going to hang out as classmates, it made for a better cover than someone catching her alone or with Makoto by himself.

Just to be on the safe side, she did don a cap and mask, as well as put her sunglasses to hide her face. Though she was still recognizable enough to the other three.

The girls were astounded by the loud noises and brilliant lights as soon as they walked into the arcade; which Makoto noticed and was best pleased by. Entering the arcade felt like stepping into a sea of color, sound, and excitement. The sounds of pinball machines pinging, tokens clinking, and friends laughing together over a multiplayer game filled the air. Each game's neon lights beckoned players to try their hand at beloved classics like Pec-Men or brand-new hits like Jazz Jazz Resolution.

"So? What should we do first?" he asked with a smile.

"Hm..." Kyoko's eyes scanned the floor for anything that might catch her interest, "how about that one over there? It looks like a car?"

Everyone turned in the direction of what she was pointing at. The title of the game was "Too Slow? Too Bad!" and was a racing game fit with a surround-sound seat, pedals, and a wheel for an immersive experience.

"Oh, that's a driving sim," Makoto explained, "the machine is designed to simulate driving in a car race. It's pretty simple in concept, but honestly? Some of those games can get really challenging."

"Looks like there are four seats available on it," Sayaka acknowledged, "why don't we try that one first?"

"You guys go claim the seats," Makoto advised, "I'm gonna go get us some yen. We'll need to pay the machine to play it."

"You're paying?" Mukuro frowned, "we couldn't ask you to do that."

"Don't worry about it," he assured her, "I'm supposed to be the host here. Let me spoil you guys this once."

"Mm...If you're sure..." Sayaka seemed similarly uncomfortable but didn't try to stop him.

After leaving briefly, Makoto came back a few minutes later with a tub of yen coins to put into the machine. He handed one each to the three girls and picked out one for himself. All four students then took their seats and slotted the coin into the game; the menu popping up as soon as they did.

Makoto quickly explained to the three girls how the controls worked. Kyoko was the most excited to test her abilities, even if her face didn't show it. She was taken completely by surprise from the beginning. The controls were responsive, the sound effects were rich, and the graphics were breathtaking. She had the impression that she was actually operating a fast racing vehicle as she zoomed through breathtaking scenery and winding circuits.

The race started with engines roaring, and Kyoko's deft maneuvering soon put her in the lead. Sayaka utilized power-ups to increase her speed and catch up because she was determined not to fall behind. Mukuro concentrated on following the ideal racing line around every bend and turn, keeping pace pretty effectively, despite her limited knowledge.

...Makoto did not even come close to catching up to any of them; he just lagged behind.

The competition heated up as the race got closer to the finish line. Kyoko regained her lead, but Sayaka's vehicle shot forward, with Mukuro chasing after her. However, in an unexpected turn of events, just as Sayaka was about to pass her, Kyoko engaged the turbo boost and accelerated to win!

"DRAT!" Sayaka snapped, louder than she meant to, while instinctively, Kyoko raised both her fists in victory!

The scoreboard came up to show the placements. Kyoko came first and gained the golden trophy, with Sayaka holding the silver and Mukuro holding the bronze. Makoto, who placed seventh, wildly congratulated the winner.

"That was incredible Kyoko!" he beamed, "it's like you knew what to do at a glance! Are you sure you've never played any of these games before, or...do you have a license as a detective?"

"W-Well, no..." Kyoko blushed, not sure what to do with the sudden praise, "I'm too young to drive a car. I do possess a scooter license though..."

"Yeah...Good game..." Sayaka clapped, *Well played Kirigiri-chan...*

"Indeed..." Mukuro also applauded *She is surprisingly competitive. I will remember this...!*

*BANG!*

"OH COME ON! GET THAT T.O.D SHIT OUTTA HERE!"

"Had enough yet, LOOSAAAH!?"

"Fuck you!"

Restlessness - Persona 5

Makoto and the girls jumped at a loud noise, followed by some shouting. They turned over to see a rather unsavory man yelling at one of the fighting game machines that he had just been playing on. Clearly, he had lost and punched the machine out of spite. Everyone tried to calm down as they watched him storm away.

"Well, that was...unpleasant..." Makoto stated.

"Is that like that attraction we saw earlier?" Mukuro asked, "The one where you have to physically strike the apparatus to gain points?"

"Absolutely not," Sayaka instinctively grabbed Mukuro's wrist like she was actually planning to do it, "please don't punch the machines."

"Given your strength, if you punched it, you'd probably break it beyond repair..." Kyoko remarked.

"Don't worry. Not everyone here is going to be like that," Makoto assured them, "still, I wonder what prompted that..."

"There's a significant crowd around the area," Kyoko observed, "do you think there may be an arcade tournament of some kind going on right now?"

"Are you not aware of what's going on?"

The group looked to see a young blond-haired woman talking to them with a young girl by her side, presumably her daughter, who was crying.

"What seems to be the problem?" Kyoko asked.

"This morning, a group of high-school-age kids came in and...well...basically seized ownership of the fighting game section," the mother explained, "they've been pouring money into the machines, but even when they run out, they switch with someone else who gets more. They haven't been taking turns or giving anyone else a chance to play. My daughter wanted to try, but they basically kicked her off the machine."

"That's not fair!" Sayaka exclaimed, "Has nobody told the staff about them yet?"

"They have. But the situation is a little more complicated than that," the mother detailed, "they're saying they won't leave until they find a group of competitors that can beat them in the game, but no one has been able to match their teamwork. Even the staff couldn't defeat them, so now they're all in the back room crying at how useless they are."

"What kind of Manga Cross storyline is THIS!?" Makoto spluttered.

"Don't worry," Mukuro's glare darkened into something lethal as she reached into her pocket, "I shall eliminate them at once."

"Whatever you're doing, stop!" Kyoko grabbed her arm, worried that she might be reaching for a knife, "this is something I should handle."

"Both of you stop," Makoto asserted, "Mukuro, you're not "eliminating" anybody. Kyoko, you're supposed to be off the clock. Plus, as frustrating as it is, the guys hogging the machine aren't technically doing anything wrong. They're paying customers after all, right?"

"I...suppose so..." Makoto tugged the hem of her clothes.

"Look, whoever it is that's hogging that machine, they aren't worth our time," he asserted, "we're best off ignoring them and finding fun somewhere else."

"R-Right..." Kyoko acknowledged.

"Sure..." Sayaka nodded.

"Of course..." Mukuro affirmed.

*That was weirdly, but so amazingly mature of him!* all three of them screamed internally.

Box 15 - Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc

After sharing some brief condolences with the mother and her daughter (Sayaka even handed the little girl an autograph, which certainly cheered her up) the group moved on to the next machine - a game called Jazz Jazz Resolution.

As the title implied, the player had to step in time with the snazzy song's beat and the arrows that appeared on the screen. Depending on the swiftness and accuracy of the steps depended on what the final score was.

The dance machines came in pairs and there were 2P Multiplayer modes, so the group agreed to compete in pairs and keep track to see which of the four of them had the best final score. Makoto and Kyoko went first. As they stepped onto the dance pads, the game's rhythmic sounds enveloped their ears. They both got excited and began matching their feet to the arrows on the screen.

Surprisingly, in stark contrast to the previous game, Makoto turned out to be better at the platform than Kyoko. Of course, Kyoko wasn't exactly what one would call a "party person" so it made sense that she never had much dancing experience, but even so, she carried herself with such elegance and grace that it was surprising to see her move in such an awkward and clumsy manner.

Everyone laughed as they watched her stumble, unable to keep up with the fast-paced music, but to her credit, she was matching scores with Makoto pretty handily. It wasn't that unfortunate; Kyoko was still able to find fun in her absurd attempts at the game, and eventually, they both began to pick up some rhythm. Ultimately, neither of them fared too poorly.

However, the same could not be said for the next round. Not only did Sayaka completely CRUSH Mukuro, but her final score completely ECLIPSED the previous two players as well. She practically glided across the platform with her deft footwork and precise movements, hitting every beat with ease and receiving thunderous applause from the virtual audience.

This coupled with the fact that Mukuro clearly wasn't a very good dancer, significantly worse than Makoto and Mukuro, just made her look outright majestic. She was so perfect, and her steps were so on-point and accurate that her final score was higher than Makoto, Kyoko, and Mukuro's scores COMBINED!

To rub it even more, it turned out that Sayaka got the highest recorded score, and quickly put down her name to mark her territory.

"And THAT'S how it's done," she winked cheekily.

"Amazing! As expected of a famous idol!" Makoto exclaimed, though kept his voice down as he tried not to blow her cover, "You're elegance at work, Sayaka-san!"

"Oh, stop it, you're making me blush!" Sayaka stammered, indeed blushing quite profusely.

"Indeed...Elegance..." Mukuro slowly clapped, *She showed us absolutely no mercy...! Her competitive streak is greater than I anticipated...!*

"Yes, quite..." Kyoko joined her, trying to force a smile, *her power is impeccable, even in a casual dancing game...*

Sweatshop - Persona 5

Even after the quartet was done with that game, the crowd around the fighting game machines hadn't died down, so they moved on to different attractions. They all had a go at the slot machines, the whack-a-croc, the punching machine, and as many attractions as they could shake a fist at. However, as time went by, Makoto caught a certain machine out of the corner of his eye, and they sparkled with excitement.

"Woah!" he exclaimed "No way! They have BioHazard here!?"

"BioHazard?" Sayaka parroted, with all three girls stopping what they were doing to turn their attention to him, "what's that?"

"It's a horror-themed light gun shooter arcade game," Makoto explained, "Players take on the role of three special agents as they battle an army of undead experiments created by a mad scientist. It's a relatively new shooter game, and I had no idea this place even had it."

"If you're so interested, why don't we give it a go? It doesn't look like the queue for it is very long," Kyoko noted.

"How do you play?" Mukuro asked.

"It's easy!" Makoto enthused, "You get a light gun, and you aim it at the screen and pull the trigger to shoot at approaching zombies. The more rounds you get through, the more zombies show up, and the more hectic the battle gets."

"Wouldn't that break the machine?" Mukuro frowned.

"No, Ikusaba-chan, it's a TOY gun," Sayaka explained, "it...well...you know what? Just come in and see."

Makoto pulled back the curtain into the dark box of the attraction, illuminated by the screen, showing the title of the game and a blood-soaked background.

The four of them sat snugly together on the bench inside, but there were only three guns available, so Makoto offered to opt-out and watch the other three go to work. Makoto took the pot and inserted three coins into the machine for three players.

Once they selected their characters, the game began. A brief introductory cutscene played, and just like that, undead creatures lunged at them. Sayaka and Kyoko were caught off guard as the first monster attacked them, but Mukuro, with an expression as blank as paper, casually shot it dead in the eye.

"Stay alert," she hissed in a monotonous and serious voice, "one little slip up can cost you everything...!"

"R-Right..." the other two girls nodded, not sure how to react.

The rest of the game turned out to be just like that. Kyoko and Sayaka did their best to keep up, but they kept taking damage and even died a couple of times, prompting Makoto to put another coin into their slots so they could be revived.

Mukuro did not get hit ONCE. She dominated the game with her nimble trigger fingers, insane accuracy, and quick reflexes, taking out zombie after zombie with ease.

Since they had met her, rumors had been circulating the school about Mukuro, given how little anybody seemed to know about her past, other than that she had experienced actual war and battlefields before. One such rumor was that despite having been on battlefields since she was a child, she had never once sustained an injury while out in the field or training. No cuts, and not even a bruise in the heat of battle.

Such a thing would usually be a ridiculous notion, but watching her at work in this game was all the proof anyone needed. Mukuro's strategic mind came into play tenfold as the levels got harder, identifying patterns and weaknesses in the hordes of zombies. She gave her allies sage if sometimes harsh, advice as they navigated the game.

"Shoot the enemies that are closest to you if you're having a hard time aiming. Direct the reticle to the head; you'll kill them in a single shot if you manage to land the hit," she directed, barely even blinking as she shot and reloaded rounds into the incoming adversaries, "follow my lead and we will emerge victorious. Show no mercy. Give no quarter. For you shall receive none...!"

"You heard her, girls!" Makoto cheered them on, "You can do it!"

*This suddenly feels like boot camp,* Kyoko clenched her teeth as she steadied her aim, *Ikusaba's prowess is not to be taken lightly...!*

*I've never seen Ikusaba-chan in such high spirits before...!* Sayaka hissed as she tried her best to combat the enemies on top of her *she's not wasting a single second in showing off...!*

Both girls had to admit that having Mukuro along made the mission seem doable, even though they were nervous and uncomfortable to be bossed around like this. A simple shooting game had been quickly turned into an exciting adventure.

At least until a big one rushed in and took out both Sayaka and Kyoko in quick succession before Mukuro shot it in the face twice and took it out.

"Hey, Ikusaba!" Kyoko scowled, "We could have used some backup on that one!"

"It's my job to take out these zombies and save the world, not to protect you. You can fend for yourself," Mukuro deadpanned, "whether you die or not is not on my conscience."

"Why you selfish little-!" Sayaka scowled, "Makoto-kun! Pop another coin in! I'm ready for round 2!"

"Round 13..." Mukuro clarified, "You have died 12 times already."

"So you're keeping track of how many times I'm dying instead of bothering to lend me a hand!?" Sayaka spat, "Makoto! Coin!"

"Um...about that..." Makoto jiggled the pot, "I just used the last one...If you want to keep playing, I can get more from the machine maybe?"

"Don't," Kyoko shook her head, "you already paid for everything else up until now. I'll go get some. Besides, I think I need to step away."

"You know what? Me too," Sayaka harumphed, "you two stay put. We'll be back in a second."

Makoto tried to plead the fifth, but before he could convince them, Kyoko and Sayaka were already gone. Mukuro, for her part, did not tear her eyes away from the screen, still surviving the apocalypse as well as she had been before they left.

"Urgh! I'm so grumpy!" Sayaka growled as she and Kyoko traveled back through the arcade towards the yen exchange machine near the entrance, the idol's voice tinged with annoyance, "I get that she's just applying her skills in the way that she should, but it's so frustrating how much she's trying to one-up us!"

"I would choose my words carefully Maizono-san," Kyoko shook her head, "the hypocrisy does not go unnoticed."

"Hypocrisy?" Sayaka frowned, "what are you talking about now?"

"You're criticizing Ikusaba for showing off in the gun game and trying to one-up the two of us," Kyoko glared, "but you did the exact same thing moments prior with the dancing game. In case you forgot, your score was ridiculous."

"That wasn't me showing off," Sayaka scowled, "that was just me being better than you. Don't fault me for that."

"You-! Rghh..." Kyoko scowled, "Maybe I'll get more coins and show you up in that game too. Then we'll see how Makoto feels."

"Sure, if you want me to send you to pound town again!" the idol snarled, "I'm not someone who takes threats lying down you know!"

"That wasn't a threat," Kyoko asserted, "it was a promise...!"

Sayaka opened her mouth to shout back, but before she could, she suddenly felt a big bony hand touch her shoulder. She jumped, and both she and her classmate spun around to see who had done it.

Suspicious Person - Persona 5

Three boys who were the same age as they were stood there with shit-eating, somewhat lustful grins, with the one in the middle (the one who had touched Sayaka) making a beckoning motion with his finger.

"Hey hey ladies~" he smirked, "you just knocking about around here? Why don't you come play some games with us?"

"Wait...you're-!" Sayaka gasped in recognition.

"You know these guys...?" Kyoko leaned towards her and whispered. Sayaka nodded, her body tensing up uncomfortably.

"They went to the same middle school as Makoto and I. The one in the middle is Kyotaru Yakushiji," she told her, "they're not the friendly sort. Back in the day, they spread nasty rumors about me to discredit my popularity, and they were always putting their chores and tasks onto Makoto-kun."

"They took advantage of him like that?" Kyoko raised her eyebrows, feeling something nasty swell up in her chest, "was he really so easily pushed around back then?"

"I don't know. I'm just going off observation," Sayaka asserted, "Makoto-kun and I didn't really talk until we got into Hope's Peak together."

Unbeknownst to Kyoko and Sayaka, it hadn't been that long ago that Makoto had run into Yakushiji himself. He and his partner Hamuko had encountered him at the buffet restaurant a few months ago; on the day that the Phantom Thieves were celebrating the completion of their first mission, and their official founding after the fact.

"Man, I never expected I would run into YOU of all people here!" he grinned, "and what's with the surnames? Don't be so cold!"

"So what brings you here, "Ultimate?" You on a date or something?" Hamuko asked. Makoto shook his head.

"No...Just out at a party with some friends and family..."

"Psh...Figures...Runt like you could never get a chick, even with your Ultimate Title..." she scoffed, "or are you still pining after Sayaka-chan like the simp you are?"

"I never pined after Maizono-san..." Makoto replied, "if the two of you want money, I can't lend you any this time...I spent all of it on the food."

TRIPLE SEVEN - Persona 5

"I'm sorry, but not now..." Sayaka shook her head, wondering whether or not Yakushiji recognized her through her disguise, "we're in the middle of something."

Both girls turned away, but one of Yakushiji's friends, a boy with short and spiky maroon hair reached out to catch her. He ended up grabbing her upper arm and forcing her to stop.

"Hey, wait up babe!" he cooed, "I'll listen to what you have to say!"

To make matters worse, Sayaka winced as the delinquent started to grope the area that she grabbed, getting a good feel of her exposed skin. She could only internally roll her eyes. She'd met a wide variety of dickheads like this guy. They were all the same at the end of the day. All she'd have to do is get away and keep walking, and if they persisted, get security involved.

Then again, given the plain incompetence of the staff of this place in light of the hoarders of the fighting game area, she worried about what kind of reassurance she could get in this place.

However, she didn't need to worry about that. She suddenly felt, much to her surprise and alarm, that his grip on her came clean off following a smacking sound. She quickly spun around and was surprised to see the guy cringing in pain as Kyoko grabbed him firmly by the wrist. Her grip was tight, and Sayaka could see her slender gloved fingers digging into him.

Yakushiji and the other boy who was with him, a taller guy with lightly shaven hair, looked at the scene with concern and anticipation, but their friend tried to play it cool.

"Oho! Well, ain't YOU aggressive?" he grinned, "how forward to be holding my hand like thiiiAAAAIIIIIGH!?"

The situation quickly skyrocketed as the harasser changed targets, as before he could even fully attempt to come onto Kyoko, she used her other hand to prod him in the eyes with her fingers!

"Touch her again," the detective threatened, "and I'll break your fingers."

"Kirigiri-chan...!" Sayaka gasped, "a-are you sure you're allowed to do that?"

"There's nothing wrong with acting in self-defense when you're being sexually harassed," Kyoko asserted,

Unfortunately for Kyoko, her tactic here didn't work out the way she wanted it to. She was hoping that showing some opposition would get the harassers to back off, or at least show them that she meant business. However, Yakushiji and his other friend only advanced forward and pushed even further in light of her attack.

"Hey now..." the big guy leered in, flinging his wrist threateningly, "You don't get a free pass to fuck with us just because you're girls. If this is how it's gonna be, we're gonna make you spend time with us by any means necessary...!"

"You-!" Sayaka was stunned by the sheer audacity of these punks. How far did their heads have to be up their own rears to not read the room or understand that getting poked in the eyes was a sheer physical sign of saying "no!"

But just when she thought that nothing else could surprise her, Kyoko's immediate response afterward made her freeze...!

"You're unbearably tenacious," she sighed, "fine. I'll hang out with you if that'll get you off our case."

"Wha-!? Huh!? K-Kirigiri-chan!?" Sayaka exclaimed, "You can't be serious, can you!?"

"Think about it," Kyoko lowered her voice so that only Sayaka could really hear her, "if these guys try anything, I'm more than capable of fending for myself AND my police connections mean that losers like them have nothing on me. If they try anything, the KDA will deal with them appropriately. Especially since we seem to have gained an audience."

Sayaka turned to look around, and sure enough, there was a wide selection of people who were watching the "discussion" unfold with nervousness and tension. Clearly, they were all afraid to do or say anything or get involved, but as long as they had eyewitness testimony, there wasn't much these guys could really get away with.

"Well, why don't you just tell them now?" she whispered back, "taking this upon yourself seems like-"

"Well, aside from how I want to see how deep a hole they dig for themselves, Makoto wanted us to come here and have a good time. I don't want to ruin the day we've had by causing a scene," Kyoko explained, "that, and if anyone's going to get hurt, I would rather it be me than you. I'm used to danger. You've still got a career to take care of, and friends who are looking out for you."

"But-!"

"I'll be alright," she urged, "just get the yen from the exchange and go back to Makoto and Ikusaba."

"Oi!" Yakushiji spat, "quit the chit-chat already!"

"Yeah! Come with us willfully or by force!" his bigger friend growled, comforting the one who almost had his eyes gouged out.

"Yeah, yeah, I get it," Kyoko rolled her eyes, "I said I'm coming-"

"No! No, she's not!" Sayaka exclaimed, suddenly grabbing Kyoko's wrist and stopping her, "neither of us are!"

Kyoko's eyes widened, not expecting Sayaka to suddenly jump to her defense and get in the way. But suffice to say the harassers DID NOT like it. With veins popping out of their head both boys advanced violently to grab hold of Kyoko and Sayaka.

"Fucking whore!" Yakushiji spat, "fine! Force it is!"

"Hey! What's going on!?"

To make the matter even more hectic, both parties suddenly spun in the direction of a familiar voice. Both Makoto and Mukuro suddenly showed up to the scene with expressions of bewilderment and confusion on their faces.

"Huh? Y-Yakushiji? Iida? Aruto?" Makoto exclaimed, recognizing all three boys apparently, "What are you guys doing here!?"

"I recognize that voice!" the spiky-haired boy who had tried to grab Sayaka earlier, apparently Aruto, exclaimed as he continued to rub his eyes, "Is that Makoto Naegi!?"

"Hey! What're you making a scene for?"

And after that, two other people joined the conversation, both unsavory-looking girls. One of them was Hamuko, the girl that Yakushiji had been with at the buffet, and the other Makoto recognized as Inda, another girl from middle school who was part of the unofficial "Sayaka hate club."

"Urgh...This bitch just tried to gouge Aruto's eyes out!" Yakushiji accusatorily pointed at Kyoko.

"Only because your friend here tried to grope mine," Kyoko bit back. Makoto shot Yakushiji and his friends a look that was partly resentful, but...mostly disappointed.

"Are you serious?" he sighed, "come on man, you're better than this!"

"I don't wanna hear that from a virgin shitstain like you who thinks he's tough shit just because he got into a good school!" Iida growled, "Why don't you just fuck off already!?"

"I'm not sure I want to hear THAT from someone who DROPPED OUT the first year of high school. If you really wanted to get into a good school, you could if you tried harder," Makoto gave an honestly pretty good retort to this, which made the veins on Iida's head bulge, "and you know what? If you want us to go, I think we will!"

Makoto chose to just step away from the situation, not wanting it to escalate into anything. He tapped Sayaka and Kyoko on the shoulder and gestured for them to make their exit, turning towards the latter with a warm smile.

"I think I kind of get the picture," he said, "thanks Kyoko."

"What for?" she asked.

"For protecting Sayaka," he said, "I know I don't need to say this, but don't feel too bad about attacking Aruto. You did what you had to."

"It's fine," Kyoko sighed, brushing her hair out of her face, "I know how much she means to you after all..."

"That being said..." Makoto added, catching her attention, "I know that you can handle yourself and that you've always got a plan for this kind of thing. Even still, don't do something so reckless again without backup."

"I...You don't need to worry about that..." Kyoko sulked but also blushed. Mukuro, who hadn't said anything until now, joined in.

"I think you've failed to realize that you are just as important to Makoto as Maizono-san is," she asserted, "he was practically pulling his hair out waiting for you to get back until he went to go look for you."

"Is that so...?" Sayaka asked, both her and Kyoko feeling quite smitten by this notion. Makoto himself also blushed. The way that Mukuro had phrased that hadn't left a lot to the imagination.

On the other hand, Yakushiji and his friends were staring at this wholesome display with complete and utter bafflement. From their perspective, it looked like three very attractive and mature girls were doting on this one lame dork! What kind of hierarchy were they living in!?

"Hey! Naegi! What the FUCK is this!?"

Yakushiji made yet another dumb decision to open his mouth and call Makoto out on it. Makoto flashed back to him in surprise while all three girls glared at him with malice in their eyes.

"Wh-What is what?" Makoto stammered, "These three are my classmates at Hope's Peak. This Ikusaba, the Ultimate Soldier, this is Kirigiri, the Ultimate Detective, and this...uh...well..."

"Long time no see, Yakushiji-kun..."

Sayaka decided, after Makoto tried to preserve her identity, that the situation had escalated to the point where she could drop the pretenses and the guise. She took off her hat and mask and pushed her sunglasses up onto her forehead to show everyone her face, and boy were they surprised.

"Sayaka Maizono!?" Hamuko exclaimed, "The hell are you-!?"

Sayaka's dramatic reveal did more than stir up the tension in the delinquent group. The onlookers and witnesses to the scene cooked up a storm of whispers, and a few people even pulled out their phones to take pictures. Sayaka didn't pay them any mind; she'd sort that out later.

"Aha...Sorry man, I had no idea it was you under there!" Yakushiji chuckled awkwardly, "c'mon though. You should take it as a compliment that we can find you so beautiful despite looking like that! We're all old friends here, so no hard feelings, right?"

"Nope...Suffice to say my feelings are even harder than whatever's in your pants right now..." Sayaka glared.

Yakushiji snarled, not just from the burn, but the fact that Kyoko and Mukuro both tried to stifle their laughter at her impressive wordplay

"Wait...Ultimate Detective?" the truth finally sunk into Iida's brain, "so what, you're a COP!?"

"Then you were just fucking with us the whole time!?" Aruto exclaimed, finally having recovered his vision.

"It helps that you make it so easy," Kyoko smirked wryly.

"Yakushiji, chillax," Hamuko approached and placed a hand on his shoulder as he and his friends started to become irate, while Makoto for his part was begging Kyoko to not be so sadistically smarmy for once, "Look. Just come back to the games before some kid takes your spot. Quit digging yourself into a hole, you're making yourself look like a moron."

These words made the Ultimate quartet's ears perk up.

"Wait a moment," Mukuro glared, "are you meaning to suggest that YOU are the ones who have been hoarding the fighting game arena?"

"Well, yeah!" Hamuko grinned unashamedly, "We're the kings and queens of those games, so it's only right that we get to keep sitting on the throne! Why? You looking for a challenge?"

Her suggestion lit a fire under the feet of the others around her. Makoto shook his head.

"You guys are the same as ever," he sighed, "you got shamed in front of so many people, and now you're just trying to pick a fight to restore your honor."

"Unfortunately for you, I don't plan on giving you the satisfaction," Kyoko rolled her eyes, "you want to hoard the fighting games? Just get back to it. Stop being a bother."

"Agreed," Sayaka nodded, "come on guys. Let's just go play something else."

"Likewise," Mukuro chimed in.

"Are you guys sure?" Makoto asked, "I mean, I'm glad and all, but I didn't think you'd all just take this lying down..."

"Look, the fact is that these old friends of yours are just rude dirtbags," Kyoko smiled, "they have absolutely nothing of value to say and even if they try something, it won't end well for them. They're dumb, but they're smart enough to know that, so we're better off just ignoring them."

"She's right," Sayaka nodded, "we've done this song and dance before. By now it's nothing but a big waste of our time."

"We have games to play," Mukuro added quietly, "and frankly, I'm not enjoying the attention."

Makoto was, as ever, impressed by their conduct. The thing with these three is that if they had something to say, they would say it. But they were also mature, calm, and composed enough to not let even a slight like this get under their skin.

"You're right," he nodded and smiled, "good day Yakushiji. Good day Hamuko. Same to the rest of you. Have fun with your game."

The 5 delinquents watched quietly as Makoto and his posse turned their backs and went back to their original mission of getting coins to play the arcade. Yakushiji and his friends looked like they wanted to follow up, but were out of words to say.

"Forget it," Hamuko's grip on him tightened as he tried to step forward. Yakushiji threw his eyes up to heaven.

"Aw hell...Fine!" he groaned, "biggest bust of my life when it comes to picking up chicks though. How's HE draw them in?"

"You really think he has that much charisma?" Hamuko scoffed, "Of course not! Naegi's a coward who'd rather go skulking off with his tail between his legs cause he has no game in any sense of the word. Just leave it..."

A weird, ominous air passed over the heads of the arcade patrons as all of a sudden, Kyoko, Sayaka, and Mukuro jerked to a halt. Even Makoto seemed confused as he watched all three of them suddenly turn back after striding away so confidently.

"What..." Kyoko glared.

"Did you..." Sayaka growled.

"Just say...?" Mukuro snarled.

Hamuko for her part just stood there with a smirk, giggling as she realized her ruse had worked.

Buzzkill - Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc

"Take that back!" Sayaka snapped, "You can say what you want about us, or do whatever it is you please! But don't think you can insult Makoto-kun and not have me say anything!"

"Oh? If you've got a problem, why don't you step up!?" Yakushiji gestured towards the game cabinets where the rest of their friend group were covering for them, "Might makes right in this house!"

"If that's how you want it," Kyoko tugged on her gloves, "we'll show you...!"

"I'll DELETE you...!" Mukuro glared, her pale eyes somehow gaining a tint of dark red.

"W-Wait a second! Weren't you guys just saying we should ignore them!?" Makoto flustered, "You were all being so sincere about it! Do you guys even know how to play fighting games!?"

"No, not at all," all three of them responded at once.

"WHAT!?"

"Huh! You chumps are underestimating us!" Iida growled with a smile, "No one else in this place has been able to beat us! Not even the staff or security! You really wanna get thrashed and embarrassed so badly?"

"There are just some lines you don't cross," Kyoko spat, "I wouldn't be so brazen if I wasn't confident in my...no...OUR abilities."

"We've got standards, and they're above you, no question about that," Sayaka asserted, "but we stick to our convictions and won't allow you to trample on them!"

"We'll show you the difference between us," Mukuro glowered, "and make the world know how pathetic and weak you are...!"

Class Trial [Dawn Edition] - Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc

"I really don't think we should be doing this," Makoto trembled as a crowd began to gather around them like this really had been scaled into an event of epic proportions, "I mean look. There are twice as many people on their team as ours, and I don't know if I'm comfortable making you fight my battles for me!"

"You aren't "making" us do anything, Makoto-kun," Sayaka asserted, "we're choosing to fight this. This is our battle as well."

"You need not worry about numbers," Mukuro added, "I have survived worse odds. And I'm willing to bet these two have done the same."

Though still unsure about it, Makoto realized that there wasn't much he could do right now, so he took a step back and let the girls go to work.

The arcade game that the delinquents had been hogging was a brand new one right off the market that had, by all intents and purposes, revolutionary arcade gameplay - "Hex-Addict"

The game's unique setup featured three monitors on either side of a table, and in standard mode, groups of three players would team up to battle against one another. Players could switch between fighters to change up combos and pass the baton to another player, allowing those who were just in the battle to recover and build up energy for their attacks.

However, the game required iron-tight teamwork, as the person fighting in the fray of battle could not willingly switch out of the fight. They had the power to summon the other players as assist attacks, but could only swap if one of the other two players decided to jump in. If they did it without permission, they would be forced out of the fight.

This was how Yakushiji, Hamuko, and their friends had won so many games. Their opponents typically spiraled into arguments and discussions mid-battle by jumping in without giving their teammates a heads-up. Some had even had squabbles over who would get the kill, which allowed them to easily chip away at them with no issue.

Looking at the character roster as the game booted up, Kyoko, Sayaka, and Mukuro picked their characters.

Kyoko picked a character called Sharpay Shooter, which was basically exactly what it sounded like. She was a blonde-haired vigilante whose gun was their steadfast partner. In the game's lore, and what translated into their gameplay; the character was an expert marksman who could take out opponents at a distance by using long-range attacks and precise aim, as well as swift movements.

Sayaka picked a character that was most appropriate for her; almost TOO appropriate. Vendetta Vivian was a singer character who attacked with a microphone and its lead, brandishing it like a whip, as well as unique and creative music and sound-based attacks, like using sonic waves from her powerful vocals to stun opponents.

Mukuro picked Calvin the Combat Connoisseur; a character who, with his ability, could wield a variety of weapons, such as swords, knives, guns, bows, throwing weapons, and even a shield. This allowed them to fight in multiple ways while maintaining a perfect balance between attack and defense, as well as the ability to keep opponents at a distance when necessary. As much as the character was capable of, it was a lot to manage and notoriously required a high level of performance.

The three harassing boys, Yakushiji, Iida, and Aruto, were the first three up to bat. They picked their characters and then selected a stage. A brief dialogue exchange passed between the two characters, and the battle began...!

Discussion [HOPE VS DESPAIR] - Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc

"This is it...! I'll make you pay for embarrassing us...!" he growled, "DIE!"

Yakushiji and Mukuro were the first two up to bat. The former had picked a tank character, who hit hard and could take hits very well, but in exchange lacked refined or quick enough movement.

So as you can imagine, Yakushiji was not very pleased when he saw Mukuro dodge or block pretty much all of his incoming attacks, despite Mukuro's character not being that fast. Much like the zombie game, as well as real-life apparently, Mukuro didn't take a single hit of damage besides chip damage while she was out on the field.

"Dude, swap me in! I can get her!" Iida demanded. At his wit's end, Yakushiji had no choice but to comply. Iida's character was what was known as a "grappler"; a character archetype in these games whose biggest strengths are their large pools of health, high damage output, and most importantly, their command grabs that could not be blocked.

So even if Mukuro could dodge the attacks with ease, she could not stop them if she ended up cornered.

"Ikusaba! Tag out!" Kyoko demanded, "Let me take care of this one."

Mukuro nodded and allowed Kyoko to take her place, jumping in right where she was originally. Kyoko dashed backward to put some distance, taking advantage of Iida's slow speed and her vast range to hail bullets into his character's body as he struggled to approach her. Once he got on top of her, he tried to grab her, but she jumped over his head, dashed to the other side of the stage, and repeated the process. The sound of the stick clicking and the buttons being mashed made a furious din on the other side of the table as Iida struggled to keep up with her.

"IIDA! YOUR HEALTH! WATCH YOUR HEALTH! SWITCH IN!" Aruto cried.

The three opponents were so frustrated and hyper-focused on showing the girls a bad time that they had been blinded to the reality of their situation, as Kyoko had been able to whittle Iida's character down into the red. Both Yakushiji and Aruto tried to switch in, but the rules of the game stated that if both teammates tried to switch in at once, their characters would bonk heads and sustain a little bit of damage, while the person fighting would not be tagged out.

Thus, through what were honestly rather cheap means, Kyoko continued to shoot Iida from a distance until she finally drained him completely of his health bar. His character crumpled to the ground, supposedly unconscious, but if this was a real-world situation, he would most assuredly be dead.

"My, even rank amateurs like ourselves were able to beat you with the most simple of plays," Kyoko's menacing and determined glare seemed to look down on Iida, who was nothing short of distraught over his loss, "to so brazenly cuss us out and act like a big shot, and this is the best you can do? Pathetic..."

"Kyoko, please don't..." Makoto shuddered, whispering to her, "You remind me of Kirie Kaede...!"

"Kirigiri-chan," Sayaka chimed in, "are you willing to tag out yet?"

"I haven't sustained any damage so far," Kyoko observed, "I can keep going."

"What the hell is this!?" Aruto exclaimed as he was the next one up to bat. Like Kyoko, he played a zoner who could shoot from a long-range, but his character's weapon fired more bullets at once. Nevertheless, Kyoko was still easily able to avoid the attacks. "Like hell you've never played this before! What is this movement!?"

"I'm telling the truth. In fact, I'm just as surprised as you," Kyoko did not break focus, even though she talked back, "I tend to be rather out of touch with topics and trends of my age range, so I'll chalk it up to how just displaying some grace and willingness to learn, which you obviously lack, can give one the strength to carry themselves day by day."

"What the fuck are you TALKING ABOUT!?" Aruto struggled, "Cut out this noise of code of conduct BS! If you have to TRY to fit in with your friends, then you're not good enough for 'em! You're not like them! You're just LYING to yourself!"

Up until now, Kyoko had not let herself submit to the taunting of these retched bullies, but through these harsh words, her consciousness began to become clouded. Aruto did have a point. All day today, in an effort to prove herself as a good friend, and to try and one-up the two girls by her side, she had tried to fit in with the games and be something that she wasn't. And it was in this split-second moment of weakness that Aruto tried to land a heavy combo that would deal TONS of damage to her.

Emphasis on "would."

Right at the last second, Kyoko snapped back into reality as her character was switched out in place of Mukuro! Mukuro, who had boasted a no-hit streak, took the full raw damage of the blow, taking off at least a quarter of her health! Kyoko looked over at the soldier in shock, but Mukuro's eyes did not tear away from the monitor as she clenched her jaw.

"You could not be more wrong if you tried!" she snapped, "Maizono!"

Sayaka nodded, then as Aruto tried to follow up on his initial hit, she switched in and landed a sonic boom attack on him! Aruto's character was stunned, and then swiftly, Mukuro was switched back in for the finishing blow!

"Ah-!? NO!" Aruto yelled in desperation and dismay as his character was chopped with an axe!

"Perhaps you are correct. Although Kyoko-chan is leagues too mature for her age, she is a better person and friend than anyone could ask for thanks to her constant efforts to better herself and comprehend those around her!" Sayaka snapped.

"Though Kirigiri might not be as outgoing as you are, I much rather like her the way she is if being outgoing makes her into a wretch like you!" Mukuro spat.

"C'mon Yakushiji!" Hamuko practically smacked Yakushiji's head, "Don't you dare lose to these hussies!"

Yakushiji put so much effort into what was now a completely one-sided 3v1 that he didn't even respond.

Sayaka was still in the game when Yakushiji executed a stunning series of combo strikes that dealt multiple blows to his opponent. He grinned at first, thinking he had the upper hand in the fight, attempting to execute a touch-of-death combo to take her out, but Sayaka stayed composed and concentrated, watching him closely.

Sayaka glanced in Kyoko's direction, and the latter returned a knowing look. Unexpectedly, just as Sayaka was about to lose, Kyoko entered the fray, took what would have been a deadly blow, and quickly changed the game's direction with a masterfully timed counterattack, leaving the degenerate stunned and defenseless as his allies cried out for him to do something!

The Ultimate Detective took command of the match with her quick reflexes and cunning gameplay, dealing out a barrage of potent blows that left her opponent reeling! She finally made the move she had been waiting for the right time to make in a suspenseful finale and destroyed Yakushiji's character! And with that, the game declared the girls' team the winners!

"DAMMIT!" Yakushiji jumped to his feet and pounded the machine with his fist, "this ain't happening!"

"We...we did it...!" Kyoko's eyes widened, rather stunned by the events.

"We did it!" Sayaka beamed, "way to go us!"

She raised her hand for a high-five, which after a second of contemplation and looking at each other, Mukuro and Kyoko returned.

"This isn't over!" Iida got to his feet, "we're not done yet."

"Girls, seriously," Makoto stammered, "you don't have to do this."

"I won't tolerate anything other than complete annihilation..." Mukuro glared, "Bring on the next fight."

"Let me go first this time," Sayaka smirked as she saw Hamuko, Inda, and another person, whom Makoto had never met before, sit down, "I believe Hamuko-chan still has a score to settle with me..."

"You bet I do..." Hamuko's expression became sour and feral as she picked her character. Having adjusted to their roles, the Ultimate trio picked the same characters as last time.

Discussion [PERJURY] - Danganronpa V3: Killing Harmony

The fight began after another brief exchange of dialogue, and Sayaka employed her skills to gradually weaken her adversaries by stunning them with her strong voice and sending shockwaves to stop them from getting too close.

This round proved to be a little bit more difficult, as Hamuko and her allies weren't making the same mistakes as the boys in the previous match. Where Yakushiji and his teammates had let their winning streak, and the ego that had entailed, get to their heads and made them overconfident in their victory,

Not only that, but the task of paying attention to the game and not anything else around them was getting increasingly difficult. The sheer amount of people that were now watching this event was absurd; far more than there had been in the arcade when the Ultimate quartet had arrived! Some were even taking flash photography of the battle like it was an e-sports event or something.

But this made sense. All it took was for one person to put Sayaka Maizono's location on social media, and people would come running just for her. The fact that this was a light that no one had ever seen her in before was an added bonus.

All Makoto could do was pray that she wouldn't get in trouble with her agency. I mean, there wasn't any conceivable reason why she would, she wasn't doing anything wrong, but idols usually weren't designed for this kind of media attention.

"Bit of a crowd forming, huh?" Hamuko smirked, deciding to take advantage of this, "Hope you don't crack under the pressure, Maizono-sama."

"I'll be alright," Sayaka assured her, continuing her combo and trying to block Hamuko's attacks, "I'm used to the attention after all."

"Uh-huh...Still..." she grinned evilly, "can't help but wonder how it must feel for these people to see the REAL you..."

Sayaka didn't take her eyes away from the screen, but she glared.

"What's that supposed to mean?" she asked.

"Everything people know you for is this peppy idol girl that you play on a stage," Hamuko leered, "but how do you think the people you're dancing for would feel seeing you like you really are? A petty schmuck, playing a fighting game just to retain her honor! What part of you is even real!? What can you truly say is the honest Sayaka Maizono? Well, it's THIS, and it looks terrible! Hahahaha!"

"Hamuko!" one of her teammates exclaimed, "You're getting your ass kicked! Pay attention!"

"HUH!?"

Sayaka tried not to let it show, but Hamuko's words felt like someone was drilling a pit into her stomach. She became acutely aware of how many people around her were her fans, and what kind of display she was presenting to them. No matter what, it was vital that she didn't destroy the fantasy they had of her. As an idol and an aspiring star, it was the most important part of her life.

However, before she could properly dwell on it, her attention was turned back to the screen. Unbeknownst to her, Kyoko had swapped in with her and caught Hamuko's character in a grab! Right as Kyoko's character threw Hamuko's, Mukuro switched in for a follow-up attack, and took her out!

"You couldn't be more wrong if you tried!" Kyoko asserted as Hamuko stared at the screen in despair, "Everything that Sayaka Maizono is is real! She's fighting because you insulted someone that she cares about! Why wouldn't that set her off!? What's wrong with sticking up for her friends!?

"Truly! Nobody is half as selfless, or devoted to the people around her than she is!" Mukuro snapped, "How can you make a claim like that when this is her at her most beautiful!"

As if Hamuko wasn't stuck in the mud as it was, the spectators cheered Sayaka on as a follow-up to the girls' declaration, shoving her even deeper into the mud. Sayaka tried to hide her face as she felt an ugly smile crawl across it.

"Pissy little..." Inda scowled, "I'll show you. I'll wipe the floor with all three of you!"

"Inda, we've gotta work as a team here!" their third teammate exclaimed, but she clearly wasn't listening. As things stood these two were the only two left to beat, and the right cards were in the girls' hands.

"Kirigiri. Maizono," Mukuro spoke up suddenly, "may I make a selfish request of you?"

They both turned towards her.

"I have full charge of my special transformation," she explained, "may I be the one to finish this fight?"

"By all means," Kyoko nodded.

"Sure thing," Sayaka affirmed, "we'll put our trust in you, Mukuro-chan!"

"You might be in the lead now, but don't you get cocky!" Inda spat, "I only need one attack to blow you the hell away!"

"Is that so...?" Mukuro's expression went practically black, "Good luck landing any attacks when you're a pile of limbs on the floor...!"

After landing a quick combo, Mukuro activated her Ultimate Ability, and to the dismay of her opponent, Calvin the Combat Connoisseur suddenly pulled out and started to duel wield two huge chainsaws in each hand!

Class Trial [Resurrection Edition] - Danganronpa V3: Killing Harmony

Before the fight had begun, the players had a chance to review their characters' attacks and abilities, and Mukuro had been meticulously saving this one until this point; putting her strategic mind to work. Ordinarily, the transformation and the chainsaws attacks had a time limit, but the limit was extended for every successful combo that you landed while in the state.

Provided you were good enough, you could potentially wipe out the entire enemy team with this ability, as the damage increased and attacks were more powerful in this state, and you would never drop out of it if you could consecutively land combos without your opponent blocking or dodging. The only reason it hadn't been nerfed yet is because said task was EXTREMELY difficult to undergo, especially for a newbie player.

So you can imagine how much Inda's confidence and hubris were shattered when Mukuro was very effectively able to pull it off, despite her lack of experience.

In fact, the only thing that was really on Mukuro's mind as she quickly pressed the buttons on the machine was how unrealistic it would be for someone to be this nimble while duel-wielding chainsaws. Chainsaws honestly weren't very effective weapons, even if they were quite dangerous, due to how heavy and sluggish they were.

Inda and her partner did well to swap between each other, more than any of the others on their side had done so far, but unfortunately, this wasn't the right situation to use that tactic, as they kept jumping right into Mukuro's deadly chainsaw combo.

But what freaked Inda out more than the cycle of death she had been trapped in was the look of sadistic stoicness across Mukuro's face as she watched her character maul its opponent. As she promised, she proceeded to tear her two enemies apart, keeping up with her combo by calling Sayaka and Mukuro's characters in to extend it.

"Wh-What the f-...You...YOU FREAK!" Inda shrieked, jumping up and backing away from Mukuro like she was about to be eaten, "YOU'RE A MONSTER!"

Mukuro shuddered. Even as a soldier, Mukuro didn't derive any sadistic kind of joy from killing people. But her emotionless reactions to many things did have a tendency to set people off. This was something she was used to, but today, after having spent so much time with Makoto and the others, she had become self-aware of this in the back of her mind.

Inda's words had brought that to the front, and her stoicism started to break into a look of guilt. Until...

""Monster?" Hah! I think you mean "MARVEL!"" Sayaka smirked, sliding along the seats until she bumped shoulders with Mukuro and wrapped her arm around her, "you were the ones saying "might makes right" right? Then what's more "right" than this?"

"Just goes to show how narrow-minded you are in your people skills," Kyoko smirked, also approaching Mukuro and resting a hand on her head, "I'd take a good long look in the mirror before I openly insult somebody like that. You girls WISH you could be this charming."

What Mukuro felt was something akin to feeling...smitten. Well, it was more like this was the first time in a while that she had received genuine praise and comfort from someone who wasn't Makoto, and her tense expression quickly became a flustered and sporadic one, not sure what to say in response.

"GOD DAMMIT!" Aruto pounded the desk. There was an uproar in the onlooking crowd. Many people, old and young, were cheering the girls and jeering the losers.

Victory - Persona 5

"They did it! They beat the tyrants!"

"That's what you get for acting like a big shot!"

"Take your prize money and GO HOME!"

"You guys...!" Makoto was completely blown away by what he had just witnessed, "that was...incredible! What a clean victory!"

"Heh! Thanks Makoto-kun! But what can we say?" Sayaka shrugged cheerfully.

"As Ultimates...as well as your closest friends..." Kyoko smiled.

"Yes...we have battles that we simply cannot afford to lose..." Mukuro finished.

"Honestly...What am I gonna do with you guys...?"

Desire for Execution - Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc

Makoto chuckled heartily, but once he calmed down, he turned his attention towards the delinquents, who were still malding over their loss.

"You hear the crowd, right? We dealt with this issue in the fairest and most appropriate way we could, and you lost," he asserted, "surely you're smart enough not to cause a scene after the fact, are you?"

"Don't approach us again, or cause anyone any more problems if you know what's good for you," Sayaka crossed her arms.

As the rest of his group desperately grabbed their bags and tried to pull in as much prize money as they could, Yakushiji sighed and rolled his eyes, squaring up to Makoto.

"Fine...I get it. We lost, so we don't get to sit on the throne anymore," he huffed, "but you know? That should be MY line."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Mukuro queried.

"Sorry for trying to come onto you earlier. I don't think I've ever regretted anything more in my life," he snarled, grabbing Makoto by his shirt collar to undermine him, "you guys are fucking crazy. If you're really the best our society has to offer, then we're all screwed. Whatever this harem thing you've got going on is, keep it Naegi. No way in hell would I ever want such shameless women in my life-"

*WHHAAAM!*

Kyoko, Mukuro, and Sayaka almost jumped out of their skin, the latter covering her mouth in shock at what happened next. On the other end, Hamuko and Inda started screaming, while Iida, Aruto, and their unnamed cohort stared in disbelief.

Yakushiji's taunting had made Makoto snap, and unable to contain himself, he reeled back and punched the asshole dead in his face!

Despair Syndrome 02 - Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc

The roaring crowd went dead silent after Makoto's fist connected to Yakushiji's face. All eyes were focused on the Lucky Student, who gradually started to compose himself as he glared at Yakushiji on the ground, who struggled to sit up. He was horrified as he rubbed his face and pulled his hand away to see blood splattered on his palm.

Granted, Makoto's punch hadn't done that; it was the angle he'd collapsed onto the floor; plus it wasn't a lot of blood. But following up his strike, Makoto crouched down and yanked Yakushiji by his collar, glaring straight into his eyes while his own darted around like a madman.

"You can say whatever crap you want about me, and I'll take it on the nose for as long as I need to! Taunt me, pressure me, make me buy you drinks! See if I care!" Makoto shouted, trembling with rage, "But if you dare try and insult and threaten my friends again, I'll MAKE YOU REGRET IT!"

"U-U-Understood!" Yakushiji whimpered, freezing up like a deer caught in headlights.

"Lovely..." Makoto snarled, throwing him back down, "Now GET LOST!"

"H-Holy shit...!" Aruto trembled, "this guy's a monster too!"

"RUN FOR IT!" Hamuko shrieked.

And so they did.

As Makoto stood up straight and watched as Yakushiji and his posse bolted from the arcade, it was only now that he realized just how many people were watching him...How many people had just watched him physically attack someone? Including the girls.

He couldn't even make any audible noise to signify the shame he felt. He covered his face, feeling like he might cry, wanting a pitfall to open up underneath his feet and get him away from this situation, not giving a damn what was inside it.

Hope Of Spring - Danganronpa V3: Killing Harmony

But he was caught pleasantly by surprise when the audience once again broke out into cheers and applause, this time even louder! Not only that, but Kyoko, Sayaka, and Mukuro joined in, with Sayaka even throwing in some "WOOS!" of her own!

"Oh, man! That was SO COOL!"

"Isn't that guy this year's Ultimate Lucky Student! Dude, he's so badass!"

"They beat those bullies six ways to Sunday!"

"Awesome!"

"Amazing!"

"Did you see how he nailed that guy? #DESERVED!"

"They're all amazing! All of them are worthy of being Ultimates!"

"Yeah, thanks to them, we can play on the machines again!"

"Three cheers for the Ultimates! Hip Hip!"

"HOORAY!"

While he was glad that he wasn't receiving anybody's ire, Makoto still felt like there was a washing machine churning in his stomach. He buried his face in his hands as the three girls cuddled around him and waved at their adoring fans.

The girls had finally triumphed, and the audience had given them a round of applause. Even though the girls lost, Makoto couldn't help but respect their perseverance and spirit until the very end.

Daredevil - Persona 5 Strikers

"That...was a nightmare..."

Even a while after leaving the arcade, having finally managed to escape the scene, Makoto still felt like he couldn't take his hands away from his face. After Yakushiji had left, a few local police officers had shown up to assess the situation, but Kyoko had managed to settle them and explain things calmly. The owners of the arcade allowed Makoto and the girls to exit through the back so the crowd didn't follow them, and now he was in a perpetual state of stress as they walked down the road back to his house. The three girls who walked with him couldn't help but find this rather adorable.

"You really think so?" Sayaka giggled, "I had fun!"

"I did too," Kyoko nodded, "for the first time I've ever been to an arcade, I think I had the most enjoyable experience."

"We even got to see Makoto almost kill someone," Mukuro added, "definitely worth the trip."

"STOP! Don't say that!" Makoto was on the verge of bursting out crying, "We caused such a scene! So many people saw it; some even got it on video! Aren't you guys worried that we're gonna get in trouble for it!?"

"In trouble for what?" Mukuro asked, "Were we not just playing a game?"

"Well, yeah, but...everything else I mean!" Makoto exclaimed desperately, turning from Mukuro to Sayaka and Kyoko, "I understand why you wouldn't be worried, but what would the KDA and your agency think if they saw the footage that those people ABSOLUTELY posted online!? A-And me too! What if my parents see it!? What if Komaru sees it!? Wh-What if the SCHOOL sees it!? I PUNCHED HIM! I punched him and people got that on video! It'll be posted on the internet! Wh-What if I get you guys kicked out!? I didn't want any of this to-!"

The three girls watched in concern as Makoto fought to catch his breath, his eyes dilating. Sayaka grabbed his hand without thinking, stopping him in his tracks in an attempt to calm him down. She spoke to him softly while holding his hand.

"Makoto. It's so sweet that you're worried about us, but everything is going to be fine," she smiled warmly, "what happened was certainly exciting, and yes, people will probably be talking about it online for a few days. But trust me when I say this, give it a week, and everyone will have forgotten about it. People are fickle, and the heat will die down very quickly."

"But what about your fans?" Makoto asked, "I don't want your agency having a go at you for acting out in public like that. It was my fault that I took you into the arcade in the first place, and I don't want you-"

"What I did back there was stand up for myself and defend my honor in a way that didn't escalate into violence," Sayaka asserted, "that's the example I SHOULD be setting. If anything, you did me and my fanbase a service today. You should be happy with that."

"But it DID escalate into violence," Makoto started to sob, "did you miss the part where I physically assaulted someone out of rage!? And the fact that people got that on camera!?"

"Makoto, what people got on camera was you defending yourself AND us," Kyoko told him, "Yakushiji grabbed you first, not to mention that the whole incident started with him and his friends trying to sexually harass Sayaka and me."

"That, and his friends were hogging the arcade game and being a nuisance. Many of the people at the arcade can serve as eyewitnesses to that," Mukuro added, "if you're worried that those guys might come back for seconds, there's no need to feel that way. In addition to your act of bravery and strength, there is no scenario in which they emerge victorious, given the fact that everyone knows they were the ones who started the fight, and the fact that their humiliating and embarrassing loss at our hands is already widely shared online."

"Exactly!" Kyoko pointed towards her for emphasis, "Do you really think a few lowlifes have anything against a literal private eye, the country's top rising idol, and an actual military expert? If you do somehow end up facing public backlash from anyone, we'll defend you till the last. You have our word."

"Quite right," Sayaka nodded.

"W-Well...when you put it like that..." Makoto stammered.

"As kids these days try to say..." Mukuro added, "It is "just a game.""

"Yeah...you're right..." Makoto nodded, "whatever happens next isn't anything I can't take. I'm just worried about you guys. But for the record, I don't regret spending time with the three of you today. That incident aside, I had a lot of fun seeing you at work."

"So am I hearing that you'd be willing to go out with the three of us again?" Kyoko asked.

"Definitely. Though next time, I'm taking you guys somewhere less eventful." he giggled.

The group laughed as they finally pulled up to the front of Makoto's house. He could see lights on inside, implying at least somebody had to be home now. About damn time.

"Say hi to your family for us," Sayaka smiled, "we can make our way home ourselves."

"Will do," Makoto nodded, "goodnight guys. See you at school."

As Makoto gave them all one last hug goodbye, the three girls watched as he walked up the path and into his house. Quietly, they all turned and started to head in the direction of the station.

"Oh yeah! What happened with that zombie shooter game? We never ended up getting back to it in the end, right?" Sayaka asked, turning towards Mukuro, "Did you end up quitting to go look for us?"

"Ah...about that..." Mukuro scratched her face, "I uh...I managed to make it to the final level and defeated the final boss by myself before you got back."

"Impressive!" Kyoko said, "though certainly not unexpected."

"Speaking of which...I...want to apologize," the soldier added.

"What for?" Sayaka asked.

"Earlier, when I claimed that protecting you was not my responsibility," she said, "that was little more than me trying to deflect the blame of my incompetence. My survival instinct seems only limited to me and not the people around me. I couldn't admit that I had made mistakes or that I had missed my blind spots while Makoto was watching."

"Well, if that's the case, I need to apologize as well," Kyoko became guilty all of a sudden, "to be perfectly honest, today I was looking for any opportunity I could to show off. Like I was selfishly trying to prove myself your better. Such behavior is unlike me, and I'm not sure what came over me."

"Well, if it makes you feel better, you weren't the only one. Though I'm sure that was obvious," Sayaka sighed, "I think we were all trying to make a statement, like we were trying to earn Makoto's approval and attention."

"Had we stopped to think about it, it was a pointless kerfuffle," Mukuro said sadly, "Makoto Naegi's affection is not ours to earn. It is only his to give. And we should know that he holds none of us in higher regard than the other."

"Exactly. And I know I can't speak for you girls," Sayaka said, "but I don't want our mutual feelings with Makoto to affect the feelings we have for each other. I've learned we make a good team, and I don't want to ruin that."

"Nor I," Kyoko smiled, "So. What do you think we should do next time?"

"Why don't we go shopping?" Sayaka beamed, "I have had my eye on this adorable pink dress that would suit Mukuro-chan perfectly!"

"Me!? Pink!?" Mukuro exclaimed, blushing suddenly, "I-I'm not sure about that...! It's not really my color...!"

"Well, we'll have to see, won't we?" Kyoko smirked.

Chapter End Notes

Like I said last chapter, this silly little saga was originally one chapter, but it got expanded into two. So here's the second part where everything gets resolved.
I got some surprisingly good feedback on the last chapter despite how corny it was, and I hope this one proves to be just as entertaining.
We still have a few more chapters to go before Hinata's heart is ready to be changed, but the next few chapters will be paying tribute more to the mystery element of this story than the social and wholesome element like the last three chapters have done. So I hope you're looking forward to that.
Thank you for reading. I love to get feedback from my readers, so feel free to leave a comment, and some kudos if you feel up to it.

Strange New Places, Familiar Faces

Chapter Summary

Things take a drastic and tense turn when Makoto believes he has once again encountered and discovered the identity of the Phantom Knight. Meanwhile, Chiaki Nanami begins her own investigation...

Chapter Notes

See the end of the chapter for notes

"Alright, everyone! Get ready!" Shadow Hinata exclaimed, "I can feel it! It's coming!"

Continuing where we left off after that eventful day, the intrepid party of Phantom Thieves broke into the hospital in Hinata's island palace, found the next miniboss, and even with Shuichi and Kaede taking a back seat, handily defeated it, earning themselves another grimoire to take down the next Mechabeast. The Bird.

As had been the case up until now, as soon as the party approached the bridge to the 4th island, the creature was ready to pick a fight! A sudden torrent of wind was swept up, almost throwing the team off their feet as something arrived and disturbed the air. Looking up, the team could see the silhouette of the falcon monster perched atop the arch of the bridge, its eyes staring at them like a literal vulture, before it flew into the air, flapping its wings.

The blast of wind that blew from its metallic feathers was not only visible, but razor sharp, and they came falling down from above towards the Phantom Thieves, who had to jump out of the way.

"Sleuth! Mozart! I know you two already know this, but try to stick to the rear! Fire at it from a distance while the rest of us try and get close!"

"Given how high in the sky it is, I'm not sure we have much of a choice!" Sleuth retorted, making a decent point before he and his partner pulled out their guns and fired at the skyborne beast.

With few options, the rest of the Phantom Thieves did the same with their own guns, dodging the blasts of wind, as well as a hail of bullets that rained down upon them. For a few minutes, the fight was at a standstill, with none of the Phantom Thieves' attacks doing much to slow the bird down, but with the bird also unable to deal any critical damage to the Thieves. Even when it was able to hit, Shadow Hinata's forcefields bounced the attacks right back at it.

"If we don't get that thing out of the sky quickly, we're not going anywhere anytime soon!" Razor observed.

"You're right. Try and lure it towards the ground," Leprechaun commanded, "I think I know how I can clip its wings!"

"Alright! Sit tight! I'm gonna see if I can get up there!" Highwayman exclaimed, suddenly holstering her weapon and running towards the arch of the bridge, "Keep it distracted for me!"

Leprechaun watched his sister while he and the other team members continued to draw the falcon's fire. Once she made it to the arch of the bridge, she cast out her grappling hook to hoist her up it and, for lack of better words, started to run up the wall until she made it to the top.

Komaru looked down briefly and gulped to see how high she was, secretly thinking to herself *those guys had better catch me if I jump back down.* She shook off the threat of falling and instead turned her attention to the bird that wasn't too far above her now, and to her relief, it hadn't noticed her due to being too distracted by her teammates.

After steadying herself, she swung her lasso above her head and let it spin around.

Highwayman found the bird to be a difficult target with how much it moved around, and her eyes narrowed in the glare of the sun as she tried to predict when would be the best time to throw it out. With a last-ditch effort, she let go as the monster closed in on her, and to her pleasant surprise, the loop landed precisely around the Mechabeast's ankle.

What was NOT so pleasant was that as soon as the hoop caught around the beast's leg, it started to panic and flew away, trying desperately to throw her off; so as it happened, Highwayman was yanked off the arc and suspended at least 50 feet in the air, clinging onto her lasso for dear life!

Although it was terrifying, it didn't matter much. She'd already achieved her goal. As big as the Mechabeast was, and how small she was by comparison, the added weight on one side of the beast's body upset its flight path and drew it closer to the ground. With a smirk, Leprechaun seized the opportunity.

With a smirk, Leprechaun seized the opportunity

"JACK FROST!"

A loud crashing sound rang throughout the air as Leprechaun's Persona blasted a wave of sharp ice at the Mechabeasts' wings, and managed to frost them over. Even though it was mechanical, the Mechabeast fell prone as a frozen bird would do, and collapsed beak-first onto the ground, while Razor rushed forward and caught Highwayman before she could go splat on the pavement.

"I can't believe that actually worked!" Razor holstered her taser, "Guess it's a good thing you're so top-heavy Kokichiru!"

"I'll let that remark slide for now..." Highwayman literally bit her lip, "look, just attack it!"

"Barrow!" Razor called out her Persona and had it shoot bolts of lightning at the downed opponent; the Mechabeast let out a deafening screech as the electricity crackled through its body.

Meanwhile, following up on his initial ice blast and Razor's damage, Leprechaun, who after running past his teammates and quickly bumping fists with his sister in honor of good teamwork, switched Personas into the latest edition of his compendium - the Bearer of the Scales, Anubis, and shot beams of light magic at the Mechabeast.

Even though it was downed, the Mechabeast still moved fairly quickly on its sharp talons. It took the attack, then sidestepped the following ones from the other Thieves, firing bullets of its own back at its enemies that they were forced to keep up with.

Something that none of the Thieves were aware of at the time was that they had a one-man audience. From a safe distance, the distant Shadow of Izuru Kamukura observed their intense battle with...well, not interest, but indifference.

Like he always did, Izuru maintained his composure. Though he normally wouldn't give a damn about any of this, he had to admit that, despite the fact that they were technically enemies, he was impressed by the Phantom Thieves' bravery as they battled to protect themselves from the Mechabeast's razor-sharp wind and even sharper talons. These teenagers' tenacity, bravery, and most importantly, hope were evident with every burst of magic and bullet shower.

However, in the case of said teenagers, the tide of the battle suddenly turned. The Mechabeast shook the frost off its wings and took to the sky again. The good news was that monster had been crippled enough that it couldn't fly out of the Phantom Thieves' reach anymore, but the bad news was that the desperation it was put under caused it to start upping the ante.

Case in point, it soared upwards and spread out its wings, letting out a horrific screech. The ground started quaking, as the sky around the Mechabeast started to shift and form into small rifts.

The foreboding sense of danger was causing enough tension among the team, reinforced by the notably unnerved and panicked expression of fear and recognition across Shadow Hinata's face, but the panic skyrocketed as their ears were raptured with the noise of stone and flame rocketing out of whatever plane or realm beyond the material. They were suddenly engulfed in the flames of a swarm of LITERAL meteors.

"Hinata!" Leprechaun; his determination powering through the fear of the powerful attack, snapped towards the Shadow in a commanding and serious manner, "Barrier! Now!"

"Uh...RIGHT!" he exclaimed, doing as he was told. The Phantom Thieves all huddled up behind him as he cast a barrier in front of himself. Though the shield arched inwards from the sheer intensity of the Mechabeasts' storm, the Tetrakarn served its purpose and protected the team from feeling the full force of this attack. The meteors were then rebounded back up towards the Mechabeast, hitting it for critical damage!

And it was certainly a good thing that it did, as when the barrier collapsed, so did Hinata's knees. Simply putting up a barrier to deflect this one Agneyastra had completely drained him of his energy, and he needed a second to recover and catch his breath.

"Yeah, I can see why you've never gotten past this one before!" Mozart began to sweat, and it wasn't from the summer heat.

"I...I uh...don't know how many more of those barriers I can manage to put out..." he said, "I'm running low...! I'm sorry..."

"Hey. Do you still have that thing that Kyoko gave you the other day?" Leprechaun asked, helping Hinata get back to his feet. Hinata reached into his pocket and pulled out the Snuff Soul he had received when he and the Thieves' had fought the Tiger. "Chew on that for a bit and get your strength back. We'll hold it off for as long as we can until you recover."

"O-Ok..." Hinata nodded, "thanks..."

"Come on kids," Usami brandished her magic stick, "let's show this birdie who's boss!"

With Sleuth and Mozart still supporting from the rear, and Shadow Hinata having made his way over to Kyoko for a checkup, Leprechaun, Usami, Highwayman, and Razor rushed towards the airborne monstrosity to carry on with the fight.

The Mechabeast let out a menacing cry as it finished recoiling from its own attack and dove down toward the Phantom Thieves with amazing speed. The four original Thieves retaliated with fierce determination, Razor's scissors gleaming in the sunlight as she skillfully sidestepped the beast's blows. The very air around them shifted as the battle continued.

But suddenly, the Mechabeast gained the upper hand as it smacked Razor with its wing and sent her skidding back along the ground. While she struggled to catch herself before she went flying, the falcon flapped its wings and stirred up a cyclone to smash right into her! Razor was swiftly knocked backward and collapsed onto the ground as the ferocious attack made contact, and had it not been for her heightened capabilities within the Metaverse, the sharp cuts of the gale might have disintegrated her into dust!

"You alright!?" Leprechaun called out, rather alarmed.

"Goddamn PEACHY!" Razor spat back, making the venomous sarcasm in her voice prevalent, "I'm fine, just don't let it hit me again!"

"Give me one second Razor! I'll be right over to heal you as soon as I can!" Usami promised. Before the falcon could attack again, Usami quickly pulled out her party popper and blasted it straight in the face, and then whacked it in the same spot with her magic stick before her tiny legs scuttled over to her fallen comrade.

Before the falcon could attack again, Usami quickly pulled out her party popper and blasted it straight in the face, and then whacked it in the same spot with her magic stick before her tiny legs scuttled over to her fallen comrade

"ONE-SHOT KILL!"

Usami's attacks didn't keep the monster distracted for long, and it tried to blast Razor again, as well as Usami who was now next to her. Before it could, Highwayman summoned her Persona and blasted its wing with her strongest gun attack, not only cutting the attack off but getting the falcon's attention to turn towards herself and her brother.

Leprechaun summoned Jack Frost again and once again fired sharp blasts of ice at the enemy, which hit it directly, but failed to completely frost up the wings like it did last time. The Naegi siblings then split off and ran in different directions as the machine cannons on the falcon's back opened fire and rained down shrapnel.

Once they split, Highwayman summoned Parker while Leprechaun summoned another new Persona, Mothman, and in tandem, they fired their magic at the bird with a dancing dazzling mix of wind and lightning. It flung downwards and slashed at Leprechaun with its talons, but he dodged in the nick of time.

As it continued to attack Leprechaun and repeatedly failed while Highwayman switched to firing an array of bullets at it, it changed strategies, as well as targets. The falcon crashed down and swept its wing along the ground, throwing up a big cloud of sand that almost enveloped Highwayman.

"AGH! BLEAGH! It got in my mouth! And my eyes! And everywhere else!" she shouted.

But being covered in sand was the least of her worries. As she struggled to clean herself, now not only blinded but also especially itchy all over, the falcon swooped in and snapped her up in its beak!

Highwayman yelped out as its sharp beak crunched down on her, crushing her like a nut! Trying not to freak out at the sight of his sister becoming bird food, Leprechaun carefully aimed and shot the Mechabeast in its eye with his revolver. It cried out, and unceremoniously slammed Highwayman on the ground, then proceeded to step on her with its sharp talons!

"GAHAAAGH!" she cried as the tip dug into her side, "times like these make me hate having a midriff!"

"You know, Razor's right! You need to sort out your PRIORITIES!" Leprechaun shouted, emphasizing this last part as he leaped up and punched the falcon in its face to get it to release her. He then took Highwayman's arm and helped her up to her feet. The birds' talon had pierced her side, and she was partially bleeding, but it was nothing that a bit of Metaverse magic couldn't fix.

"Hinata! Are you up yet!?" Leprechaun shouted back, "Could REALLY use a hand!"

"Uh...Yeah! On it!" Hinata hurried back, quickly grabbing his pouch and pulling out some tools, "Anyone ever told you you kind of act like a drill sergeant when you're on the field?"

"I am when we're DYING and in desperate need of a plan!" Leprechaun snapped back, "Now sync up with me! Sleuth! Mozart! You keep shooting."

"You got it, boss!" Mozart saluted as she and Sleuth kept firing, "But uh...we're gonna run out of bullets real soon, so you'd best hurry!"

Hinata finished searching through his bag and produced a slingshot loaded with a few stones. Normally, a weapon like this would have no effect against a mechanical monster like the Mechabeast, but thankfully, the Metaverse had altered the rules slightly. Leprechaun fired as many shots and punches as he could as Hinata pulled back the sling and they battled side by side against the enormous Mechabeast.

Leprechaun fired as many shots and punches as he could as Hinata pulled back the sling and they battled side by side against the enormous Mechabeast

"Watch your step!"

Hinata shouted this suddenly as he dipped his hand in his pouch again, pocketing his slingshot and instead pulling out two more devices. One was a set of bolas; metallic spherical pellets, bound together with ropes, and another was a metal ball that fitted in the palm of his hand. When he took this ball and threw it on the ground a few meters in front of him, it burst open, covering the ground in spiked caltrops.

"Get it on the ground!" the Shadow shouted, pulling a rope out of his pouch, swinging the bolas over his head, and tossing them with incredible accuracy at the Mechabeast. The balls' weight caused the rope to wrap around and entrap the creature's beak, so even as it tried to shout out in a panic, it couldn't.

"Ok! KURAMA TENGU!"

However, the ropes let out a loud snapping noise as they started to crack, so it wasn't going to hold the monster for long. Leprechaun moved quickly, summoning a winged monk with a shell horn to give himself a boost into the air. Once he was above the low-flying Mechabeast, he punched it dead in the back with his fist with enough force to send it crashing into the ground. And as it did, it felt the full effect of the caltrops pierce its body.

With its beak still mostly forced shut, the Mechabeast couldn't even let out a shriek so much as a guttural growl. Though pained, it heaved itself off the trap, with some of the spikes sticking to its body as it rose. But before it could take to the sky, Razor and Usami rejoined the fray.

But before it could take to the sky, Razor and Usami rejoined the fray

"Barrow!"

"Mr. A!"

Now that she was back to full health thanks to Usami's healing, Razor summoned her Persona and successively stabbed its blades into the Mechabeasts body, and the rabbit aided with her own array of psychic blasts on top of that.

At least until the ropes around the creature's beak snapped and it flung Razor's Persona away with its wings. After the beating it had been handed, the Mechabeast began to realize that Leprechaun was posing a significant problem, so while it struggled to stay airborne after all the damage it had received, it rounded on the Phantom Thieves' leader.

It soared low on the ground like an airplane that was about to land and flew straight at Leprechaun with its sharp beak aimed straight at him! It was so fast that he couldn't avoid it in time, and instead was forced to catch the creature with his hands before the tip of the beak could be run straight through him!

He felt like his feet were on fire because of how he slit across the ground! If the Mechabeast didn't stab him with its beak, he'd probably die from attrition if this kept up!

Sleuth and Mozart tried to hit the creature in a weak spot to relieve him of the suffering he was experiencing, but to their dismay, they pulled the trigger and found that their guns were officially out of ammo.

"Dammit! We've gotta do something!" Mozart exclaimed, "he can't hold it off forever!"

"If it takes to the sky, it's over!" Hinata cried, "But I can tell! It's only acting this way because it's desperate! We're close! We might actually BEAT this thing!"

"Not worth it if Leprechaun gets run through!" Razor spat, "You got a plan or something Great Adventurer?"

In response, Shadow Hinata dipped his hand into his pouch again and started pulling out random bits and bobs, like the bag was filled with infinite piles of junk.

"Get it over here, and for god's sake, do NOT let it get off the ground!" he said.

"Makoto!" Kyoko called out from the trees, "Try and get it over here!"

Fortunately, Leprechaun heard her and tried to move the creature's beak to his left, as to steer it back towards the bridge and to the rest of the team.

"Here, take this!" Hinata quickly thrust a long rope onto Sleuth, who was closest to him, while also pulling out a rectangular package.

Knowing what he was intending, the Thieves nodded to each other and split into two groups. Sleuth, Razor, and Usami in one group and Highwayman and Mozart in the other, and as Leprechaun turned the flight angle of the Mechabeast, Sleuth wrapped the rope into a noose while Highwayman got ready to cast out her lasso, and the groups ran towards the Mechabeast as it soared in their direction.

"We go on three! Alright!?" Sleuth called out, and Highwayman nodded, "One...Two...THREE!"

Sensing the danger, the bird tried to rise into the sky to avoid the ropes, but Makoto shoved its beak back down toward the ground, and the weight on the front was making it hard for the monster to keep its balance, and Highwayman and Sleuth were able to successfully encircle its neck.

The other Thieves, plus Kyoko who had now caught up, then grabbed the ropes themselves and pulled with all their might, trying to steer the Mechabeasts' flight path towards Shadow Hinata, who seemed prepped and ready to put his plan into action!

Leprechaun started to feel his grip loosen, and if he slipped, that beak would go right through him, regardless of whether the monster was in rope chains or not. But just when he felt like his arms were about to give out, Shadow Hinata made one quick motion when the monster got close enough; diving and snatching Makoto out of the way, and simultaneously sticking the package right on the end of the creature's beak!

"Ok, let go!" he shouted. And with that, the rest of the Phantom Thieves released their grip on the ropes, finally freeing the Mechabeast and letting it take high to the sky. As it had done earlier, the rifts in the air around it started to open, and it prepared to fire down another swarm of meteors on the group.

However, unlike the last time, Shadow Hinata seemed strangely confident, and as he pulled what looked like a joystick out of his pocket, it soon became clear why. The beast shrieked as the meteors started to push through the rifts, but he pointed his other finger up toward it and, quietly and slyly, uttered a single word...

"Boom~"

Hinata pressed the button on the joystick with his thumb, and just like that, the package that stuck to the Mechabeasts beak DETONATED! What he had planted was something like a C-4 explosive, and it burst into a huge fiery cloud of death that filled the sky like fireworks, blasting the Mechabeast so hard that its face inverted inwards! The plume of radiant smoke fizzled and flew outwards, and falling down through it was the large metallic body of the bird Mechabeast, which at long last came crashing down onto the ground as nothing more than a big ugly pile of scrap metal.

New Beginning - Persona 5

"It...It worked...It...It actually worked...! IT WORKED! HAHAHA!" Shadow Hinata, who dropped the remote detonator in disbelief that they'd actually won, glowed like the sun as he jumped up and down, doing a well-deserved dance of victory, "We did it! We did it! Lo hicimos! WE DID IIIT!"

"W-Wow!" Kaede laughed, "I don't think I've ever seen you this excited before!"

"Dude! You don't understand!" Hinata, rather uncomfortably, intensely grasped her by the shoulders "I have NEVER managed to beat that thing by myself, even before it got all powered up! This is the furthest I've ever gotten in the game!"

"Not to burst your bubble, but we still have 2-" Razor began to say before Highwayman raised her finger and drew a line over her lips.

"Razor. Shush. Let him have this," she whispered, "for once, try not to ruin the mood, ok?"

"Are you alright Leprechaun?" Sleuth asked, "That thing almost had you there."

"Never better," Leprechaun stretched his arms, "but for the record, I'm DEFINITELY done for the day this time. We've still got half the archipelago left to explore, and I want to make sure I'm in top shape for whatever fights we still have left."

"Yep! We're not done yet!" Hinata slung his arm around Makoto, retaining his previous excitement, "but I have hope that I've never had before! That Treasure's in sight now!"

"Well, giving people hope is kind of what we do as Phantom Thieves," Leprechaun smiled, "and that goes for you too."

"Yeah, we're trying to help you get off this island after all," Highwayman added, "so don't worry about it. We're getting that Treasure no matter what."

"Awesome!" Hinata pumped his fist, "This is so exciting! I've got no idea what's up ahead from this point on! I get to explore a whole new island after all this time! WOO! Let's go already!"

"H-Hey! Slow down!" Usami exclaimed, "Honestly! With this excitement, you could probably run to the other side of the bridge faster than I can drive you there!"

"So I guess we'll investigate the next island and then call it a day?" Kyoko proposed, "Sounds like a good idea. Even I'm beat, and I didn't do much of anything."

"I'd blame the heat for that," Sleuth said, "and the pressure of having to...keenly watch."

Kyoko noticed that there was something about her fellow detective's tone as he said this. She noticed that his eyes were looking towards the rest of the group ahead of them. Specifically on the still very happy face of Shadow Hinata, as he expressed his joy and gratitude to his new teammates.

"So..." she said quietly, her slightly happy expression shifting into something more serious, "you noticed it too?"

"Hah...I should have known you'd catch it before I did," Sleuth scoffed, "and for a second I thought if I opened up about my theories, you'd think I was crazy."

"You're one of the most inquisitive and reliable people I know Shuichi, and I mean that," Kyoko asserted, "nothing you could suggest would feel too out of pocket or crazy to me. And yes, I have seen some...odd signs too."

"I don't doubt his excitement. He seems keen to get to the Treasure, just as we are, and he's been genuinely helpful," Sleuth said, "my question is what's going to happen when he gets it? Do we just take it and he disappears? This whole archipelago goes with him? Hinata in the real world turns back to normal? What happens to Kamukura in that case? There's still so much about this place that's different from every other Palace we've been in, and even I'm not sure where it will go from here."

"Well, there's no harm in keeping a close eye on the situation," Kyoko told him, "trust your intuition and make the calls you think are worth making. If you think it's best to open up about your questions to the rest of the team, then do so if you think it will help."

"I'll keep quiet about it for now. I don't want to risk breaking this team spirit, else we might not be able to defeat the other two Mechabeasts," Sleuth said, "but yes...I'll keep an eye on things, and let you know my results when I'm done."

Beautiful Morning - Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc

[THE NEXT DAY...]

Makoto had a headache the next day and needed to take a break. On top of two Mechabeast battles back to back, what the team had found on the fourth island was...insane.

So far, all the islands had atmospheres that befitted a bustling archipelago, even the urban setting of the third one, didn't feel too out of place. But the fourth island that Hinata had never seen before was certainly something special. The entire thing was one giant Theme Park!

The vibrant colors, upbeat music, and delicious smells of cotton candy and popcorn in the air created an atmosphere of joy and happiness that was sure to put a smile on one's face. Or at least it would have had the naturally unsettling atmosphere of the Metaverse not ruined it.

Hinata, Komaru, Kaede, and Monomi had all gotten a bit carried away, unable to contain their excitement and wanting to try out at least some of the attractions before the Thieves called it quits for the day. Given how much progress they'd made, Leprechaun had figured they'd earned it, so he let them explore and play some of the games. But it ended up wearing him out more than he thought, AND they'd have to go back the next day.

First of all, there was a haunted house that for some reason, Monomi had taken quite a liking to. He had managed to narrow it down to the building's striking resemblance to Monomi's appearance and personality, despite knowing that the building's pink and girly design was merely an attempt to deceive someone into feeling secure.

On the other hand, the rabbit wouldn't step a foot in the direction of "Nezumi Castle," a castle themed around mice, claiming that she had a terrible phobia of them. The idea of a rabbit being afraid of a mouse was a new one, but then again, it wasn't uncommon for Monomi to catch him by surprise.

The 8 of them had also hitched a ride on the rollercoaster. Some of them (Komaru, Kaede, Monomi, Hinata, and to a lesser extent, Kyoko) had thoroughly enjoyed, and the rest of them (Makoto himself, Toko, and Shuichi) had not. Makoto didn't mind rollercoasters usually, but the one on the island was far too intense for his liking. You wouldn't think the group had just been through a grueling battle with how much joy some of them had been expressing.

And last but not least was the Funhouse. It was comprised of Strawberry House, a structure that housed an escape room attraction, and Grape House, which for some reason contained a bronze statue of Makoto, Toko, and Kyoko's classmate, Sakura Ogami. The Phantom Thieves found that the next miniboss holding their next scroll was hiding somewhere inside, and they made the wise decision to hold off until later because they didn't want to waste any more energy that day.

Regardless, the battle combined with the overblown exploration had done a number on Makoto, and he slept like a log by the time he got back to his dorm room. Even today, he could barely find the strength in his legs to get up.

But he had mustered it because Aoi Asahina had called him and a few other classmates to the lobby of their dorm room to make an important announcement.

"Olympic tryouts?" Makoto parroted, "So you're actually going through with it?"

"Yeah, it won't be until a week or so after the Sports Day. In fact, it's right before the summer break ends," Hina explained, "but it's a public event, and as soon as I signed up for it, the number of tickets skyrocketed."

"Well, that makes sense," Junko Enoshima nodded, "the Ultimate Swimming Pro doing Olympic swimming tryouts is sure to catch everyone's attention."

"Anyway, I'm bringing it up because I asked my coach if I could invite my class to come and watch and support me," she said, "everyone else has friends and family coming to cheer them on, and this is a big deal. I'll be going up against prodigies who have been training their whole lives for this stuff. Now, I get that you've all got your own personal matters to attend to, so I don't mind if you can't make it, but...as my best friends, you're all invited one way or another. What do you say?"

"Yeesh, way to put pressure on a guy," Mondo Owada leaned back in the seat, resting his feet on the coffee table, "but sure, fuck it, I'll be there. I don't do events like this, but if it's you."

"Me too!" Sayaka Maizono asserted, "I don't have any upcoming performances, so provided we're not going to get relentlessly hounded by paparazzi, I should be able to make it work."

"Don't worry, security in these kinds of places is faithful. Besides, they won't be there for you," Hina smiled, "you won't have a repeat of the arcade, that's for sure."

"Lovely~" Sayaka smirked while Makoto buried his face in his hands.

"Alright, enough bringing up the arcade incident," Sakura Ogami strode over and put a hand on Hina's shoulder, "I believe Makoto has heard quite enough of the matter."

"Hey, I wasn't making fun of him, I thought it was pretty cool!" Hina chuckled, "But you're right. Sorry, Makoto. I'll stop beating a dead cat."

"Dead horse," Byakuya Togami clarified, not raising his eyes from the book he was reading.

"Oh, you must take me as well!" Monomi pleaded, sitting on Makoto's lap, "even if you have to smuggle me in there, I cannot possibly miss an event like this!"

"What about you, Togami?" Makoto asked, "Are you interested in going?"

"Absolutely not," Byakuya replied, as crude as ever. Makoto scoffed.

"Well, do you have anything better to do?" he asked, "could be a nice way to spend your break?"

Byakuya rolled his eyes, smirked, and closed his book shut with a snap.

"Sure...Why not?" he sighed, "if everyone else is going, I suppose I can tag along."

"I'm grateful, so I'm not going to comment on your attitude," Hina sighed, "I really hope you guys can find a way to make it."

"You're our friend, Hina," Makoto said, "the least we can do is offer you our support."

"Thanks, Makoto," Hina smiled, "by the way, have any of you guys seen Kyoko? I was going to ask her too, but I was worried she might be busy. I haven't seen her all day..."

"Did somebody mention my name?"

"Speak of the devil and she shall appear..." Byakuya snarked, noting Kyoko's sudden arrival, "Oh? And who have you brought with you?"

Once everyone turned to see the lavender detective enter the lobby, they saw that she was accompanied by somebody else. He was a, to put politely, rotund boy with cherry-colored cheeks, hazel eyes, and short, light brown hair. Like the rest of them, he was clearly a student, even if he wasn't wearing the uniform.

"He was looking for his class representative, and apparently she was here in the dorms earlier today," Kyoko explained, "she's been absent away from school, and everyone's worried about her, so when they heard she had come back to the academy, I offered to help him track her down."

"I apologize for intruding on any plans you might have had," the boy said in a nervous tone of voice.

However, as soon as he opened his mouth and started talking...Makoto froze...

That voice...He'd heard it before...!

"I'll admit you seem relatively fine, but when people fall into the depths of Despair, they lose their minds and start to crave that Despair like a drug. The purpose of this place is to heal people of the sadness they feel and to make them live the lives that they're most happy with. Tell me, Nanami-san...What eats at you?"

The Mystery of Where and Who - Danganronpa 3: The End of Hope's Peak Academy

As soon as they'd stepped in, Makoto had really only been paying attention to Kyoko, but as soon as this other boy opened his mouth, all of the Lucky Student's attention was on him. Secretly panicking, he scanned his eyes up and down the boy's body, but focused particularly on his face...or rather his eyes.

"Y-You...!" his face went pale, and he spoke without realizing it, causing a few heads to turn his way. The boys included.

"Hm? I-Is everything alright?" the boy asked.

Kyoko looked at Makoto and instantly recognized his panic. Monomi could also feel his sweaty, trembling palms, and turned her nose towards him in concern.

"Makoto-kun are you ok?" Sayaka asked, "You look...disturbed."

"H-Huh?" Makoto tried to steady his pace, realizing that causing a scene here could not only cause unwanted trouble, but blow his cover, yet he still sweated buckets, "I-I'm alright...Sorry, I must've...e-eaten something funny earlier..."

Everyone else checked on him to see if he was ok, but the look on Kyoko's face sold that she wasn't buying this at all. She knew she couldn't ask him about it while everyone was here though, so she kept quiet.

"I'm sorry if my arrival upsets you," the boy scratched the back of his head.

"Don't worry about it. I'm confident you're not the problem," Sakura Ogami assured him, none the wiser to the truth of the situation, "you said you were looking for your class representative?"

"Yes, that's right. I'm Mitarai. Ryota Mitarai of Class 77-B," the boy introduced himself.

"Oh, you're our senior!" Hina exclaimed, "Weird...I don't remember seeing you around..."

"That's because I don't spend a lot of time in the academy building outside of lesson time," Ryota explained, "usually I'm in my room working on my projects."

"And what do you do?" Sayaka inquired. Ryota chuckled in embarrassment.

"I'm...uh...the Ultimate Animator," he revealed, "I make anime...sort of..."

"Wow, really! That's a cool talent!" Sayaka beamed, "what kinds of things have you made?"

"I-I...uh...w-well..." Mitarai stammered, unable to formulate his words properly.

"I'm sorry. I've discovered that he's somewhat shy," Kyoko patted his shoulder, "Mitarai here is a highly talented animator. His most recent project that I saw almost brought me to tears."

"Wait, YOU? Of all people?" Byakuya raised his head, rather surprised by this claim. Kyoko nodded.

"Happy tears? Or..." Hina tilted her head.

"Believe me, making you cry was not my intention," Ryota flustered, "my anime tends to do that to people though. I-I can instill other emotions if I need to though."

"Don't be so doubtful of yourself. It was impressive work for one man," Kyoko appraised him, "anyway, back to business. Did any of you see Chiaki Nanami pass through here at any point?"

"Actually, yeah," Mondo spoke up, "when I was comin' down here I saw her in Chihiro-chan's room. Their door was open a crack and they looked like they were chatting the shit up. I dunno if she's still there though."

"Nanami-senpai was with Fujisaki-chan?" Sayaka asked, "Wonder what they were talking about?"

"Who knows? I know better than to walk on in when girl talk is goin' on," Mondo sighed, "anyways, you'd be best off startin' there."

"Thank you, Owada-kun," Mitarai politely bowed, "so, Fujisaki-chan is..."

"Second floor, first hallway," Kyoko guided, "Her nameplate is on her door, just like the rest of the dorms. I trust you can find your own way there?"

"Yes, of course," Mitarai nodded, "thank you all so much for the help."

Ryota Mitarai started to stride down the hallway towards Chihiro's room, continuing his search for Chiaki. As he started to leave, Kyoko nodded to Makoto and gestured her head towards the corner where they could converse secretly. While Hina went back to telling the other students about her Olympics deal, Makoto swiftly picked up Monomi and scurried to where she'd gestured. Once they were out of eyeshot and earshot, she crossed her arms and whispered to him.

"Are you ok?" she asked, "what's the matter? You look like you've seen a ghost."

"Kyoko...I-I'm sorry for acting like that so suddenly, but you don't understand...!" Makoto whispered, the panic and tension notable in his voice, "It's...him! It's HIM!"

"What? What's him? Who's him?" Kyoko frowned.

"Makoto-kun, what's wrong?" Monomi asked, "Did something happen?"

"Him! Mitarai! He's the one who attacked us and Nanami-senpai the night we got swept into that strange Palace!" Makoto asserted, "HE'S the PHANTOM KNIGHT...!"

And with this assertion, Monomi and Kyoko's heart rates started to increase. Monomi's eyes widened in tension, while Kyoko's expression stiffened.

"You're...You're sure of this?" the detective asked.

"Yes! No! I...I think!" Makoto was rather confident, but now that he gave it some quick, but patient thought, he wasn't 100% certain. The gravity of the accusation he was throwing out started to weigh on him suddenly, and he realized if he was wrong, there could be drastic consequences, "I didn't see the Phantom Knight's face, but at one point during our fight, I managed to break his mask. The eyes I saw underneath the helmet were hazel, just like Mitarai's!"

"Are you sure you're not looking down the wrong hole?" Monomi asked.

"You were with us at the time!" Makoto put Monomi on the ground and clenched his fist, "surely you've got a sense of déjà vu at least!?"

"Well, I admit something about him seems...familiar...But I don't recognize his scent," Monomi rubbed her nose, "I wasn't fighting up close and personal with the Phantom Knight back in the Palace, so I can't claim to recognize him at a glance...but...even still, are you sure? To recognize him based on his eyes alone? Aren't there other factors to consider?"

"W-Well...okay, admittedly he is a lot...uh...BIGGER...than I remember," his stomach began to gradually sink the more he worked on this theory of his, "b-but it's not just appearances. Even if he doesn't look like him, I recognize that voice! It left such an impression on me that it'd be hard to forget!"

Kyoko's expression was dark and piercing like she was deep in thought, or doubtful at what she was hearing. Makoto sighed.

"You don't believe me, do you?"

"That's not it," she cut him off rather quickly, "Makoto, you're not the kind of person who throws around accusations like this rashly. I have reason to trust your judgment."

"But I have no evidence," Makoto reminded her.

"Then we'll investigate and find some," Kyoko told him, "even if you turn out to be wrong, it's not going to hurt to check."

"It will...or...it might," Makoto trembled, "there's something I didn't tell any of you guys because I didn't want to worry, but the Phantom Knight knows who I am. He called me by name when we fought..."

"Don't be so selfish and stupid! If people really believed that, then I wouldn't even be here fighting you like this!" the stranger snapped, "not everyone's as strong as you, MAKOTO NAEGI!"

"So if he knows who I am, he might know who everyone else in the Phantom Thieves is as well," he said, "I...the idea that this enemy could be so close to us...the fact that the person who tried to wipe Nanami-senpai's mind was her OWN CLASSMATE, I just-!"

"Makoto..." Monomi interrupted, "We should let the rest of the Phantom Thieves know about this."

"Good idea," Kyoko nodded, "also, we should go somewhere more...private...You don't mind coming into my dorm room, do you?"

"No, no," Makoto shook his head, still sweating nervously, "I'll be alright."

D World - Danganronpa 3: The End of Hope's Peak Academy

----------------------------------------------

PTChat

Shoot2Thrill: So wait, you're saying this Mitarai guy is the Phantom Knight?

Kyoko: Makoto seems to think so.

Kyoko: But he's also not 100% sure.

Kyoko: Monomi also said she doesn't recognize him, based on his "scent" whatever that may mean.

Kyoko: But personally, I don't think Makoto would throw out an accusation like this without good reason.

Bookworm: Wait, is Makoto here in chat right now?

OneTrueEgg: Yeah, I'm here.

OneTrueEgg: Still just

OneTrueEgg: Trying to process all of this.

Sweetchi: I imagine you went through quite the panic when you recognized him though.

OneTrueEgg: You have no idea.

OneTrueEgg: I'm just glad I didn't throw a fit.

Shoot2Thrill: Ok, so I totally get it.

Shoot2Thrill: You weren't expecting this to happen.

Shoot2Thrill: BUT-!

Shoot2Thrill: Weren't you the one who said that Hinata's case takes priority?

OneTrueEgg: It does.

OneTrueEgg: But that doesn't change the fact that the Phantom Knight and that Palace are still problems that we need to tackle eventually.

OneTrueEgg: Nor did I realize at the time that our enemy was so close.

Bookworm: Looking back, shouldn't it have been obvious that the Phantom Knight was a Hope's Peak student based on how he recognized you?

OneTrueEgg: Yes, but...

OneTrueEgg: I've never MET Mitarai before. I've been at Hope's Peak for two years and this is the first time I've ever seen him.

Kyoko: The same is true for most of our classmates actually.

Kyoko: Part of the reason why I suspect Makoto's claim holds water is because nobody really knows what Mitarai-kun does during his off hours.

Kyoko: Before now, I asked some of our upperclassmen, but sometimes they say that when they knock on his dorm room, they don't get a response.

Kyoko: Most of the time they assume he's out, or that he's so engrossed in his work that he doesn't notice.

Pian0Fr3ak: So how do they know he's inside or not?

Kyoko: They don't. They just assume he is.

Kyoko: Apparently, on the first day of their class, Ms Yukizome broke into Mitarai's room and forcibly dragged him to his first lesson. At the time, he was busy animating.

Shoot2Thrill: What kind of teachers do you HAVE at that school!? That's terrifying!

OneTrueEgg: Yeah, well.

OneTrueEgg: Ms Yukizome is...

OneTrueEgg: Scary in an adorable way?

OneTrueEgg: She's a lot like Monomi honestly, just a bit more deranged.

Bookworm: What was Mitarai even doing at our dorms anyway?

OneTrueEgg: He was looking for Nanami-senpai.

Bookworm: And why would Nanami-senpai be at our dorms?

Pian0Fr3ak: Yeah, didn't you say Nanami-senpai had gone home for the summer?

OneTrueEgg: Yes, but Owada from our class apparently saw her in Chihiro Fujisaki's room earlier.

Sweetchi: If Mitarai IS the Phantom Knight, the fact that he was searching for Nanami-senpai is rather concerning, isn't it?

Sweetchi: Maybe he wants to bring her back to the Palace and wipe her memories?

OneTrueEgg: That's exactly what I was thinking.

OneTrueEgg: Nanami-senpai being home means she can't be touched by the Phantom Knight for the time being, but if she's in school, it means that Mitarai could probably lead her away into the Palace.

OneTrueEgg: She wouldn't be in so much danger if this stupid fucking app hadn't randomly dragged her into that Palace, and now I've put her in danger!

Pian0Fr3ak: Woah! Hey!

Pian0Fr3ak: Makoto, YOU didn't do this!

Pian0Fr3ak: You can't put the responsibility for this on yourself.

OneTrueEgg: I damn well can because that's exactly what I'm doing.

Sweetchi: Senpai, please calm down.

Sweetchi: Did Mitarai seem dangerous at all? Like he had any ill intent?

Kyoko: Personally speaking, I don't believe he did.

Kyoko: Nothing he did or said seemed suspicious on the outside. Like he was genuinely looking for his friend.

Kyoko: But even the most gentlemanly looking people can hide dark sides of themselves.

Kyoko: I mean, look at Toko.

Bookworm: Thanks.

Sweetchi: Even if Mitarai really is the Phantom Knight and he's looking for Nanami-senpai, I'm confident that we can protect her.

OneTrueEgg: Well I'M NOT!

OneTrueEgg: We can't use our powers or our Personas in this world! The only way we can protect Nanami-senpai is if we go back into that Palace, and I can't do that using my app since it didn't save the unknown location or the name of the Palace ruler!

OneTrueEgg: Even if we find a way in, by the time we do, it'll be too late!

Bookworm: I totally get why you're scared, but you need to calm down.

Bookworm: The fact is we're already up to our necks in this Hinata business. We're not prepared for this.

OneTrueEgg: AND WE MAY NEVER BE PREPARED!

OneTrueEgg: The Phantom Knight and whoever the hell he's working with aren't just gonna sit around and wait until we take care of our personal matters!

OneTrueEgg: We have enemies that we don't know a damn thing about out there somewhere planning their next move, and none of us know what it is, but IT'S COMING!

OneTrueEgg: It's coming one way or another.

OneTrueEgg: Whether we're ready...

OneTrueEgg: Or not...

Pian0Fr3ak: Makoto.

Pian0Fr3ak: I don't think I've ever seen you this scared before.

Pian0Fr3ak: Are you alright?

OneTrueEgg: No.

OneTrueEgg: No, Kaede, I'm very much NOT alright.

OneTrueEgg: I know I'm overreacting, but...I just don't like the thought that there's a threat happening in the background that I'm powerless to stop.

OneTrueEgg: Now I think I have a clue in on that threat, and I'm not even sure if it's legit or not.

OneTrueEgg: I might be tugging on the wrong cape, and if I am, that means Mitarai gets in trouble for a crime he didn't commit while the real enemy gets off scot-free.

OneTrueEgg: And my conscience can't handle that.

Shoot2Thrill: Oh Makoto...

Shoot2Thrill: Don't forget that the rest of us are here for you. Even if we haven't been thinking about it, or met this Phantom Knight guy ourselves, it's not like we've completely forgotten about it.

Shoot2Thrill: So long as we stick together as a team, it doesn't matter what the bad guys are plotting or when it arrives. We'll handle it.

OneTrueEgg: Even so.

Shoot2Thrill: We.

Shoot2Thrill: Will.

Shoot2Thrill: HANDLE.

Shoot2Thrill: It!

Bookworm: Komaru's right.

Bookworm: We're in this together.

Bookworm: If you want to investigate Mitarai, we'll have your back.

Sweetchi: I concur.

Kyoko: So do I.

Shoot2Thrill: Let's hatch a plan!

Pian0Freak: YEAH!

Shoot2Thrill: What do we do!?

Bookworm: Never mind, we're doomed.

Sweetchi: Stop it! Don't toy with his emotions like that!

OneTrueEgg: No it's alright Shuichi.

OneTrueEgg: I know you guys have my back on this, and I couldn't be more grateful.

Kyoko: Makoto and I will try and subtly probe him for information while we have him available.

Kyoko: In the case that we don't find anything, just keep a close eye on him if you happen to see him in school.

Kyoko: Komaru notwithstanding, obviously.

Shoot2Thrill: Yep, bystander again.

Shoot2Thrill: Sorry guys.

Pian0Fr3ak: Alright.

Pian0Fr3ak: Just keep in touch if you end up finding anything.

Pian0Fr3ak: And don't worry. If Makoto is wrong about this, that'd be the best possible outcome.

----------------------------------------------

Makoto felt himself clutch his phone tightly as the conversation ended, eternally grateful that he had these friends by his side.

"Feel better?" Monomi asked, looking up at him from his lap.

Both she and Kyoko provided a much-needed presence to get his nerves to subside. Whatever kind of challenge Mitarai's presence brought, he was now confident that, as a team, they could deal with it.

Still though, as much as he believed that, what happened next was...unexpected to say the least.

The three of them jumped as there was a sudden pounding on Kyoko's dorm room door, and both she and Makoto quickly lurched to their feet. Makoto picked up Monomi and Kyoko hustled to the door.

To their surprise, Ryota Mitarai himself was standing in the doorway, looking very flustered and worried.

"Mitarai-san? Wh-What's the matter?"

"Y-Your classmate, Yamada-san!" he flustered, "help me get him to the nurse's office! I just found him passed out on the floor!"

Despair Syndrome 01 - Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc

"What!? Y-Yamada-kun!?" Makoto exclaimed, "Hold on! I'll help!"

"What happened?" Kyoko asked, hurrying down the hallway with the two boys towards Hifumi Yamada's room.

Sure enough, once they burst through his door, they found him lying down on his back, passed out.

"I can take a few guesses," Ryota explained, "he doesn't appear to be in critical condition, but this isn't good. My classmate Tsumiki-san should be able to help him!"

"I'll try seeing if Kimura-senpai can check on him too!" Makoto exclaimed, making use of his Phantom Thief training and helping Mitarai to lift Hifumi. Despite his large size, Hifumi wasn't that ridiculously heavy, and with all three of them working on it, they were safely able to carry him out of the room.

Ultimate School Sentimentalist - Danganronpa 3: The End of Hope's Peak Academy

"Mitarai-san," Kiyotaka Ishimaru bowed "I cannot thank you enough for this service of yours."

"No, Ishimaru-san, you don't need to thank me," Ryota assured him, "I couldn't just easily walk by and let him be. It was just coincidence that his door was open a crack and I saw him lying on the floor."

Taka had come along to aid them in escorting Hifumi to the nurses' office. Halfway through their trip, Hifumi had regained consciousness, and he'd been able to stand up again with some support. Now the fanfic creator was sitting down on one of the hospital beds in the nurses' office, with Kyoko, Makoto, Monomi, Ryota, and Taka all waiting with him.

Soon enough, a girl with long, choppy, dark plum purple hair that was cut unevenly burst into the room, sobbing uncontrollably and stumbling all over.

"U-Um! Th-Th-Thank you v-very much! I-I'm so sorry I kept you w-waiting!" Mikan Tsumiki trembled, somehow getting her foot caught on nothing as she scurried over to them, "Sh-Should I take off my clothes for being l-late!?"

"No! No...There's no need for that..." Ryota exclaimed, less in an alarming way and more in familiar disappointment, like he'd heard this ridiculous line from her many times before, "We've talked about this Tsumiki-san; that shouldn't be your go-to offer every time you want to make up for something."

"I-I'm sorry..." Mikan whimpered.

"Enough of that," he shook his head, "can you take a look at him?"

"Sorry! I brought some medicines that might stabilize his condition!" Seiko Kimura suddenly arrived, holding a small suitcase, "what seems to be the problem?"

"Y-Yamada-kun, wh-what happened? You look so p-pale!" Mikan squeaked. Hifumi clutched his head and sighed.

"I'm not sick or anything," he assured them, "It's just crunch time and I've been pulling all-nighters..."

"Focused on your next big project, huh?" Kyoko asked.

"Let me guess," Ryota suddenly rolled his eyes, "you've only had snacks and soda to eat for some time?"

"What!?" Taka exclaimed.

"Someone of your size is able to eat a magnificent amount, that much I'm sure of, but such a diet will be the end of you," the animator looked at the otaku, a look in his eyes that was in stark contrast to the shy boy that had introduced himself earlier in the dorm room, "if this is truly an important battle, there are meals far better suited for it."

"Mitarai-kun is right," Seiko told him, "Even if you think you're fine, your immune system and organs may be weakening. It may affect the quality of your sleep and how your brain functions."

"Even so... I've gotta meet my deadline!" Hifumi purported, "There's no way I could miss my release date!"

"Oh Yamada-kun..." Makoto sighed, "Sometimes I find it admirable how much you care about your otaku culture."

"Was...Was that praise, or a diss?" Hifumi frowned, confused, "Ugh...it doesn't matter! There's no way I'd be in a slump...Guh...there's no way..."

"Yamada!"

Ryota stepped forward and suddenly grasped Hifumi by his shoulders, not violently, mind you, but assertively and strictly.

"I know I have no right to say this, but as your upperclassman and fellow anime fan, if you continue on like this, I will have to stop you," he snapped, "If you collapse from overworking yourself, then it will all be for naught. First, get yourself back in good health...For your readers' sake, as well as your own."

"B-But I..." Hifumi stammered, but he was cut off yet again.

"Your brain requires adequate nutrition and sleep to function properly. And to create quality fanfic comics, you must undoubtedly have a sharp mind, right?" Ryota queried.

Hifumi kept trying to formulate a response, but all that came out of his mouth were some weird grunts. In the end, he just gave up.

"It's no use. My head's empty... I can't even think of a good protest..." he groaned, "You win. I'll go to sleep on time tonight and I'll eat a proper meal in the dining hall."

"Please try and make a habit of it," Ryota smiled, "well then. Tsumiki-san? Kimura-san? We'll leave him to you."

"Thank you very much for bringing this to our attention, Mitarai-kun," Seiko smiled, "we'll have him back on his feet in no time."

After the spectacle he'd just witnessed, Makoto honestly felt very...impressed.

It was evident that Mitarai's strictness was not intended to intimidate Hifumi, but rather to motivate him to take better care of himself, even though it may have come across as a bit severe at times. Despite his own doubts about the boy, Makoto couldn't help but admire him.

On the one hand, the Phantom Knight had shown the same kind of strictness and assertiveness in his twisted desire to "help" Chiaki, but on the other...his had been far more desperate. Mitarai here had chosen to be calm, yet assertive, but in no way forceful.

But what mattered was that he had genuinely done a good thing for Makoto's classmate, regardless of motive. And Makoto had to accept and honor that. So while he and his classmates left Hifumi in the nurses' room to be taken care of by Mikan and Seiko, he tapped Ryota on the shoulder.

Beautiful Afternoon - Danganronpa 3: The End of Hope's Peak Academy

"Hey...Mitarai-kun..." he said, "thanks a lot for this."

"Oh...y-you don't need to thank me," he tugged his sleeve, "it was pure luck that I came across him. I glanced through the crack in his door to see his body on the floor. I couldn't very well just leave him there."

"Paha! What's this now!" Taka boomed, "Why are you becoming so shy again all of a sudden!?"

"M-My apologies," Ryota stammered, "I tend to get pretty worked up when people don't take things seriously, especially when it comes to their own health and safety."

"Yeah, no kidding," Makoto nodded, "that was one hell of a lecture you gave him. It's almost like you were a nurse or doctor yourself."

"Well, I do put great value in healthy eating and taking care of yourself," Ryota explained, "you won't believe it looking at me, but my athletics score is in the top 5 of my class."

"Really!?" Makoto eyed him up and down. This certainly was quite unbelievable given Mitarai's gut, though he would not have said this out loud.

"Well, I say that, but to be more accurate, I'm really teetering on number 5," he chuckled in embarrassment, "it's hard to stand out in the PE department with Nidai-kun, Owari-san and Pekoyama-san in my class. Mioda-san also has more energy than a golden retriever."

"You gave pretty sound advice, I will admit," Kyoko smiled, "really, you're an ideal upperclassman."

"Oh, please, no. I swear, it's nothing to be proud of," Ryota assured them, "I've had Tsumiki-san help one of our friends who was in a similar situation as your classmate. It's really no trouble at all."

"I guess there are a lot of people out there who force themselves..." Makoto considered, "Do all artists have that kind of problem?"

"Based on personal experience, I'd say so. Unfortunate as it is," Ryota sighed, "People like Yamada-kun and I who work in those taxing industries are under a great deal of pressure because the demanding nature of creating intricate works frequently results in tight deadlines and long working hours. This may lead to burnout and detrimental effects on one's physical and mental well-being."

"I see...I never really thought about it that way," Makoto considered.

"Me neither. I'll be absolutely certain to keep that in mind for the future though! If there's any way our public morals committee can relieve your stress, we will try!" Taka boomed. Ryota laughed.

"That makes me happy to hear," he nodded, "though I didn't know you were so interested in the folly of your fellow man, Naegi-kun?"

"The folly...huh?" Makoto frowned, "well...yeah, I do care about the people around me. Even if I can never hope to understand the workings of everyone's minds, I just want people to do what they love and have fun. I get that that's a pretty simple way of thinking about things, but it's what I firmly believe."

"Is that a fact?" Mitarai raised his eyebrows, pleased, "Well, maybe I can stand to learn a thing or two from you then. This kind of meeting can't have been just a mere coincidence?"

"What is it then? Fate?" the Lucky Student scoffed. Ryota scoffed as well.

"Who knows?" he giggled, "but regardless, maybe we should talk about this again later? Assuming you don't mind that is."

"No, I...I don't..." Makoto tried to hide the uncertainty in his voice, "I feel like I could learn a lot from listening to you."

"Then I hope I continue to enlighten you," Mitarai nodded, reaching out a hand, "that is to say...I'll do my best."

Makoto nodded back and shook Ryota's hand. But then, to his surprise, he heard the echoing of a familiar voice in his head that he hadn't heard for what felt like a while now.

He had established a new link...!

I am thou...Thou art I...Thy hast acquired a new vow.

It shall become the wings of rebellion that breaketh thy chains of captivity.

With the birth of the Apostle Persona, I have obtained the winds of blessing that shall lead to freedom and new power...

The fact that the fates had drawn a string between the Phantom Thief and this young man only convinced Makoto further that he had a bigger part to play in the story that was his life.

Makoto was still plagued by the suspicion that there was more to Ryota Mitarai's story than he was letting on. Still, he couldn't help but be drawn to his friendly smile and easygoing manner.

If he really was the Phantom Knight, then he had done a spectacular job hiding the fact, but by this point, it seemed just as likely that he WASN'T the mysterious vigilante and he was barking up the wrong tree. But even now, as Makoto's thoughts deepened, so did his uncertainty about the Ultimate Animator's true identity.

But he realized in the end that establishing a bond with this boy could not only potentially aid him in the long run, but also allow him to keep tabs on him in case his suspicions turned out to be well founded.

"By the way," he swiftly decided to change the subject, "did you end up asking Fujisaki-san about Nanami-senpai?"

"Oh, yes, I did," Ryota affirmed, "turns out she popped in and ended up leaving campus to go home again. I wasn't able to catch her in time, but from the way Fujisaki-san explained it to me, she seemed to be fine."

"So you really were just worried about her?" Kyoko asked.

"We all are," Ryota told her, "Nanami-senpai was...out of sorts...on the final day of the term. So we were planning on inviting her to come and play games with us in the classroom. Hence why I was tracking her down, but I guess I missed her...Oh well, another day maybe."

"Playing games? In the classroom!?" Taka exclaimed, "Like...board games!?"

"Well, any sort of game really. Video games included," Ryota explained, "I understand how that may sound as someone who likes to uphold school rules, but we have Ms Yukizome's permission to stage the get-togethers. She even joins in sometimes."

"Hm...Well, if Ms Yukizome approves, then I don't have anything to say," Taka relaxed, "I may not understand video games, but so long as they're not distracting you from your studies, I have no reason to intervene."

"It's bold that you would even consider intervening in your seniors' matters," Kyoko stated.

"So you guys really get together and play video games together as a class?" Makoto asked, "We've never done anything like that."

"It was Nanami-san's idea originally," Ryota explained, "this is something that's sort of common knowledge amongst the Main Course, but during our first year, she brought games that she suggested we play as a group in the classroom. Soda-san built a high-definition monitor, and after that, we kind of made a regular thing of it. You could say that the first time was when we really all became more than just classmates."

"You truly cherish her, don't you?" Kyoko asked.

"That we do. If anything happened to her, I'm not sure what would happen to the rest of us. We'd likely all fall into despair..." Ryota sighed, "Even now, I'm very concerned at what Fujisaki-san told me, even though I have no reason to be."

"Wait, what? What do you mean?" Makoto frowned, "did something happen?"

"No, like I said, she's just gone home...But what she described to me made me...curious, if nothing else," Ryota told him, "it turns out that Nanami-san sought Fujisaki-san out because she wanted to ask her for information on the Phantom Thieves."

Makoto felt his chest seize up, and he shot Monomi a glance, who looked back at him, equally as anxious. Kyoko also seemed very concerned about this.

"The Phantom Thieves! Doh! Don't tell me Nanami-senpai has fallen for that fad as well!" Taka snapped, "Those vigilante's may be taking down criminals, but they're a bad influence!"

"Hence my concern," Ryota affirmed, "Nanami-san has never once in her life ever cared about rumors or the passing words of society around her. She never follows fads or trends like most people, and rarely ever shows any sign of acknowledgment to them. She just likes what she likes and sticks with them. But apparently, she discovered that Fujisaki-san was the moderator for the Phantom Thieves' official fan site, and went to ask her some questions; which is very much unlike her. I'm rather worried, even though I'm sure it's nothing serious."

Makoto gulped. While fishing for answers to one mystery, he'd accidentally opened up a can of worms into another.

*Nanami-senpai...* he thought secretly, *what are you doing?*

[EARLIER THAT DAY...]

"Nanami-senpai, I understand what it is you're asking me, but you don't seem to get what I'm saying," Chihiro enthused, "all I did was create a website where the Phantom Thieves' fans could mingle and discuss topics related to them. I'm not their Oracle or their guy in the chair. I don't even know their true identities."

"I know. That's not what I'm asking, promise," Chiaki assured her, "I just need you to check if there are any hits on the site for a certain case. You're 100% certain that you've never seen the name "Hajime Hinata" anywhere?"

"No, I haven't," Chihiro repeated, "I don't even know who it is you're referring to."

"He's a boy who is...WAS...in the Reserve Course, he's one of my best friends," Chiaki explained, "and he's been missing for years and I need to know if the Phantom Thieves can find him. I'm worried he might be in danger."

"Nanami-senpai. The Phantom Thieves don't do missing-person cases. Even then, the most I can do is post forums online about him that might get their attention, or get other people searching," Chihiro explained, "but if he disappeared years ago, then it's pretty much a cold case now. You'd be better off going to the police with any information you-"

"But I DON'T HAVE information!" Chiaki interrupted, getting unnaturally frustrated, for her quiet disposition, which scared Chihiro a little, "If I had information into where he might have gone or what's happened to him, don't you think I would have gone to the police sooner!?"

"Senpai, please...!" Chihiro begged her to calm down, "Listen...I'll put out a post to see if I can get people on the trend, but I make no promises. I want to help you, really, I do, but..."

Chihiro's face curled into a determined frown.

"The Phantom Thieves' mission is to protect society at large from wicked adults who abuse their power to hurt people," she said, "but I'm sorry, at the risk of sounding cruel, that society doesn't revolve around you. I'm sure they'd be willing to help, but I can't make any promises on their behalf."

"You're...right...I'm sorry..." Chiaki drew her hood over her head, "Thank you Chihiro-chan. You're always so reliable, so I just put too many expectations on you..."

"I understand how it feels to lose friends," Chihiro assured her, "if your friend really is still out there somewhere...I hope you can find him..."

Chiaki clutched her head as she left Class 78-A's dorm rooms. She cursed herself for thinking so damn hard about this.

By this point in time, she was certain that Makoto and the Phantom Thieves were doing something involving her best friend's disappearance all those years ago, and even though she knew exactly the reason why, the fact that she was being so strongly kept out of the loop INFURIATED her.

It wasn't that she didn't trust Makoto. She had full confidence that he had the power to save her friend and bring him home. But what bothered her was that she didn't know for certain if that was what he was doing. Monomi had explained the Metaverse to her but notably hadn't gone into complete detail about how it functioned.

So how could she be certain that it was as cut and dry as she had portrayed it?

She had been plagued for days on end by this. The Reserve Course boy she had grown so familiar with disappearing all those years ago had now emerged as a full-fledged missing person case. She couldn't get rid of the sensation that Hajime Hinata's disappearance involved more than just what was initially apparent.

Chiaki Nanami's heart was large and full of rich feelings hidden inside of it. She held more determination within her than anyone could expect, and if there was something worth chasing, she wouldn't stop until it was within reach.

So even though she knew it was stupid, she stepped out of the dorm building and then ducked away into a private corner, pulling out her phone. She swiped the screen until she found the Metaverse Navigator and opened it up. Her last search was still open on the screen.

She raised her head, looked around, then held her breath...

*Please don't put me underwater again, please don't put me underwater again, please don't put me underwater again...!* she begged. With her breath held and her eyes tightly shut, she prodded the button.

[BEGINNING NAVIGATION...]

The world around the Ultimate Gamer began to shift, and to her relief, she didn't feel the dreadful sensation of cold water washing over her this time. She slowly opened one of her eyes to find herself standing in the middle of a quiet, open park.

Her skin was caressed by a warm, tropical breeze that smelled of saltwater and exotic flowers. It felt pleasant, but it didn't take away from the reality that this was unfamiliar territory, and she was putting herself at risk simply by being here.

Regardless, that wasn't about to stop her from taking in the sights. And hey, if she ran into any trouble, she could just dip out again.

Unlike the last time she had entered this mysterious world in that other Palace where she'd almost been kidnapped, this was far more quiet and calm. She knew she had been transported to another world because she could hear the sound of the ocean, (the same ocean, she presumed, that she had almost drowned in a few days ago) and she knew for a fact that she had been nowhere near an ocean when she was at school a few seconds ago.

Something about the air of this place also felt familiar. Though it wasn't as stagnant as the building she had warped to before, it felt similarly...distorted.

But as she pondered on it, she realized there was more to this sense of déjà vu than just that. Chiaki felt an odd feeling of familiarity in the stillness of the park. Even though it was her first visit, she couldn't get rid of the feeling that she had been here before. There was something uncanny about the arrangement of everything where she was. Recollections filled her mind as she strolled through the trees on the path. Recollections she was aware were unattainable. But how could she recall these details if she had never visited this location?

Turns out she didn't have to wait long to find out. She suddenly noticed the sign nearby that read "Jabberwock Park."

"Jabberwock" was an immediate giveaway, and she didn't even need a second to recognize the name. It was the central island location in the game Ultimate Summer Camp. She remembered having played the co-op version of that game with Hajime before he had vanished. But if Jabberwock Park was here, then that had to mean that she must be in the game's backdrop itself, Jabberwock Island.

She remembered what Makoto and Monomi had told her about how Palace took the form of its ruler's desires. Since Hajime was notably fond of this game, the pieces were starting to fall into place for the Ultimate Gamer.

Chiaki was initially shocked and was now beginning to wonder if this was real. An influx of excitement shot through her veins as she realized she was actually in the setting of one of her favorite video games.

This would normally be a dream come true! An opportunity to realize her greatest dreams of winning the island challenge, traveling the entire length of the board, and reaching the treasure at the finish! However, she quickly remembered that this wasn't actually the game. This was another world based on it, which meant the monsters were very real and very dangerous, and she had no way of actually taking them on, at least not by herself.

That was fine. That wasn't why she came here after all. All she wanted to do was investigate the place and see if there were any clues to her best friend's whereabouts.

"Strange though..." Chiaki pondered aloud, "If this really is Ultimate Summer Camp, then the game usually starts me off on the first island. How come I'm already at the central one?"

"Because the first 4 islands have already been cleared," came a sudden voice, "as of your arrival, you've skipped multiple steps."

Chiaki had been completely unaware of any other presence around her, and quickly spun around, eyes wide, as the voice reached her ears. She looked around frantically, and initially, did not see anybody.

She recognized the voice though. It was undoubtedly the same voice, even though it was a little quieter and deeper than she had remembered. But then she saw something start to take shape at her feet, and to her amazement, a fully formed figure emerged from the shadow cast by her own body.

The first thing she noticed was the piercing gold that seemed to pierce straight through her. The strange, alluring figure stared into her from behind a face half-hidden by thick dark hair that hung over its shoulders. But even through the curtain of hair, she recognized that face; she'd been waiting months to see it again.

"Hinata-kun-!"

However, no sooner did her heart skip a beat, it settled again, and she regained her composure. She'd fallen for this trap before. She'd seen this figure before in the other Palace she was in. This boy was no doubt Hinata-kun...But at the same time...

"No..." she sulked, "you're...you're not him...are you?"

"No." It replied bluntly.

"I see..." she nodded, sadly accepting the facts as they were, "still...you look exactly like him...And this is supposed to be the world inside his head so...the fact that you're here, it can't be a coincidence."

"...Strange..." he said in a monotonous voice that wasn't exactly kind or welcoming, but equally not as hostile or dangerous, "...I imagined that you would become afraid or confused upon seeing me..."

"Oh, I'm definitely confused," Chiaki couldn't help but chuckle, "but no, I'm not afraid. Why? Should I be?"

"I bring you no harm," Izuru replied, blunt as he had been up until now.

"Yeah, I didn't think so," Chiaki nodded, smiling, "but then...Hinata-kun. Is he...you know?"

"Here?"

"Yes. Is he here? Can I see him?"

"Yes, he is here," Izuru affirmed, "however...I don't think he wishes to see you right now. I think it would be best if you didn't."

Chiaki felt pain in her heart with the man's words. Up until now, she had surmised that Hinata-kun could have been avoiding her these past three years. Even if he had been caught up in something dangerous...No, ESPECIALLY if he had...it made sense that he might not want her getting involved in anything.

But she was a stubborn girl and wasn't leaving until she got at least a crumb of an answer about what was going on.

"Alright, well...If you're not Hinata-kun, who are you? And what should I call you?" Chiaki asked, "Give me a face to a name."

"I was given the name Izuru Kamukura," Izuru replied, "but I'm not the real Izuru Kamukura; I'm just his Shadow."

"And presumably Hinata-kun has one of these Shadow counterparts dwelling in this world as well?" Chiaki inquired.

Izuru didn't even respond with words this time. He just nodded.

Anyone who had witnessed this situation would certainly think that despite the rather random and unknown situation, Chiaki sure was taking it all in stride. However, in her mind, once you've seen it once, your expectations are set. So even though she was in another world, on an island, talking to the Shadow version of...WHATEVER Kamukura was, be he Hinata's clone, or his amnesiac shell, or something or someone else entirely...it strangely wasn't that weird to her.

Honestly, she was just happy to see a familiar face, even if it wasn't the one she was looking for.

"Right...So...Kamukura-kun," Chiaki held the straps of her backpack as she tapped her foot on the ground, "what do you do here."

"I'm the game master," Kamukura responded robotically, "when people attempt the island challenge to defeat the monsters guarding the bridges, I'm the one who lays out the pieces to-"

"Uh, no, that's...sorry, let me rephrase that," Chiaki cut him off, "what I meant to say is...WHY are you here?"

"I don't follow..." Izuru's face remained completely blank, but Chiaki could swear that his eyebrow slightly twitched in the direction of a frown.

"This is supposed to be the world inside Hajime Hinata's mind, right?" Chiaki checked, "So how come you're here? What are you supposed to represent?"

"I'm the Palace Ruler," Izuru clarified, "I'm in charge of everything here, including the Mechabeasts and the Shadows."

"Mechabeasts...? No, wait...But isn't this Hinata-kun's Palace? Why wouldn't he be in charge of his own Palace?" Chiaki frowned. Izuru simply shook his head.

"It's just how things are here," he replied nonchalantly.

"Hmmm..." Chiaki puffed out her cheeks as she pouted, "Does it have something to do with the fact that Hinata-kun doesn't want me to see him? If I can't find him here, do you know where he is in the real world? I know this might not make much sense, but I REALLY need to talk to him!"

Izuru fell silent. Like he wasn't sure what to say.

"Please Kamukura-kun," Chiaki put her hands together, "if Hinata-kun really doesn't want to see me, that's ok. All I need to know is why he left in the first place, and if he wants, I won't bother him again. Just please, tell me how I can speak to him."

"You're free to try..." Izuru stated, but then cryptically added, "But I'm afraid all you will find is me."

"What? Wh-What do you mean?" Chiaki asked.

"Put simply, the form that you are baring witness to now is the same form that I...that WE...take in reality," Izuru explained, "This body is still there in the real world, but Hajime Hinata's personality and mind have long since passed away."

Chiaki's body, heart, and mind all froze for a second.

His personality and mind had...passed away? How? What did that mean? Her heart prickled. Did that imply Hinata-kun was dead?

That couldn't be true. However, in some weird way, it didn't sound fake either.

Though Chiaki was scared, she quickly surmised that Hinata-kun couldn't have been dead. How come this Palace survived if his personality and mind were dead? Even if it WAS possible, the Phantom Thieves surely wouldn't be going into a dead man's head with the intention of trying to save him. It would already be way too late for that!

She had to reflect on this info. She could tell this strange man was not Hinata-kun just by the way he spoke, but he had already basically confirmed that Hinata-kun himself had a Shadow form as well somewhere in the Palace, even if he was hiding. Surely, that implied Hinata-kun still had to be around in the real world.

Chiaki puffed her cheeks out again. She'd always enjoyed it when RPG's and adventure games had mystery elements to them, like there was a hidden backstory to an important character, and she enjoyed trying to put the pieces together to figure out the full tale. This wasn't nearly as fun.

Chiaki turned her attention away from Izuru and turned it towards the large bridge that was nearby. She remembered that you had to travel over the bridges to go to the different islands, but she also remembered the animal boss fights guarding each bridge.

"If I were to look around the other islands," she asked on the sly, "would the monsters that are supposed to be here come out and stop me?"

"Ordinarily, yes," Izuru replied, "but the current players have already defeated four of them. Also, they've defeated three of the guardian robots that protect the bridges to each of the islands."

"Which should mean all the islands are available except the last one, right?" Chiaki asked, "Mind giving me the grand tour?"

"If you're familiar with the island customs, then you're equally as familiar with the island itself," Kamukura told her, "such a thing would be meaningless."

"Fine," she sighed, "just figured it'd be nice to have company."

"That is also meaningless," Izuru shook his head, "regardless, welcome to the island. The Mechabeasts shouldn't attack you since you're not relegated as a player, but be on your guard around the Shadows."

"Didn't you say you were in charge of this place?" Chiaki asked, "Can't you just call all the Shadows off me?"

"That's not how it works," Izuru replied bluntly.

"Of course it's not..." Chiaki rolled her eyes, "Well, nice meeting you Kamukura-kun."

Izuru didn't even give her a wave goodbye before he disappeared into the shadow of the trees. Chiaki surmised that he had noticed her presence in the Metaverse and had simply come to scope her out.

If this were an RPG, he would be the distant, enigmatic, all-knowing character that your party kept running into but wasn't sure which side they were on. Like Victor Valentino from Fun 'n Fantasy VII or Virgo from Cheval Neigh Cry.

But what was he REALLY? Chiaki's initial thought was that remembering the Metaverse was a world inside a person's head, that he was a subject of Hinata-kun's psyche. Something of a separate personality he'd created inside his head.

Maybe he was a figment of what Hinata-kun aspired to be like. If that was the case, then he DEFINITELY needed a good talking to.

Still, Kamukura had outright stated that though Hinata-kun was somewhere around, he probably didn't want to see her right now. Though something in the way he'd phrased it made Chiaki think that it wasn't a case of seeing her in a bad light, or that he didn't like her anymore. In fact, she began to suspect that he was...ashamed...

She understood this. Had their roles been reversed, and had she vanished for years without much explanation, then chances are she would be pretty ashamed and embarrassed to just randomly show up again. At the same time, she knew it wasn't as simple as that. Kamukura might not have given her any direct answers, but there was more to this than just that. Especially with the specific word choice of Hajime being "dead."

He claimed that his body belonged to Hinata-kun. The thought that he was still reachable was comforting. It was worth the entire journey. However, perhaps she was just thinking wishfully. Her first friend...Her BEST friend had been Hinata-kun, and she just refused to accept that he was really dead.

Still, even if he was a little...freaky-looking, and even if he wasn't being especially helpful, if he'd wanted to hurt her, he had several opportunities to do that already. So for now, Chiaki believed he was harmless.

She couldn't say the same thing about the monsters that were inhabiting this island. She'd have to employ all the stealth skills she'd learned from Metal Rear Solid in order to get through her investigation in one piece.

But she was confident in her skills. This was gonna be a piece of cake.

Chapter End Notes

And thus we go back to the standard fair...Sort of.
So the stuff with Mitarai is going to be played a lot with in relation to the Phantom Knight, since I saw a lot of people suspect that he might be the man under the mask. His confidant will mainly involve Makoto spending time with him, learning about the way he sees the world, and judging whether or not he truly is or isn't the masked enemy. For those not aware, the Apostle Arcana represents both fairness and compassion and is the Thoth Tarot Card version of the Hierophant. For those curious, this Arcana was originally Zenkichi's in Persona Strikers.
As for Chiaki, my original plan for this story didn't involve her this intricately. I always intended for her to find out about the Metaverse, but beyond that, I wasn't quite sure what to do with her. Upon seeing reader feedback and comments, I think I have a pretty good idea, and I hope you look forward to it.
Thank you for reading. I love to get feedback from my readers, so feel free to leave a comment, and some kudos if you feel up to it.

Smile at Hope in the Name of Despair

Chapter Summary

Chiaki Nanami enters the Metaverse and explores Hajime Hinata's Palace. Inside, she learns the full truth of what happened to her best friend all those years ago, and when she believes things can't get any worse, they do.

Chapter Notes

See the end of the chapter for notes

Despair Syndrome 02 - Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc

Even without any Phantom Thief skills of her own, navigating the island using her Gamer knowledge alone made the experience pretty handy for Chiaki. Though she lacked any incredible stealth skills that the Phantom Thieves possessed, much less their unique superpowers to fight, it was apparent she didn't need them.

With Makoto's group having cleared the way for her, she found it pretty easy to explore the first island. She even considered stopping by and getting an ice drink at the beach house, before she realized that that would be a waste of time, and she wasn't even sure if it was safe to drink.

Unfortunately, though she looked inside the old building where the first scroll should have been, she found that the chest had already been emptied. She assumed that Naegi-kun and his friends had already been through here and taken it, which was unfortunate. She thought that maybe getting a feel for the game, even if she didn't have the ability to partake in it, would give her some clues.

One thing that WASN'T especially nice was how long it took to actually get to and from the islands, especially without an Usamobile of her own. In the original video game the Palace was based on, the bridges didn't count as spaces, which meant you could cross them in a single turn. But in this world, not only were the bridges huge, but so were the islands. And with the sun beating down on her, this was proving to be an above-and-beyond effort for the introverted Ultimate Gamer.

But it didn't change the fact that this was an important mission for her, so she gritted her teeth and bared it as she finally set foot on the second island, taking a second to catch her breath.

Shortly after her arrival, Chiaki began to explore all the same places that she recognized from the game. The library, the diner, and the beach house.

But that gamer memory definitely did not recognize the large outlier almost dead center in the middle of the island.

"What the heck is this...?" Chiaki whispered under her breath as she approached the tower that loomed over her, casting a heavy shadow down on her, "such a gigantic building...!"

Yet despite its size, its color was faded and it was covered in dirt and moss. It looked like your textbook definition of an ancient ruin.

And yet despite that fact, she most certainly recognized the structure. The ruins bore a striking resemblance to Hope's Peak Academy's Main Building.

I mean, it made sense. This place was supposed to be based on Hope's Peak Academy, and this wasn't the only reference that she had seen while exploring the island. However...all of those previous instances had been some very minor things, like a symbol on a drinks cup that she happened to recognize, or some location names that she had heard before.

But as she looked up at the towering building above her, Chiaki kept thinking about how no matter what, it just didn't belong. She kept thinking about it, and the more she did, something about the structure just felt unnatural.

Comparing it to anything, it was as if a comic book about baseball was adapted into a side-scrolling action game. THAT kind of unnatural.

Feeling weirdly drawn to the ruins, Chiaki approached the out-of-place metal door on the front that she noticed from a distance. It was hard to make out from the rest of the wall with all the dust, but she had a keen pair of eyes.

When she approached, she brushed off some of the dust and cleared away the roots surrounding the door. When she did, the situation became all the more unnatural. The door to the ruin was incredibly hi-tech and didn't feel like it belonged there at all. Like it was a door from a sci-fi movie.

Next to the door was a liquid crystal display, which must have had some relation. In situations like this, it was where you would typically enter the password to get it to open. And it was when she dwelled on this that something clicked.

The memory of the game suddenly came flowing back to Chiaki. In the original game, there had been a secret location on the second island where you could unlock a neat weapon that helped you clear the game a lot easier. Though it hadn't taken a form like this, to unlock it, you had to reach the middle of the second island and input a cheat code into the game's main menu.

So maybe the weapon was inside this building? Maybe opening the door unlocked it?

Chiaki, however, realized that it might not be as simple as that after giving it some thought. A building that looks like an ancient ruined version of her school with a super sci-fi-esc door was far too unnatural. This place had to be important in some way.

Chiaki was about to examine the touch-pad but then hesitated. She figured it was best to check something first.

"Hey! Kamukura-kun!" she turned around and called out, "can you come here!? I need to ask you something!"

Chiaki wasn't certain it merely calling his name was going to work, but thankfully, it did. She felt something move behind her, and when she turned, she saw the long-haired figure from before rise out of the shadows.

"So...can you really move through shadows so easily?" Chiaki asked, "that must be annoying with how much sun there is here."

"Is that really all you summoned me to ask about?" Izuru inquired.

"What? Uh, no!" she exclaimed, "I need to ask. What's the deal with these ruins?"

"This place is supposed to serve as an "Easter Egg" of sorts for the game," Izuru told her, "beyond that, I'm not at liberty to say."

"Of course you're not," Chiaki puffed out her cheeks in a huff, "ok, second question. How do I get inside?"

"You enter the password on the pad," Izuru pointed to the touchpad.

"Right, I guessed as much," Chiaki nodded, "and how do I find out the password?"

"By completing the game," Izuru replied, "defeating the final island guardian will give you access to the final scroll. When you put the final scroll with all the monster scrolls, it spells out the passcode to enter the ancient ruins."

Well, that was no good. Chiaki couldn't fight the monsters on this island, which means she couldn't play the game. There was no way she was going to get the scrolls by herself.

And it wasn't going to bode well to wait for Naegi-kun and his team to get to the end, or else she might miss her chance to find things out for herself. She'd already resolved not to let him know what she was doing so that he didn't try to stop her.

"Is there...any other way you can get these scrolls?" she inquired, not holding her breath on this.

"Once a scroll has been obtained, copies of it can be found at every beach house," Izuru informed, "the scrolls cost in-game currency to buy."

THAT was no good either! The only way to get that sort of currency was by, again, playing the game and fighting the monsters! Even if Chiaki could take the smaller chumps somehow, Naegi-kun hadn't defeated two of the 5 yet, so she could only get half of the scrolls at most! She rolled her eyes.

"Alright, forget it, I'm just gonna guess..." she sighed, but then suddenly hesitated as she reached for the pad, "what happens if I get it wrong?"

"A gun will come out of the wall and try and shoot you," Izuru stated with the most deadpan face imaginable, prompting Chiaki to whip around and stare at him in incredulity. She then looked back at the keypad.

"Alright then!" she pumped her chest with her fist, "let's do this."

"You're still going to do it?" Izuru frowned, "even with the threat of death?"

"I don't really have much of a choice, do I?" Chiaki asked, "If there's no option that doesn't involve the risk of death, then I've gotta pick the one that's least risky."

Chiaki only half believed this. WAS this the least risky? The probability of her being able to take down any of the island bosses by herself without powers was, at best 1%, but the probability of her taking a wild guess and getting it right the first time felt like it was even lower.

"You could just give up?" Kamukura suggested, "You're not cut out for this game. Your talents won't help you here."

"Oh, I wouldn't be so sure..." she shook her head, "it doesn't matter what you say; if this place is important, then one way or another, I'm getting inside."

If this place was locked with a code, then that had to mean there were secrets inside. Secrets that might help her answer the mystery she had been looking into.

But what was she to do? She'd memorized all the cheat codes for Ultimate Summer Camp, but none of them particularly came to mind when she scanned the numbers on the pad. She listed all of them off in her head, and to her credit, remembered them all perfectly. And yet...there were quite a few...and none of them unlocked any in-game bonuses that Hajime would have been associated with.

But then she suddenly remembered it. The key aspect of this strange other world. She was inside Hajime Hinata's mind, and everything around her was a subtle representation of his outlook on reality...At least that's what she thought.

By extension, that would mean the code wouldn't necessarily be a cheat code, but a sequence of numbers associated with Hajime. Plus, she remembered by this point that Hajime didn't actually know any of the cheat codes off by heart, and she'd never told them to him, so the code being one of them didn't make much sense.

Still, it had to be related to the game, and thinking about any other sort of code or sequence of numbers, there was only one thing it could be.

Well, two things, but 50/50 were way better odds than...whatever they were before.

Somehow, confident and mostly unafraid (though she did make an audible gulp as she reached over) Chiaki types a sequence of 5 numbers into the pad...

[1-1-0-3-7]

...and pressed enter.

She braced herself for the bullets...Fortunately, she was only greeted with a mechanical hiss and the clunking of gears and beamed as the large cylinder steel door to the ruins slowly clunked open.

Izuru's expression didn't change, but inside, he was rather shocked. Well, as shocked as he could have possibly been, which wasn't that much to be fair. After running many calculations in his head at once, factoring Chiaki Nanami's connection to Hajime Hinata, exactly how many days they had spent together as friends before his indoctrination into the project, what games were trending at the time, and what they may have played as well as many hypothetical sequences in his head as possible, he calculated that Chiaki's odds of opening the door and not getting riddled with bullets was a measly 7%.

And yet she had done it.

"How did you know the code?" he asked, "surely that wasn't just a complete guess?"

"Easy," Chiaki winked, "I used Jaime's character code."

"Jaime?" Izuru parroted. Chiaki nodded.

"The original Ultimate Summer Camp had a multiplayer mode where you and your friends could navigate the board together as a party of up to four people. You can make over 50 customizable characters in the game. We played it a few times back when we first met. My character was Anna Kaimichi, and Hajime's character he made for the game was called Jaime Haithan" Chiaki explained, "but once you make a character, you can bring their stats and their equipment over if you ever do any more runs of the game. All you have to do is under their character code into the menu."

"So you and Hinata played the game that this world is based upon," Izuru recounted, "and that's how you were able to figure out the code preemptively?"

"Yeah, basically," Chiaki said, "it has been a while since I last picked it up though. And you know...it is strange..."

"What is?" Kamukura inquired.

"I've played a lot of video games, but Ultimate Summer Camp is different," she explained, "because it's one of the few video games that I've sworn off playing."

"You've...sworn off it?" the Ultimate Hope parroted.

"Yeah, and the weirdest thing is...I can't remember why...I've played it several times on different runs, but on the last one, I stopped halfway through," she elaborated.

"Perhaps you encountered an enemy that was too strong?" he suggested, "or perhaps a different game was released afterward and you shifted to it?"

"Hm...I don't think so..." she tried to remember, "You know what? It doesn't matter. I'm clear to go in now, right?"

"Yes. You entered the code, which means you can go in," Izuru affirmed, "but I have to ask. What makes you think this will be worth it in the end?"

"I'm sorry?" Chiaki tilted her head.

"If you go in there, you may find whatever it is you're looking for," he told her, "but what if it's something you don't like? Are you capable of stomaching the truth?"

"We'll know soon enough. But if the fact that I just risked getting shot to heck and back wasn't enough to convince you how serious I was about this..." Chiaki turned and shuffled through the door, "then I don't know what to tell you."

Izuru silently watched as Chiaki disappeared behind the door into the ancient ruins, and with some food for thought for once in his short life, he slowly sunk into the shadows and vanished.

But unbeknownst to either of them, something on the central island stirred.

It sensed that someone had opened the door to the ancient ruins. And more importantly, it knew who that someone was...

And it knew...it had to stop them.

Chiaki was silent as she explored the halls of the ancient ruins. They were familiar, but eerily so.

The hallways of the ancient ruins looked just as much like Hope's Peak Academy as the building did on the outside, but beyond being just a bit worn down. There was physical static electricity in the air, like she was in some kind of bugged video game, not to mention glowing black and red ooze like the kinds that the Shadows were made of leaking from the corners.

Best stay away from that where possible.

She poked her head into a few rooms that looked like classrooms as she explored, but the place was so remarkably different that it didn't feel like a school at all anymore. It was such a creepy place, and the fact that this was what it looked like inside Hinata-kun's mind didn't sit right with Chiaki.

Especially considering how much he had looked up to the school and how much he had wanted to be a part of it. He'd idolized the academy, so why did it look so...distorted?

For that matter, why was this building even here? Hinata's whole Palace was supposed to be Hope's Peak Academy, so why did a perfect replication of the building exist within it, and why such a startling one?

Chiaki couldn't quite put her finger on it, but the only way she could describe this building was that it felt extraordinarily out of place compared to the rest of the realm.

The higher Chiaki climbed, walking past the hallways and the classrooms, the more distorted and weird it got, but then, as she pondered on it all, Chiaki spotted something out of the corner of her eye. One doorway, in particular, looked different than the rest of them like something was leaking out of it.

And what was more surprising was the doorway was the one that, ordinarily, was her classroom.

Despite the sense of foreboding emanating from her once classroom, Chiaki felt drawn towards the door, like the secrets she was looking for were behind it. With a mesh of nerves and curiosity pulsating through her, she cautiously moved closer.

Her gut instinct turned out to be right as once she opened the door, she didn't open up into a classroom. Instead, a spiral staircase leading upwards was hidden behind the sliding door, its old stone steps covered in what appeared to be black moss. Chiaki paused, her eyes wide with nerves, but ultimately chose to ignore the nagging doubts in the back of her mind. With a beating heart, she climbed the stairs, her every step resonating with a gentle, mellow hum. Fortunately, a soft glow lit the way and a gentle warmth enveloped her as she ascended higher, giving her hope.

By the time she got to the top, Chiaki's feelings were...mixed. And not in the sense that she was disappointed by what she came across.

The sense that she was now filled with equal amounts of eagerness as she was paranoia.

She found herself entering a dome-shaped tower, like the bell tower of a church. Surrounding her were 5 pedestals, and above them, 5 different stained glass windows.

The pedestals were empty, but Chiaki could guess their purpose based on the way they were shaped. They sort of looked like lecterns, and from what she had deduced thus far, she surmised that they were where the scrolls to defeat the monsters were kept when they weren't in use.

But the pedestals weren't what Chiaki was interested in, at least not right now. She instead looked at the stained glass windows, only briefly taking in the shapes that appeared on them. The one that drew her attention the most was the one northwest of where she was standing.

The image of a boy with short, somewhat spiky brown hair and an ahoge, dressed in a black reserve course student uniform similar to what Izuru Kamukura had been wearing, stood at the base of the mural. Reaching out her hand, Chiaki approached it.

"Hinata-kun..." she whispered, quietly reaching over and placing her hand on the figure's chest...

...BIG mistake...!

"He has no talent."

"It's pointless!"

"His parents are stupid too!"

"You can't just PAY your way in!"

"That moron wants to succeed THAT much?"

"Must be nice having some money in your pocket..."

"GAH!?"

A Dead End to the Ocean's Aroma - Danganronpa 2: Goodbye Despair

Chiaki yelped as she jumped away from the window, images and voices suddenly flashing through her mind like the shock from a flashbang!

She rapidly shook her head and stared back at the picture in the glass, now taking in the rest of its contents. Above Hinata's figure was a depiction of silhouetted people all with creepy, red smiles, looking like they were looming down at Hinata-kun himself...

...Taunting him...

It now became clear what Chiaki was looking at. The scrolls and the windows represented Hinata-kun's important memories that led to the creation of this place.

She was both filled with joy that she had finally found what she needed, but also suspense. None of these memories looked especially pretty.

But there was no time to lose, and her excitement made her move quickly. She stepped back and tried to figure out the chronological order of the events, hurrying over to another stained glass window. This one depicted him sitting at a desk with a green-tinted classroom in the background, and several anonymous figures surrounding him. Hoping it would work the same as before, she reached out and touched it.

"...Did you hear? Isn't it amazing? Apparently, he's been accepted into Hope's Peak Academy..."

"But was he THAT exceptional?"

"Huh? You don't know?"

"...Heh? Know what?"

"Apparently you don't have to be exceptional to get into Hope's Peak Academy..."

"But...it's an academy that recruits only exceptional students from around the world, right?"

I want to cover my ears...

I want to run...

To the place, I deserve to be...To a place where I can be more confident...

Not here.

"Wow! I never knew that way was possible! So he's the same too?"

"Obviously. I mean he doesn't have any special talents that Hope's Peak would be interested in..."

"Yeah, he's...just a normal guy who can be found anywhere..."

"Well, admiring the academy is free, but it must be tough for the parents who have to write the check.

"..."

Leave me alone...

I just...

I just want to become someone who's confident in myself...

Chiaki stepped away again and felt her breath get caught in her throat. She heard Hinata-kun's voice mixed in with some of the others in the background.

This must have been where he first started to realize the difference between himself and the Ultimates, and how obsolete he felt next to them. She still thought that was very stupid, but she didn't know what it was like from his perspective.

*More...I need to see more...!* she thought, hurrying over to the next window. She skipped one because she had just seen its contents, and instead approached one that looked like a man and a woman in deep discussion while Hinata-kun rested at their feet again.

"He'll never get anywhere in life as he is."

"That doesn't mean we can just force him to be something he's not!"

"And what is he then? If he's not successful in his life, what is he? He's NOTHING!"

"How can you say that!? He's our son!"

"I'm saying this BECAUSE he's our son! What do you want me to say to him!? That he's worthless!? That his dreams won't amount to anything!? Is that what you'd prefer!?"

"I..."

"It's our fault...We've been too demanding of him. He's like this because we've been too strict with him."

"No, we haven't been strict enough. He's like this because we spoiled him far too much. And now we live in a society that won't accept him...Because if he's not special...he's nothing..."

Chiaki clenched her fist as she stepped away. Dammit! Even his parents had bought into that bullcrap about talent and worth? No wonder Hinata-kun turned out the way he did with all the people like this around him!

Chiaki turned her attention to the fourth window, desperate to see more, and this time was surprised to see two figures in it besides Hinata-kun whom she recognized. One of them was Councilman Kazuo Tengan. The other...was herself.

"..."

"Those kids are as lively as ever. Their teacher certainly fits in well with them."

"Huh? Oh, Tengan-sensei!"

"Apologies for interrupting your people-watching. May I sit here?"

"Of course. I...think I already know what it is you want to talk about."

"Good. That saves me a lot of trouble. The Steering Committee wishes to inform you that the deadline for their request is coming up. Do you know your answer yet?"

"...No...sir...Not yet..."

"I see. Well, as an adviser and councilman of the school, I shouldn't really be saying this, but I'm not particularly in favor of that project."

"Right..."

"Hope comes from people acting like people. If you don't want it, you can decline."

"I know...And I appreciate the advice...But this is something that I've always wanted, and even then, my family doesn't have the money for the school fees. What other options do I have?"

"You could always return to your old high school? From what I hear, you're not especially enjoying your time in the Reserve Department anyway. It would be good to get out of that environment if it makes you uncomfortable."

"That isn't-!"

"Hinata-kun. You don't have to live as a beacon of Hope that people idolize. You can live on as yourself. Do not fear normalcy..."

"..."

"That's all I wished to say. I will excuse myself for now. I ask you to remember what I told you, but the choice is yours regardless..."

"...Thank you sir..."

...I could go back to my old life if I wanted to...

But...now more than ever...I don't want to...

Because...

"Hinata-kun!"

"Huh?"

"Hey! I'm glad you're here! A new fighting game came out. Want to go to the game center together?"

"Huh? I-I'm no good at fighting games though."

"That's fine!"

"Wha-!? H-Hey! Nanami-san, let go of my hand!"

"Listen. When you're with everyone, games are fun! Come on!"

"H-Hey! Seriously! Ok, ok, jeez, I'm coming!"

"Hinata-kun! Look, a new game came out! Let's play it together."

"..."

"Hinata-kun?"

"Mm...Sorry...I have something I need to do today...There's somewhere I need to go."

"Oh...I see..."

"..."

"...Bye then..."

"Y-Yeah..."

"..."

"Hinata-kun!"

"Yeah, what is it?"

"I..."

"Hm?"

"I'm...sorry...It's nothing. I don't know why I..."

"Hehe...It's ok..."

"..."

"Nanami...Tell me. Are you making memories at Hope's Peak?"

"Uh...I think so? Why?"

"I want you to make a bunch of 'em for me. There's way more to you than just the Ultimate Gamer. Your character stats are off the charts."

"Uh...Ehehe..."

"Well...Be seeing you."

"Yeah. I'll see you tomorrow!"

Nanami...

I wanted to be able to say to you, my friend, with pride...

"I have a talent! I can do this incredible thing!"

But in the end...I couldn't...I can't...do anything...

But because of my emptiness, there are things that I can do.

Chiaki clutched her head as she drew away from this notably longer tale, and she felt like something was reaching inside her and squeezing her heart tightly. She felt her eyes start to water.

So that was what he had truly been thinking at that time. He truly believed that he couldn't face her any longer because he never could see himself as her equal. Tengan was right; he could have easily gone back to his ordinary life and gotten away from all of this garbage, but he stayed because he cared too much for her and the time they shared.

She'd gone for three years without seeing him, and the whole time she had known him, she had just let him suffer in silence like this? The pain was almost too much to bear.

But bear it she did, because even with the overwhelming dread and sorrow that started to rest on her, there was something else on her mind, as she slowly turned to the final window...This one contained a rather threatening image.

At the top of the frame were the silhouetted figures of four men in business suits. Underneath them was hard to make out, but it looked like some sort of...testing lab, with signed documents drifting down above it. And underneath all of that, keeping his legs crossed was the figure of Chiaki's new acquaintance; Izuru Kamukura.

"Hinata-kun..." she said under her breath, "what...the heck...did you DO...?"

Chiaki had been wondering what Izuru Kamukura was...and now she was about to find out, as she reached out and touched the glass one last time...

"Good news gentlemen. The subject has decided to participate in the project."

"Oh thank goodness. I was beginning to worry he'd pass on it."

"Does it matter? Had he not accepted, we could just pick somebody else from that talentless rabble."

"I'm only saying it due to a conversation I had earlier with Kizakura and Tengan. They were natering on about how they didn't like the idea of artificial talent or a "symbol of hope." They even got Kirigiri in on it."

"Once Izuru Kamukura has been born and perfected, they won't be needed anymore. Grit your teeth and bare it and we'll do rid of them when the time comes."

"The subject is here and wishes to meet with us. Shall I let him in?"

"Of course, of course. Now watch your words, men. Don't want to deter him after he's come so far."

"...Um...Good day, sir."

"Hope's Peak Academy Reserve Department class 1-C, Hinata, Age 15...That is you, correct?"

"Yes sir."

"Well, it's nice to meet you. My name is Akihiko Ashikawa, head of the Hope's Peak Steering Committee. Nice to meet you young man."

"It's a pleasure, Ashikawa-san."

"Hmhm...At last...You're here because you've finally come to a decision, yes?"

"Yes sir. I will become..."

"...𖤢ꚴ𖤢𖦪ꚲ𖣠ꛘ𖤢'ꕷ ꛅ𖣠ꛤ𖤢..."

Tropical Despair - Danganronpa 2: Goodbye Despair

"BUAAAGGGH!!"

Chiaki shrieked as the vision ended. Right at the end, she was faced with a pair of bright red, flashing eyes, followed by a sequence of absolutely horrific imagery!

Men in white coats with surgical equipment, surrounding a boy with a shaven head, opening up his skull and prodding sharp utensils into his brains! Figures warping as they disappeared from their reality into a world beyond! Test tubes, broken glass, research papers, and at the end of it all...a dark figure with piercing red pupils and long, dark hair, looming over her menacingly.

Chiaki's heart was beating so fast as she collapsed she felt it might beat out of her chest. But once she composed herself enough to look up, she realized that the exact long-haired figure, except with golden eyes, had grabbed her and caught her before she could fall to the ground. Now he was carrying her like a princess, and once he noticed she was calm again, he slowly set her down, supporting her until her legs stopped shaking.

"I warned you..." Kamukura reminded her. Chiaki nodded as if to say "yeah, yeaahh!"

"I...I have no idea...what I just watched..." she grasped her forehead, "but that...that was horrible! It's like something straight out of BioHazard! What WAS that!? That was you, right? Why were you-!? I mean...What ARE you!? WHO are you!? And why are you here? I thought you..."

"I'm not so certain about that latter question honestly. I just felt like keeping an eye on you was necessary. As for your former questions, it's a complex tale," Izuru told her as if she hadn't figured that out already, "but if you're still so certain to learn the truth, even after all of this...Then I suppose I can elaborate on your findings..."

"I thought you said you weren't at liberty to tell me?" Chiaki asked.

"That was before you unlocked the door," Izuru told her, "once you opened it, the situation changed. Like I said before, ordinarily you get the special code after you reach the Treasure in the game that lets you unlock the ruins. But since you happened to guess it, that works as well."

"Oh, goodie," Chiaki raised her eyebrows, saying this with a hint of sarcasm in her voice, "but this place didn't exist in the original game. Where...What...IS this place? And why is it here?"

"There's a rather simple answer to both of those questions," Izuru explained, "these ruins are here for the same reason that I am. In a manner of speaking, we are part of a set."

"And...what reason is there for this "set?"" Chiaki asked.

Despair Syndrome 01 - Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc

"I mean it in terms that both of us were put here," Izuru explained, "by the ringleaders of the project that Hajime Hinata underwent."

"Project? Ringleaders?" Chiaki felt her stomach sink, "who are you...talking about?"

"I refer to the Steering Committee of Hope's Peak Academy," Izuru clarified, "they created me, which led to both myself and this building spawning here."

He strode forward and looked up towards the tapestries.

"The truth is that this building wasn't simply created to house Hajime Hinata's memories," he said, "this place was made to make sure they stayed locked up here for good. So that no one, not even Hinata himself, would ever find them. That is the true secret."

"He was locked away from his own memories? The Steering Committee did this to him!?" Chiaki exclaimed, "What are you-!?"

She stopped. She took a second and forced herself to stay calm and composed. She was starting to suspect the worst, but she had come here to get answers. Now she was getting them. So whatever pain she suffered through next was her own fault.

"Kamukura-kun...Please, tell me what happened. Even though you claim that you aren't Hinata-kun, I'm still not quite sure how..." she asked, gesturing towards him awkwardly, "how YOU happened, or what the Steering Committee have to do with it."

"I can. But are you sure you are ready to hear that truth?" Kamukura asked, "It wouldn't bode well to hear the true extent of the situation. It would only be painful for you."

Though things had been frustratingly nebulous thus far, Chiaki had gradually started to get a better idea of how things were, even without him having to say anything. To be honest, there was no way she would be ready for the truth of whatever happened to her best friend, and the truth of Kamukura-kun's relationship to Hinata-kun. However, she had to ask directly and bite the bullet if she wanted to succeed in this mission.

One way or another, she was going to save Hinata-kun.

"You're right," Chiaki nodded, "but I want to hear it anyway. I NEED to know what happened."

Izuru didn't try to protest and simply granted her wish.

"Normally, admission to the Reserve Course requires payment of an outrageous sum of money. But despite his admission, Hajime Hinata never felt comfortable in the Reserve Course," he began to explain in full detail, "every day he would just mope about how he would never amount to anything and that the students in the building next door had it all together already. Furthermore, Hinata's parents eventually found it difficult to pay for the tuition."

Pausing, Izuru gestured toward the fourth and fifth murals.

"Rather, they were granted a unique scholarship from the Steering Committee and their collaborators themselves. When the board was ready, he would have to comply with a certain, secret project to be allowed to attend."

Chiaki didn't like the direction this was going in already. Video game secret projects, like Project Shadow or the Mewtwo Project, never turned out well. A proverbial hole started to form in her stomach, and she shifted in her place as fear and doubt shot through her. Nevertheless, she forced herself to remain focused.

"What kind of project?" she nodded, letting him know that she was still paying attention.

"The project for which Hope's Peak Academy was first founded. The school's founders had a dream of developing student talent to produce a flawless genius who would be considered humanity's best hope," Izuru explained, "the Academy studied the skills of the Ultimate Students who came to the school for many years. Recently, the project's experimental phase was finally reached by the researchers, and from there, they focused on using the Reserve Course dropouts as lab rats in their scheme to produce test subjects with no talent at all who are artificially required to be tested."

"Artificially tested!? You mean they were GIVEN Ultimate Talents even though they didn't have any before!?" Chiaki gasped, "Is something like that even possible!?"

"Of course it is," Izuru deadpanned, "you're looking at the result."

Chiaki felt her legs start to tremble as everything was made clear.

"Don't tell me..." she said with shaking breath, "H-Hinata-kun...?"

"It eventually became necessary for him to either pay his tuition or withdraw from the Reserve Course completely. And he went with the former, as you may have already surmised," Izuru affirmed, "thus, the Izuru Kamukura Project, also known as the Hope Cultivation Plan, got underway. Using the Metaverse and by changing his cognition, as well as many other experimental processes outside of that, all evidence of Hinata's identity, including his personality, memories, feelings, thoughts, and interests, were methodically removed over the course of the following six months. This was done in order for the scientists to create me by putting all of their talent into his empty vessel, and by allowing my artificially created Shadow to rule this Palace."

Chiaki didn't, or rather COULDN'T speak, so Izuru continued.

"Following my birth...Though I think the term "creation" is more appropriate...I was put to a number of tests to see how good I was. The outcome met their expectations. They had created a brilliant and flawlessly gifted genius. For someone like I, who represents talent itself, the title "Ultimate Hope" and the name of the Academy's founder, Izuru Kamukura, were bestowed upon me."

Izuru relaxed his posture, signaling that he had finished his explanation.

Chiaki, on the other hand, was feeling very ill. It was crystal clear to her what he was talking about. Lobotomy and human experimentation. It resembled something from a horror game, only it wasn't. It was REAL! She was shocked to learn that her school, which was highly regarded by LITERALLY EVERYONE, had participated in such actions!

However, as Izuru had stated, there was tangible evidence standing directly in front of her. She put her hand to her mouth, feeling as though she might throw up in addition to being shocked.

What made everything worse with this explanation was that looking back, SO many things were finally starting to make sense. That day at the fountain; the last time she had ever seen Hinata-kun before he disappeared. Was it possible that he went to the board meeting on that day to begin the project?

How could she not have realized how much of a goddamn death flag his final farewell to her was at the time!? Why hadn't she noticed that he was about to say goodbye and take a stupid and rash action like that!?

Why had he never opened up to her about this...? No...He shouldn't have had to...She should have known, as his best friend.

If she could even call herself that anymore...

"Was that a satisfactory answer to your question?" Izuru asked.

Chiaki cut her melancholy thoughts short for a moment and turned her attention back to what she now recognized as the walking husk of her old friend.

"I just...I...I don't know...what to say..." she admitted, "but...Thank you for telling me all of this. I got what I came here for."

"So you mean to say that you really only came here to look for your friend?" Izuru asked.

"It's been three years," Chiaki asserted, "and not a day goes by where I don't think about him. I've been waiting for him to come back for three years and now...Now I know why he went in the first place...After all this time, I finally have clarity...Even though it's a cold comfort..."

"Why did you bother?" Izuru asked.

Chiaki stopped and lifted her head, her eyebrows furrowing slightly.

Desire for Execution - Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc

"Sorry, did you somehow miss the several parts where I implied that he's my best friend in the whole world?"

"He wasn't especially powerful, intelligent, or wealthy," Izuru stated dismissively, "he was just a regular boy; nothing special. He was far beneath you in the hierarchy of talent, so what made you care about him so much?"

"Oh TO HECK with your STUPID HIERARCHY!" Chiaki spat, her blood starting to boil, "Even though Hinata-kun lacked an Ultimate Talent, that didn't make him less worthy than me! Don't you go implying that to my face!"

"I'm not implying anything. I'm stating the facts as they are," though he retained his stoic and robotic expression, Chiaki's outburst had clearly been unexpected, "Hope's Peak is a reflection of the true state of the world; built on a system where the talentless mass of the Reserve Course exists only to support the elite Main Course. Even the money paid for tuition went toward supporting my birth. What more could the untalented possibly offer, considering that only those gifted achieve and write history? What could Hajime Hinata have ever given you?"

"I'll tell you what he gave me," Chiaki growled, stepping forward and squaring up to Shadow Kamukura, "he gave me the happiest memories of my life! He gave me friendship! He gave me HOPE!"

Chiaki was feeling a tad out of breath but didn't relent. This was the angriest she had ever felt in her whole life. But who could blame her when Shadow Izuru spoke so dismissively and nonchalantly about the human experimentation committed on her best friend—the boy he used to be?

Chiaki forced her shaking hands to stay still, and she took some deep breaths before she continued speaking to him, now in a much calmer manner, yet her anger didn't completely subside.

"Did Hinata-kun have an Ultimate Talent? No. Did he have any specific set of skills? No. Was he worthy of being called an Ultimate? Probably not!" she purported, "But there were still so many good things about him! He worked hard, he was honest, and he was kind. I had never met anyone before who didn't think I was weird for being so into my games. He didn't find me strange like everyone else always has, and even when he lost, he still enjoyed playing with me! It's because he approached me and became my friend that I was even able to bond with my own class! HE'S the reason I became Class 77's rep! He gave me hope that I might not have to live alone in the future!"

She crossed her arms.

"You still think he's useless because he's got no lame title now?"

"Did you tell him that?"

Chiaki's heart stopped with this one sudden question that Izuru tossed at her. Her assertive and powerful disposition crumbled apart INSTANTLY the moment his words entered her ears and into her mind.

If she HAD conveyed this to him, she clearly hadn't done so enough. Would he have followed through with it even if she had just told him how much he meant to her? How truly important he was? Was there anything she could have done to stop this?

The thought alone was sickening. And it filled her with shame and sorrow. But this quickly transitioned back into frustration when Kamukura started talking again.

"Even so, it still doesn't explain your reasoning for coming here," he said, "you haven't seen Hajime Hinata for three years. Why have you remained in this association for so long, especially since you've already made friends with your classmates? Is he still needed in any way?"

"For someone who's supposedly all-powerful and all-knowing, you sure don't know much about how friendship works," Chiaki huffed, "sure, friends come and go, but you don't have to leave old friends behind when you make new ones. You don't just walk out on someone you care about the moment you meet someone "better." Everybody can bring some kind of happiness to your life. No one friend is like another."

Izuru went quiet. But this was a different kind of quiet than what he had fallen into so far. This sort of quiet was almost awkward. Like for the first time ever, the cat had got his tongue.

It became unfortunately clear to Chiaki that he indeed did not understand what she was talking about, and she felt both sad to come to this understanding, and ashamed that she had blown up on him so suddenly while he remained calm. He obviously didn't understand. They jammed all that talent into his head and left no room for anything else; assuming what he said was true.

"Hey...you mentioned that Hinata-kun was somewhere in here, right? The real Hinata-kun? Or at least...his own Shadow? One that isn't you?"

"I doubt he would want to see you," Izuru told her, "a big reason why Hajime Hinata signed up for the project in the first place was because he was ashamed of his lack of talent when standing next to you," Izuru said, and cut her off as she tried to retort, "I understand you never meant this, and I am not trying to imply that you had anything to do with it, but regardless, he let his insecurity get the better of him. His Shadow form is talentless, and given how long it's been since you last saw each other, he's probably ashamed to show his face."

"Well...If that's the case, then I really do need to talk to him, even if it's just his Shadow," Chiaki pleaded, "where can I find him? Please tell me."

However, before Izuru could open his mouth and retort, both the Ultimate Hope and the Ultimate Gamer shuddered as the ground beneath them started to shake. Chiaki's stomach churned even more as the rumbling was quickly followed by a ferocious roar.

She raised her arm to shield her eyes as the wall to the catacombs suddenly came crashing down, and she yelped out as she looked up to see a terrifying sight above her. From the hole in the wall, a ferocious beast stamped into view. It was humanoid and shaped with two giant hits and a single piercing red light as an eye, with a presence and aura befitting its size, its massive form moved, causing earthquakes with every powerful step. At first, Chiaki was immobile as she looked in horror at the creature, its metallic body reflecting the light that descended from above!

Justice for our Prime Suspect! - Danganronpa 2: Goodbye Despair

Had it not been for Kamukura dashing in, picking her up, and carrying her within the space of a literal second, the monster's gigantic fist would have crushed her flat!

Chiaki's mind finally caught up with her body and she shrieked, her fingers digging tightly into Kamukura as she held on for dear life! Once they stepped away, Kamukura set her down on shaking legs.

"Wh-What's going on!?" Chiaki cried, "is that-!?"

"The Gorilla Mechabeast," Izuru affirmed, "one of the guardians of the island."

"The last one you fight in the original game...But what happened to it? Why does it look so mechanical!? And why did you bring it here!?"

"I didn't."

"What?"

"I didn't bring it here. It shouldn't be here," Izuru clarified, and Chiaki was surprised to see a drop of sweat roll down his cheek from where she stood, "and I most certainly didn't command it to attack you-"

"LOOK OUT!"

With Chiaki's shout, Izuru once again scooped Chiaki up and dived out of the way as the Mechabeast tried to hammer them both again. He slid to a halt, this time keeping hold of her.

"This is new..." he stated, remaining as calm as always, but Chiaki could sense the genuine confusion from him.

"Wait, hold on! Don't you command these big monsters!? Are you seriously telling me you've lost control!?" Chiaki exclaimed.

"It's not just you they're trying to hurt. It's attacking me as well," Izuru frowned, "they've never done that before."

"Do you think it's because we unlocked the ancient ruins?" Chiaki asked, "Maybe it's trying to stop us because we saw the truth of what happened. Wait, no, that doesn't make any sense! If the scrolls contained the same info, then-"

"That's possible," Izuru said, which surprised her, "in fact, it's probable. Whatever is going on, something or someone doesn't want you or me seeing this. The Mechabeast must be attacking us because we've seen too much."

Chiaki panicked. This was WAY more than she bargained for! And the worst part is that this time, Naegi-kun and Monomi-sensei weren't here to save her! Fortunately, as Kamukura stepped forward, she felt a slight wave of relief as he placed himself between her and the monster.

"I have no other option," he seemed to tut, "a lot is on the line here, including both our lives. I will have to subdue this monster myself."

"Not that I don't think you can do it, but are you sure? Won't you get in trouble if you try to destroy your own minions?" Chiaki asked, skeptical. Frankly, the uncertainty of the situation was just as terrifying as the monster.

"Would you rather I let it crush you?" Izuru asked. Chiaki pursed her lips.

"Carry on..." she said with an awkward little wave of her hand.

To her surprise, Izuru's mouth curled a millimeter into a scoff as the Gorilla Mechabeast came rampaging towards him. Even if he had smirked slightly, his expression quickly went back to flat and emotionless as the monster fired a burning red laser beam from its singular eye.

Izuru's golden eyes suddenly started to glow red, and strange shapes, like a literal glitch, started to pop up around him. As he effortlessly dodged the laser, he turned back to the beast and pointed at it with two of his fingers, making his hand into the shape of a gun.

Chiaki didn't know whether she should be surprised or not when Izuru cocked his "gun" and it ACTUALLY FIRED! At least she thought it did. He made a motion to shoot, and the "bullet" hit the Mechabeast, knocking it back a little bit, but nothing really came out of his hand.

Izuru continued to fire invisible bullets with his hand at the Mechabeast, which fended it off for a while, but things took yet another turn for the worst shortly after. Once it was pressed up against the wall, its body suddenly started to fade into the background until it disappeared entirely.

"Did it just...cloak itself!?" Chiaki exclaimed, looking around for any sign of the creature.

"Good observation," Izuru nodded as he quickly dashed back, kicking up some dust on the ground until he once again stood next to Chiaki, "be careful. It could be anywhere, and I'm not sure where it might come from."

"Let me guess," Chiaki frowned, "you didn't know it could do that?"

"I estimated that, as the final boss, the Gorilla had many special abilities. This was within my calculations. But before the Phantom Thieves showed up, only Hinata himself and the Steering Committee soldiers had ever played the island game. Neither party was ever able to reach this final fight, meaning I've never once seen the Gorilla at its full power," Izuru elaborated, "it seems cutting edge as well. It's making no noise and leaving no tracks to follow. It's like it vanished into thin air."

"Well if you can't see it, then how am I supposed to!?" Chiaki exclaimed.

Before Izuru had a chance to answer this question, Chiaki yelped the wall above her exploded into rubble, and a rain of debris came falling down on her. Surmising that the Gorilla had punched it, once again, Izuru picked her up like a princess and dashed away, this time heading for the door.

"As much as I appreciate you saving my life, I'm gonna have to ask you to stop carrying me like this!" she flustered as they dropped down the stairs, "it's pretty embarrassing!"

"Carrying you this way is the most simple and effective method. Unless you'd prefer me to drop you?" Izuru asked.

"That's not very funny..." Chiaki pouted, but her sour expression quickly turned into a terrified one, "Kamukura-kun! Watch out!"

Izuru's head snapped around as the hand of the Mechabeast somehow followed him through the hallway, and almost swatted him like a bug.

"Change of plans..." he uttered.

An Unknown Despair - Danganronpa 3: The End of Hope's Peak Academy

"Huh? Wait, where are you GOOOOIIIIIIIINGGG!?" Chiaki hollered as Izuru quickly changed directions while the extended hand of the monster continued to chase him. She wanted to shriek at the top of her lungs, but by this point, her throat was hoarse, so she couldn't let out much of a sound even following what happened next.

Izuru sprinted at a ridiculous speed straight towards the window of the ruined academy building, then dived at it feet-first, kicking it open and soaring through the air like a bird breaking free from its cage! Chiaki clung to his body with every ounce of strength within her but relaxed as she felt them start to drift down far more slowly than she thought he would like something was letting them down gently.

What was he, Mary Poppins? Did that make her his umbrella?

Izuru carefully landed on his feet, but Chiaki was thankful that the adrenaline remained, as almost immediately after, the full mass of the Mechabeast crashed straight through the wall and came falling down upon them again!

This time, however, Izuru didn't dodge the attack. He let down Chiaki and held her in one arm, aiming his finger gun straight upwards and firing. The blast hit the Mechabeast in the stomach, and instead of crashing down on them, it instead collapsed onto the floor.

"Nanami," he said, somewhat sternly, as he let her back down, "you need to go. I don't know what's going on with the Mechabeasts, but it's too dangerous for you to stay here now."

"You're the Palace ruler AND a person with the power to do anything he wants!" Chiaki exclaimed, "And you really have zero clue what's going on!? For some reason, I don't believe you!"

"I...have theories..." Izuru admitted.

"And what might those entail?" Chiaki frowned.

Izuru didn't reply, and his silence implied he wasn't going to. Before Chiaki could talk again, she suddenly noticed the body of the Mechabeast stir and quickly dashed to safety so that Izuru didn't have to carry her again. She went to hide behind a tree while Izuru turned around to see a cannon pop out of the Gorilla's shoulder, shooting a blast that knocked him back. Using this as an opening, the monster kicked the Ultimate Hope and slashed at him with a blade that protruded from its wrist.

Izuru handily avoided the attacks, even as the shoulder cannon continued to fire at him while he fought back.

Izuru's eyes flashed red once more, and his long hair shot out like tendrils as he slowly rose into the air, resembling some kind of eldritch creature as he did, while countering the projectiles with his finger guns.

A few more gunfire exchanges later, he snapped his fingers, rupturing the sky around him and unleashing massive showers of what could only be called antimatter that struck the titan, only to have it sidestep and launch itself high into the air in his direction. The Ultimate Hope fell and crashed into the tree as it swung its massive metallic fist and smacked straight into him.

"KAMUKURA-KUN!" Chiaki cried. However, he rather nonchalantly stood back up again and dusted himself off.

"I told you to leave," he snapped, "this doesn't concern you. And if you die here, any progress you could make would be fruitless. Don't you understand that this Palace itself is trying to keep you out?"

Before Chiaki could even respond, Izuru swiftly leaped right back into the fight. As soon as he tried to throw a punch, the Mechabeast vanished again. This time, it smacked the Ultimate Hope while it was still invisible, and though Izuru's face didn't show it, he'd evidently gotten him good.

"But...it DOES concern me...It's...all to do with me..." Chiaki spoke, softly and aimlessly.

She wanted to help him. More than anything, she wanted to do something, ANYTHING about it.

Izuru was right, and she knew it. If she really valued her mission, then she'd run away while he held the Mechabeast off. It wouldn't do anyone, especially not Hajime, any good if she was to die here.

But the overwhelming feeling of hopelessness started to crush her. With everything that had come to light, she realized that she should have been helping him. Hajime. All this time, he'd been tackling his own insecurities, something that she was AWARE of, and yet her words had failed to reach him.

Even now, this random alter-ego of that same boy was fighting for her sake, trying to protect her. And not just him. The Phantom Thieves too. They were fighting these monsters on a regular basis, all to try and save the best friend that she had as good as condemned.

All she had to do was show a little bit of initiative! Just have the courage to pry into Hinata's personal affairs a little bit more! Actually talk about how he felt and tell him straight up how special he really was!

And maybe...all of this could have been avoided...

But no. No, she could never do it. She wasn't STRONG enough! She thought she was helping people all this time, bringing her classmates together, representing them, playing games, and setting a good example for the Ultimate Students. But she had forgone what was most important to her.

And what had it all been for? To make a bunch of self-serving psychopaths who had lobotomized and changed the cognition of her best friend look good!? Chiaki wished she could see the monster again. To see the physical embodiment of the Steering Committee's tampering. The manipulators who had taken her best friend away from her had been so close this whole time

How could she ever possibly call herself Hajime Hinata's friend? How could she call herself anyone's friend? All she had ever done was let everybody around her down...

...

"Are your bonds truly so fragile, devochka?"

Let Us Sing of a Hollow Victory - Danganronpa 2: Goodbye Despair

Chiaki winced as a sudden jolt of pain shot through her head, and she began to sweat coldly as she heard a sudden echoing, weirdly European voice inside her head. She looked around to see where it had come from, to see if someone else had arrived to speak to her, and yet she already knew that there wasn't anybody there.

"Wh-What's going on now!?" she exclaimed, "who are you!?"

"Chiaki Nanami! Remember!" the voice continued, "the day that you parted from that friend that you hold so dear...What was the last thing he ever said to you before he disappeared?"

Chiaki didn't need to try to recall the words. She remembered them perfectly. The problem was recalling them through the vicious head pain she was starting to suffer.

"Nanami...Tell me. Are you making memories at Hope's Peak?"

"Uh...I think so? Why?"

"I want you to make a bunch of 'em for me. There's way more to you than just the Ultimate Gamer. Your character stats are off the charts."

"He...He told me..." Chiaki responded to the voice, weirdly trusting it despite its unknown origin, "he told me that he wanted me to make memories...Many happy memories...for the both of us...!"

"And do you really think he would have bothered to say that if he didn't truly see you as a friend?" the voice queried, "you doubt him so much that you believe his insecurities prevented him from ever believing he could be your friend!? That your companionship was false!"

"No! I-I never said that!" Chiaki snapped.

"Stupid girl! Tell me then why it is you think Hajime Hinata would have ever agreed to the project if he thought he would never see you again!?"

Chiaki's eyes widened as she clutched her head, the realization sinking in.

"You understand now...The Steering Committee cared about talent above all else to the point that they erased a young man completely from existence to leave just Kamukura and his talents remaining," the voice continued, "you think them above lying and manipulating children to get what they want? That they would ever think twice about tearing him away from everybody who ever loved him!? You think the Hajime Hinata you loved would leave you behind like that!? I KNOW you don't!"

"Never...He would never...!" Chiaki rested a hand on the tree, "he got annoyed whenever he couldn't match me in video games, but he never resented me! He was kind and caring all the way to the end! He was a good man! A REAL friend!"

"And what are the Steering Committee!? What are those who rule Hope's Peak Academy really!?" the voice boomed.

"Cheats, murderers, and LIARS!" she scratched at the bark with her fingernails.

"He was used and manipulated! You both were! You ALL were! And even now they continue to do so like it's not a problem!" the voice roared, "those monsters took everything that made that boy, ripped it to shreds, and threw it away! Powerless or not in the face of adversity, what are you going to do? Just give up? Throw away any opportunities to make sure this chaos does not continue!?"

"I don't care what it costs...I don't care anymore...!" Chiaki snapped, now on the verge of suffering a full-blown aneurysm, and yet she remained standing, "Those old crones have prayed on us...used us as cattle...for too long! I won't let them lead the world astray any longer! The monsters that prowl the island aren't happy game characters; they're creatures that are made in their twisted image! And I want them GONE!"

Money Grubber - Persona 5: The Animation

"In that case, we have a deal..." the voice affirmed, "I am Thou...Thou art I...Call for me who resides in your heart and soul, and those you deem precious will be brought to safety and salvation!"

Chiaki yelped and suddenly opened her eyes to find that something was covering her eyes. Feeling it up, it felt like some kind of digital headset, or visor. She tried to take it off but found that it was stuck to her face.

She wasn't alarmed though. For some reason, she knew exactly what it was she needed to do. She looked towards Kamukura, getting up from the ground after being thrashed about, then hurried towards him, standing in front of him as if she intended to defend him from the monster.

"What are you doing...?" Izuru lifted his head. At the same time, the Mechabeast reappeared above Chiaki, its gigantic figure silhouetted in the sunlight like a movie monster, and it roared in her face before trying to bring its fist down on both her and the Ultimate Hope!

"You took all of it from him, you selfish losers! This is his life! His mind! And now I'm taking it back!" she snapped, reaching for the visor on her face, "and it starts by putting this dang dirty ape down...!"

Chiaki didn't pay any attention to the pain of ripping the visor off her face, nor the blood. She didn't even scream. But the Mechabeast certainly did as she erupted into burning blue flames, and even Shadow Kamukura slid back to avoid getting blasted away by her transformation!

Chiaki's school uniform was destroyed and replaced with an armored bodysuit in the colors white and red as her rebellious spirit burst forth around her. Her metallic-soled pink boots were still incredibly comfortable on the inside. On her hands were pink gloves, and over her body dangled a cybernetic-pattered garment that resembled a hybrid of a cloak and jacket—it even had a hood that hung over Chiaki's head. She pulled the hood off and gave the gorilla Mechabeast a fierce look.

The structure that floated behind her was...a unique apparition. Levitating and comfortable, the seat featured an 8-bit pattern embroidered on it. Numerous keypads and gadgets, including holographic projectors that displayed digital monitors, protruded from the seat. But this was just the framework's central component. It was surrounded by the familiar cubby shapes from the Tetris game, which looked like an angel straight out of the Bible.

Chiaki naturally hopped back onto the seat and started to levitate in the air, holding tightly onto the chair's controls as the Mechabeast roared again—the moment before her stretched in the Ultimate Gamer's mind. The figure of her foe informed her of what was coming. But she felt the burning desire to strike back inside her heart...and it had a name...!

"ALEXEY!"

Izuru's eyebrows raised a millimeter as he looked up in the sky to see the gamer girl hovering on her spectral apparatus. This had also fallen within his calculations, but again, the likelihood of it happening was slim. Though he was as unfeeling as always when faced with the display, he could have sworn he had a distinct twang of pride while looking at her up there.

The Mechabeast on the other hand did not take kindly to it at all, and swiftly leaped high into the air, brandishing its fist and intending to pummel her flat. But unfortunately for the monster, as it swung its fist at her, its attack merely bounced off the air in front of her as the floating blocks formed something of a barrier around her person.

The Mechabeast landed back on its feet and instead reached up and threw a whole barrage of rapid-fire punches at Chiaki, like a punching ghost from an anime. Those attacks were simply blocked by this barricade around her as well. It then resorted to trying other things, such as launching repulsor blasts from its cannons, and even firing missiles and powerful blasts of fire magic, but all of it was for naught. Chiaki simply sat in her seat and observed, not a single scratch on her.

Unfortunately, the reverse was sort of true as well. Even from the outset, Chiaki could tell that her power was different from the kind that Naegi-kun had displayed, even if it was the same principle. The way the power worked came naturally to her as soon as she awakened, but she didn't seem to have any concrete way of hurting the monster, at least not directly. The Mechabeast couldn't hurt her, and she couldn't hurt the Mechabeast, leaving their clash at a complete stalemate.

The good news was that Chiaki knew what she COULD do, and was lucky enough to have help here and now. Trying to recuperate and back off until it formed a plan to get around its setback, the Mechabeast faded away again and went invisible. But this time, things had changed.

"Kamukura-kun! I can see through its cloaking with my power!" she called down to Shadow Izuru, "and not just that, but I can see everything else too! The monster's weak points and attack patterns!"

"Hmph...I figured as much," Izuru nodded, "this type of power is befitting of someone like you."

"This thing's gotta go down!" she called down to him, "so...want some help?"

"I would not be opposed..." he nodded a second time.

"In that case...There! Attack there!"

As Chiaki pointed to where the Mechabeast was hiding from above, a physical marker made of some hologrammatic light popped into Izuru's vision like she was putting down a pin in an FPS game, that seemed to move as the Mechabeast went to the side. Within a flash, he rushed towards it and threw a punch, nailing the monster dead in its stomach.

"Now attack right!"

He hit it again.

"It's behind you now!"

And again.

"Watch out, it's in front of you now!"

And once again.

The Mechabeast eventually dropped out of its cloaking mode, realizing that that strategy was no longer going to work. Instead, it roared and decided it had no choice but to go on a full offensive, protruding its wrist blade and going in swinging at Izuru.

Unfortunately for the Gorilla, Chiaki had a counter to this as well.

"Ok! Here come the buffs!" she exclaimed, drawing her finger over one of the pop-up screens and holding her finger down on a button. As she did, Izuru suddenly felt his body becoming sturdier and more fortuitous.

Shadow Kamukura blocked the Mechabeast's leaping slash with his arm as they engaged in close quarters. This would have still hurt him normally, but Chiaki's buffs greatly mitigated the damage.

The Gorilla persisted in its attack, repeatedly slashing at the Palace Ruler as he was pushed further back. Chiaki began to sweat. It wouldn't last forever, even if the defense buff was saving him from these unrelenting attacks.

"Your defenses are gonna crack pretty soon!" she cried down to her Shadow compatriot, "get ready to go on the offensive!"

"Understood...!" Izuru affirmed with a nod. He dashed backward to avoid one last slash from the monster, and Chiaki switched gears. Izuru felt her induce a buff on him that boosted his physical strength, and knowing that like before, it was going to be temporary, intended to make the most of it.

The Mechabeast lunged at Izuru once more, but this time, with the strength buff on top of his already superhuman strength, he parried the attack with a backhand and then instantly launched a devastating barrage of curse damage. As soon as the Gorilla attempted to block the projectile, it exploded in its face, knocking it backward.

It swiftly stood back up and swung its blade at Shadow Izuru once more. This time, Izuru darted to the side and, rather casually, pulled a whole palm tree up out of the ground to use as his own weapon. The two fought back and forth until Kamukura delivered a powerful blow that exposed the Mechabeast to a tree thrust that got stuck in the monster's shoulder.

"Good!" Chiaki called out from above, "Keep that up!"

With a swift retaliation, the Mechabeast hit the Ultimate Hope in the head, forcing the tree out of its massive armored frame. Izuru and Chiaki staggered backward, witnessing as the creature raised its fists and struck Izuru with two balls of raging hot fire. With a wave of curse magic, he deflected one, and he quickly avoided the other as it flew into the forest behind him.

However, Chiaki's Persona's built-in scanner allowed her to identify the issue right away. Unbeknownst to Shadow Kamukura, the fireball had somehow bounced back through the trees and was aiming directly at him once more!

Unbeknownst to Shadow Kamukura, the fireball had somehow bounced back through the trees and was aiming directly at him once more!

"NO!"

Chiaki moved like a flash, typing keys and moving sticks, and just as Izuru turned around to confront the returning fireball, the blocks of Chiaki's Persona crashed down and formed a dome-shaped shield around him, blocking him from taking the lethal blast of flame!

The Mechabeast pounded its chest, gradually getting more and more irate as it became more and more outmatched!

"I could have handled that," he assured her.

"Sure you could..." she rolled her eyes and smirked, "but this is seriously amazing...! I didn't know I had this kind of power...!

"Right," Izuru responded in that sort of "I don't care" kind of way before turning back to his opponent, his hair rising as he swelled with power, "but this battle isn't over yet...!"

Izuru's power was so immense that the world around him started to distort and shift as if it was trying to make room for his overwhelming presence, and Chiaki wondered if she was even needed at this point.

The Ultimate Hope tapped his foot on the ground, and his shadow seemed to be a fissure in the earth as it loomed behind the Mechabeast, stretching along the ground. A dark, monster-like face emerged from the crack that faced the Mechabeast and punched it. The Gorilla dealt with his summons quickly, but not before taking some serious blows to the body. One of them tore the monster's face plate off in its entirety, exposing its internal circuitry.

"Ew..." Chiaki whispered under her breath at the not-very-nice sight of the Mechabeats' endoskeleton. She then used her control panel to scan Izuru and check his status. Seeing that he was running a bit low on stamina, which to be fair, was still fairly high, and decided to heal what had been lost. Izuru felt a green healing light wash over his body and perk him back up, strengthening the power of his distortion.

The Mechabeast roared again, but Izuru's tentacle lash stopped it in its tracks, causing it to retreat for a moment before they briefly engaged in a high-speed fistfight! At last, the Gorilla delivered a powerful blow that caused Kamukura to fall to the ground.

As it was about to deliver the final blow, the Mechabeast lifted its fist and boomed, but just in time, Chiaki created another barrier, allowing Izuru to get away. It was quickly knocked off balance and unable to find its bearings as Izuru shot its exposed face at point-blank range. Seeking the Ultimate Hope, it cast a confused glance around, but Shadow Kamukura moved too quickly for it to catch him.

The monster's situation was made worse as Izuru's darkness slowly enveloped the whole area, limiting its vision even further, and causing it to become despaired and confused. It finally noticed its enemy, as Kamukura suspended himself above it, flattening his hand and summoning energy from it, shaping his hand into a blade of shadow.

The Mechabeast tried to block the ensuing slash with its arm but was too slow to act as the saber cut straight through it, amputating the arm and knocking the enemy to the ground. Izuru then fell down and landed on the other arm and pinned the Gorilla to the ground.

"This is the end...!" Izuru growled.

"Let's finish this!" Chiaki hollered.

As the finishing move, she called a device to her hand, which she quickly unfolded and snapped into the shape of a controller. Her eyes darted back and forth across the buttons as she rapidly pressed them, and above her head formed the 8-bit pixel shape of a giant bomb. Raising her arms above her head like the spirit bomb, Chiaki let out a cry as she tossed the digital weapon down at the Mechabeast!

Izuru jumped out of the way to avoid the blast, and she recalled her Persona and landed safely on the ground, striking a pose as the bomb boomed into a pixelated stock explosion that enveloped the titanic Gorilla.

She recalled her Persona and landed safely on the ground, striking a pose as the bomb boomed into a pixelated stock explosion that enveloped the titanic Gorilla

"I've leveled up!"

As the pieces of the Mechabeast collapsed and landed in the area around her, Chiaki held her chest to catch her breath. It wasn't normal for her to be physically active, especially not to this degree. But even still, despite her exhaustion, she felt incredibly satisfied.

That was like a video game boss fight in real life. And she'd beaten it! Or at least she'd helped beat it.

As she tried to stand on wobbling legs, Shadow Kamukura walked over to her, taking her by the hand and supporting her to her feet.

"Good work," he said.

"Haha...Hey?" Chiaki grinned, "is that a smile I see."

Chiaki's visor-like mask had reappeared on her face, except this time, it had a pair of pixilated eyes that moved in tandem with her own, reshaping and changing color depending on her emotions. Kamukura looked off to the side in response to her teasing.

"You just caught me by surprise is all. I did not expect such a successful outcome. The hope within you exceeded my expectations," he admitted, "you might just survive this..."

Chiaki smiled, but her prideful gleam became something a tad more solemn. She turned and walked over to the remains of the Gorilla Mechabeast.

"It's funny..." she said, "I don't know how it really worked this way but...while we were fighting...I suddenly remembered why it was that I stopped playing Ultimate Summer Camp..."

"Why?" Kamukura asked, "Was it because of a difficult boss after all?"

"No...Not quite. It is related to the fight, sure, but not because of how tough it was," Chiaki confessed, "in Ultimate Summer Camp, there are event squares that, when you step on them, initiate a random event after rolling an encounter 1000 times. Literally, anything could happen if your characters land on one. Your character could be transformed into a being made entirely out of jelly. You could enter another dimension made entirely of eggs that you have to escape. Or you could just get a cake. Who knows?"

"I'm familiar with the rules," Kamukura told her, "where are you going with this...?"

Chiaki sighed and her expression looked defeated, the eyes in her visor turning blue and looking sad.

"In the last playthrough I did of Ultimate Summer Camp, right before the final fight against the Gorilla, our party landed on an event space," she said, "it triggered an event where an evil otherworldly council of ancient evil appeared in our reality, fearing the power of the brave heroes light. So they captured Jaime and converted him to the bad side..."

"I see..." Izuru finally understood, "Jaime was Hinata's character if I recall."

"Yeah...And what was worse was that there was no way to undo the spell. The only way to save Jaime was to...kill him..." Chiaki added, starting to feel herself cry under the mask, "a rare boss encounter against your own party member, and after he was defeated, Jaime left the party forever..."

"The timing of that event must have coincided with Hajime Hinata going missing following his acceptance into the program," Shadow Kamukura theorized.

"I didn't want to say goodbye anymore...The game made me feel like Hinata-kun really wasn't coming back," Chiaki sighed, "but...it's different now. It's like I actually found Jaime, and had to beat the final boss in order to bring him back to me! And I did it!"

"Hmhm...You did it..." Izuru chuckled.

"You know, you claim that none of Hinata-kun is left inside you, but I don't think that's true," Chiaki smirked, "you seem pretty attached to me, just like he was."

"Maybe there's some truth to that," Izuru admitted, "and for now I can say this with certainty. You really do wish for nothing more than to save your friend, do you?"

"No, I don't," Chiaki asserted, "now that I know there's still hope to save him, I can't just give up, I've gotta-UGH!"

She stamped her foot on the ground in determination but then collapsed under her own weight. Kamukura swiftly caught her.

"In that case, I won't try to stop you anymore," he told her, "but I do still suggest you return to your own world and rest. Awakening to your Persona and fighting with it like that drained you of most of your energy. If you end up in another fight like that, you won't survive."

"Ah...So...save and continue later, huh?" Chiaki wheezed, letting Izuru support her, "Alright then. I waited three years to see my friend again, I can wait a little longer. Besides, we still need to get to the bottom of why your own minions attacked you like that."

"Well..." Izuru looked down at the Mechabeasts' remains, "I do believe I already know the reason why."

"Wait, really!? Yeah, you said you had some theories," Chiaki's digital eyes widened, "what's going on? Tell me, please."

"I don't believe you will like it," Izuru warned her.

"Whatever it is can't be worse than the harsh reality I saw back in the ancient ruins," Chiaki gestured, "whatever information you can give me is super important. Izuru-kun, please?"

"Hm...Very well..." Izuru agreed, "but remember. You were warned in advance..."

Chapter End Notes

It feels like it's been a while since we had an awakening, and I'm not gonna lie, I really missed it. We finally have a new member for the Phantom Thieves!
Kind of...
Obviously, awakening separately from the rest of the group, Chiaki isn't officially a member of the PToH and doesn't have a code name. Yet.
She DOES, however, have a Persona, and if you watched a certain video game movie that came out in March of last year, you would probably recognize this titular character.
Russian computer engineer and video game designer Alexy Pajitnov gained notoriety in 1985 for inventing, designing, and developing the video game Tetris while he was employed by the Soviet Union's Academy of Sciences at the Dorodnitsyn Computing Centre. Despite the Soviet Union wall, he made enormous efforts to introduce his game to the rest of the world during the Cold War.
Which is also why Chiaki's Persona randomly speaks Russian here.
In stark contrast to every other Persona in both this story and the main series, Chiaki's Persona is based not only on a real person but one that is still alive to this day. Is that allowed? Probably not, but I don't really care. This isn't canon.
I shouldn't really have to explain this, but Chiaki is the Fuuka/Rise/Futaba of the group. She doesn't operate like a typical party member because she doesn't "fight" in battle and doesn't occupy a position in the active party. Rather, she acts as the party's navigator from the rear, frequently providing assistance at random times.
Before I close out, I should explain why this chapter is arriving a day early, but the simple reason is I will be unavailable for basically all of this weekend, and I wasn't really enthused about posting this late, so consider this a special treat from me.
And yes, Jaime Haithan and Anna Kaimichi are anagrams of Hajime Hinata and Chiaki Nanami.
Thank you for reading. I love to get feedback from my readers, so feel free to leave a comment, and some kudos if you feel up to it.

Game Over!

Chapter Summary

Everything is finally resolved, and the Phantom Thieves finally make their infiltration route and prepare to send Izuru Kamukura his calling card. However, both Izuru himself and Chiaki have their own plans...

Chapter Notes

See the end of the chapter for notes

It's Going Down - Persona 3 ReLoad

*CLUNK!* *CLUNK!* *CLUNK!* *CLUNK!*

This was the sound of the heavy hooves of the Horse Mechabeast as it arrived and took up a position, blocking access to the bridge to the 5th island. Standing in front of it, facing it down, were the determined Phantom Thieves, plus Kyoko and Shadow Hinata.

"Alright Phantom Thieves!" Leprechaun raised his voice, "One more island after this and it's a straight shot to the finish! We can do this, you hear!?"

"YEAH!" the rest of the team cheered as they squared off with the final bridge guardian.

"You all remember our plan, right?" Kyoko called from the rear, "Make sure you watch each other's backs!"

"Got it! Sleuth, you're up!"

Shuichi nodded and stood in place as the fighters split off in different directions, with Mozart, Razor, and Highwayman going in one direction and Usami, Leprechaun, and Shadow Hinata going in the other. Since he was the only one standing still, the Horse Mechabeast naturally drew its attention to the young detective, as he was the only one not moving.

It started out by kicking its front legs into the sky and slamming them back down on the ground again, which caused pillars of ice to rise out of the ground, attempting to smash into the white-clad Phantom Thief. Though he knew he could easily take the attack, Sleuth dodged by jumping into the air and pulling out his sniper rifle, carefully aiming. As soon as the barrel caught a little light from the mist, he pulled the trigger and fired two bullets.

The first bullet hit the monster in its face, sending sparks flying from the impact, while the second made contact with its body, and basically ricocheted off it. As the Horse neighed angrily at Sleuth, he cast out his grapple and swung into the trees, out of sight.

"I'm starting to feel the pressure already," he whispered to Kyoko as they hid behind the same bark, "I hope this goes well..."

"Have confidence," Kyoko comforted him, "we're just getting started, after all."

"MARAGION!" Mozart dived in from the side, catching the Horse's attention as her Persona waved its hand and flung a wave of crackling flames at the Mechabeast.

It retaliated by stamping and summoning more ice pillars to counter the attack, and when the ice and fire collided, even more, mist completely coated the area around the bridge, making it difficult to see and even harder to breathe.

"Highwayman! Do something about this!" Leprechaun shouted through the mist, hoping his sister would hear it. Thankfully, she did.

"Got it! PARKER! MAGARULA!"

Highwayman called forth her Persona, which whipped up a torrent of wind under the feet of the Mechabeast, sweeping the mist away as well as attacking the creature directly. It obviously didn't take kindly to that and reared its head toward the cowgirl, sweeping its hoofs along the ground and blasting what was basically a tidal wave toward her and her group.

"HINATAAAAA!" Razor shrieked, panicking as there was no way to dodge the incoming attack.

Fortunately, Shadow Hinata was already one step ahead of them. He snapped his fingers three times, putting reflective forcefields over the girls and causing the ice attack to be rebounded back at the Mechabeast.

"Nice try, ugly!" he jeered, attempting to draw its attention back over to the other group. He then reached into his pouch and pulled out some explosive mines, tossing them in the air towards Leprechaun and Usami, "batter up!"

Leprechaun and Usami smirked, with the former reeling back for a punch and the latter holding her magic stick like a baseball bat. Simultaneously, they whacked the mines and sent them flying straight at the Mechabeast's face, and as they made contact, Hinata remotely detonated them.

The Horse keeled back in pain as the explosives blew apart and severely damaged its faceplate, but unlike the Bird, it didn't succeed in taking it down immediately.

Shadow Hinata was just about to celebrate the successful execution of his plan but unfortunately didn't have time to do so. No sooner did the Mechabeast get shaken by the explosion, it suddenly leaped forward until it crashed right in front of him, spinning its body around and kicking him with its hind legs!

The hooves were about the size of his whole body, and the impact was HORRIFIC, to the point that Leprechaun standing nearby was fairly certain he could hear his bones (if he HAD bones) crack! Regardless, the attack sent Hinata flying very quickly back until he crashed directly into the bark of a tree, knocked prone.

"HINATA!" Leprechaun cried.

"On your toes, Leprechaun" Usami shouted, just in time to allow Leprechaun to avoid a similar attack and meeting the same fate!

The Horse then followed up this strike by jumping up and slamming its whole body into the ground again. The earth beneath the Phantom Thieves cracked open, revealing a deep chasm that appeared to descend into the island's core as a sudden rumble shook the ground beneath everyone's feet. The foundations of the trees crumbled as they teetered on the brink of the widening chasm, and the Thieves scrambled to escape falling in the holes.

Mozart, for her part, grabbed hold of her polearm and leaped in the air towards the Horse. She let out a battle cry, which drew its attention, and she flourished her weapon, striking the monster on its head and propelling herself over it, narrowly avoiding its mane which was curved and sharp like the blade of an axe, then driving the blade into its back through the cracks in its armor.

Before she could drive the blade in further or summon her Persona for assistance, Mozart yelped as the horse suddenly jumped and flipped over on its back! Only when she fell off its back did she realize why, and she barely rolled out of the way as the horse's axe-like main came down towards her, almost splitting her in half! The Mechabeast quickly got back up again and kept her on her toes as it slammed its hooves down to try and crush her beneath them.

"This thing is REALLY AGILE for a Horse!" she exclaimed.

As the monster threw everything it had at Mozart, the ground beneath the other Thieves continued to tremble, and it was hard to stay upright. Sleuth poked his head out from behind the tree and watched as Mozart struggled to keep pace.

"Hinata, get up, we've gotta get back in the fight!" he shouted.

"Y-Yeah, I'll...get right on that...!" Shadow Hinata groaned, clambering to a nearby tree and pulling himself to his feet.

"Highwayman!" Razor called out to her partner nearby, "It's time! Initiate Operation Fruit Fly!"

"Alright, you got it! Catch!" Highwayman nodded, and with a smirk, grabbed her lasso and cast it out towards Razor, who caught it and wrapped it around her wrist. Giving her teammate a thumbs up to let her know she was ready, she launched herself into a sprint, circling around and gaining momentum as her partner held tightly to the other end of the rope.

Once enough momentum had been built up, and they were spinning so fast that Razor's feet had left the ground, she waited until they were in the right position and released her grip on the rope, sending the purple-gloved, scissor-wielding warrior flying straight at the Mechabeasts head! Though she only had a second to react, she was still able to do it in a quick enough time!

"TEMPEST SLASH!" she shouted, summoning her Persona, which landed multiple drill-like strikes in the monster's head!

The horse tried to stop this attack by wielding its axe main to slice Razor open, but she was able to avoid this strike and deal enough hits to get the monster to relent, making its four knees wobble beneath it.

"It doesn't matter what tricks you pull! Today is the day that we FUCKING END YOU!" Razor spat as one last jeer before she bounced off the enemies head and withdrew to avoid any more incoming attacks. Even from a distance, the Mechabeast wanted vengeance for the previous slight and blasted more ice at her.

Razor felt her body get coated with frost, and almost got chilled to the bone, but fortunately, the enemy's attention was taken away from her as Sleuth and Shadow Hinata rejoined the fight.

"Alright, let's try something!" Sleuth called to his partner, "You got any more of those C-4s on you!?"

"Yeah, I do!" Hinata called back.

"Good! Hand me one!"

Hinata did as requested, and tossed one of his C-4's to Sleuth after pulling it out of his pack. Sleuth got in closer and blasted repeated waves of ice magic at the Mechabeasts front, aiming to freeze it over, but to his dismay, his attack brushed off its armor, like his blizzard blast had become a light chill breeze.

"Ugh, it's no good!" he spat, "it won't work if I can't freeze it over!"

"Hold on, I can help with that!" Leprechaun shouted, running in and swiping off his mask, "Ice Break, Lilim!"

The Mechabeast stumbled a little as a grey veil cast over its body, following Leprechaun summoning the Woman Who Brings Ruin to his side and casting the spell over it. It turned and neighed fiercely at him, but he just looked back towards Sleuth and nodded.

"Alright, let's try that again...!" the detective boy smirked, "BUFULA!"

This time it worked a lot more effectively. Having lost its resistance to ice attacks, Sleuth was able to coat the front of the monster in a thick layer of frost, giving it a taste of its own medicine and making it difficult for it to move. As it struggled, he dashed in and quickly smacked the C-4 against its body.

"BLOW IT UP!" he shouted at Shadow Hinata, who was more than happy to comply. He pressed the switch on the detonator and the C-4 exploded, causing the horse to let out a shriek of pain.

As the explosion blew open the chest of the Mechabeast, the plating tore away and turned into a pile of useless scrap metal on the floor. Part of the monster's actual body peeled away as well, exposing its endoskeleton ribcage, and underneath that, a mesh of wires and mechanical parts.

The Horse was beginning to look less like a robot Gorse and more like a zombie Gorse. Not only was it disheveled and falling apart, but it was growling, slamming its hooves on the ground, and clearly not focused in its current state of being. The noises it made sounded like distorted, mechanical growls, and its laser-red eyes started to flicker.

"We've got him where we want him!" Highwayman clapped her hands, "Come on guys, let's kick its ass!"

But they were all scarily unprepared for what happened next.

Leprechaun was the one who noticed it first. Even through its haze, the Horses' eyes scanned the area, looking for any sort of out, or any opening it could use to its advantage, and it found one. Its head spun, and its eyes lasered in...on Kyoko.

The Ultimate Detective's eyes widened in horror as the horse jumped through the air towards her. Leprechaun moved like a bullet, wanting to dive and rescue her from being kicked by the monster, but as soon as he did, he was caught in the trap.

When Leprechaun dived in the way, the Mechabeast, instead of attacking him, stamped on the ground and caused a blast of ice to burst out of the ground! Kyoko was blown back, but mostly fine, but Leprechaun's feet were frozen over completely, and before he could break out, the Mechabeast had its fun...!

It stamped on him repeatedly, burying him in the ground as he screamed in agony!

"Get away from him!" Usami soared in, summoning forth her power, "LUCKY PUNCH!"

Mr. A appeared, and its goofy boxing glove materialized, slamming in the Mechabeasts' face, and luckily, dealing critical damage! It staggered back, stunned from the hit until it toppled over!

"Hah! See! I got it that time!" she jeered.

" A 1-in-10 chance of actually getting a good hit and not fucking failing are terrible odds! You got lucky that time!" Razor spat.

"Yes! That's why it's called LUCKY Punch!" Usami pouted, her hands on her hips.

"JUST HEAL LEPRECHAUN!" Kyoko snarled from a short distance, surprising both and making them sweat as Usami quickly summoned Mr. A again and cast a healing spell on Leprechaun.

"Cheap shot!" Shadow Hinata reached into his pouch again and hoisted out some more unknown devices. He called to everyone to take a step back before he threw them at the Mechabeast that was getting to its feet, revealing them to be stun grenades that interfered with this process.

"Makoto!" Kyoko leaned over him, taking his hand and helping him to sit up, "are you alright!?"

"Agh...Ngh...N-No, I don't think I am..." he groaned, forcing a smile, "thanks for asking me anyway."

"Guys, come on! We're so close!" Mozart urged.

Highwayman didn't wait for any shots to be called and instead dashed towards the recovering Mechabeast. As it rose, it kicked its hind legs into the air again, trying to buck her, but before it had a chance to, she slid under its body, then carefully spun around, aimed, and fired her gun at the crack in its chest.

Her aim was impeccable, and the bullet traveled straight through the exposed hole, through the ribcage, and collided with an integral circuitry inside the monster's hefty body. There was a distinct sound of shattering as something was destroyed, and the Mechabeast suddenly spasmed, like it was having a fit. Highwayman rolled and thrust her hand towards the creature.

"Don't think you can step on my brother in front of me and get away with it!" she hollared, "TRIPLE DOWN!"

"Don't think you can step on my brother in front of me and get away with it!" she hollered, "TRIPLE DOWN!"

Enraged, she used her other hand to hold onto her hat as her Persona hailed bullets into the horse, filling its jittering metal body with holes.

"Good shooting!" Usami beamed.

The Horse let out a garbled neigh, physically falling apart at this point, yet still raring its sharp head, leaned down, and, as it shuddered mechanically, started to drag its front hoof along the ground.

"Watch out!" Sleuth exclaimed, "That means it's about to charge!"

"I thought it was a horse, not a bull!?" Razor exclaimed.

"Don't worry guys!" Shadow Hinata called out, suddenly pulling a rope out of his bag, "I got this!"

After flinging his rope forward, Shadow Hinata was able to snare the monster around its neck just as it started charging. Leprechaun grabbed Kyoko and Usami and jumped back as it ground its axe mane along the earth, kicking up dirt and sending sparks flying as it scratched the pavement. Mozart, Highwayman, Razor, and Sleuth also tried to dodge as it came around, while Shadow Hinata held on for dear life.

"Sit tight! I'm coming to help!" Leprechaun made sure that Kyoko was safe before he rushed after the raging horse and cast his grapple shot out, catching it on its waist, continuing to charge as it chased the other Phantom Thieves, who were getting gradually more exhausted and found it harder to keep up with it.

Leprechaun slid alongside Shadow Hinata and grabbed hold of his rope, and they worked together to try and reign the creature in, to little avail. Eventually, the Mechabeast lost its balance and crashed into a mass of trees, which also forced Makoto and Hinata to release their grip on the rope and tumble along the ground.

"Ow! Ooh..." Hinata stood up, rubbing his head, thankfully uninjured for the most part. Makoto felt extremely dizzy, but his face curled into a serious frown.

"We can end this right now!" he shouted, "GET ITS NECK!"

Hinata knew exactly what he was planning, and the two of them dashed towards the Mechabeast as it got up! Hinata took an astounding leap and landed on the horse's back, throwing out his rope again and wrapping its length around its neck! He then grabbed both ends of the lead and pulled with all his might!

The horse struggled, and Hinata at his full power was able to pull it back enough to lift its head, and Leprechaun, who ran around to the front of it, summoned Tam Lin, prying open the wound Sleuth made earlier even further.

As it fought to escape, Leprechaun reeled back, his fisticuffs flashing in the sun, and plunged his fist straight into the open wound, so deep that his hand disappeared all the way up to his elbow!

"You started this fight! NOW WE END IT!" Shadow Hinata bellowed!

"It doesn't matter how hard you struggle! You monsters will NEVER STOP US!" Leprechaun let out a final cry, "Now DIE!"

And with that, he pulled his fist out, dragging wires and mechanical parts out with him. With its front chest cavity now basically completely open, the Horse Mechabeast's form sputtered, rolled, and tumbled, grinding to a complete halt, as the light from its red eyes slowly faded, collapsing into a group of trees that were knocked over.

And as its lifeless body slammed to the ground, never to move again, so too did Leprechaun and Shadow Hinata fall to the ground.

Their breath came in sharp gasps, though they both wanted to congratulate the other on a battle well-fought. Their attempts to stay awake caused their chests to heave.

Fortunately, Kyoko was there to very kindly waterboard the two boys to bring them back to their senses. As Makoto spluttered and spat out the water, he looked up to see the lavender detective smirking down at him. He smirked back and rolled his eyes.

Sitting up, he looked at Shadow Hinata, who wiped the sweat, water, and dirt off his forehead, then turned towards Makoto with a golden smile. At the same time, the rest of the team caught up, and huddled together!

Victory - Persona 5

"God DAMN we are good!" Mozart beamed.

"Another successful mission!" Sleuth cheered.

"Mechabeasts killed: four! Members lost: ZERO!" Highwayman hurrahed.

"And one step closer to changing Kamukura's heart!" Usami squeaked excitedly.

The warriors stood in a circle, bodies beaten but spirits high, having just defeated the forces of darkness in a bloody battle. They encircled each other tightly with their arms. As they closed their eyes and relished the brief moment of calm amid the chaos of ongoing battles, the warmth of their unity and mutual victory permeated the air.

"GUYS!" Razor spat, pushing out of the tight squeeze she got stuck in, "Not that I want to stop everyone from celebrating a well-deserved victory, but-"

"Razor, I swear to god, if you say something like "wE'Re nOt dOnE YeT! wE'Ve sTiLl gOt oNe mOrE MeChAbEaSt tO FiGhT!" I GENUINELY will slap you!" Highwayman growled.

Razor was astonished by her audacity but shook her head.

"I WASN'T going to say that, as a matter of fact, regardless of whether it's true or not," she scowled, "what I was GOING to say is that we're covered in sweat and mud, we're all exhausted after that fight, and for the first time in my WHOLE LIFE I actually WANT to take a bath! So do you think we can just blast through this last island and go home before we end this tomorrow?"

"O-Oh! Right!" Highwayman chuckled, "That's...yeah, that's fair..."

Makoto chuckled. Toko was the same as ever.

Every individual in the group was filled with immense gratitude for their teammates, realizing that it was their steadfast assistance that had brought them to this triumphant moment. They knew that no matter what obstacles were ahead, they would overcome them as a team, stronger than ever.

Fifth Island Theme - Danganronpa 2: Goodbye Despair

The 5th and final island of the archipelago was very...very different. And not the same kind of different that the 4th island had been.

Even Kyoko seemed put off by it, as it was in stark contrast to the Jabberwock Island that she was familiar with. However, according to Kaede, this was rather akin to how the 5th island looked in Ultimate Summer Camp, and considering the world was mostly based on the game iteration, it made a lot more sense.

The whole island resembled a massive city straight out of a science fiction film. A military base with heavy weapons and vehicles, including a tank and helicopter, occupied the majority of the land. Regrettably, neither was working.

Aside from the military equipment, there was a street teeming with food vendors, among them a ramen shop, which Komaru almost ate at before she remembered they were in the Metaverse, and also a huge factory complex.

Makoto actually recognized the branding that was on the tools and equipment being produced and sold in the factory when the Thieves took a look inside. Sea King Industry.

They were a mid-sized business that produced machine parts and electric insulation. The last time Makoto checked, they only had about 100 employees. And they certainly didn't own any property on this scale.

This area was devoid of any vegetation, which would make sense given that the factory seemed to be using the island's coconut trees as fuel to make weapons. During their exploration, the team also discovered a warehouse filled with tourist souvenirs like inflatable guitars, calendars, and sandbags, as well as finished products belonging to nonexistent company members.

"I don't know if this is me stating the obvious," Mozart mentioned a small break room inside the factory, while she fiddled with some emergency fire supplies, "but something tells me that this place is where the Mechabeasts were built."

"Yeah, probably. It's definitely where they got their weapons," Sleuth replied, "I saw a similar cannon to the one the Tiger had on its back."

"I dunno..." Shadow Hinata crossed his arms and frowned, "something's not right about this. Any of this. Like there's something...missing..."

"Missing?" Kyoko parroted, "What do you mean?"

"I know what he means," Usami chimed in, "I have no idea why, but no matter how hard I try, I cannot sense the presence of the next miniboss anywhere on this island."

"Yeah, me neither. I had the feeling it might be in the main factory, since it's a big spacious area," Shadow Hinata affirmed, "but I didn't even see a chest that might contain the next scroll."

"I don't think any of us saw it," Leprechaun looked around at the team, "anyone?"

"Well, we did search basically the whole island," Razor nodded, "even though we're all exhausted, I think we're awake enough not to have missed things, especially since there are 8 of us."

"So...what does this mean?" Highwayman frowned, worried, "Does this mean...we'll have to fight the last Mechabeast without the scroll?"

"But...That will be impossible...!" Shadow Hinata went pale.

"And it is unnecessary," added another voice.

Razor jumped and pulled out her taser in the direction of the sudden voice that appeared behind her. Everyone else went on the defensive as well but relaxed when they saw the Shadow of Izuru Kamukura shift through the shadow on the wall.

"You!" Usami gasped.

"You know, just because it's been a while since we saw you, doesn't mean we wanted you back," Razor hissed, "whatever you're about to tell us, make it quick."

"I'll make it as quick as I can," Kamukura stated, not paying attention to the glares of Razor and Shadow Hinata, or whoever else might have been looking at him in disdain there, "I would like you all to follow me back to the main island..."

Despair Syndrome 01 - Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc

Though shifty about his sudden strange appearance, the Phantom Thieves hopped in the Usamobile and followed Shadow Kamukura, who was effortlessly able to out-speed the vehicle, no matter how hard Usami tried to catch up with him. Granted, she was still exhausted from the constant fighting, so she would have had trouble anyway.

By the time they got back to the central island, Kamukura led them to a beach in a location that the team hadn't explored thoroughly before. On this beach was a huge rock face; its sheer size and rugged surface dominating the landscape. It stood stoic and proud as if it had witnessed the passing of centuries without a single scratch on its weathered facade.

"Jabberwock Rock?" Hinata frowned, namedropping the small mountain as they climbed out of Usami and stood in its gargantuan shadow, "what's the big deal? Why'd you bring us here?"

"Yeah, there's nothing here," Highwayman crossed her arms, "or...Did you want to discuss something with us?"

"Hold on. In Ultimate Summer Camp, there's a mountain area where you're supposed to fight the gorilla. The Final Boss Fight before you win the game..." Mozart suddenly remembered, "Please don't tell me you brought us here to fight the last boss?"

"No. You're far too exhausted for that, I can tell," Kamukura asserted, "and even then, that is not necessary anymore."

"What do you mean?" Leprechaun frowned, "if we're not here to fight the boss, then what's the big deal?"

"The reason why the final Mechabeast is supposed to battle you here," Kamukura explained, "is because underneath this rock is a labyrinth where the Treasure you're looking for is buried."

"Huh!?" Sleuth gasped, "You mean...the Treasure of this island!? The one that we've been fighting to get to!?"

"The source of this place's desires!?" Mozart added.

Kamukura nodded.

"Seeing as the game is now over, you have earned the right to enter the depths beneath the rock, and find the treasure in the labyrinth," he said, "my last task as an overseer was to tell you that. The rest is up to you."

"W-Wait, hold on a second!" Usami snapped, now returned to her Phantom Thief form, "As grateful as I am that you're telling us this, that doesn't make any sense! We haven't finished the game yet!"

"Right!" Leprechaun glared, "you said that the only way to beat the game was to defeat the 5 Mechabeasts. We've only defeated 4 of them, and haven't fought the Gorilla yet!"

"Yeah! What gives!?" Shadow Hinata spat, "This has to be some kind of trap!"

"It's no trap. Given the...odd circumstances at play, you won't be fighting the Gorilla Mechabeast. Or rather...you cannot," Kamukura seemed to sigh.

"What do you mean "odd circumstances?"" Kyoko pursed her lips, "what's going on?"

Shadow Kamukura seemed to brush his ridiculously long hair out of his face before he dropped a bombshell.

"The Gorilla Mechabeast is already dead," he unveiled, "therefore, even if you somehow wished to fight it, you cannot. It will take us a while before we are able to rebuild it again, and even then..."

Rise of the Ultimate's - Danganronpa V3: Killing Harmony

"Wait...It's DEAD!?" Leprechaun exclaimed.

"H-How...!?" Kyoko gasped, the rest of the team falling silent with a strange sense of confusion and dread.

"Wait..." Sleuth looked dreadful, "did...someone else come into the Palace and beat it while we were gone...?"

Everyone knew what it was that he was suggesting. Potentially, the Phantom Killer or Knight, or a potential Metaverse user of the Steering Committee could have taken it down. And that implied that someone was onto them. The fact that Izuru hesitated when responding did not make things better, but when he finally responded, what he was was surprising in and of itself.

"I was the one who killed it," he stated, "it attacked me, so I had no choice but to put it down in self-defense."

"The Mechabeast ATTACKED YOU!?" Mozart choked.

"That is what I just said, yes," Kamukura nodded, his expression unmoving.

"But you-!? But he-!? They-!? Th-THAT! Doesn't make ANY sense!" Highwayman spat, "Why would the Mechabeast attack you!? You control them! What, did it malfunction or something?"

"When did I say that?"

Kamukura's response was...confusing. So Sleuth asked him to elaborate.

"What are you saying?" he inquired.

"The one with the cowboy hat just claimed that I control the Mechabeasts and what they do," the Ultimate Hope replied, "this, however, is not true. The Mechabeasts are not minions who respond to my beck and call as you surmised. I cannot summon them at will, or demand them to do things for me."

"But then why do they appear wherever you wish them to!?" Highwayman glowered, "you summoned one the first day we got here, remember? And the day afterwards."

"Actually...I don't think he did..." Leprechaun started to piece together his experiences thus far, "the Tiger Mechabeast came out in the middle of conversation, but that doesn't mean Izuru summoned it. They just appear every time we get close to a bridge because that's what they're programmed to do. Or rather...what their purpose is."

"I mean, that makes sense," Shadow Hinata scratched his head, "but that still doesn't explain why they attacked you after they burst out of the statue. Or why it attacked HIM!"

"Well, I do have some personal theories," Kamukura said, "my current line of thinking is that while I am not in control of the Mechabeasts, I believe that somebody else is."

"But...who?" Leprechaun asked.

"I cannot say," Kamukura replied, "but I do believe that this may be a byproduct of your adventures throughout this Palace. Before today, nobody has been able to make it to the final island, and I'm currently linking it to that. I will figure out things as I go along."

"But you're a super genius with godlike analytical talents," Kyoko crossed her arms, suspicious, "something tells me you already know what's going on, but you're not telling us."

Kamukura fell silent again. A silence that made it crystal clear that he wasn't going to respond to this.

"Wait, hold on!" Razor suddenly jumped into the conversation, "Why are you guys even thinking about this!? Hey! We don't have to fight the Gorilla anymore and can go to the Treasure now, right?"

"Yes," Kamukura affirmed.

"Then that means we did it! We won! Why are you guys complaining that we don't have any more difficult fights to go through!?" she hissed.

"U-Um...It's not that we're COMPLAINING per se...Just that it feels a little...anticlimactic..." Usami shuffled.

"Well, I don't care. I'm just sick and tired of this sucky island and want to get off it ASAP!" she snarled, "you gave us permission to go into the rock, so open the damn rock!"

"I cannot," Kamukura shook his head, "you have not received my permission yet."

"Why you little-! WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOOUUT!" Razor shrieked, so loudly to the point that Highwayman grabbed her shoulder.

"Toko-chan, seriously, calm down! You're telling us to stop worrying but you're the most antsy of all of us here!" she exclaimed.

"What are you trying to say, Izuru?" Mozart asked.

"No, I think I understand what he means," Sleuth answered in the Shadow's place, "when he says we need his permission, he doesn't mean himself. He's saying we need the permission of the REAL Izuru/Hajime back in our world."

"So that means..." Highwayman looked between the rest of the group until her eyes settled on her brother. Makoto nodded back at her.

"I think it's time we delivered Izuru Kamukura his calling card," he declared, "we have one more dash to the finish line. It's now or never."

"Since you've made it this far, my calculations suggest that you may be capable of it," Kamukura mumbled cryptically, "many locked doors have been opened in this place that never should have been opened. Only a few more remaining..."

Leprechaun was about to ask him what he meant, but before he could, Kamukura disappeared into the shadow beneath him.

"Hey...Guys?" Mozart started tugging on her glove, "There's something I just thought about...If we steal the Treasure and rescue Hajime-kun, do you think Kamukura will...disappear?"

"Um...maybe?" Highwayman thought, "Why?"

"I dunno I just..." Kaede shrugged, "That feels kinda sad...I mean, I know that he was never supposed to be here, but...

Shadow Hinata scoffed, turning around and marching towards the rock face, looking up at it.

"This place isn't his playground. He was never supposed to be here," he scowled, "he's just a brainless, emotionless copy...He DOESN'T...MATTER..."

This statement...concerned the Phantom Thieves. Especially Makoto.

"Hinata-kun?" he called, "what's that about?"

"That was weirdly...malicious of you..." Mozart added.

"Huh? O-Oh, sorry..." he turned back and clutched his arm, "it's just...I might be so close to being free, and it should feel good, but now there are so many things up in the air, and the fact that there are no other Mechabeasts makes me feel like I didn't work hard enough for it...I know that's super stupid but...I feel like a loser for believing that things can be better. Like there's always the likelihood that the light at the other end of the tunnel is a drop into a volcanic pit and I...I just can't, you know?"

"We're saving you, one way or another," Highwayman promised him, "you've been stuck here for too long. We're gonna save you, and then we're going after the people who put you here."

"Komaru's right," Usami affirmed, "we're your friends, and we've got your back all the way! Talents or no!"

Hinata's face broke into a solemn smile.

"You know, I was right to believe in Hope's Peak Academy. With people like you attending that school, it's no wonder people look up to it," he said, "I wish I could be like you guys. Even if just for a day."

"I appreciate that, really," Leprechaun told him, "but from what I've seen, be careful what you wish for. If you let something lead you along, you could end up trapped in another situation like this."

"What are you trying to say?" he frowned.

"Just..." Makoto sighed, "Be careful. I've come to feel a little worried about you. And when we all get off this island, I hope we meet again."

"Yeah," Hinata nodded, reaching out his hand for a fist-bump that Makoto gladly returned, "Me too man."

This is Mademoiselle - Danganronpa 3: The End of Hope's Peak Academy

[THE NEXT DAY...]

"How's the calling card coming along girls?"

The day had finally come that the Phantom Thieves were going to begin their big operation, and tensions were fairly high. Even if this was going to prove to be a fairly standard mission, even a little easier than normal with the potential lack of opposition, the climb to get to this point had been drastic.

But the stress made it so even trying to relax in the Thieves' den proved to be a little precarious, so eventually, Kaede suggested they instead take the meeting to her mansion, where things were a little more spacious.

Now, Komaru and Toko were brainstorming together on how to design and write Kamukura's calling card, but Toko was a little stumped on what to write, and Komaru decided, since there was little reason for a spectacle, she'd try and make the design of this one a little more...unique, though Izuru's lack of a personality made it difficult to cater the design towards him.

"Hm...I'm getting there..." Toko drummed the desk in Kaede's room with her pen, "I've just...got a lot to think about..."

"It sucks that Kyoko's not here." Komaru pouted, "Her presence is calming."

"It can't be helped; she can't take every day off the clock," Makoto sighed, "she plans on using her patrol this evening as cover to meet with us. Then the plan is we storm the Palace, grab the Treasure, bail, and hopefully all will be resolved."

"With our luck, I doubt it's gonna be that simple, but I'd hate to jinx it anyway," Kaede rolled her eyes.

"The difficult part is how we're actually going to deliver the calling card to Kamukura," Shuichi noted, "surely it's not as simple as going back to the statue and entering the lab again, will it?"

"I don't think that's such a good idea," Momomi chimed in, "even though Kazuo Tengan let us off the hook last time, I doubt he'll be best pleased if he catches us down there again."

"Right...And we risk getting caught by the Steering Committee, and if we do, it's all over for all of us," Makoto added, "if there's one saving grace to any of this, it's that unlike our last targets, Izuru isn't hostile. He might not be especially cooperative, but he's not technically our "enemy." So a good strategy might just be to stay straightforward and honest with him."

"What do you mean?" Kaede asked.

"Izuru's smart, and it seems he understands what goes on inside Palaces and the Metaverse, especially since it was employed to make him. I'm willing to bet he already knows who we really are...assuming he cares enough," he explained, "even if we explain what it is we're doing, I'm sure that it'll unlock the secret passage and let us inside."

"Not a bad plan, but you're forgetting one teeny tiny little detail," Toko stood up, with Makoto frowning at the very evident sarcasm in her tone of voice, "we have no way to CONTACT Kamukura without risking going to meet him face to face. What do you want to do, invite him over for tea or something?"

"You got any ideas!?" Makoto snapped back, "I'm open to suggestions!"

"Who knows? Maybe if we say his name three times in the mirror, he'll magically appear behind us? Let me give it a try," Komaru snarked, waltzing over to Kaede's dresser and sitting down, prim and proper, in the seat and sarcastically muttering into the mirror, "Kamukura, Kamukura, Kamukura!"

"I heard you the first time."

"AAAAAAAAAAGGH!? WHAT THE-!? HOW DID-!? WHY DID-!? WAAAAAAAAAAGGHH!?"

Komaru let out the highest-pitched scream anyone had ever heard from her, and it was honestly surprising that nothing in the room made of glass or China SHATTERED! But her scream was understandable!

Though she had joked about going the sleepover ghost game route, the sarcastic attempt to undermine her brother ACTUALLY WORKED! As she fell to the floor in a panic, she looked up in horror to see Izuru Kamukura standing at his full height, his long hair dragging on the floor!

And she wasn't the only one screaming.

"WHAT THE FUUUCK!?" Toko dashed to the corner of the room, trembling!

"WHAT in the WORLD!?" Shuichi spluttered!

"How did-!? How did you even-!? WHAT!?" Makoto choked!

"You called my name," Izuru responded very casually, his red eyes shining in the Lucky Student's direction, "was I supposed to ignore you?"

"Dude! What are you DOING here!?" Kaede cried, "This is MY HOUSE!"

"I'm aware of that," Izuru tilted his head, "but you intend to give me a calling card so that you can steal my Treasure, right?"

"How do you know that!?" Monomi glowered.

Izuru didn't respond immediately. He just looked down at her.

"Oh...right...he can't hear me..." Monomi rubbed her nose, blushing, "Can someone translate for me?"

"She's asking-"

"I know what she asked. I may not be able to understand her, but I both can read her mind and speak her rabbit language," Izuru interrupted Makoto as he tried to meet Monomi's request, "and to answer her question, aside from the fact that you all just discussed it, after we met that day in the lab, I figured out from observation that you were the Phantom Thieves, predicted that you would try to steal my heart to bring back Hajime Hinata, and estimated that it would take you exactly this long to reach the necessary roadblock."

"You...really...did all...that...huh?" Komaru stammered, still in shock. It was a wonder how she hadn't gone into cardiac arrest from how bad a scare she had been given.

"How did you even know we were here!? And how did you get in!?" Kaede panicked, "Sure, we don't have top-of-the-line security or anything, but...STILL!"

"It was quite simple," Kamukura explained, "using my analytical talents, I estimated that the pressure you were under contributed to a change of scenery, so I knew you wouldn't be at your normal hangout. Remembering your face, I used a laptop in the lab to search your student profiles, and upon finding out you had the biggest house, found your address from there."

"Dude...You are WAY too overpowered..." Makoto groaned, feeling a migraine coming on.

"I'm sorry, are you guys hearing this!?" Kaede snapped, "He DOXXED me! That's not ok!"

Melancholy Touch - Danganronpa 3: The End of Hope's Peak Academy

"While I get why you're upset, this is honestly good fortune more than anything, right?" Toko tried to forcefully compose herself, "At least we don't need to go to him anymore...That's a plus, right?"

"Toko being optimistic...What is the world coming to..." Komaru sobbed on the floor, curling up into a petrified little ball.

"Ok, so even if you DID somehow figure out where we were, how did you get here!?" Shuichi cried, "I-I-I thought you were trapped under that statue in the lab!?"

Izuru turned his deep red eyes in his direction.

"I was never trapped. I can come and go from that lab as I please," he stated, "do you really think that anyone could keep someone with my abilities caged, even if they wanted to?"

"That...is a very good point..." Shuichi realized.

"So you just...willingly stay down there?" Kaede frowned.

"Of course I do. It's where I live," he said, "it's not a dorm room, but it has been my equivalent for the past few years."

"But if you could leave any time you wanted, how come you never did?" Toko asked.

"I did. As every other student does at this school, I attend classes, as per the Steering Committee's request," Izuru explained, "it's just that I am capable of masking my presence so expertly that nobody is able to notice me, even when I'm standing next to them. In fact, the only reason you noticed me the first time we met is because the Ultimate Lucky Student's luck made him trip on my hair and discover me. Had it not been for that, you would never have found me."

"That's..." Momomi trembled, "absolutely impossible!"

"Clearly not," Izuru shook his head, "I have been standing in this exact spot for 32 minutes and 7 seconds."

"So basically since we started working!? This is so ridiculous it's not even funny!" Toko snarled, "What are you even doing here!?"

"Through a combination of my clairvoyance, analysis, spectral vision, as well as 24 other Ultimate Talents I possess, I discovered that you were planning on sending me a calling card so you could infiltrate the Palace within me and steal my heart," he turned towards Makoto as he said this, "I surmised it was more efficient to come to you instead of waiting for you to break into the Committee Lab again and deliver the card to me."

"Well, that's...surprisingly nice of you actually...!" Makoto chuckled awkwardly, "But we're not exactly done yet, so...mind waiting a few minutes?"

"Very well," Izuru nodded, then crossed his arms and stood completely still.

What he said about masking his presence was true enough. Even when looking right at him, Makoto could barely feel he was there at all. In fact, he was masking so well, it was like he was fading away in front of him by the second.

Tragically, this was not the case for Toko.

"IN ANOTHER ROOM preferably!" she spat, "I can't focus while he's just standing there like that."

"But I can mask my presence," Izuru told her, "you won't even notice I'm here."

"It doesn't work if I KNOW you're there!" Toko glowered, "Even if I can't sense you, the thought that you might be looking over my shoulder while I write what is basically a threat letter to you is not very comforting!"

"Ugh, FINE, Kaede, take him into another room!" Makoto rolled his eyes, "we'll clean up here while you distract him."

"Why me!?" she exclaimed.

"Because it's your house!" Makoto snapped back, "Just...play him a piano recital or something!? I don't know."

"Oh...fine!" Kaede stomped over to Izuru, grabbing him by the shoulders and trying to push him out of the room, "Come on Kamukura-kun. I'd really like to hear your opinions on my work!"

"...Hmph..." was Izuru's only response. Once they saw them disappear, the rest of the Phantom Thieves relaxed and heaved a sigh of relief.

"I'm gonna be so glad when this is all over," Komaru groaned, pressing her head against the wall, "I don't think I can handle the stress anymore."

"When we first set out to be Phantom Thieves, I really didn't think this was the kind of thing we would be doing..." Leprechaun sighed, "But...if we're lucky...once we give Izuru this calling card, we won't have any more to deal with. We can just go in, grab the Treasure, and leave."

Shuichi however, cleared his throat.

"Yeah...um...about that..."

Toko, Monomi, Komaru and Makoto turned to him.

"What is it?" Komaru asked, skeptically.

"I don't mean to be the bearer of bad news, or raise any concerns that might be just my own paranoia, but I've been talking about it with Kyoko-sama and she believes I may be onto something," he explained, "before we head to the Palace, there's one last thing I want to discuss with you all..."

I Will Give You...: Persona 5 Royal

"So, do you know that one?" Kaede asked as she finished a recital for Izuru, who had been staring at her performance with a blank and listless expression the whole time. He solemnly nodded.

"Frédéric Chopin's Farewell Waltz," he stated, "I know of it."

"Awesome!" Kaede beamed, "Farewell Waltz is very lovely! But it hurts my chest because it's so tragic at the same time! Although I'm sure a lot of people have heard this song before, not many are aware that Chopin is the artist. Do you have any favorite artists, Kamukura-kun?"

"No," Izuru responded.

"Right...of course you don't..." Kaede sighed, wondering why she'd even bothered asking such a question. This was like trying to have a conversation with a street lamp. Even so, she wasn't about to give up yet. "Do you have...ANY interest in music? At all?"

"Singing, playing an instrument, creating music and lyrics. I am capable of doing all those things," he told her.

"You know, if it wasn't for how tragic the story behind that power is, I'd actually think that's pretty cool," Kaede smiled, "I mean, it IS pretty cool regardless. I reckon you can play the piano too then?"

"With ease," he replied bluntly.

"You know, everyone calls me a "Piano Freak," but I've been wondering if you can play any better than me!" she smirked, "I would like to hear you play, if that's alright?"

"You want to hear me play right now?" Izuru asked.

"Can you? I mean, you already heard me play after all!" she smiled earnestly. Izuru's expression didn't move, like always, but he closed his eyes and gave what looked like half a nod.

"If that's what you wish, then I don't mind."

Kaede was almost blown away by what happened next.

Seated before the magnificent piano, the Ultimate Hope sat before the grand piano, the warm glow of the afternoon sunlight falling through the window covering the keys and illuminating his typically menacing and gloomy figure. He put his hands gently on the ivory keys and started to play.

His fingers glided over the keys with an increased level of assurance and without hesitation at all. He played a beautiful, melancholic melody that was imbued with emotion well beyond his years. Kaede was overcome with a wave of familiar emotions and bittersweet nostalgia as he played; feelings she hadn't experienced in a while.

As his fingers danced, every note sounded pure and clear. The sound of the music spread throughout the space, enveloping Kaede in a cozy musical hug. The melody fired her heart, making her feel as though every note reflected his aspirations, anxieties, and hopes.

And yet, despite the grandeur, that was the very issue...Something didn't feel right about it. For Izuru himself did not look like his heart was in it. His face never betrayed any sign of joy, sadness, anger, or fear.

I.e. it was devoid of the very things Kaede yearned for for both herself and her audience through the act of playing piano.

Izuru's melody came to a close, and he looked at her, awaiting her reaction. Kaede wasn't quite sure what to say at first, taking a moment to find the words.

"Wow...that was amazing," she said, gripping her sleeve, "seriously, That was such a stunning performance...!"

Izuru however, noticed her concerned, confused, and overall bothered expression.

"Are you dissatisfied?" he inquired.

"No, nothing like that. Thanks for playing for me," Kaede assured him, "Your technique was incredible... You played all the difficult parts like they were nothing...Your rhythm and everything was perfect... It was a beautiful performance, really it was! But..."

"So you ARE dissatisfied?" Izuru deadpanned.

"Seriously, that's not it! There's no way I could be dissatisfied with such a beautiful recital!" Kaede scowled, "What do you think of when you play the piano, Izuru? What do you want to deliver to the audience? Do you want them to feel anything?"

Izuru shook his head. "Not particularly."

"I figured as much...But still, that blows," Kaede groaned, "even though you can play so well, you feel nothing from delivering a performance? Then...what did you think of my performance earlier?"

"It was close to perfection," Kamukura told her, "Your talent would be clear to anyone."

"Um...that's not what I meant..." Kaede scratched her head, "Ah, geez! It's hard for me to critique other people's performances!"

She took a second to breathe in and out before she continued.

"I was thinking how you could do so much more," she told him, "I know that this isn't what the Steering Committee intended for you, but if you have this much talent, you could deliver any kind of emotion through music. You did just now, in fact."

"Even if I were to do that..." Izuru spoke quietly, "the outcome would be predictable."

"So you think you don't need to do it because you can predict it?" Kaede asked, "I don't see it that way."

"What are you aiming to do by asking me these questions, Kaede Akamatsu?" Izuru asked.

To be honest, even Kaede wasn't quite sure where she was going with this. However, even though she didn't really put much thought into it, she decided to say what was on her mind.

"Listen...When this is all over, and we turn you back to normal, I'm confident that you're not gonna disappear forever," she asserted, "so after we change your heart, I want you to come and listen to me play again."

"Why?"

"Um...I have a lot of things I want to tell you...But instead of using words, I think it'd be faster if I used the piano," she explained, "If you're able to smile at long last from my performance, then that'd be great. Is that okay?"

Izuru's eyes closed like he was contemplating this. They didn't open when he delivered his response.

"I don't feel it necessary to nod," he said.

"A simple "okay" would've been enough!" Kaede snapped, "Geez...well, whatever. I don't wanna force you or anything...But whenever you feel like it, come visit me... I play the piano every day, so..."

"Well, I always have plenty of time...So I'll consider it." Kamukura replied.

As Kaede smiled at her new "friend?" the door to the music room opened, and the rest of the Phantom Thieves shuffled inside.

"Card's ready," Toko smiled smugly, "sorry, were you two in the middle of something?"

"Just chatting away with my new bestie here," she grinned, "but it's ok. I guess it's time, huh?"

"Yep," Komaru said, approaching Izuru and handing the card to him, "here. Special delivery, just for you, good sir. This might not be how we WANTED to go about it, but I guess we should thank you for making it easier on our poor souls."

"Understood," Izuru affirmed, taking the card off her hands, "I just need to read this, right?"

She nodded, and with that, Izuru stood up and relayed the contents of the flashy marked card aloud to everyone, albeit in a robotic and uncaring voice.

Izuru Kamukura

You are a being entirely made of apathy and sloth. You are a special, talented individual on the surface; a perfect being created artificially.

And yet, like many artificial beings, you are a little more than a manufactured parasite, leeching off the life of an innocent young man who was taken advantage of by your creators and transformed into an emotionless beast.

You are, by design, comprised of nothing but power, coated in a layer of sloth and apathy, created for a lost cause and at the sacrifice of someone else. To save them, we must steal from your rich fountain of talent, and give back to the poor.

Thus, we will rob every last one of the desires that distort you.

From

The Phantom Thieves of Hope~

Once he was done reading, Izuru lowered the card and looked up at the Phantom Thieves.

"These words are quite harsh," he observed.

"Yeah, sorry about that," Toko pouted, "got a lot of pent-up aggression centered around you for the last week or so."

"That, and the purpose of these calling cards is to intimidate our targets so that the Treasure manifests," Komaru added, "actually, I know I'm asking this a little bit late after the fact, but are we sure the calling card is even gonna work this time? It's kind of hard to threaten this guy, especially given the situation."

"I think it will still work. Shadow Kamukura already gave us permission in the Palace, so the calling card this time could be more of an acceptance letter than a warning," Monomi said, "of course, I don't know for sure, but failing that, we still have Shuichi's hypothesis to fall back on."

"Hypothesis?" Kaede parroted, "What do you mean?"

"I'll explain it to you on the way," Shuichi promised her, "but we should probably get moving. Everything's fallen into place, and who knows how long we've got until we miss our opportunity for good."

"Right. Let's move out," Makoto asserted, "oh, and Kamukura? Could you do us a huge favor?"

"What?" Izuru asked.

"Stay here and wait for us to come back," Makoto told him, "if you go back to the underground lab, you'll have trouble escaping once we change your heart, and we'll have an even harder time tracking you down."

"Alright..." Izuru seemed to sigh but complied.

"Aces!" Komaru pumped her fist, "right team, let's go! Daylight's burning!"

"The operation to steal Hinata's heart begins now!" Makoto pounded his fist into his palm.

Beautiful Dead - Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc

Shortly after the Phantom Thieves left for Hope's Peak Academy, at the same time, someone else had made her way to the school all the way from Kichijōji, and unsurprisingly, with the same mission in mind.

Chiaki had spent the last day deliberating on her experiences inside the Metaverse, and what Izuru's Shadow had told her about what was really going on. She was of two minds about this, one of whom knew she was so close to being able to rescue her old friend and finally see him again after all this time. Not to mention she now had the power to survive in that world.

On the other hand, she had entered the Metaverse 3 times as of this point, and all three times, she had almost died a horrible death, getting through out of pure luck. Naegi-kun had told her to never use the app again, and clearly for good reason.

So while she stood there with her phone in her hand, facing the tall Main Course building in front of her, her hand hesitated. She could help the Phantom Thieves, or go in alone, and she was confident that she could beat the odds that came her way, but there was still far too much at risk.

To bring back the friend she loved was a brilliant concept. To lose the friends she had now was not. There were an equal number of reasons why Chiaki should do this and why she shouldn't. And now it was just a matter of figuring out which one she wanted to do.

This was an even harder choice than picking your starter Pokemon.

Chiaki's saving grace, however, arrived very suddenly in the form of a redhead girl with freckles and green eyes, carrying a packed lunch, who once noticing her, came running over to her.

"Chiaki-chan!? You're here!? I-It's so good to see you; I thought you went home for the summer!"

"Huh? Oh, Mahiru-chan!" Chiaki greeted her with a smile, "Yeah, hi, sorry. I keep popping my head back around here to pick some stuff up, so I keep going to and fro. From what I hear, you guys were asking around about me."

"Sorry to pry," Mahiru chuckled awkwardly, "everyone in class has just been dying for you to come back. Ms. Yukizome is too. I know you've only been gone a short while, but we really miss you."

"I miss you guys too. Don't worry, I'm not trying to avoid you or anything," the gamer girl reassured the photographer, "I've just got a lot going on in my personal life that I need to take care of. I just need to sort that out, and I'll be back before you know it."

"That's good to hear," Mahiru beamed. Chiaki tilted her head, holding on to the straps of her backpack.

"That aside, you sure seem chipper today," she noticed, "I don't usually see you this happy."

"Huh? What do you mean?" Mahiru asked, "I'm usually fine, aren't I?"

"Yes, you are, but you're also usually more "Grr, boys suck *grumble* *grumble* *mumble* deadlines *mumble* *grumble* damn politics *grumble* *grumble*" you know?"

"Hey!" Mahiru snapped, "we've known each other for three years now, and THAT'S your impression of me!? Someone who hates everything!?"

"I'm only joking. About the grumbling stuff, I mean; I meant what I said when I said you were chipper," Chiaki giggled, "wouldn't have anything to do with the lunchbox you've got there, would it?"

Mahiru looked down at the bento box in her hands, neatly wrapped in an orange blanket.

"Oh, yes," she suddenly blushed, "I'm uh...planning to go and eat with a friend."

"Who? Hiyoko-chan? Mikan-chan? Ibuki-chan?" Chiaki listed off the names of the girls that Mahiru liked to hang out with in class, but Mahiru shook her head at all three.

"None of them, at least not today."

"Hm...A secret boy crush then?" Chiaki guessed, "is this a tryst?" Mahiru scoffed.

"Oh puh-lease! The truth is...I uh...have this friend in the Reserve Course who I've known since middle school..." She became ever the more bashful for some reason as she explained, "She's in the same club as me as well, and...well...we're...y'know?"

"Pretty tight?" Chiaki finished her sentence. Mahiru nodded.

"Well, she joined the Reserve Course so she could follow me here and watch me from the sidelines. So I'm grateful for that," Mahiru continued, "lately I've been a bit worried about her though."

"Why's that?" Chiaki asked.

"Well, it's just...she's been here for a few years now...But I'm only now realizing that she's not really fitting in with that part of the school," she explained, "a lot of the Reserve Course students, her included, don't really like us in the Main Course because we got blessed with a lucky ticket called "talent." And she's been feeling a little blue lately about how everyone keeps saying she'll never compare to me. She's never cared about that before, but it gets to be draining for her."

Chiaki felt like something got caught in her throat, and unbeknownst to Mahiru, she clenched her left hand into a fist.

"Lucky ticket...more like worthless tagline..."

"I'm sorry?" Mahiru frowned, only half hearing this.

"Listen. When you go and meet your friend, tell her that I said this," Chiaki asserted, with, to Mahiru's surprise, a stern and serious expression on her face, "never let anyone or herself tell her that she's "lowly by comparison. Everything starts with believing in yourself. And above all else, let her know that you care about her. Tell her how much she means to you before it's too late."

"I...Alright..." Mahiru, more confused than anything, agreed, "Well, it was nice catching up with you. I'll be seeing you around?"

"Yeah," Chiaki nodded, going quiet again, "nice seeing you Mahiru. I'll see you later."

Mahiru patted Chiaki on the shoulder with a free hand before carefully holding the wrapped bento and presumably going off to meet Sato for lunch. As she watched her walk away, Chiaki went back into an even deeper reflection.

*Hope's Peak's societal code has warped the world so much that everyone has forgotten that you don't have to be special or extraordinary for people to love you; you just have to be yourself...That's what's most important...* she thought, *Mahiru-chan...I hope you let that girl know how much you love her...Before you lose the chance to forever...*

Once she was confident she was alone, Chiaki pulled out her mobile phone again.

She had finally decided.

Izuru Kamukura had done as requested and stayed back at the Kaede household. Already knowing in advance that nothing in the house was going to be worth his time, he remained where he was and continued tapping the piano keys, expertly playing another symphony, even though he had no more audience to appreciate it.

Once his current song came to a close, he took a step back from the instrument and looked up at the ceiling.

The big problem with being himself was that this already boring situation of waiting for the Phantom Thieves to be done with whatever it was they were doing was doubly so. And doing anything else wouldn't help. Everything was boring when you were capable of doing everything you put your mind to.

As the minutes passed, Izuru was descending into utter boredom. There was nothing to amuse him in the room except the piano, which again wouldn't help. He let out a sigh and looked around, trying to find something, anything, to concentrate on.

That was when his eyes fell on a mobile phone...

It was Kaede's mobile phone. She had placed it on the end of the piano, and accidentally forgotten about it before she left her house. She wouldn't need it, obviously, so long as she could enter the Metaverse using someone else's phone.

It took Izuru under a minute to figure out her phone password. He'd subtly noticed that the look the Ultimate Pianist gave the Ultimate Detective in her class was subtly warmer than anyone else, so he surmised that it had to be something related to him. Turns out it was "5A1H4R4." Who'd have thought?

What she had in terms of apps wasn't that interesting even for someone who wasn't perpetually bored. The closest thing she had to a game was a piano simulator, to absolutely no one's surprise, especially not Kamukura's.

But what DID catch his interest was one particular app on the screen that seemed... out of place — a red warped square with an Eye of Horus in the middle of it.

Izuru knew what this was; he'd seen it before when the Steering Committee had utilized the Metaverse to perform check-ups on him. He didn't quite know what prompted it, but he decided to open the app. Only to check the search screen. He wasn't planning on going in, but he'd never actually seen the menu screen of the app before, even though he knew full well how it worked.

Upon opening the app, however, Izuru got more than he bargained for...

Let Us Sing of a Hollow Victory - Danganronpa 2: Goodbye Despair

It started with pain! A sharp jolt of pain in his head that he couldn't fight back against, and his eyes shot open! A horrible din echoed throughout the empty room as he collapsed onto the piano keys!

The first time the Phantom Thieves had entered his Palace, when the Mechabeasts first awakened, he had felt the same pain then. But this was worse, and for the first time in the three years since his birth, Kamukura felt powerless...!

"Gh-Ghagh! Wh...What is...Ugh!?" he grunted, collapsing to the floor. But when he thought the incredible pain from just opening the app was the end of it all, things got even weirder.

As he struggled to stand on all fours, Izuru crawled forward and was shocked to see a pair of legs wearing black trousers suddenly in front of him. He lifted his head and was astonished by what he saw.

It was...himself. It was like looking in a mirror, and the only difference between the figure that stood in front of him was the piecing yellow eyes as opposed to his red ones.

"Y-You...are..." Izuru groaned, standing shakily on his legs.

"I am the Shadow of Izuru Kamukura. Proprietor of Jabberwock Island," the illusion made its introduction, "the other you..."

"This...should not...be possible..." the real Izuru clutched his head, his long hair becoming very disheveled, "how...are you here?"

"I am no hallucination," it stated, as if that was supposed to be a comfort of some kind, "I appear before you not because I am traversing into reality, but because I find myself losing control of mine."

"Of...ngh...the Palace?" Izuru asked, "How is that...possible? What will...happen?"

The Shadow was quiet but crossed its arms.

"The domain of your mind is still a shared space, but it will not be for long," it explained cryptically, "not only will any trace of the person you once were be erased eternally, but the Phantom Thieves will die if something is not done about it."

Why did this dialogue make Izuru...feel something? He wasn't used to feeling anything, but if he had to describe what he was going through upon hearing Shadow's words, it was close to being...panicked.

Kaede Akamatsu had treated him as if he were a friend. For some reason, the thought of losing her in his life was not only heart-wrenching...but familiar.

"What...agh...do I do?" Kamukura was getting to the point where he felt like he was going to bleed from the nose. The Shadow shook its head.

"You are the Ultimate Hope. Nothing is impossible for you," it said, "surely you would know the answer to that, no?"

"I..." Izuru was close to speechless.

"Even after all this time, traces of Hajime Hinata's personality remain in the Palace," Shadow Izuru informed his real-world self, "are you certain that you have no memory of what your life was like before your birth?"

"Before...my birth...?" real Kamukura parroted through the pain, "Hajime...Hinata...?"

"Your family...The time you spent with Chiaki Nanami...The decision that led you to making that fateful choice...You remember none of it?" the Shadow queried.

"It...does not matter...!" Izuru replied, his voice suddenly becoming something of an irate growl, "Such emotions...such memories...get in the way of...TALENT! Why...should they matter? Why should I feel the need to...REMEMBER!?"

Shadow Kamukura seemed to sigh.

"Because lives, and the fate of both worlds, depend on it..." it replied bluntly.

And just like that, it disappeared as soon as it had arrived.

Once Shadow Kamukura vanished, real Kamukura's headaches ceased. But even in the wake, things didn't feel the same as they had done before the glitch in the Metaverse had happened.

HE felt different.

He FELT.

Shadow Kamukura had mentioned that the fate of both worlds depended on the connection between himself and the boy he once was. Assuming what the Shadow said was true, and Shadows ordinarily weren't capable of hiding things, the Phantom Thieves were in more danger than he thought.

This was the first time he hadn't been able to calculate or predict his way to a solution, and that should have been exciting, but it WASN'T. It was TERRIFYING. Izuru ordinarily would not care about this. His existence was Hope and Talent itself. Who lived and who died for the sake of it did not matter. Not the Phantom Thieves, the Steering Committee, or these old friends and family of Hajime Hinata, like Chiaki Nanami.

...Nanami...

For some reason, though Hajime had not seen her in three years since he disappeared, it hadn't felt that long ago since they had last said goodbye. What had she done in the time since he'd left?

...No...

No this made no sense. How could he possibly be remembering that? He'd never met this "Chiaki Nanami" in his life.

Izuru had a headache for a different reason now. Not being able to understand anything that was going on. But remembering the things his Shadow had said, he looked back at the phone screen, which was still open on the Meta-Nav's search screen...

He knew where he needed to go to get answers...

"Wow...That's...Is that really true?" Kaede asked.

"I mean, I'm not completely sure," Shuichi told her, "but Kyoko-sama came to a similar conclusion, so I think I'm onto something. Something just doesn't seem right about that Palace or anything that's going on."

"Well, this may be your last chance to confront Hinata or Kamukura's Shadows about the topic," Kyoko, who had finally met up with the group, noted, "if the opportunity arises, or if things go the way you theorized, I think you should."

"If things go the way I theorized, I might not have a choice," Shuichi added cryptically, "I'm honestly hoping it doesn't come to that."

"I'm sure there's a reason why all this is happening like this," Makoto chimed in, "no matter what, we know Hinata's not a bad guy. Even at the end, there's still so much we don't know."

"But it's still the end," Toko added, "we're gonna go in there, and we're gonna change his heart. No matter what happens, that's how things will go."

"You keep being optimistic, I'm gonna start thinking someone's swapped bodies with you," Komaru winked, nudging her with her elbow.

"Then let's not waste any more time," Monomi poked her head out of Makoto's hood, "we won't have to deal with the Mechabeasts anymore, but we should still be prepared for the Palace security level to be high, and there's no guarantee we'll be free of enemies when we go inside the rock."

"I know what you mean," Kyoko nodded, "Everything about this Palace seems especially unusual. Maybe that's not accurate coming from me since I've only ever seen one other, Mementos notwithstanding, but it feels a little TOO different..."

"But we've already given the calling card to Izuru," Makoto stated, "it's now or never."

"Right. No matter what we've got to face, we'll take the Treasure for sure!" Komaru smirked.

Makoto looked back between all his teammates, reflecting on how long it had taken to get to this point, and how no matter what, they couldn't afford to mess it up.

And with that, almost in unison, three mobile phones all opened the same app, input the keywords, and pressed the same button. And those three phones uttered the same words...

[BEGINNING NAVIGATION...]

Chapter End Notes

And with that, the final battle draws near...!
I don't want to give any indication as to what may be happening next, but things will be getting interesting with both Izuru and Chiaki chasing the Phantom Thieves into the Palace.
So all I really want to say this time is a few thank yous to some absolutely amazing people. First of all to those who are doing a fantastic job at fleshing out the TV Tropes page. It's slowly becoming a blog where people can get their information on the story, and I'm grateful for that. Helps to get the name out there.
And to Lunatichyness, I've given you a shoutout before, but you've kept it going with the amazing fanart, and I'm so happy to see it. It's also now on the TV Tropes Page and that's exactly where it belongs. You're a legend, keep up the good work.
And as always, thank you for reading. I love to get feedback from my readers, so feel free to leave a comment, and some kudos if you feel up to it.

The Island-Dweller of Sloth

Chapter Summary

With the calling card read, the Phantom Thieves dive one last time into Izuru Kamukura's Palace to steal his treasure. However, when they finally venture underneath the rocks, the only thing they get is an expected, but unwelcome betrayal...

Chapter Notes

See the end of the chapter for notes

The Days When My Mother Was There ~Another Ver~ - Persona 5

"Hey! I didn't realize that you guys were already here! I wasn't quite sure where I should meet you!"

These were the excited words of Shadow Hajime Hinata as he hurried towards the rest of the group, who had already made it into the Palace fully prepped and waiting outside of Jabberwock Rock.

"Hey..." Leprechaun greeted him haphazardly, "We're all ready to go. How have things been here."

"Not much difference since you left. But for some reason, Shadow activity has been on the rise," Hinata explained, "the guards are acting more aggressive than usual and I'm not so sure why..."

"I think that might be our fault actually," Highwayman admitted, "this is pretty standard when we send the calling card."

"Yeah...Hopefully, that's a sign that the threat worked..." Sleuth added.

"It better have! We've spent like...WEEKS on this mission!" Razor spat, "After everything we need a break..."

Shadow Hinata frowned.

"Are you guys...alright?" he asked, "you seem...apprehensive..."

"We are a little bit nervous..." Mozart admitted, "But this is our job, and we need to get you off this island. For the sake of many, not just you..."

Shadow Hinata seemed uncertain, but he walked over to Mozart and rested a comforting hand on her shoulder.

"Well, I appreciate everything you've done for me..." he sighed, "no matter what happens from this point on, know that I respect you guys, and nothing will ever change how I feel, alright?"

Mozart smiled and reached up to hold his hand back.

"Thank you," she said quietly, "and I'm sorry..."

"For what?" he asked.

"Nothing," she shook her head, "come on guys. Let's go get that treasure!"

"You remember what we discussed?" Leprechaun asked the rest of his group, "Sleuth, you stick to the rear, and Hinata and I will take point."

"Oh, is that how it's gonna be?" Hinata smiled, "Alright then!"

"Ok, but here's the real question," Razor gestured to the rock face, "how are we gonna get inside? Do we just wait for Shadow Kamukura to show up and let us in?"

"Didn't we need all the scrolls in order to open this, as well as defeating all the Mechabeasts?" Kyoko asked, "The Mechabeasts have all been defeated but..."

"Oh, I have the last scroll we need," Shadow Hinata suddenly pulled the item of question out of his bottomless bag, "Kamukura provided it to me after you guys left. Told me to keep it safe." Leprechaun frowned.

"Then how do we go in the-?"

To answer his question before he could entirely finish it, there was a rumbling sound as, to everyone's surprise, a mechanical door camouflaged in the side of the rock face suddenly slid slowly open, revealing a dark tunnel behind it. This was then followed by, even more surprising, an escalator slowly sliding out of said tunnel, until the bottom made contact with the sand, and with that, started running.

"Well...that's...unexpected..." Highwayman remarked.

"I...must agree. I had figured there would be a secret door, but not an escalator..." Usami agreed.

"Look, it doesn't matter, the door's open and we have a way inside," Mozart affirmed, "the Treasure is up ahead. Let's finish this!"

Though Kamukura had called it a labyrinth, and though it was INDEED akin to a labyrinth, it wasn't that hard to figure out. There didn't seem to be any traps through the maze, and the worst opposition they got was a wide variety of smaller enemies who by this point in time were child's play to the Phantom Thieves.

The air grew colder and the faint sounds of their footsteps echoed through the cramped passageways as the group sank deeper into the darkness. Strange markings and symbols covered the walls, many of which depicted events and significant people from Hajime Hinata's life that the Phantom Thieves had discovered through the scrolls.

In particular, Sleuth was very interested in these, but he didn't say anything noteworthy about them.

The distortion caused the labyrinth to appear to shift and change around them, making it more difficult to navigate as they continued down its halls. Sometimes enemies waited to greet them around corners, and they constantly found themselves at dead ends, which led nowhere. Nevertheless, the team persisted, committed to discovering the mysteries concealed in the old tunnels.

"Something about this place seems familiar," Sleuth remarked, "I can't quite put my finger on it, but there are pieces of this place that...remind me of something."

"I know what you mean..." Leprechaun nodded, "but what could it be...?"

"I know," Kyoko chimed in suddenly, "this place represents the laboratory where we first met Izuru Kamukura and learned his story. It's the place that he was born."

"Ah, you're probably right..." Usami nodded, "This definitely looks like the heart of the problem..."

"How far are we from the Treasure?" Mozart asked.

"Not too far now. I'm getting a strong signal north of where we are," Usami scratched her nose, "the Treasure has definitely manifested. But there's no knowing what may lie ahead. Stay vigilant."

Delving further into the labyrinth, they found themselves in enormous chambers brimming with artifacts from a bygone era, including golden statues, elaborate jewelry, and old scrolls bearing mysterious runes that appeared to be symbolic of the Steering Committee's manipulation of Hinata's heart. Their anticipation was heightened by each finding, which helped them get deeper into the maze.

And of course, Leprechaun and Highwayman stole whatever wasn't nailed down to trade in for cold hard cash later.

Until at long last, the team found their way to the center.

A feeling of something foreboding descended upon them as they neared the end. The air grew thick with ancient magic, and a powerful aura surrounded a sealed chamber that seemed to pulse with unseen energy, taking the form of a pair of double doors.

"Alright, on three," Leprechaun told Hinata as they both placed their hands on the doors, "one...two..."

On Leprechaun's count, they pushed open the doors with trembling hands and were astounded by what they saw.

"What the...!?" was the only thing that escaped Highwayman's mouth, while the rest of the team was stunned silent.

Stepping through the door felt like stepping into an entirely new reality. All around the Phantom Thieves was what could only be described as a skybox, shining brightly, but with lines of code like the matrix popping up at random intervals; illuminating a a temple-like structure, with a long stone path leading up to it.

The ancient temple with a tower occupied the center of the space, its weathered stone walls reaching skyward like the gnarled fingers of an ancient giant, and its large stone cuboids revolving around it like a cylindrical lock.

Despite being so deep underground and away from the sunlight, the air in this chamber was clean, though not in the same way that the rest of the island was. Almost like it was so artificially. Considering this place was supposed to represent a lab, it kind of made sense.

"Oh yeah..." Mozart nodded, "This is DEFINITELY where the Treasure is..."

The Phantom Thieves and their adventurer friend walked along the path towards a bridge, walking over it towards the tower and watching their step, as they looked down to see a glitchy void far below them. None of them knew what would happen if they fell into it, and none of them were particularly keen to find out.

Once crossing the bridge, the Phantom Thieves entered the central tower, and walked into a chamber with a high ceiling, with the light spewing in through cracks in the walls. It was very spacious and drafty, and Highwayman rubbed her arms as she felt a chill run up them.

"This feels like the final boss room alright," she remarked, "still, not what I was expecting at all..."

"What, were you thinking there was going to be a cave full of gold and riches aplenty?" Kyoko queried.

"Well, it's not like this place is empty," Mozart chimed in, "look over there."

Mozart pointed to the center of the empty chamber. Placed carefully and symmetrically in the middle was a medium-sized black coffin, perched up on a stand, filling the room with an unsettling glow as the light shining from the wall was reflected off of its polished steel surface.

"Well, THAT'S not creepy at all!" Highwayman threw up her arms in disbelief.

"Hey, Razor..." Leprechaun whispered to her, "We saw something similar in the bunker, remember?"

"Yeah, pretty sure that's supposed to be Kamukura's bed," she replied.

"I don't see anything else here, so I'm willing to bet that the Treasure we're looking for is inside," Shadow Hinata suggested.

"Oh, cool! Let's grab it!" Mozart strode towards the coffin, but Highwayman grabbed her shoulder and stopped her.

"Woah, woah, WOAH!" she exclaimed, "girl, that is a COFFIN! Aren't you even the least bit freaked out about going over and touching it!?"

"I'll open it," Leprechaun shared a knowing glance with the rest of his team, "Hinata? You want to help?"

"Sure!" Hinata beamed.

"Be careful Leprechaun," Kyoko whispered, taking a few steps back, anticipating something.

Leprechaun shot one last glance back towards his teammates, and the group all proceeded to gather around the coffin, with Sleuth remaining in the rear as he had done from the start.

Leprechaun and Hinata approached the coffin, with Hinata a little behind Leprechaun. And after sharing a knowing nod, they reached out their hands towards it...

...Or so they should have...

In truth, Hinata's outstretched hand was not aiming to pry open the coffin...With a cold expression in his golden eyes, he advanced slowly, the beats of his heart echoing within his chest like a sinister drumbeat...as he reached out towards Leprechaun...

However, just as he was about to pull the Phantom Thieves leader in his grasp, Hinata instead felt a completely different feeling entirely...Cold.

At first, he panicked! Shadow Hinata's eyes snapped open and he saw his arm was frozen solid in a thick block of ice! Panic quickly swept through him! As he battled to break free, he discovered that the region surrounding his legs was remarkably similar, and quickly, the rest of the ice started to travel up his body until all but his head was caked in a tough layer of frost!

But then, the panic subsided slightly, giving way to confusion more than anything, as Leprechaun lowered his hand away from the coffin, and he turned around slowly, glaring at Hinata with a mix of disappointment and malice in his eyes.

He wasn't the only one. The rest of the Phantom Thieves all turned to him with equally stern expressions, and he looked right back at them individually, scared and confused, until at last his eyes settled on Sleuth behind him, who with his Persona by his side, had clearly been the one responsible for the trap he found himself in.

A Dead End to the Ocean's Aroma - Danganronpa 2: Goodbye Despair

"...Nice try..." the detective boy uttered with a growl.

"Hey!" Hinata snapped, "what gives!? The hell are you thinking!? Let me go!"

None of the Phantom Thieves made any attempt to rescue him or question Shuichi on his actions. After all, they had all been planning this in advance and were ready for a situation like this.

"This is insane!" Hinata struggled to free himself as he came to this same conclusion, "What's the matter with you all!? I thought we were on the same side here!? Why are you doing this!?"

While Hinata persisted in his struggle, the Phantom Thieves kept their gaze fixed on him. But soon Hinata no longer struggled, and his expression changed from one of panic and exasperation to one of understanding and scorn, along with a deep sigh.

"Oh...What's the use...?" he asked himself in dismay, "No doubt you've already figured me out, haven't you?"

"And we have Sleuth to thank for that," Leprechaun glared, backing away from Hinata just in case he was to break out and try to grab him again, "still...I'm pretty disappointed. For once, I thought we'd found a friendly Shadow..."

"I AM friendly. We just...well...we weren't exactly after the same thing in the end after all..." Hinata seemed to shrug, though, with his limbs frozen in place, this was very difficult, "feel free to be disappointed. It's a feeling that I'm used to by this point."

"You were planning to betray and kill us..." Highwayman hissed, "what part about that is "friendly"?"

Hinata turned as far as he could to look towards Sleuth behind him.

"Tell me," he asked, "what gave me away?"

"To your credit, not much," Sleuth admitted, walking towards Hinata, though still staying out of arms reach, "and there's still so much I still need to figure out. But if you're so curious, I can tell you what made me suspect your intentions might be more ill than we thought."

He paced back and forth as he started to explain.

"Right from the very beginning, there were so many questions I was asking myself. Why of all the Reserve Course students did the Steering Committee pick Hinata? Why does the Palace take this sort of form? Why did the Mechabeast attack Kamukura despite him being the ruler of this place...And why did Hinata's over-enthusiasm seem disingenuous? After all, you're nothing like the boy people described you to be...All of that can be answered through one simple line of reasoning..."

"Go on..." Hinata seemed genuinely curious to hear what he had to say.

"We all know that the Steering Committee tampered with the Metaverse to turn your real-world self into Izuru Kamukura. We believed that in order to turn you into an unbeatable genius who existed as nothing but the physical embodiment of Hope and Talent, they created this Palace so they could manipulate your mind and give you abilities that you never had before," Sleuth explained, "To be perfectly frank, the biggest question that was on my mind was this...If the Steering Committee really created this place, why did they stylize it to look so much like an island? Surely it would be a lot easier to create something simple instead of building a place like this from the ground up."

He turned his body towards Shadow Hinata firmly.

"And that's when so many things started to line up, and I realized some things. Exhibit A: We know that you used to be friends with Chiaki Nanami, and were an avid fan of video games, including Ultimate Summer Camp, the game that this Palace is based on. That's where the island motif comes from," he continued.

Hinata seemed to grunt when Chiaki's name was brought up, but Sleuth kept going.

"Izuru Kamukura has no attachment to anything. Even though he's capable of so much, he puts no heart into what he does, because he's little more than a blank slate. It doesn't make sense for his Palace to take a beautiful form like this, when no sense of beauty lives within his heart," the detective asserted, "and then I remembered...What happened when we first discovered that this Palace even existed."

He pointed a finger at the frozen Hinata.

"Izuru Kamukura's name did not work when we entered it into the nav," he stated, "it was YOUR name, Hajime Hinata, that got us in."

"And your point at the end of it all is...what exactly?" he rolled his eyes.

"You know what it is he's trying to say," Razor growled.

"Realizing one key fact about this place explains absolutely everything weird that's been going on since we arrived here," Highwayman nodded.

"When we spoke to Chiaki-chan, she told us some things about you," Usami explained, "she said that you were a kind person, but you were also cynical, obsessed with Hope's Peak and ideas like talent, and we know that you've made decisions in the past from your clouded judgment...In other words, your heart is indeed VERY distorted, Hinata-kun."

"And then it all made sense to me at long last when you accidentally, finally, slipped up," Shuichi told him, "not only were you acting suspiciously upset when the Mechabeasts were defeated, despite us all working to take them down, but once they were, you said something you really shouldn't have..."

"I...I did...?" Hajime asked. Shuichi nodded, then repeated his words...

"I mean, that makes sense," Shadow Hinata scratched his head, "but that still doesn't explain why they attacked you after they burst out of the statue. Or why it attacked HIM!"

"It was funny you mentioned that to me at the time. At least what you specifically claimed," Sleuth explained, "but despite all of our stories you made us tell, none of us told you how the Mechabeasts attacked us on the first day we came to the island before we met you. Nothing about a statue at least."

"So either you somehow found out some other way," Leprechaun elaborated, "or you knew about it from the beginning because you're the one who woke them up...!"

"That's right. The truth is..." Shuichi retained his assertive pointing, "This Palace existed a LONG TIME before the Steering Committee tampered with it. And you, Hajime Hinata, are the REAL Palace Ruler."

Hinata's expression was halfway between a smirk and a scowl.

"Come on Hinata-kun..." Mozart clenched her teeth, "tell us we're barking up the wrong tree! I don't want you to turn out to be our enemy!"

"I'm sorry, Kaede..." he shook his head, ashamed, "though I would clap for you if I could move my hands. Yes, it's all quite true. I'm the Palace Ruler, or at least I'm SUPPOSED to be."

"Izuru's Shadow was artificially created by the Steering Committee and used to take control of this island. You aren't a byproduct of his creation after all..." Leprechaun summarized.

"Yes...I was here first...I was the one in control of the island monsters...the Mechabeasts as you now know them," Hinata confirmed, "then he came and took all of it from me. So I resolved, no matter how long it took, that I would take my power back!"

"And you used us to achieve that," Kyoko glowered.

"I had no choice!" Hinata spat, "I couldn't have defeated the Mechabeasts on my own without my powers! Look, maybe I did plan on betraying you in the end, but my efforts as a teammate were genuine!"

"But I don't get it," Highwayman scratched her head, "so you were the one in control of the Mechabeasts this whole time? How come you never sent them after us, or Izuru earlier?"

"Actually, I think that was our fault..." Sleuth sighed.

"Our fault?" Usami parroted, "What do you mean?"

"I'll spare him the trouble," Hinata snarled, "What Kamukura said about not having control over the Mechabeasts is true, and they were running on autopilot until I regained the power to give them commands. Yes, I DID wake them up, but that's basically all I'm capable of doing! I can't control them; at least...I COULDN'T. For you see, the scrolls that contain my memories do more than give the players the power to combat them..."

"Are you saying that every time we defeated a Mechabeast and gained their scrolls from the minibosses," Razor's fingers started twitching with rage, "you slowly but surely got more of your original power back as Palace Ruler!?"

"Then this whole time, we've just been doing your dirty work for you...!" Mozart pouted.

"I have to say Hinata..." Leprechaun deadpanned, "You've excelled yourself, putting up with us for so long, and acting like a true companion. Had Shuichi not spotted the discerning factors, you might have won."

Hinata's glare turned dark.

"I...will not...be pitied...by an Ultimate...!" he snarled, whipping his head around angrily at the team, "You think I WANTED this!? I didn't ask for ANY of this bullshit! I didn't ask to be this way! I know you won't listen, nor will you care, but I'm NOT the bad guy here!"

"No, I believe that," Mozart stepped forward, holding a fist to her chest, "but I just don't understand! You're intelligent and good-natured! Why would you ally yourselves with us just to try and stop us from getting to the Treasure in the end!?"

Hinata went quiet like he was struggling with what to say. Mozart continued.

"Don't you understand that if we steal the Treasure and change your heart, it'll get rid of this place forever! You'll be free of Izuru; free of the Steering Committee! You'll be able to go back!"

"BACK TO WHAT!?"

Shadow Hinata scared Kaede back with a sudden outburst. Leprechaun noticed that not only did veins bulge out of his forehead, but his golden eyes suddenly transformed into being less human, and more hawk-like...!

"You're right! You DON'T understand! You claim you want to help me, but what if I don't WANT help!? Especially not from people like you who look down on people like me all the time!?" he shrieked, "I have NO FRIENDS! NO FAMILY! NO ONE THAT CARES ABOUT ME, because I DON'T have what it takes! I DON'T HAVE TALENT!"

He turned his attention slowly towards Sleuth behind him. And the detective suddenly noticed, to his horror, that the ice around Hinata was very quickly starting to melt...!

"At least...Not for long I won't..." he growled, "so if this is how it's going to be, and you guys are really dead set on stopping me...Then I need to say one last time...Thank you..."

"EVERYBODY BACK AWAY!" Sleuth shouted, but unfortunately, not in time!

The ice around Hinata's body weakened and shattered, and the Phantom Thieves watched in dread as he spun around, and thrust his arm out towards Sleuth! The Shadow let out a loud cry of fury, pulled its hand back, and used all of its might to send the detective boy flying into a raging conflagration! The temple's stone shook, the earth shook, and flames swirled in the sky!

Only once the light died down did they see Sleuth's charred body lying against the wall!

Rebuttal -CROSS SWORD- Remix Cover - Vetrom

"SHUICHIIII!" Kaede screamed in desperation. She tried to run towards him, but upon Hinata sliding in her way, she stopped and stared aghast.

Something about Shadow Hinata's form had changed...! His right arm now looked drastically different from the rest of his body, as if it belonged to a completely different person. It was feminine, delicate, and graceful, with deep pink skin. But the dead giveaway was that wrapped around the arm were what looked like a music sheet, and in the palm of his hand, he held sparks of crackling fire.

"That arm!" Mozart exclaimed, recognizing its sleek pink and feminine skin, "it looks just like-!"

"Irene's!" Leprechaun finished her sentence.

"Hey, what gives!?" Highwayman snapped, "You said you didn't have any powers of your own besides your barrier!"

"And I didn't lie to you! This isn't MY power," Hinata's mouth curled into an expression that was half a smirk, and half a sneer, "it's YOURS...!"

Before anyone could figure out what had just happened, or how Hinata's arm had shaped into that of Mozart's Persona, Sleuth let out a loud grunt as he heaved himself to his feet.

"Oh...still kicking are we...?"

"From a little blast like that?" Sleuth spluttered, "It's gonna take more than that to keep me down! Try it again and you won't like what happens!"

"Don't get cocky, Shuichi," Hinata raised his head menacingly, "this time, you Ultimates are gonna learn what it's REALLY like to be looked down upon by someone BETTER than you...!"

"You son of a bitch!" Razor spat, suddenly dashing towards him. Before Hinata could stop her, she rushed at him and grappled him around the chest, holding him still.

Unfortunately, she didn't hold him for long, and he broke out in a worse way than she had expected. Hinata grabbed hold of her arms, and all of a sudden, she backed away as something extremely sharp sliced her torso, causing some blood to trickle out.

"Razor!" Highwayman grabbed her to support her, and the two of them felt the color fade from their face as they looked back toward the Shadow.

On top of Irene's arm, no sooner had Razor pulled away that two insectoid-like appendages were now protruding from Shadow Hinata's lower back, both of them with sharp, blade-like objects protruding from the ends, and he turned back to them.

"That's totally Barrow's arms!" Highwayman spluttered.

"The hell!?" Razor exclaimed, "You damn copycat!"

Shadow Hinata suddenly stood at full height, and sighed, looking around at the Phantom Thieves, who had now all dropped into fighting positions, until his gaze settled on Leprechaun, the leader. He cracked his pink knuckle, and the blades started to spin in anticipation of a brawl.

"Before we do this, I want you to know one thing," Hinata leered, cracking his knuckles, "You are good people, I know that. And I don't want to be the villain in this...This isn't gonna be easy for me."

"No..." Makoto tightened his white glove, "it WON'T!"

Final Formers - Brandon Yates

Shadow Hinata scowled as he turned around and knelt down, sending lightning bolts towards Leprechaun from the two Barrow tendrils on his lower back!

"KOUGA!"

After drawing Principality to his side, the leader of the Phantom Thieves sidestepped the attack and used a spell of his own to retaliate against it with his former companion.

"Pfft! MAKARAKARN!"

To Leprechaun's dismay, though, Hinata's barrier prevented the attack from succeeding, and he was forced to take the brunt of his own blow!

"Oh no..." Highwayman sweated, "THAT'S not good...!"

Kyoko swiftly hurried towards Leprechaun and grabbed his shoulder, moving him to cover while Sleuth shot at Shadow Hinata, drawing his attention away.

"BAD BEAT!"

"TETRAKARN!"

When Mozart unleashed her Persona on Shadow Hinata, he once more used his barrier spell to protect himself from its attack, signaling the start of the real battle. Rather than hitting Hinata directly, the physical blow bounced back, causing Mozart to crash into the wall and dent it.

Sleuth attempted to approach her, but she climbed up anyway, her annoyance overriding her pain. Sleuth used his Persona's icy abilities to fire at the Shadow once more, but the Shadow dodged it easily and sideswiped him twice as quickly as a sound.

"Dammit, he's too fast!" Sleuth snarled, "And even if we do hit him, he can just send our attacks right back at us!"

"Then hit him hard and fast to the point where he doesn't have time or space!" Razor snarled, plucking out a pair of her Genoscissors and rushing towards him.

She lunged her arms forward, attempting to cut him with the scissors, but he retaliated by slashing back with one of Barrow's blade arms. After the blades came into contact and sparks started flying, the two started their duel.

To her credit, Razor was doing a good job at holding him off, despite being down two arms. Leprechaun heard the sound of metal on metal resonating through the temple as he watched their fight from behind cover. As she attempted to take down her adversary, the Phantom Thieves assassin moved at the speed of light, her scissors flashing in complex patterns. As he looked for a gap in her defense, Hinata ducked and weaved, his movements graceful and fluid, clearly something else that he had stolen from her Persona when he'd copied its powers.

"I don't get it!" Leprechaun grunted as Usami arrived and healed him, "If Hinata had this kind of power before, how come he never used it? Was it really that important for him to keep his cards close to his chest?"

"I don't think it's that simple," Kyoko told him, "to be honest, I think the more likely scenario is that Hinata didn't have this power before we defeated all the Mechabeasts! Just like how he couldn't control the Mechabeasts again until we made it to the fourth island."

"But then why is he opposing us?" Leprechaun asked, "Why does he want this Palace to stay? It'll cause him nothing but sorrow, and he'll be stuck inside a prison of his own mind forever!"

"I can't say, but there's one thing I can say," Kyoko grabbed his shoulder to emphasize her point, "No matter what happens, you cannot let him touch you!"

"What? Why not?" Leprechaun asked.

"He's not just copying your power, he's absorbing it directly from you," Kyoko told him, "the reason why he's able to use Mozart's and Razor's powers is because he made physical contact with both of them, remember?"

Makoto's mind quickly flashed back to the instances she was referring to.

"We are a little bit nervous..." Mozart admitted, "But this is our job, and we need to get you off this island. For the sake of many, not just you..."

Shadow Hinata seemed uncertain, but he walked over to Mozart and rested a comforting hand on her shoulder.

"Well, I appreciate everything you've done for me..." he sighed, "no matter what happens from this point on, know that I respect you guys, and nothing will ever change how I feel, alright?"

"You son of a bitch!" Razor spat, suddenly dashing towards him. Before Hinata could stop her, she rushed at him and grappled him around the chest, holding him still.

Unfortunately, she didn't hold him for long, and he broke out in a worse way than she had expected. Hinata grabbed hold of her arms, and all of a sudden, she backed away as something extremely sharp sliced her torso, causing some blood to trickle out.

"And not just that. Before Sleuth froze him, Hinata was reaching out trying to grab you as well," Kyoko told him, "I don't know what'll happen if he touches you, but if he gets your Wild Card powers, then consider us all screwed!"

"R-Right...!" Leprechaun frowned, "you guys all heard that, yeah!?"

Unfortunately, none of the Phantom Thieves had the opportunity to react, especially not Razor, who was engaged in a lethal dance of skill and strategy with Shadow Hinata. Her scissors sliced through the air with lethal precision as she whirled and spun, keeping Hinata on the defensive. However, it was evident that he was not an inexperienced fighter, as he had maintained his level of proficiency throughout.

Eventually, he managed to knock the scissors out of Razor's hands with a quick kick and a strong punch, rendering her temporarily helpless. He then instantly followed this up by grabbing Razor by the shoulder, throwing her behind him, and blasting her in the back with a wave of flame!

As Razor fell onto the ground, reaching out towards her scissors, Hinata advanced towards her, with his own blades spinning around a la General Grievous, ready to slice and dice her like a giant walking sawblade!

"Oh no YOU DON'T!" Sleuth snapped! He hurried in, attracting Hinata's attention with his shout before whacking him around the face with his baton!

"I can work with this...!" Shadow Hinata growled with a smirk, "You've...bothered me...!"

"Trust me, I'm not looking to be your enemy!" Shuichi asserted, "I'm just doing my job!"

"Little late for that!" Hinata snarled! He lunged at Shuichi with a ferocity that surprised him, seemingly unfazed by the blow. However, the detective resisted Hinata's blows with his own strength and fortitude. He spun his baton to counterattack, refusing to back down, sweat glistening on his brow.

However, things quickly went bad. Sleuth appeared to be winning the battle when Hinata suddenly delivered a flaming blast point-blank that took him by surprise, knocking him prone. He disarmed Sleuth with a swift flick of his insectoid arms and sent him sprawling to the dusty floor!

Hinata opened his hand as he lay there and slapped Sleuth across the face! Some kind of energy glowed in his hand, and his body changed again as he grasped Sleuth by the face and pulled him back to his feet. His hair began to sleek backward, one strand sticking up at the front of his head, and the skin surrounding his face and neck took on a faded blue hue!

He let go of Sleuth, puffed out his cheeks, and fiercely blew on him, causing the Ultimate Detective to get covered in ice as a thick layer of frost shot out of his mouth!

"Dammit! Now he's got Casanova's moves too!" Mozart glared, "We've gotta attack him from a distance, otherwise he's gonna absorb all our powers!"

She nodded towards Highwayman, and they both pulled out their guns and opened fire on Shadow Hinata's person, but as it turned out, this proved to be equally as fruitless. Shadow Hinata had subtly erected a barrier, and as soon as the bullets made contact, they bounced right back at the girls again! They only narrowly ducked in time to avoid their own shots.

"Ok, but what do we do about THAT!?" Highwayman yelled in despair.

"We'll figure something out, I'm sure of it!" Leprechaun yelled as he and Usami hopped back into the fray, "Just don't let him absorb any more abilities!"

"He's dangerous enough as is!" she hollered back.

Leprechaun didn't have an opportunity to bite back against it and ducked just in time to avoid being blasted by both fire and ice. He rounded on Shadow Hinata, who had his sights set on him, and called forth a different Persona.

"ANUBIS!"

Leprechaun shot cursed energy at Hinata before he could raise another shield, and though it made contact, it obviously had little effect on him. Then, in response, Hinata pulled Barrow's arms in front of him and unleashed lightning bolts back at Leprechaun, which he narrowly avoided when Highwayman's lasso snared his arm and lifted him clear.

Hinata's face was rabid as he instead rounded on Highwayman herself and started to launch the bolts at her. Highwayman summoned her own Persona to attack and used her lasso to deflect and dodge the bolts.

"ONE-SHOT KILL!"

"Grr...! MIND SLICE!"

Shadow Hinata was hit by her strongest gun skill, but it was simply countered by one of Razor's attacks. Highwayman attempted to retreat by grabbing her gun and firing at the Palace Ruler until she was able to get some distance between them. This ultimately proved ineffective as she was unable to defend herself from her shots when they were rebounded while she was in midair.

Needing to defend his sister while she was prone, Leprechaun intercepted a running strike from Hinata, who jumped in the air after her, and following a brief bout of close-quarters combat in which Leprechaun did his utmost to prevent Shadow Hinata from making any sustained contact with his body, Shadow Hinata leaped back and used his hand to unleash a massive fireball!

The ball missed as Leprechaun dodged and struck the side of the spiraling temple, destroying a large portion of the stone structure and launching dust and debris into the air, severely impairing the Phantom Thieves' vision and forcing them to flee for cover!

Fortunately, this gave time for Sleuth and Razor to get to their feet following their bouts, but after the explosion, they lost sight of Shadow Hinata and, scowling with annoyance, looked for their once-friend turned enemy.

"Where are you!?" the purple-haired writer spat through the clouds.

"Relax, Razor..." Hinata's voice, now distorted with a very cruel and condescending undertone to it, emerged through the dirt from above them, "WE'RE right here..."

The Phantom Thieves spun around in the direction the voice was coming from and looked up to see Shadow Hinata standing on one of the open holes in the tower. But that wasn't the alarming part.

The alarming part was that in the midst of the chaos, he had somehow grabbed Highwayman, and now had a tight grip around her neck! She struggled to break away from him, gasping for breath, fear etched into her eyes!

"KOMARU!" Makoto cried.

"PUT HER DOWN HINATA!" Mozart pointed towards him with her weapon. Hinata shrugged.

"If you insist!"

With that, he merely tossed Highwayman down towards the rest of the group, with Highwayman and Razor catching her in their arms. Highwayman gasped for breath, made increasingly difficult by the lingering dust. However, this was clearly no act of kindness or generosity.

Shadow Hinata had already absorbed Highwayman's power, and very quickly, his body began to mutate again. His other arm, the one that hadn't been replaced by that of Mozart's Persona, shifted and twisted in a grotesque motion until it had become a shining machine gun, just like that of the arm of Parker!

"Oh GRREAAATT!" Razor threw her eyes up to heaven!

"SCATTER!" Usami shouted!

The Phantom Thieves didn't need to be told twice! With lethal accuracy, the weapon in Hinata's arm fired a barrage of bullets at his enemies. The arm-gun roared, nearly tearing through the ranks of the Thieves as its rapid-fire tore them apart, grazing though not killing them!

"Are you alright?" Leprechaun asked Highwayman as they sought refuge behind a pillar, summoning Principality to heal her injuries. She nodded.

"Yeah...But this is looking bleaker by the second..." she grunted.

"Come on...We've come so far, we can't just-"

"I'm not giving up!" she interrupted him, "I know all of this. You're underestimating me...!"

Before Leprechaun could stop her, she quickly regained her vitality and jumped back from behind the pillar. Hinata spotted her and unleashed bullets on her, but Highwayman launched her own bullets from her Persona back at him. The shots collided mid-air, and in the split second where Hinata staggered back as he felt his cannon overheat, there was a break in the fight, enough to push forward a conversation.

"Come on Hinata, we're on the same side here!" Highwayman spat, "Why would you fight us like this!? We're trying to help you! FREE you!"

"I know that..." he seemed to grunt solemnly, "but...what if I don't want to leave yet...!? Why would I when there's nothing left for me in that world!? I have no close family and no friends!"

"Well, you're not exactly finding any close friends here either!" Razor pointed her scissor blade towards him.

"Yeah, and besides, that's not true!" Mozart tightly held her spear as she stepped forward, "WE'LL be your friends! You don't have to be alone anymore!"

"No...No, that's not how it works!" Shadow Hinata spat, "I can't be friends with you! ANY of you! I don't have the right...!"

"What?" Sleuth glowered, "what's THAT supposed to mean?"

"Are you saying that because you're a member of the Reserve Course? Because you don't have an Ultimate Talent?" Leprechaun suggested.

Hinata's following silence still stated a very clear "yes."

"Oh COME ON man!" Highwayman cried, "Not everything in this world is decided by or revolves around something stupid like talent!"

"DOESN'T IT!?" Hinata's head snapped violently towards her, his yellow eyes suddenly becoming weirdly bird-like again for a brief second, "how much more bullshit do you have festered up in that mouth of yours!? Of course, the fate of the world is decided by talent! That's how it is! If you're special, you get opportunities, and Hope's Peak thrives on that! If you don't...Ngh...If you don't, then you're stuck like me! Someone who will NEVER make a difference in the world!"

"Hinata-kun...You want to know something?" Usami stepped forward slightly, close enough to show she meant to help, but far enough to avoid being struck if he lashed out, "I have amnesia, just as you do in the real world. I'm sure there's a repressed part of me containing my missing memories, but I know how it feels to be out of place in the world! Trust me!"

"I'm talentless too, you know?" Highwayman tried to reassure him, "I also know how it feels-"

"NO YOU DON'T KNOW HOW THIS FEELS!" Hinata roared, his Shadowy body suddenly spasming weirdly, especially around the back, like something was about to pop out of him, "you have absolutely NO IDEA what it's like to be someone like me!"

Highwayman looked rather hopeless. She was clearly doing everything she could to help, but Hinata just wasn't accepting it. Lowering his guard for a moment, Hinata looked around at the team surrounding him solemnly, and they gazed solemnly back...

"You might be "talentless" Komaru-san, but you have an interesting and fun enough personality to make up for that!" he snarled, "you draw people to you because you're outgoing, friendly, quirky, and it's hard to dislike you, but ME!? I'm just a pessimistic nobody that barely anyone notices is there! It's impossible for me to ever make it in a world like this alone!"

"And Nanami-senpai? What about her!?"

Leprechaun's words made Hinata snap his attention towards him. Despite the intimidating visage he was presented with, he stood his ground and clenched his fists.

"Chiaki Nanami never saw you as anything less than her friend!" he asserted, "she didn't look down on you just because she had a special title and you didn't! She had fun spending time with you, and you think yourself worthless next to her, with the only reason; the ONLY! REASON! Being that she's better at VIDEO GAMES THAN YOU!?"

"KEEP HER NAME OUT OF YOUR FUCKING MOOOUTTH!"

Leprechaun's eyes widened and he narrowly dodged out of the way as Shadow Hinata launched a wave of magma-like fire magic his way. Most of the Phantom Thieves had dropped their guards as the fight had turned into a discussion but raised them again as he launched this attack. Fortunately, Leprechaun was able to avoid the damage.

"The reason I even started this damn crusade was for HER! I can't just go back empty-handed! Not after all this time!" he gnashed his teeth, "I don't have the right to stand next to someone like Chiaki Nanami as an equal! But once I defeat you and absorb every last ounce of yours AND Izuru Kamukura's power...I WILL!"

Leprechaun raised his head.

"THAT'S your game!?" he scoffed in disbelief, "you're trying to take away Kamukura's power as the Ultimate Hope for yourself!?"

"Correction! RECLAIM! I was the one who was supposed to become the Ultimate Hope, but what did I get instead? ERASURE! Banishment to this stupid island and stripped of all my power thanks to the Steering Committee! I'm just righting the wrongs they put upon me!" he insisted, "so the real question is why are YOU GUYS fighting ME!? Isn't this what you wanted!? For me to reclaim my own body!? To have my life back!?"

"Yes...it was..." Mozart scowled, "But that was before we found out just how distorted you were...!"

"That much power is dangerous in the hands of a lunatic like you!" Razor snapped, "you'll go mad with power before long, and then there really will be no stopping you!"

"This isn't going to end how you think!" Sleuth asserted, "We're going to steal that Treasure and put things back the way they should be! You may fear the normalcy, but you shouldn't!"

"Don't make me laugh..." Hinata snarled, "What's REALLY going to happen is you are going to give me your Wild Card power so that I can fight Kamukura on equal footing!"

"Yeah...We'll see about that..." Leprechaun cracked his knuckles, "Razor!"

"MASUKUKAJA!"

Razor responded to the call by striking a quick pose, summoning Barrow, and distilling her team with a speed buff. Something that Leprechaun quickly took advantage of as he bounced straight toward Shadow Hinata's vantage point.

But somehow, despite having a speed increase, Shadow Hinata was still able to react just as fast, and Leprechaun's fist instead collided with a large wall of ice that he erected in front of himself, blocking the incoming attack.

"SWIFT STRIKE!"

With a swift charge, Mozart sliced through the ice wall with her Persona, severing the mass in half. She then kicked the sliced piece at Shadow Hinata from behind the block, who narrowly avoided it with a backward limbo.

She then kicked the sliced piece at Shadow Hinata from behind the block, who narrowly avoided it with a backward limbo

"TRIPLE DOWN!

Now that he was visible, Highwayman lunged forward, firing her Persona's weapons at Shadow Hinata several times, but she just jumped back until Usami approached to take a follow-up shot.

Hinata attempted to reach out, seize, and absorb her power, but she used her magic stick to hold him at a distance until she saw an opening. She reeled back for a swing that Hinata deflected with his barrier, and after taking the brunt of her own damage, launched her attack!

She reeled back for a swing that Hinata deflected with his barrier, and after taking the brunt of her own damage, launched her attack!

"LUCKY PUNCH!"

Luckily, a critical hit was delivered by the attack, sending Shadow Hinata flying backward and through the temple wall. The Phantom Thieves pursued him out of the building as he skidded to a stop along the bridge.

"Kyoko! See if you can get that coffin open!" Leprechaun barked towards her, "This might come down to grabbing the Treasure and making a mad dash for the exit!"

"You got it!" Kyoko saluted and hurried towards the coffin as the Phantom Thieves continued to clash outside the temple with the Palace Ruler. Leprechaun squared up to him on the bridge while the rest of his teammates perched on the tower behind him.

"Hinata, it doesn't matter if you absorb our powers or use our own abilities against us! You're still not going to beat us! You know how tenacious we can be!"

"I'm tenacious too, Leprechaun!" Hinata asserted, "And I'm sick and tired of being nothing more than dirt underneath an Ultimate's heel! Once I steal your talents, and become the TRUE Izuru Kamukura...everyone...Nanami-san will-!"

"She'll be afraid and disgusted by you! Especially if she finds out what the Steering Committee did to you!" Makoto swiftly cut him off, "You honestly think she'd want to see you like this!? An empty husk who can't even hold a meaningful conversation with her!? Kamukura is NOT the friend that she made all those years ago!"

"But he's BETTER! He's what she DESERVES!" Hinata snarled.

"But it's NOT what she WANTS!" Leprechaun spat back, "We're bringing you back to her, AS YOU ARE! Sleuth!"

"MABUFULA!"

Sleuth unleashed a wave of ice magic on Shadow Hinata, using all of his power to make the air extremely cold. Sadly, Hinata skillfully redirected the attack directly toward the Phantom Thieves, forcing them to retreat from their advantageous positions as a sizable block of ice blew up on the temple's side.

They dove and cast forth their grappling hooks, closing the distance and encircling Shadow Hinata in an attempt to confuse him.

"Nice try! But that's never gonna work!" he snapped, his eyes becoming sparrow-like again.

Unfortunately, it appeared to be an ineffective strategy. Even through the confusion, Shadow Hinata didn't seem to have much of a problem pinpointing the speeding Thieves exact location. He seemed to meditate in place for but a moment, before he rushed forward and kicked Leprechaun in the ribs, sending him rolling across the bridge.

The Phantom Thieves scarpered as soon as their leader took a hit, and as Leprechaun regained his bearings, Hinata moved at the speed of light to extend a hand towards his face.

Leprechaun quickly parried this attack, and he and Shadow Hinata engaged in a fistfight. The Shadow was hit multiple times before Highwayman's lasso suddenly encircled his body and held him down. Leprechaun kicked Shadow Hinata in the face, then Highwayman threw and swung him around, and finally, Sleuth leaped up and gave him a blow so strong that he flew back!

"RRRAAGGH!" Shadow Hinata snarled, sliding back along the bridge before releasing a massive blaze of fire that turned the chasm into a fiery orange and red blaze! As the flames rose in the direction of the Phantom Thieves, they danced and twisted, creating elaborate patterns in the air!

Usami countered this raging flame with a psychic blast right back at him. When the two attacks collided, there was a flash of light that Razor used to her advantage, bringing forth her Persona and charging forward, lightning-fast. Sadly, Hinata managed to evade the strike and unleash a wind spell on Razor, causing the prodigy to be pushed towards the entrance platform and collide with the wall above it.

Then he spun around and jumped forward in time to dodge as Sleuth and Mozart shot a fusion of fire and ice at him.

"Come and get us!" Kaede grunted as she and her partner dashed away.

Sleuth and Mozart retreated up what remained of the spiraling stone monument, and Hinata chased right after them. Brandishing their baton and polearm respectively, the Shadow and the two students from Class 79 engaged in multiple clashes until the former managed to knock away Mozart's weapon.

As he raised his blade arms to bring the pain down on her, he missed his opportunity as Usami suddenly flew upwards, supported by her Persona, and tackled him out of the air, sending them flying toward the other tower!

However, Hinata managed to push her away and knock her to the ground. He then called for a strong windstorm to pull Usami back to him, at which point he extended his hand to seize her.

Before his hand could even come into contact with the bunny, Highwayman shot him a One-Shot Kill from a distance while he was in the air, sending him crashing into the tower. He stumbled and faceplanted along the stone formations several times before landing feet first in front of it, but his troubles were far from over.

Leprechaun dashed across the bridge, hoping to use his opponent's disorientation to his advantage by calling upon Anzu and hurling a fierce windstorm in his direction. However, Hinata managed to swerve just in time to avoid the attack before it completely destroyed the area surrounding him.

"Grr! ISIS!"

As Hinata made his advance, Leprechaun summoned another Persona and used it to try and halt his opponent with a wave of psychokinetic energy, but it failed to get the Palace ruler to relent, and the lightning only grew more intense. Realizing that he couldn't stop the advance, he knew there was only one thing to do.

"Highwayman!" he exclaimed as he also dashed straight forward, "BUFF ME NOW!"

"Huh!? Um...uh...TARUKAJA!"

Leprechaun felt the buff wash over his body, combining with the speed boost Razor had given him earlier, and he put all of his weight into his running attack, knowing that this fight was going to come down to a one-stroke duel between himself and his enemy!

Both Makoto and Hinata screamed at the top of their lungs as they advanced towards each other at sonic speed along the bridge, with everything else around them moving in slow motion! And then they finally clashed in a breathtaking display.

Though initially, everything seemed to be quiet, as if neither side had succeeded in their attack, a full second after the collision, Hinata felt the pressure of a fist bursting into his stomach! He gave voice to a guttural scream, and then he fell off the bridge, plunging into the chasm below!

Leprechaun, exhausted as the speed buff wore off, fell to his knees. And shortly after, the rest of the Phantom Thieves, still reeling from the fight.

"Did we get him!?" Highwayman exclaimed.

"I think so...!" Mozart swallowed, her mouth dry, "hoo! What a relief."

"That...That was way too intense for my liking..." Sleuth took off his hat and wiped his forehead.

However, the relief was short-lived, as Usami approached the edge of the bridge and stared down into the abyss. Leprechaun did the same, standing next to her.

"No...Hold on everyone!" she called, "something's not right!"

"What?" Razor frowned, "what do you mean?"

"My Persona's picking something up..." she explained, "something...coming at us...Very fast...!"

"It...can't be...!" Leprechaun uttered, before suddenly shouting, "EVERYBODY GET BACK!"

Blood Of Villain - Persona 5

It was a good thing he shouted that, as had the rest of the team not done so, they would have been swiftly knocked flying off the bridge by the sheer force of the creature that came bursting up from the mist!

Even though he had fallen a great distance, Shadow Hinata was able to rise just as effortlessly, emerging from the abyss's darkness and floating above the Phantom Thieves. But something about his form was different. He had mutated again, and on his back, accompanying Barrow's arms...were Mr. A's wings...!

"That's...How...!?" Sleuth turned pale, paler than he usually was.

"Yeah, how!?" Highwayman spluttered, "he didn't touch you!"

Usami frowned, trying to recall everything that happened during their spat, but then her face looked back at Hinata with recognition and horror.

"No...he didn't..." she stammered, "but he DID touch my Lucky Punch...!"

"You mean..." Mozart trembled, "he absorbed your power through your attack...!?"

"I...fucking...HATE that move...!" Razor clutched her head.

Shadow Hinata didn't initially say anything, but Leprechaun unfortunately picked up on the subtle queues he was putting down. He felt his heart sink, as his eyes quickly darted towards the temple.

"KYOKO! RUUUUN!" he shrieked at the top of his lungs, praying it would get to her in time!

...It didn't...

Shadow Hinata instantly snapped around and launched a psychokinetic blast straight toward the top of the temple, and the impact forced its top to completely collapse! Having just managed to pry open the door to the coffin, Kyoko looked up to see the stone shower collapsing down on her!

"Shit...!" she uttered, abandoning her mission and making a mad dash for the exit...but it was in vain...The stone came down, and the last the Phantom Thieves saw of her was her desperate face as she was enveloped in rubble and dust...!

"NOOOO!" Mozart shrieked, and angrily turned her head up towards Hinata, "YOU BASTAARRRD! AGILAAOO!"

"BUFULA!"

"ZIONGA!"

"GARULA!"

"No! WAIT! DON'T!" Leprechaun shouted, but unfortunately, he didn't do so in time! Shadow Hinata turned back swiftly as the spells closed in and calmly smirked.

"Makarakarn...!"

Leprechaun and Usami were the only two who ducked in time as all four spells rebounded and flew twice as fast and twice as powerful back at the rest of their team, knocking all of them prone into the solid entrance wall, and sending them collapsing to the ground.

And then things got even worse...

"Diarhan..."

"NO!" Leprechaun cried hopelessly, as the green healing light cascaded down upon Shadow Hinata's body, relieving it of all damage and making it seem like everything the Phantom Thieves had done up until now... was all for naught...

"It's no use...!" Usami trembled, "if he can absorb our skills through our physical spells, then our only option is to fight him from a distance!"

"But he can just use those barriers to repel our attacks, and even if we do hit him, now he can just heal!" Highwayman grunted, trying to stand up again, "what do we do Usami!?"

"I..." Usami trembled like a leaf, her paws shaking so much she almost dropped her magic stick, "I don't know...!"

"What do you mean you don't know!?" Razor snapped, "Come on! Don't you usually think of a plan for these kinds of things!?"

"I-I'm sorry...! There are things that even I can't figure out!" she started to cry, "I...I didn't think it was possible but...He's...UNBEATABLE! We can't stop something like this!"

"No...No way...!" Mozart shuddered, looking like she was on the verge of tears herself. Shadow Hinata, for his part, slowly descended downwards until his feet touched the stone bridge.

"You guys want me to tell you something? Something funny that happened to me one time...?" he advanced slowly.

Leprechaun did not respond, trying his best to figure out a way through this situation. Hinata took his silence as a sign to continue.

"One of you...an Ultimate alumnus who serves as the head of security at Hope's Peak...He once beat me to a paste for the simple crime of stepping on school grounds where I shouldn't have gone..." he unveiled, "all I was trying to do was deliver my friend her lunch, and when I refused to turn back, he let the fists fly..."

Leprechaun's attention was caught by this story, and he looked up into Shadow Hinata's piercing eyes, who looked like he was also about to cry.

"I couldn't have fought back...It was no different than being the weak nerd bullied by the big jock...And the worst part was that NOBODY came to help me..." he said, "Chiaki found out I'd been hurt, even though I didn't tell her why, and tried to bring it up with her teachers...But apparently, they acted like I was the problem, turning a blind eye because he was an Ultimate...and I was NOTHING..."

"I..." Leprechaun tried to respond to this, but couldn't...as he swiftly found himself being punched lightning fast and rock hard in the jaw, bursting out a shockwave that sent him smashing into the wall!

"MAKOTO!" Komaru shrieked.

After Makoto was knocked to the wall, Hinata struck again with a barrage of punches fast enough to stop him from casting spells on him while he was being pounded. After taking Leprechaun by the arm, he threw him onto the bridge, breaking the stone on impact.

"That exact feeling I went through is what YOU'RE feeling now that you're underneath my heel!" Hinata reached down, grabbed Leprechaun by the scruff of his neck, and lifted his battered body by it, "doesn't feel good, does it!?"

Leprechaun looked down and felt a small sense of relief as the dust settled and he spotted Kyoko through it. Thankfully, she was alive, and apparently not badly hurt, but she was unfortunately stuck under the rubble and unable to move. As Hinata's grip tightened, his gaze was quickly turned back.

"H-Hinata..." Leprechaun grunted, "I'm...I'm really sorry...Sakakura's an asshole, we all know...The Steering Committee and everyone else who runs Hope's Peak too...! But still..."

"WHAT!?" he spat, "what kind of dumbass excuse are you gonna give me now!?"

"Look around you, you moron!" Makoto choked out, "Think about how many innocent people you're going to hurt or kill if you continue this! You can't sacrifice so many people just to make yourself look better!"

Hinata shook his head...

"I'm not trying to LOOK better, Naegi..." he glared, reaching out his free hand, which glowed white with energy, "I...AM...BETTER...!"

Leprechaun winced. Was this really the end? If his hand made contact, that would be his Wild Card power taken, and thus, Hinata would be even more unstoppable than he already was. It was hard to even imagine this as a concept, but it was about to become a tragic reality as Hinata closed the gap.

However, just when all hope seemed lost...something strange happened.

Leprechaun shut his eyes tightly, bracing himself for the contact, but the contact never came. When he opened his eyes, he was surprised to see Shadow Hinata reaching out towards him, but his fingers seemed pressed up against an invisible wall between them, that he was struggling to get through.

He pulled his hand away and examined it, before trying again, only for the same result to happen, like there were an infinite number of invisible spaces between himself and his target.

"What the hell is going on!?" he snarled, but as he did, Leprechaun suddenly noticed something else. Out of nowhere, his body began to tremble with power; power unlike anything he'd ever felt before.

Deciding it was worth a shot, he reeled back and punched Shadow Hinata in the face!

The meager attack was MONUMENTAL! So much so that Shadow Hinata's face was almost caved in as he shot into one of the temple's revolving spirals and plunged through a gap in the inner structure! Simultaneously, he was forced to release Leprechaun, who fell toward the chasm beneath the bridge!

"LEPRECHAUN!" Usami shrieked, watching the team leader helplessly fall into the chasm.

But luckily, before he could disappear into the abyss forever, somebody reached out and caught his arm.

Still dizzy from the force of having an entire building thrown on top of him, on top of being grabbed like a washed-up doll by his enemy, Leprechaun shook his head and tried to regain his vision to see who his mysterious savior was. When he looked back up again, he saw a figure silhouetted in the light above, wearing a cybernetic-pattered cloak-jacket hybrid, pink gloves, an armored bodysuit in white and red, and a virtual reality visor mask with two glowing pixilated eyes. The stranger quickly removed this mask with her free hand and smiled down at him.

Old World Order - Danganronpa 3: The End of Hope's Peak Academy

"Hi Naegi-kun!" she snickered. Leprechaun narrowed his eyes to focus, but once he did, he couldn't believe who he saw.

"NANAMI-SENPAI!?" he choked.

"Wait, WHAT!?"

This exclamation was enough to get the rest of the Phantom Thieves on the other side of the bridge to come to their senses, and they watched as Chiaki, with puffed cheeks, hoisted Makoto back onto safe ground. Once they were safe, they both gasped for breath.

Leprechaun was the one who stood up first, and he reached out a hand towards Chiaki, who graciously took it as he pulled her up to his feet. Chiaki smiled, but her face also looked rather nervous and guilty.

"I'm sorry..." she said, "I know you didn't want me to-"

"Forget that!" Makoto interrupted, "I'm just glad that you're here..."

Chiaki gave a nervous smile in response to this, but the smile quickly faded as there was yet another explosive burst. Both Leprechaun and she turned to see Hinata's Shadow come flying back out of the crater that was made on the side of the temple.

Once Hinata looked down and saw Chiaki's face, his own became horrified.

"No...No, not you!" he stammered, "why are YOU here!?"

"Well, that's a nice thing to say to someone you haven't spoken to in 3 years..." Chiaki pouted, crossing her arms.

"You shouldn't BE here!" Hinata landed again, seeming to plead with her, but she was having none of it.

"Well, I am," she told him, "and what's more, I know the truth. I know what happened to you and...I..."

Hinata's shocked face became even more so when she clenched her fist, held it against her chest, and started to cry.

"Seeing what you are now...I'm...really sorry..." she sobbed, "I never meant to make you feel inadequate...You're my friend, and that's all I ever wanted from you...! You didn't have to make yourself feel special just to hang out with me, I swear!"

Hinata's surprise then shifted into a scowl directed towards Makoto.

"Did you plan this...!?" he growled, "how sadistic can you be!?"

"I didn't plan this. I had no idea she was going to show up either," Leprechaun stepped forward, "but I'm glad that she did show up. Listen to what she has to say, and maybe you'll change your mind?"

"Change my MIND!?" he spat, suddenly taking to the sky again, "I'm sorry for what I put you both through, but you two don't know ANYTHING about me! I've dreamed of being an Ultimate, and I always strode towards the goal, no matter what sacrifices have to be made! And that hasn't changed even now!"

"Even if you get erased in the process!?" Chiaki exclaimed, "Hinata-kun, please, don't do this to yourself! I can't lose you again!"

"You won't," Hinata assured her, "once I finish what I started, and retake control, there'll be no excuse for the two of us to be apart ever again!"

"But it won't be you that comes out the other side! You won't be the friend that I made all that time ago!" she pleaded, "Hinata-kun, you need to stop this!"

"I can't let you get in my way Nanami-san! Even if it's you, after everything I've done, this means TOO much to me!" he asserted, though had a very clear glimmer of sadness and doubt in his eyes.

"She's right Hinata! You need to-!"

However, before Leprechaun could finish his sentence, the tense mood was suddenly cut through as a loud *BOOM* reverberated around the chamber. All the people present looked around, confused, wondering what the source of the noise had been...

And they were quick to find out...

Welcome to Despair Academy - Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc

The booming noises continued and the chamber trembled like an earthquake was hitting it, and it became apparent that the noise was coming outside the door. And within but a moment, the entire thing gave way as whatever was on the other side of it burst in, sending debris flying in all directions!

The Phantom Thieves who were still sprawled on the ground right in front of it, turned their gazes upwards and were greeted with an enormous vision of death...! The team was overcome with terror and hysteria as a massive shadow fell over them. An enormous monster clomped closer, its eyes glowing a sinister light that made the ground tremble with every step.

But the creature was very familiar-looking. It was a giant robot comprised of animal parts that had been stuck together uncomfortably, like some kind of makeshift chimera...!

"WHAT THE FUCK IS THAAAAAATT!?" Razor shrieked.

"Is that...the Mechabeasts...!?" Leprechaun felt his stomach churn, "don't tell me...They amalgamated themselves into one creature just to come and get us!?"

Sure enough, the parts of the monster were easily recognizable. The arms were the gorilla's, the feet were the horse's, the head was the snake, and the body and tail were that of the tiger, while planted to its back were the wings of the falcon.

And it looked like it was ready to KILL...!

"Well, well..." Shadow Hinata smirked, rising up into the air again "this is certainly unexpected...But FAR from unwelcome..."

"This is probably my fault...the Mechabeast attacked me when I came in here last time. It's probably got unfinished business with me," Chiaki admitted, "don't worry though. I made this mess, and I'm going to clear it up."

She looked up towards her old friend Shadow.

"You're not about to let me of all people die in here, are you?"

"I-" Shadow Hinata growled, biting his tongue, "what can you even do!? Even if you beat the Mechabeast, you can't beat me!"

"No...I can't..." Chiaki smirked, then gestured behind her shoulder, "HE can though..."

Just when Shadow Hinata thought he had gained a complete and total victory over his enemies, his smile shifted into a look of dismay and despair, as behind Chiaki, a titanic shadowy figure rose up from the ground, bursting with dark energy in contrast to his light one! When the air shifted, he saw the long hair and golden eyes of his antithesis...Shadow Kamukura...!

"Kamukura-kun! Hold Hinata-kun off while Naegi-kun and I take care of the Mechabeasts!" Chiaki cried, "Um...please! And uh...don't hurt him, ok?"

"Hm..." Izuru replied, not changing expression from his outwardly malicious one, but he gave her a slight nod.

"Ok, SERIOUSLY!" Hinata snarled, sweating bullets as Izuru's figure squared up to him, "how many of you people am I gonna have to fight before you just leave me be!?"

"Your attention should be on me," Izuru seemed to glower, even though his expression remained unchanged, "you wanted this to come down to you and I originally, and though I derive no joy in fighting, I believe I will find pleasure in utterly destroying you...!"

"Hrgh...GRAAAAGGH!" With a battle cry, Hinata launched himself at Izuru, sending him flying into the wall, and followed up by showering fireballs in his face nonstop! But Izuru struck back fast, first using a curse spell to stun Hinata. Then, he grabbed his head and flew forward, grinding his face against the bridge, until they unintentionally crashed into the temple, causing more debris to fall.

Still stuck there, Kyoko lifted her arms above her head as a protective shield.

"So...When did you and the ultra-powerful science experiment alter ego of Hinata-kun's become best friends?" Leprechaun scratched his head. Chiaki chuckled, properly donning her mask again.

"That's a long story among many long stories," she gave him a determined frown, "quickly go get Kirigiri-chan before she gets crushed! I'll help your friends!"

He nodded, and the two of them split off, with Monomi sticking with Chiaki, as Izuru and Hinata's fight continued above them. As Makoto ran towards Kyoko, he saw that Kamukura sent Hinata reeling with another vicious blow, and the two of them shot into the sky.

Following him, the Ultimate Hope came to a halt a few feet from his irate opponent, who attempted to charge at him. However, Kamukura quickly ducked and gripped his face, making Hinata struggle to free himself. With a swell of power that made his hair rise around him like a set of Lovecraftian tentacles, Kamukura created a spiral of curse power, determined to use his magic to consume Hinata.

Refusing to take the attack, Hinata managed to break free by firing bullets into Kamukura using his gun arm. He then used lightning to strike him, but Kamukura unflinchingly caught the bolts in the palm of his hand before hitting him again.

Leprechaun turned his attention away, and once he arrived, he handily threw the rubble off of Kyoko and pulled her to her feet.

"Are you alright!?" he asked desperately, very understandably worried about her. Kyoko held his hand tightly.

"Better than I thought I'd be. I've survived worse," she assured him, "but..."

Her attention turned towards the other end of the bridge, as the Mechabeast Mutant pounded its tiger chest, glaring down at the Phantom Thieves. Just when it seemed like they were going to get their asses handed to them, Chiaki caught up and leaped into the air, swiping the mask across her face.

"Don't worry everyone! Support's on the way!" she hollered, "ALEXEY!"

Leprechaun watched with a gaping maw as she summoned her chair-shaped Persona, and swiftly set to work with its controls. Usami, Highwayman, Razor, Sleuth, and Mozart all felt a wave of surprise and relief, as the injuries and fatigue they had suffered during their fight with Shadow Hinata swiftly subsided. With the push of a button, they were back at full power. In fact, they felt stronger than even that!

"Well, I'll be damned...!" Sleuth whistled, examining his own body before looking up at the floating Chiaki.

"You WILL be if you don't get your game face on!" she warned him, "I don't know about you guys, but I think this thing's gotta go!"

"Look at that...!" Mozart shielded her eyes from the light above her, thoroughly relieved AND impressed.

"Alright Phantom Thieves!" Usami took point as she and the rest of the team brandished their weapons, "TIME FOR ROUND 2!"

"RIGHT!" they all cried back, raring to go. From a distance, Leprechaun scoffed as he supported Kyoko.

"This...is crazy..." she stated bluntly.

"Yep..." he sighed, "and at the risk of jinxing it...Can't get much crazier than this..."

Little did he know...It was far from over...

Chapter End Notes

So this is narratively one of the most important boss-fights and situations in the entire story, and if you thought this chapter was manic, just wait for the next one where it continues.
I don't know if anyone was quite expecting Shadow Hinata's betrayal, but I figure I should quickly clarify that his real motivation was to take the Treasure for himself, absorb Kamukura's power, and basically fuse himself into Izuru where Izuru is still the dominant personality, but Hinata still gets the say so. Essentially, what has happened is this arc started off with Izuru representing the cynical and distorted side of Hinata, while Shadow Hinata represented his values. But now, with his betrayal, and Izuru aiding Chiaki against him, those roles have flipped on their heads.
It actually makes perfect sense to me that Hajime would have a Palace of his own even before being Izuru. Hajime is extremely insecure about his lack of talent, despite his best efforts to hide it, and it deeply bothers him. Because he thought that enrolling in Hope's Peak Academy would solve his problems, this made him appreciate the school above all else. He wanted to become more self-assured and someone he could be proud of, and he wanted to be a part of something greater than himself. Being merely a reserve course student infuriated him.
He may become the hero of his own story eventually, but he fell a long long way before he got to that point. He's cynical, skeptical, a major worrywart, easily paranoid, and even short-tempered and aggressive. It's most evident when he's worn out or under duress, but engaging in combat with Juzo, firmly turning down Chisa's offer of assistance with a slap of the hand, and referring to main-game Junko as a, quote, "insane bitch," say it all.
Also, as a bit of a side thing, here's some pretty cool information for the English fans of Danganronpa. His more direct, cynical, and even selfish communication style is also evident in the Japanese translation. When Hajime and Makoto disagree on something during the Nonstop Debates of the first two games, they both respond with "That's Wrong!" However, Hajime uses the phrase "sore wa chigau zo" in his dialogue, while Makoto uses "sore wa chigau yo." While "zo" is seen as more masculine and impolite, using "yo" at the end of a sentence is considered much more polite. Another instance of this is when Hajime refers to himself using the more arrogant and manly word "ore," whereas Makoto uses the more courteous word "boku."
So even if Hajime is ultimately the hero of his game, to be frank, he's a very twisted, messed up, and actually kinda mean person in the beginning, which I think constitutes to him being more than capable of getting a Palace, especially when compared to the other protags in Danganronpa.
By the way, I couldn't exactly say this in the story itself for obvious reasons, but just in case I didn't describe the chamber well enough, it's basically the final courtroom in the last chapter of Danganronpa 2.
And also, I've been watching a lot of Death Battle lately, and figured Final Formers would work as a Boss Theme, don't sue me on that, it's not that big a deal, I've used non-DR music before in this story.
Anyway, with Chiaki and Izuru into the fray, the only thing remaining to cover is what may happen when the real Hajime finally arrives on the scene. But until then, thank you for reading. I love to get feedback from my readers, so feel free to leave a comment, and some kudos if you feel up to it.

This is the End, Goodbye Island of Despair

Chapter Summary

As things start to look bleak within the deep chambers of the island ruins, the tide of the battle takes an even more dramatic turn when the real Izuru Kamukura shows up in his own Palace.

Chapter Notes

See the end of the chapter for notes

Around this time, the real Izuru Kamukura had also made his way inside the Palace using Kaede's phone. And guided by strange whispers that echoed within his mind, he made his way to the central island, towards Jabberwock Rock, and into the underground labyrinth.

Whatever he had expected the world in his mind to look like, it wasn't this. But that was more of a sure enough sign that something was wrong. Almost nothing was out of the range of Kamukura's predictions, not even the Metaverse and its differing logic, and yet...

To put simply, Kamukura felt...disconnected with himself. Like the person he was wasn't the Ultimate Hope anymore. Like his talents were no longer helping him. Honestly, in any given circumstance, that would have been a dream come true for the Ultimate Hope. After all, it freed him of the curse of eternal boredom, never having to put effort into anything he did. But this wasn't a normal circumstance. And it wasn't a good one either.

Whatever it was that compelled him to walk forward, he ascended the escalator and descended into the labyrinth. With a deep breath, he stepped forward and began his journey into the maze.

With his abilities playing up, he had expected this in advance, but he quickly realized that it would not be as simple to navigate the maze as he had first believed as he continued to explore. The tall cobblestone walls blocked his view, preventing him from seeing what was in front of him.

However, it didn't take him long before a roadblock literally came crashing down in front of him from above, and he stumbled back as it almost crushed him underneath it.

"...Did you hear? Isn't it amazing? Apparently, he's been accepted into Hope's Peak Academy..."

"But was he THAT exceptional?"

"Huh? You don't know?"

"...Heh? Know what?"

"Apparently you don't have to be exceptional to get into Hope's Peak Academy..."

"But...it's an academy that recruits only exceptional students from around the world, right?"

Kamukura had no recollection of this event. It had happened long before his creation, and yet watching it stirred something inside him.

He wanted to cover his ears...He wanted to run...He wanted the boy in the picture to be anywhere else but where he was...

"Do you recognize it...?"

"No..." Izuru replied rather casually to a sudden mysterious voice that popped into his head, not questioning its presence, "but...it doesn't look pleasant..."

"These are your memories," the voice uttered, "though you know it not..."

"Wow! I never knew that way was possible! So he's the same too?"

"Obviously. I mean he doesn't have any special talents that Hope's Peak would be interested in..."

"Yeah, he's...just a normal guy who can be found anywhere..."

"Well, admiring the academy is free, but it must be tough for the parents who have to write the check.

"Leave me alone..." Kamukura uttered "what's wrong with...wanting to become confident...in yourself...?"

"So you DO remember...?"

"No, I really don't..." Kamukura replied, "these memories...You claim they are mine, but..."

With the large picture having cut off his route, Izuru took the only one left available forward. Once he came to another split in the road, yet another one of his two options was sealed by a falling tapestry.

"Let us look at another..." the voice declared.

"He'll never get anywhere in life as he is."

"That doesn't mean we can just force him to be something he's not!"

"And what is he then? If he's not successful in his life, what is he? He's NOTHING!"

"How can you say that!? He's our son!"

"I'm saying this BECAUSE he's our son! What do you want me to say to him!? That he's worthless!? That his dreams won't amount to anything!? Is that what you'd prefer!?"

"I..."

"It's our fault...We've been too demanding of him. He's like this because we've been too strict with him."

"No, we haven't been strict enough. He's like this because we spoiled him far too much. And now we live in a society that won't accept him...Because if he's not special...he's nothing..."

"This..." Izuru clutched his arm, "these people are..."

"Your parents..." the voice told him bluntly, "you don't remember their faces. I doubt even Hajime Hinata does either..."

"Hajime...Hinata...?" Izuru repeated.

"Your true name," the voice told him, "what you really once were, but what you forgot. The Steering Committee scientists in the Cultivation Team tried to erase him for good, but traces of him remained here...His fate will be yours to decide in due time."

"What...?" Izuru frowned, stumbling down the labyrinth, "I don't know what you're talking about...!"

"Another...!" the voice spat, before yet another tapestry fell down from above.

"Nanami...Tell me. Are you making memories at Hope's Peak?"

"Uh...I think so? Why?"

"I want you to make a bunch of 'em for me. There's way more to you than just the Ultimate Gamer. Your character stats are off the charts."

"Uh...Ehehe..."

"Well...Be seeing you."

"Yeah. I'll see you tomorrow!"

Nanami...

I wanted to be able to say to you, my friend, with pride...

"I have a talent! I can do this incredible thing!"

But in the end...I couldn't...I can't...do anything...

But because of my emptiness, there are things that I can do.

"Stop...Stop it!" Izuru was surprised by his own display of defiance, clutching his head as his mouth curled into a snarl. The aching in his head was coming back, like the addition of this weird voice.

"Do not turn away," the voice murmured some more, "you must see the truth and the reality with your own eyes. See what you once were and what you are now...To decide what you want to become."

"What...I want to become...?" he parroted, "what's going to happen to me? And what are you?"

"The only thing that can happen to you henceforth will be whatever it is you decide to be. As is the case of my true form," the voice told him, "do you wish for us to be Hajime...or Izuru...? Know the Phantom Thieves are fighting to save the boy you once were, but in the end, it's your decision. Which of your Shadows to accept and which of them to abandon."

"The...Phantom Thieves...?"

Before Izuru's inner voice could respond to this, it became quickly apparent that it didn't have to. Right on cue, there was a loud crashing noise coming from deeper within the maze.

And feeling unnerved for the first time in forever, Izuru chased that noise.

Class Trial [Future] - Danganronpa 2: Goodbye Despair

Meanwhile, as this was going on, the inner sanctum of the island had descended into absolute bedlam. With Chiaki and Shadow Kamukura showing up, unexpected to all parties, followed immediately by the unexpected arrival of the disfigured and mashed-together Mechabeast, the ensuing battles threatened to send the entire interior structure crumbling to dust.

On top of the Phantom Thieves, plus Chiaki, now having to combat the mechanical monster that so rudely burst its way onto the scene, the fast-paced, explosive brawl between Shadow Hinata and Shadow Kamukura raged on above them, with Kamukura mostly remaining on the defensive, like he was trying to target his parallel out as he continued to fling the copied Phantom Thief abilities at him.

Leprechaun was honestly quite worried. Shadow Hinata had already become so powerful just from absorbing the other Phantom Thieves abilities, especially now that he had Usami's healing magic, that he wasn't sure that even Izuru's Shadow had it in him to take the traitor down.

Even still, Izuru was, ironically, their only hope, and Chiaki seemed to trust him enough. He voiced these opinions to the other Phantom Thieves, who seemed similarly concerned about the ordeal.

"Don't worry about Hinata, just take out the Mechabeast!" he demanded, grabbing his pistol and shooting the monster in the face and chest, "one less thing to worry about!"

"It's not just a Mechabeast anymore!" Highwayman hollered, also shooting it from a distance with her own gun, "it's a MECHAMALGAMATION!"

"That..." Razor raised an eyebrow, "You know what? That was actually pretty clever!"

"Thank you!" Highwayman jokingly bowed before she was forced to dodge an incoming hoof stomp.

Following a chase across the clearing, Kamukura finally caught Hinata by the back of his head, causing the Palace Ruler to struggle to free himself. He then lunged forward, trying to run Hinata's face right into the chamber wall. But, not wanting to give up easily, Hinata used his newly awakened psychic energy to stop himself. After releasing himself from his hold with an elbow strike, he tried to blast Kamukura with his lightning tendrils, but Kamukura unflinchingly caught the electric sparks and proceeded to continue battering his opponent.

Underneath this, Chiaki kept a tight hold of her chair's arms, even though in reality, there was no possibility that the violent clash above her was going to knock her off, no matter how intense it was.

Her attention was taken back to the battle against the Mechabeast, and she quickly let her fingers dance over the digital keyboard. Like before, the Tetris blocks around her Persona started to reshape and create a structure, but unlike before with the big bomb, this time they turned into two laser cannons, like the one's one would find on a theme park attraction with a moving cart.

Kyoko quickly spotted this, and eager to be of some help, rushed over and grabbed the handles of one of the cannons. She aimed it at the Mechamalgamations body and opened fire, rapidly pressing the triggers and shooting energy blasts that burst into pixilated explosions upon contact. Despite the theatrics, they definitely did some damage.

Upon noticing these explosions, Razor, who was closest, grabbed the other gun and helped her. As the monster was slowly subdued by the fire, Kyoko took the opportunity to exchange some pleasantries with their third-year senpai.

"So, Nanami-san!" she called out, "while I have the chance to ask...how long have you had Persona powers!?"

"Uh, basically...!" Chiaki yelled back, "since the other day!"

"Huh!" Kyoko smirked, "could've fooled me!"

Chiaki smiled, and then as she had done before with Izuru, put down a holographic pinpoint marker on a specific spot on the creatures torso. Kyoko aimed and fired, hitting that spot dead on, which caused the monster to take a tumble, dropping to one knee.

Razor then released her own blaster, and bounced off the top of it towards the enemy, summoning Barrow while Usami slid in from the side, summoning Mr. A. Simultaneously, both Thieves blasted the prone monster with a lightning and psychokinetic blast respectively, resulting in a rather big explosion.

As the creatures body reemerged from the ash cloud that followed, falling over, Sleuth summoned Casanova and practically called forth a blizzard, caking the creature in a thick coat of ice, as he was oft known to do.

This was then followed by Leprechaun, who leaped up and punched the creature in it's serpent head, before jumping up, summoning another Persona, Makami, and shooting it with a blast of nuclear magic.

As the creature finally collapsed on its back, Leprechaun landed on top of it. However, before he could find a way to finish it off, his attention was caught by something else. Everyone else noticed it too.

Class Trial [Odd Edition] - Danganronpa 2: Goodbye Despair

The large open hole in the wall created by the Mechamalgamation was now hosting a lone figure. About the same stature as the rest of the thieves, if a little bit taller. From a distance, the most recognizable aspect of the new character was his long, shaggy, dark hair.

"Kamu...kura...?" Leprechaun uttered slowly and quietly, as Izuru approached.

At the same time, both Shadow Hinata and Shadow Kamukura suddenly stopped fighting, and upon hearing Leprechaun's words somehow, both their heads snapped towards the opening, as the boy staggered through, still limping from the pain in his head.

"What's going on?" Highwayman frowned, "how is he here and...also up there?"

"Don't tell me..." Kyoko glared, "there's a THIRD one?"

Usami took a few steps forward, narrowing her eyes, her ears twitching as she observed the approaching figure. But her expression of confusion and concern turned into one of stress and terror once she figured it out.

"No...!" Monomi's face turned pale (at least the pink side did) "that's not a Shadow or a Cognition or anything of the sort! That's the REAL Izuru!"

The Thieves turned to her wide-eyed, and then back to the approaching entity.

"The real..." Chiaki uttered, "Hinata-kun...?"

"What!?" Razor exclaimed, "you mean he...came into his own cognitive world!?"

"But...How!?" Sleuth spluttered.

"Kaede...Kaede..." Izuru grunted, not stopping his advance, even as he walked past Leprechaun perched atop the Mechabeast, "she left her phone back at her abode...I used that after being taunted by the voices I heard..."

The rest of the team all shot Mozart a sour and angry glare, which she cowered beneath, chuckling awkwardly.

"Ahaha...Whoops..." she blushed.

""WHOOPS!?" THAT'S ALL YOU HAVE TO SAY!?" Highwayman spat, "what the heck is gonna happen now that the Palace Ruler himself has come into the Palace!?"

"Nothing good, that much I can assure you!" Usami declared, sweating buckets.

As if to emphasize this point, as soon as he approached the bridge, Kamukura collapsed onto his knees.

"Hinata-kun!" Chiaki exclaimed. She recalled her Persona and landed safely on the ground, hurrying over to him and trying to help him to his feet. However, he pushed her away and continued to try and crawl his way across the bridge towards the destroyed temple, supposedly where the Treasure lay.

As he did, both Shadows descended down from above, and stood in his way. The boy rose to his feet, and glanced back and forth between both.

And like that...another vision settled in his mind...

"Good news gentlemen. The subject has decided to participate in the project."

"Oh thank goodness. I was beginning to worry he'd pass on it."

"Does it matter? Had he not accepted, we could just pick somebody else from that talentless rabble."

"I'm only saying it due to a conversation I had earlier with Kizakura and Tengan. They were nattering on about how they didn't like the idea of artificial talent or a "symbol of hope." They even got Kirigiri in on it."

"Once Izuru Kamukura has been born and perfected, they won't be needed anymore. Grit your teeth and bare it and we'll do rid of them when the time comes."

"The subject is here and wishes to meet with us. Shall I let him in?"

"Of course, of course. Now watch your words, men. Don't want to deter him after he's come so far."

"...Um...Good day, sir."

"Hope's Peak Academy Reserve Department class 1-C, Hinata, Age 15...That is you, correct?"

"Yes sir."

"Well, it's nice to meet you. My name is Akihiko Ashikawa, head of the Hope's Peak Steering Committee. Nice to meet you young man."

"It's a pleasure, Ashikawa-san."

"Hmhm...At last...You're here because you've finally come to a decision, yes?"

"Yes sir. I will become... "...𖤢ꚴ𖤢𖦪ꚲ𖣠ꛘ𖤢'ꕷ ꛅ𖣠ꛤ𖤢..."

"...Ahh...ahhhh...AAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!??"

"HINATA!" Leprechaun exclaimed as the real Kamukura...if he was even really Kamukura anymore...let out this absolutely guttural shriek of pain, clutching his head, as if an endless stream of information were being forced into his brain, overwhelming his senses and consciousness! Izuru held up his hand to tell Chiaki to stop trying to grab him.

"Was that...me...!?" Izuru's eyes dilated, "no...That...THAT'S NOT ME...!"

"But it is what you are," Shadow Hinata, who clearly knew what vision his other self had bared witness to, seemed to taunt him, "That's who Izuru Kamukura really is. A Reserve Course puppet with no talents and nothing else to his name, that the Steering Committee exploited as a lab rat."

"It is a miracle that traces of you were even able to survive in this world, even as just a Shadow," Shadow Kamukura added, "even after the Steering Committee tried to dispose of you, the Metaverse must have dug up those old personality traits and rebuilt you from scratch."

"But all of this could have been avoided, and we wouldn't have had to struggle all this time if we'd just STAYED ERASED...!" Shadow Hinata hissed, "there's nothing left for you in the real world, Hajime. Izuru is all that exists there, and you can't change that no matter how hard you try. Your only choice is to take back some of your power and have this world ruled by one lone entity. What do you say...me...?"

"Hold on!" Sleuth snapped, struggling to get close himself, "you can't do that!"

"Don't listen to them. The Phantom Thieves are simply trying to undermine you, and take away the talents and powers that are rightfully yours! They know that they'll never be able to change your heart if you just accept reality! Accept to disappear and become talent itself! Become the world's Hope like you always wanted!"

"That's not it!" Highwayman declared, "we're just-!"

""Trying to save me," yes, I heard you the first fucking time!" Shadow Hinata spat, "you go on and on about how you're fighting for the sake of bringing hope to the world and destroying Ultimate Despair...But what if my hope is different from your hope?"

"What?" Razor sweated.

"Even if the world is happy, it's meaningless if I...If Hajime Hinata...If Izuru Kamukura...isn't happy. After all, if you do this, one of us is going to permanently disappear, right!?" Shadow Hinata inquired.

"Dis...appear..." the real Hajime muttered, "I'm going to...disappear...?"

"Don't listen to him Hinata-kun!" Chiaki exclaimed, "his trying to get into your-!"

"SHUT UUUP!" everyone was startled as the real boy screamed at the top of his lungs to cut her off dramatically, "TELL MEE THE TRUUUUUUTH!"

Everything fell awfully silent. Hajizuru kept his eyes to the ground, but his body was visibly shaking with fear and underlying rage. At a loss of what to say or do in this moment, it was Usami who finally spoke up.

"Both Hajime Hinata and Izuru Kamukura are symbolic of distortion. But we can't remove both, or else the real Hajime-kun will have a mental shutdown," she explained, slowly and sadly, "our original goal here was to remove the Steering Committee's tampering to bring Hajime-kun back to the way he was, but...doing so will permanently erase not just Izuru Kamukura, but it will also likely erase all his Ultimate Talents and his memories during his time as the Ultimate Hope."

"Which means he'll go back to being a talentless nobody...an identity that he loathed," Shadow Hinata followed up, "you're going to strip him of all his powers, hopes and dreams, and you're telling him to just...deal with it?"

"If Hajime gets those powers, he'll go crazy. People could get hurt if he's careless with his abilities," Kyoko growled, "At this point, it's the only way..."

"No, there is another way..." Shadow Hinata chimed in again, "should he choose to keep his powers, all he'll be losing is the tragic memories and poor life decisions of a talentless loser. He may no longer have any personality or hobbies, but once I take control of this Palace once and for all, we'll be free to do whatever the hell we want! Isn't that so much better than just being powerless to do ANYTHING?"

"Hinata, you can't buy into this!" Razor snarled, "you need to think about this!"

"Think about it..." Shadow Kamukura demanded, "what it is YOU really want to BE?"

Hajime couldn't handle it. He felt like his very being was going to split apart...

Hajime Hinata or Izuru Kamukura...

The world or himself...

Hope or Despair...

He had to be the one to choose...?

He had to make such a mind-bending, soul-crushing choice...?

Why...?

Why...did he have...to choose...?

And then at long last, after standing in a state of despaired and traumatized catatonia...he finally opened his mouth and spoke again.

"I...I can't do it..."

Despair Syndrome 01 - Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc

"Huh!?" Leprechaun gasped, "what do you mean!?"

"I...can't choose...! You're telling me that people are going to get hurt if I don't choose to sacrifice a part of myself...!" his frame trembled, "and that...I can't decide! I can't choose...either one..."

"Hajime!" Mozart exclaimed.

"SHUT UP! LEAVE ME ALONE!" the Reserve Course boy snarled, "This...This is just TOO MUCH! Why do I...have to be a part of this!? I mean...I'm different from the rest of you! And I don't even have a talent! But even so...things turned out this way...and now you're telling me that half of my existence is going to disappear!? I have to become either a talentless nobody or an emotionless catalyst!?"

The boy caved in, and his melancholy ramblings gave way to defeated, pitiful laughter.

"Haha...hahahahaha...I don't understand it at all..." he sobbed.

He stood up and looked around at all parties around him, glaring maliciously.

"This burden...don't you DARE make me shoulder it...!" he snarled.

"Hajime Hinata...!" Kyoko glared, "get a hold of yourself!"

"IT'S IMPOSSIBLE!" the Ultimate Hope spat back, "For someone like me...It's impossible! I can't choose the future! HOPE!? DESPAIR!? Do whatever you want! IT'S NOT MY PROBLEM!"

"That's-!?" Leprechaun's heart sunk. But before he could finish his sentence, Shadow Hinata rolled his eyes.

"You already know that no one is coming to save you, Hajime Hinata," he taunted, "if you want to spend the rest of your life as a hollow shell, then this battle that takes place inside you will NEVER END!"

The emphasize Shadow Hinata's point, the Mechamalgamation finally rose to its feet again and roared and pounded its chest, flicking its mace tail around that Leprechaun, Razor and Highwayman had to leap back and avoid!

"If that's the case, there's only one thing that's left to do...!" he hissed, "and that's KILL the PHANTOM THIEVES!"

Shadow Hinata launched a monumental blast of fire towards the platform, but fortunately, Shadow Kamukura intercepted it. He held it back, and turned his head towards Chiaki and the others.

"Get him out of here...!" he seemed to growl, "I can't hold him for long...!"

"Izuru...does he really have to make such a heavy choice like this!?" Chiaki exclaimed.

"There is no other way!" Izuru snapped, "he has to decide what he truly wants to be! And if he does...then there's nothing any of us can do to change it! But he won't be making any choices if he's dead, so MOVE!"

Chiaki clenched her teeth and nodded. She hurried over to the real Hinata, picked him up and practically dragged him towards the door. The rest of the Phantom Thieves avoided Hinata's flaming blast, while also trying to tackle the Mechamalgamation.

"This is FREAKING NUTS!" Highwayman shrieked, "what the hell are we even gonna do about all of this!?"

"Whatever's happening, we can beat it, I know it!" Leprechaun pounded his fists together, "JUST KEEP FIGHTING!"

With lots on the line, the Phantom Thieves launched themselves at the monster while Shadow Kamukura continued to fend off Shadow Hinata. At the same time, Chiaki kept a tight hold of her Reserve Course friend, and pulled him out of the chamber back through the hole in the wall. Once they reached the edge of the labyrinth exit, she rested him down.

"Stay here," she told him, "whatever happens, don't put yourself in harm's way, ok?"

"Wait!" he exclaimed, suddenly jumping up and grabbing her wrist, holding her back, "what are you doing...! You can't just...!"

"I don't want to leave you, but I can't protect you from here," Chiaki told him, "Things are bad, and the Phantom Thieves need my help."

"I mean WHY!? WHY are you protecting me!?" he sobbed.

Chiaki paused, initially not sure how to respond to this. She eventually chose to speak from the heart.

"Because you're worth it...And you always have been, Hinata-kun," she asserted, "you can choose to fight back and decide your own fate, or you can choose to run away and never look back. I won't hold either against you..."

She knelt down in front of him, holding him by his chin and lifting his head to look into her eyes.

"But don't hold my choices against me when I say I'll fight for you until my last breath..."

"Even if I wanted to decide...I can't...I PHYSICALLY can't..." Hinata buried his face in his arms, "For someone like me...I'm not able to choose...

He shuddered as he started to cry.

"I made one bad decision and I ended up getting mixed up in all this stuff I don't understand..." he whined, "not only do I remember that I had no talent at all, but no matter what I choose to become, whether I stay as Kamukura or go back to being Hinata, I'll just never be good enough...!"

"For who?" Chiaki frowned, "For me?"

"I remembered you at long last...But now, regardless of what I choose...I don't think I'll ever be able to talk to you again...!" he said, "if I become Hinata, I'll be forced out of Hope's Peak and I'll never be able to talk to you as an equal. If I become Kamukura, all trace of your existence will disappear from my mind. Isn't that messed up...!?"

"You're wrong Hinata-kun..." Chiaki told him, "about all of that..."

"Huh?"

Welcome to Despair Academy - Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc

He finally pulled his bleary eyes out of his hidey-hole and looked up at her. Chiaki simply greeted him with a warm smile.

"Even if we're far apart, or even if you never remember me again...That doesn't mean I'll completely disappear," she said, "as long as you continue to move forward to the future that you want to create...To make your life a world where you're happy...I will NEVER disappear. And you'll never disappear from my life either."

She brushed his face with her hand.

"I waited for you...I kept going and made friends for you...and I risked my life for you...That's the truth, and it will always be so," she told him, "right?"

"Yeah...you're...right...But..." Hinata choked slowly. Chiaki's hand rested on his shoulder.

"You're probably just scared, right?" she asked, "not just of disappearing, but also the possibility of moving toward the future with such a heavy burden."

Hajime gently took her hand.

"Yeah...I'm scared..." he confessed, "I'm obviously terrified of that..."

He became alarmed suddenly, as Chiaki's grip on his shoulder tightened, and the lights in her visor turned read and frowny.

"So how much longer are you going to be indecisive!?" she snapped suddenly, "Didn't you want to become someone with confidence!? Isn't that why you admired Hope's Peak Academy?"

"B-But...Even Hope's Peak Academy tricked me...!"

"Hajime...You've had it wrong this whole time..."

"Wrong?"

"Having talent isn't the goal. There's something much more important than whether or not you have talent, right?"

She took both her hands and cupped his tired face.

"What's important is that you believe in yourself," she asserted, "if you can't do that, then it doesn't matter how much talent you possess...And...I am so sorry I didn't tell you that when I had the chance..."

"But what if it's already too late...?" Hajime held his head in his hands, "what if-"

"Hajime. The past is the past," Chiaki told him, "the Hajime who spent time with me, and desperately felt like he needed to be better for my sake, should stay the past. So it's going to be alright. I think it's time you finally had some confidence in yourself..."

Hajime looked deep into her eyes, and quietly nodded. Chiaki stood up again and offered him a hand, which he took, and pulled himself to his feet.

"Now stay here," she said, "we'll fix this, I promise."

"Chiaki..." Hajime sighed, "which...do you think I should choose? My hope? The world's hope?"

"I can't answer that...You've spent too long letting the people around you, and the reality of the world decide what happens to you. You are the only one who has the right to decide your future, and the responsibility too..."

Before she entered through the door again, she looked back at him one more time.

"But if you can't choose either future...Why don't you just create one?"

"Huh?"

"Do you remember what it is I told you a long time ago? That someone like you doesn't have a destined path, and you're free to go and become anything you want to be," she affirmed, "you...might have taken my words a LITTLE too literally, but you don't have to just decide a future. You should be able to create one too."

"Do you really think someone like me..." Hajime shuddered, "can do that...?"

Chiaki summoned Alexey and took to the skies before she responded.

"No matter what kind of future it is, as long as you move towards it, we'll never be apart. Everything we've been through together won't be meaningless. If you carry the burden of both your hope and your despair, you should be able to create your own future," she said softly, "even if it's a convenient miracle, if you just do it, I'm sure it'll turn out ok. That's why you can't hesitate now. Resolve to throw everything away, and give it everything you've got!"

She turned away and floated back towards the battle.

"I'll be cheering for you...!"

As the boy watched his old friend return to the fight, he felt the voices of doubt creep back into his mind, giving him another headache. However, unlike the last few times, this time he stood there, quietly, and accepted the pain, listening as carefully as he could to the noise.

Let Us Sing of a Hollow Victory - Danganronpa 2: Goodbye Despair

This time, they didn't seem to be as clear-cut, or certain...Like his doubts, or his splitting mind, was voicing its concerns and thoughts.

I have no talent at all...

I was even betrayed by the academy I admired so much...

I don't want to disappear...

I'm not Izuru Kamukura...

Who cares what will happen to the world...?

I don't want to sacrifice myself...

It's not like I'll be appreciated anyway...

There's no way we can beat this despair...

There's no way we can beat the Steering Committee...

It's the Phantom Thieves' fault...

Not mine...!

I can't choose the future...!

As Hajime slowly opened his eyes, he found himself in a dark room, surrounded by mirror images of Izuru Kamukura, wearing the Reserve Course uniform. Even in such horrific circumstances, he couldn't find the strength to be scared.

Instead he was just...annoyed.

*This...is me...? Is this really me...?* he thought internally, *that's...so uncool...*

His mind then flashed back to what Chiaki had told him moments prior, and staring down at his clenched first, he repeated her words... "if you can't choose either future, why don't you just create one?"

Did he...even have that kind of power...? His Shadow had told him...

...

But then...something dawned on the young Hinata...

The person above all else that was pressuring him to choose his Talent, or to sacrifice a part of himself...was his own Shadow.

The only person commanding him...was himself.

Just as his internal thoughts and the pressure of society had done to him his whole life. Nothing had changed. And the truth this whole time finally settled on him...He was...quite literally...his own worst enemy.

It had never had anything to do with talents, or Hope's Peak! Hajime was the one who had feared normalcy! He was the one who was afraid of being pushed to the side and discarded! But this was his life! No one, not even the bigwigs of society, had any right or reason to tell him how to live it!

Neither did his internal thoughts...!

As he dwelled upon this, his attention was suddenly seized with some alarmed shouts in the chamber ahead of him. Instinctively, he made his way back towards the hole in the wall, but at a steady pace, anticipating something.

It turns out that his nerves were well-founded. As the Phantom Thieves continued to subdue the Mechamalgamation, Mozart was swatted by the monster, and slid very dangerously close to the edge of the platform, turning around to glance into the bottomless abyss beneath her!

Things took a turn for the worse before she could recover. In the middle of their own spat, Shadow Hinata blasted Shadow Kamukura in the face with a combination of fire and ice, before grabbing his opponent by his leg, flinging him down towards the ground, building up a powerful blade of wind to launch at him.

When Kamukura ducked, the wind blast struck the cliff directly below them, splintering and tearing apart the ground that Mozart was standing on! The other Phantom Thieves noticed her a little too late, to hear her horrified scream as she began to descend into the darkness.

"KAEDEEE NOOOOOOOOOOOO!" Sleuth, distraught, ducked down and tried to grab her before she could slip from his grip! Unfortunately, Shadow Hinata rushed forward, and pounded Shadow Kamukura so hard, his body went flying straight into the Ultimate Detectives, knocking him over and interrupting his advance!

Mozart, unable to be saved, saw her life flash before her eyes as she dropped into the darkness, but just before she could slip away forever...she felt someone's hand grab hers.

Her eyes shot open, and she looked up in surprise to see none other than the real Hajizuru, having ran as fast as he could, dive towards the edge and grab her hand at the last second before she could drop!

Swear to my Bones - Persona 5

"Hajime-kun!" Chiaki exclaimed, as Shadow Kamukura launched himself into the air again and tackled Shadow Hinata at the speed of a bullet!

"Or...Izuru-kun...!?" Mozart questioned, trying to catch her breath. The boy, whoever he was, shook his head.

"Call me whatever you want...I don't care anymore...! I've decided...!"

Sleuth crawled to his feet again, and let out a huge sigh of relief as he saw that his girlfriend had been rescued in time, but quickly scrambled up, not only to help the boy, but to avoid being crushed under the Mechamalgamations hoof. As he hurried over, Hajizuru kept talking.

"Maybe I'm not special! Maybe I'll never be the Ultimate Hope that Hope's Peak said I could be!" he grunted as he used all his strength to pull her up, "but it doesn't matter! When push comes to shove, I get shit done! And YOU STILL OWE ME A PIANO PERFORMANCE!"

"Huh...!?" Kaede gasped.

"You said...ngh...that you were gonna make me smile with your performance!" Hajime spat, his eyes flickering back and forth between deep red and pale green, "don't you fucking dare break your promise, Kaede Akamatsu!"

"I...You...!"

Overwhelmed with the joy that she had been remembered, tears of happiness streamed down Mozart's face, as Sleuth hurried over and supported Hajime into heaving her back onto the bridge. Once she regained her footing, she pulled him into a tight squeeze. Unsure of how to respond, Hinata gingerly patted her on the back.

"Hey...What's going on...?" Shadow Hinata asked as he and Shadow Kamukura landed back on the bridge, "what are you DOING Hajime! Had you just let her fall, our problems would be one more step to being over!"

Mozart released Hajime, and the three people on the bride turned to glare at him, with Hajime taking one step towards his Shadow, as if confronting him. Though looking at them over Izuru's shoulder, he scowled at his other self.

"Why are you looking at me like that...!?" Shadow Hinata scowled, "you really risked your life for the sake of an ULTIMATE!?"

Hajime did not respond immediately...He just continued to glare at the Shadow.

"We can become the Ultimate Hope! Better than anyone else in the world! Maybe we don't WANT to kill the Phantom Thieves, but you and I both know it's necessary!" he snarled, "Ultimate's have never treated us kindly! Everything bad that happened to us was because of them and their superiority complex! Once we gain Ultimate Talents ourselves, we can show them who TRULY cares about our society! About the world! About the FUTURE!"

"...Fuck off..."

"What!?"

"I said FUCK OFF!" Hajime spat, veins popping out of his head behind his long hair, "you don't know a DAMN THING about the future! There won't just be hope. There'll probably be a lot of despair too."

He reeled back and pointed an accusatory finger at his Shadow, gritting his teeth.

"I don't know what kind of future awaits me," he glowered, "but my future is MINE! I won't let ANYONE, not even you, take it from me!"

"What...are you TALKING ABOUT!?" Shadow Hinata leered.

"You wanted me to decide for myself what I should become. Well I HAVE decided!" Hajime glared back, "I've decided that I'm done running away! I will fight for my future, and I will do it besides the people who will help me create it! It's not for anyone's sake but my own!"

"What the heck is wrong with you-uh-ME!?" Shadow Hinata started to panic, "is this a glitch in the system or something!"

"Hm...So THAT is what you have decided...Defecting from both your Shadows...To become something YOU want..."

Hajime and everyone else who wasn't distracted watched apprehensively as Shadow Kamukura powered down and strode along the bridge towards him.

"I had thought that bringing you here and having you make the final call on what should happen would be the only way to truly end this issue," Kamukura pondered, "making your own choice and deciding your own future was not what I anticipated at all...But perhaps the truth all along was that it was not YOU who needed to decide or adapt to reality..."

What happened next...no one could have anticipated. Shadow Kamukura sunk into the shadows beneath him, only to reappear behind Hajime, and hover above him in the air.

"And if that is so..." he uttered..."then we...shall make...a contract...!"

"GUGH!? AAGH!?"

IT'S TOO LATE (Instrumental) - Persona 5 The Animation

Just like that, an uncontrollable pain shot straight into Hajime's head, tremendously worse than the migraine he'd suffered when he'd activated the meta-nav before! Even the fight against the Mechamalgamation had ceased as the Phantom Thieves watched in awe, as Hajime began writhing around, while Kamukura's Shadow burst into arcane blue flames!

"WHAT!?" Shadow Hinata shrieked, dismayed and terrified as he realized what was happening.

"HAJIME!" Chiaki tried to rush towards him, but Makoto grabbed her shoulder.

"Don't!" he smirked, "it's ok!"

"Yes...I think this arrangement works nicely..." Kamukura muttered, if he could even be called that anymore, his golden eyes glowing as his real-world counterparts did the same, "there's never only one choice to make...And you realize now that you can't let it end this way. The future that you wish to live should have more possibilities than that."

Hajime tried so hard to fight or resist the pain that he collapsed to his knees and started to bash his head against the stone bridge, but Kamukura, looming over him as the Shadow's body seemed to stretch and contort, continued speaking.

"So from here on, you swear that you will fight with confidence, and create a path of your own...The future that YOU want...If so, then our goals finally align, and I will lend you my power...!"

"You can't DO this!" Shadow Hinata cried, "there's no way something like this can happen!"

"SHUT UP!" Hajime shouted back, stunning his Shadow briefly as he clawed at the ground and pushed himself back onto his feet, "the only one who gets to decide my future is me! Not the Steering Committee, not the Ultimate's, and NOT YOU!"

As he said this, raising his head, those around him saw that on his face now rested a silk bandaged blindfold, with it torn in one spot to expose his left eye. As he stated his resolve, Hajime reached for the blindfold, and started to tear it away from his face, blooding spitting out as his skin was peeled away with it!

"I am thou...Thou art I...!" Kamukura proclaimed, now engulfed in the blue flames, "MY...! NAME...! IS...!"

"MEEPPHIIISSSSTOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!"

Sleuth and Mozart realized in the split second that they should probably back away to avoid being propelled backwards by the sheer amount of energy that burst off of Hajime as he finally tore the mask off, and Kamukura's flames swallowed him whole! Shadow Hinata, similarly, seemed repelled by the arcane light like some kind of demon encountering an exorcists holy magic!

When the light died down, though he had his back turned, the Phantom Thieves saw a long haired individual standing at his full height. What was one a black suit and tie had now been replaced by a tight-fitting bodysuit, torn open around the chest as grey bandages adorned the figure's left arm, like that of his mask. He had pale-colored shinpads and wrist adornments, and maroon-red gloves and boots with pink soles. Around his waist was a loose belt that hung behind his back like a leather tail, and green vials of who quite knows what were strapped to it.

And suspended in the air above him, where there once was Shadow Kamukura was an entirely new creature that took his place. Possessing the Shadows' suit and tie, it's whole body was angular and pointy in area's like the knees, where the legs had now become like sticks. It's hands had shaped into sharp, curling claws, and sprouting from its back were a pair of bat-like wings. It still possessed the long sagging hair synonymous of Kamukura, but two demonic horns poked out of the top, and by far the most peculiar change; its head had shifted into a monitor, which displayed static as it flicked to life, then displaying messages of many variety.

As everyone was taken aback by the scene before them, Hajime, in a way that was honestly super badass, held out his open palm, and randomly pulled an entire arcane sword from it! He then grabbed the large mass of his hair and used his weapon to slice through it, letting the long strands of Izuru Kamukura's gently drift into the void, and finally, opening his mouth to make his decisive statement...!

"EVERYONE! LET'S STEAL THIS TREASURE AND SHUT THIS GAME DOWN!"

Will Power - Persona 5

"H-Hey...Isn't that...!?" Razor stared open-mouthed.

"There's no doubt about it!" Usami beamed, "Shadow Kamukura became his Persona!"

"I don't get it though," Highwayman frowned, confused, "does that mean that Hinata picked to be Kamukura after all?"

"No...It's not like that," Leprechaun smirked, "it's more like...Kamukura picked to be Hinata...!"

"Then that means there's only one thing to do!" Chiaki stretched her arms, "put this other poser in his place!"

"I...Will...KILL YOU AAAAALLLL!" Shadow Hinata shrieked, before he flew at sonic speed like a banshee towards his real world self...But Hinata simply raised his free hand, and commanded his new power...

But Hinata simply raised his free hand, and commanded his new power

"Freidyne...!"

Leprechaun and the others were forced to cover their ears from the sheer bass boost that threatened to rupture their eardrums, and shut their eyes from the burning bright blue-white light, as Hajime's Persona launched one of the most powerful nuclear-level attacks they had ever seen with just a mere wave of its hand! The resulting blast launched Shadow Hinata all the way to the other side of the chamber, smashing into one side of the temple and utterly collapsing it!

"OH MY GOD!" Mozart screamed, "he's SO POWERFUL!"

"That's the Ultimate Hope for you!" Leprechaun smirked, rising again after bypassing the shock.

"Be that as it may, I don't think I can take these enemies by myself," Hajime said, looking back and forth between his Shadow self and the Mechamalgamation, "I know I have no right to ask this of you after everything I've put you all through...Especially you Chiaki...But even so, I must ask-"

"Save it, pretty boy," Razor flourished her scissors, "whether you want us to or not, we're kicking your other self's ass...!"

"But it WOULD be real dandy if you could help us," Mozart added quickly.

"Heh...Well say no more," he said, and finally, for the first time in 3 years, smiled, "I've-"

"WE'VE...got your back," Chiaki interjected, standing next to her old friend and bumping shoulders with him. Leprechaun grinned back at them both.

"Welcome to the Phantom Thieves!"

Sadly, the indoctrination of the new teammates was interrupted as Shadow Hinata took to the skies above and let out a guttural shriek, as the elements he'd already absorbed from the Phantom Thieves burst off him in every direction! At the same time, the Mechamalgamation let out a booming roar, as it got on all fours and started to run at its enemies!

"Get to the bridge!" Kyoko demanded, and none of them had to be told twice! As Leprechaun, Highwayman, Razor, Kyoko, Sleuth, Mozart, and Hajime rushed towards the stone monument, Chiaki leaped upwards and summoned Alexey, hovering in the sky above the chaos safely. As she spoke, it was like she was whispering in everyone else's ear via a communicator.

"I might be able to disable Shadow Hajime's barriers, but I'll need to time it," she told them, "if you're gonna hit him, hit him good!"

"You got it!" Leprechaun saluted back, "alright! Usami, distract him!"

Usami complied, deviating from the rest of the group to the left, jumping through the hail of bullets fired at them by Shadow Hinata, before reaching behind her and launching several streamlined explosive blasts from her Party Popper, which burst into clouds of smoke when they hit the Palace ruler and caused him to back down.

As the Shadow flapped his wings and flew away to recover, Usami became aware of the mechanical monstrosity rushing up behind her, ready to crush her!

"TAM LIN!"

"BARROW!"

She was saved in the nick of time by Leprechaun and Razor performing a cross-slashing attack with their Personas, while Sleuth dashed over, grabbed her, cast out his grappling hook and leaped to safety as the Mechamalgamation began pursuing its new targets.

Leprechaun and Razor hurried back towards the rest of the group as they finally reached the bridge again. As they drew in, with the Mechamalgamation right on their tails, in order to give her teammates more time to escape, Mozart stopped running and took out her rifle, shooting shots into the monster's face.

"GO, GO, GO!" she called out to the rest of her friends as Leprechaun and Razor darted past her, the latter stopping to turn around, draw her taser, and help her fire at the titanic terror. Sadly, their gunfire did little to halt the Mechamalgamation, and before they knew it, it was right upon them.

Thankfully, the girls leaped back in time to avoid being swiped at by the creatures giant fist, but as they caught up with the rest of the team and the eight of them raced over the ancient stone bridge, Shadow Hinata came swooping down for seconds!

"Fall, you slippery fucks!" he screamed!

"GUYS! WATCH OOOUT!" Chiaki shouted. She wanted to protect them with her Persona's power, but she realized very quickly based on analyzing Shadow Hinata's flight pattern that the Thieves themselves weren't his target!

Instead, he flew at rocket speed, and smashed straight into the bridge! With Chiaki's warning reaching them just in time, the team successfully managed to avoid falling into the bottomless abyss as their path was completely and totally shattered! Unfortunately, this caused the team to split apart, forcing Makoto, Komaru, Shuichi, Kyoko, and Monomi closer to the central temple, and trapping Toko, Kaede, and Hajime on the other side with the Mechamalgamation, who ran along the bridge to beat them up!

Kyoko had barely managed to grab the other side of the bridge and was left hanging above the drop. Leprechaun raced over to her and swiftly lifted her out of her predicament as Highwayman grabbed her gun and fired at the fleeing Palace ruler.

"You know!" he shouted, pulling her back up to safety, "I'm starting to think that bringing you into these places isn't a very good idea!"

"Don't worry about me!" she smirked, "I can trust you to catch me in your big strong manly arms!"

"Hilarious!" he rolled his eyes, as Chiaki recalled her Persona and landed safely next to them, "seriously, maybe it's best you go help them over there. Leave this area to me and the others."

"Sounds like a plan. Or it would if I knew a safe way to get over there..." she deadpanned. But Monomi scuttled forward and nuzzled her nose proudly.

"Leave that to me~" she winked.

Kyoko had a weird, and turns out well-placed, sense of foreboding for what the rabbit was plotting. Monomi suddenly jumped onto Kyoko's shoulders and summoned Mr. A, and Kyoko was forced to hold onto Monomi's stubby legs like a paraglider as her Persona's wings flung the two of them into the air and made the jump across to the other side.

Leprechaun panicked for a brief second, but once they made it to the other side safely, with Kyoko having a notably unhappy landing as she rolled along the stone, he breathed a sigh of relief.

Mozart, Razor and Hajime had been striking the Mechamalgamation with their weapons to fend it off, but were slowly losing their footing and approaching the edge of the bridge. One wrong move, and they would plummet into the depths below.

Usami, who remained in the air after Kyoko touched down, tripped and launched herself directly at the creature's face, slamming her magic stick squarely into the snake-shaped skull of the creature.

As the creature attempted to chop her up with its falcon-like wings, she swerved just in time and stunned it with a party popper shot directly at its face. Unfortunately, Usami was unintentionally launched backward by this, putting her out of danger, but her body collided with Hajime's face, knocking him off the edge and causing him to fall!

"SHIT!" he shouted as he toppled off the side.

"Oh no!" she panicked once she realized what she'd done.

"HAJIME-KUN!" Mozart scrambled around, but it was already too late to grab him!

Fortunately, this wasn't the end for the unlucky talentless boy. In a dramatic sequence of elegant motions, Sleuth, on the other side of the bridge, after he and his allies over there witnessed it, nose-dived off the edge of the platform and pulled out his cape, Batman-gliding down towards his falling ally! He closed the gap pretty quickly and as Hajime reached out and grabbed his hand, he spun around and cast out his grapple hook.

The end of the line connected with the edge of the bridge, thankfully saving them both from dipping into the endless darkness. However, as they rose again, Shadow Hinata, his eyes crazed and bloodthirsty, came soaring back around and beelined it straight towards them as they circled around it!

"Come and get us, dick!" Hajime spat tauntingly. As the Shadow lunged at them, Sleuth released his grip on both his grapple and on Hajime, which flung them both up towards the enemy Shadow. Shadow Hinata raised his machine gun arm and opened fire as his identical opponent front-flipped over him, only for Hajime to use lightning-fast and accurate sword swings to divert the bullets.

Sleuth pulled out his baton, leaping forward to attack while keeping pace with Hajime's deflections. After dodging his blows, Shadow Hinata attempted to sever the detective boy with his blades, but he managed to block it. This gave Hajime the chance to run his sword through his Shadow's shoulder, and as it let out a pained shout, it then flapped its wings and threw both Persona-users off, sending them falling and landing on the ruined platform atop the temple, where Highwayman and Leprechaun joined them on their perch.

"You guys ok?" Leprechaun asked, supporting them both.

"We're fine," Sleuth assured him, dusting off his cape, "but even without the barriers, he's tough!"

"Then let's give it everything we've got...!" Hajime growled.

With that, he placed his sword on his back, and put his hands together like in a prayer. However, when he pulled away, the other three watched in surprise as the cuffs around Hajime's wrists unfurled and changed shape, revealing gauntlets that had bullet chambers, fastened to both of his hands and forearms.

"Ok, seriously, how do you have self-esteem issues again!?" Komaru scoffed, "this is the coolest shit I've ever seen!"

Hajime notably did not respond, turning his head away and playing with the scruff of his neck.

"Are you...blushing...?" Shuichi smiled.

"Don't tease me! SHOOT ME!" he snapped suddenly, aiming his gun gauntlets towards his Shadow, which was quickly closing in on them!

Along with Hajime, Leprechaun, Highwayman, and Razor drew their guns and unleashed a hail of shots towards their approaching adversary. Shadow Hinata did not slow down, instead he either tanked or dodged the blasts. Leprechaun, noticing his eyes began to shimmer, pocketed his weapon, and yelled to his teammates.

"We need to MOVE!"

Unfortunately, he shouted a little bit too late because Shadow Hinata spread his wings and crashed straight into the temple, causing the entire structure to collapse beneath the Phantom Thieves feet with an ungodly shriek!

The four of them screamed as they fell towards the deep drop into the abyss, but before they could fall too far, they collided with some invisible solid object that they bounced off, and were thrown back up into the air.

It became apparent in the brief moment they had to take this in that Chiaki had been responsible for saving them, and Leprechaun gave her a quick wave of thanks as he spotted her hovering nearby.

Regaining their composure after their scare, the four of them made their way back up to safety by bouncing, grappling and parkouring their way through the falling debris! Highwayman swung her lasso, whacking away any debris in her path that might hit her while bouncing between the falling stone, Leprechaun pummeled the rocks beneath him to launch himself into the air, Sleuth glided like a ghost around and over the crumbling fortress, and despite his lack of a grapple shot, Hajime used the wings of his Persona to give himself a boost up into the air.

Eventually, all made it back to solid ground in front of the new completely collapsed stone temple. Makoto landed next to Hajime, while Shuichi grappled his way to the other section, and Komaru pulled herself to the top of a pillar, summoning Parker and having it hail bullets and rockets into the Shadow that soared around them, leaping from pillar to pillar as he used his barrier to launch her attacks back at her.

"This ain't working!" Hajime growled, glaring at his evil counterpart in dismay, "I don't suppose you've got any secret tricks up your sleeve that might help out here?"

Leprechaun thought on this for a moment.

"Actually...I do have another Persona that I created recently that might do the trick," he informed him. Hajime's head snapped to him, confused.

"And you didn't use it sooner...why exactly?" he questioned.

"Because I was worried if I didn't play it safe, Hinata...uh...THAT Hinata, would steal my power," the Lucky Student explained, "if you think he's unstoppable now, then we absolutely cannot afford to let that happen."

"Right...In that case..." he looked around, "Chiaki!"

As her name was called, the Ultimate Gamer drifted upwards, hopped off her Persona and landed next to them.

"Yeah?"

"You can hack into the distortion here, right?" he asked, "I don't suppose you could use it to make a giant string for us, could you?"

"A giant string?" she parroted, "I mean, sure, I probably could, but...why do you ask?"

"Because I think I have a plan..." he told her.

As all this was going on, the other group had watched this all go down, and were relieved to see that the four of them had made it safely back up after their drop. However, they still had their hands tied dealing with the mutated mechanical monster that closed off their own escape, and things got shifty as it slammed the bridge with its tail, knocking away its support pillars.

"Move forward!" Kyoko commanded, "or else we'll drop!"

Even though running towards the danger wasn't a pleasant idea at this moment, it was better than plummeting, especially since the edge of the bridge started to crack and fall away. Toko, Kaede, Monomi and Kyoko advanced forward as the ground beneath them trembled and shook, before it completely gave way, almost sending them all down into the endless darkness.

Mozart was about to be struck by a hoof stomp from the Mechamalgamation, but she blocked it with her Persona and cut its leg with her polearm. It recoiled and instead lashed at her with its fist, but Razor intercepted, using Barrow to Counterstrike the weapon, allowing Mozart to jump over and strike its body.

"Eat this, you gross bastard!"

Razor then backed up and ran up, firing her taser and jumped on the mace tail as it swung around and tried to knock them off. Securing it firmly, she reached for her scissors with one arm and pierced the base between the tail and the mace with her blade.

Usami continued to fire popper blasts at the oncoming creature while Razor struggled to disarm the mace, and Mozart threw her weapon like a javelin right into one of the creature's serpent eyes. It threw Razor to the side as it retreated from the pain, lashing out fiercely.

With a forceful smack to the earth, Razor rolled and faceplanted, expended of all of her energy while lying there. Though she hadn't successfully severed the tail, she had done enough damage to the point where it was barely holding on by a thread.

"Senpai!" Mozart cried alarmingly.

"Don't worry, she'll be ok," Kyoko assured her, "listen to me, I've got an idea. I need you to throw me up there so I can draw the creature's attention."

"Are you sure?" Usami asked.

"Just be ready to catch or heal me in case things go wrong," she said, "Mozart?"

"You got it...!" she nodded.

Kyoko quickly detailed her plan before the Phantom Thieves put it into action. Summoning Irene, she grabbed Kyoko and instantly threw the courageous investigator skyward. As Kyoko had predicted, once it saw an airborne target, it flung its tail mace straight towards her, as it had the longest reach of all the monsters appendages.

"NOW!" she shouted.

"AGILAO!"

Mozart used her Persona in response to Kyoko's cry to finish what Razor had begun by shooting a crackling explosive flame at the tail and cutting off the mace. It struck the creature's head when it fell from its position above. The weapon was heavy, and it knocked the monster prone on the ground almost immediately!

Quickly moving forward, Mozart caught Kyoko as she fell, who then turned to give orders to the rabbit.

"Now HAMMER IT!"

"You got it!" Usami saluted, before summoning Mr. A. She bolted toward Mozart, who ducked as she landed on her head, then leaped back up to offer her ally a boost. With a confident giggle, she used her Persona's wings to propel herself even higher, then she spun down until her magic stick SMASHED into the mace, driving the spikey weapon into the Mechamalgamations body and crushing it completely, as well as the bridge underneath them!

The impact activated a seesaw mechanism with the chunk of the bridge, which catapulted Mozart and Kyoko over the now deceased mecha-monsters body and faceplanting into the ground, and Usami blasted off after them with her party popper, just as the bridge gave way entirely and the monster met its demise, falling into the blackness of the abyss with one final defeated roar!

"Haah...Haaah...! HAAAAH...! AND STAAYY! DOOOWN!" Razor finally crawled out of her crater, only to waddle uncomfortably over to the other girls and collapse again in front of them.

IT'S TOO LATE - Persona 5 The Animation

With their fight now over, neither Kyoko, nor Mozart made any attempt to get up from the ground, completely and utterly exhausted after the constant fighting they had been subjected to. Using what little strength they DID have remaining, they heaved themselves up to sit, and watched from a distance as the continuing fight against Shadow Hinata raged on above them, with Mozart and Sleuth now both on vantage points and peppering Shadow Hinata with firepower.

With Sleuth not too far away, Shadow Hinata swooped down, brandishing his blades and tried to strike him, but against his knowledge, this was exactly what the Phantom Thieves had intended. As he reached out to strike, he suddenly gagged as a rope lasso snared around his neck, and as she had done with the Bird Mechabeast before, held onto her rope as Hinata swerved away and took to the skies.

Trying to shake her off, Shadow Hinata breathed ice from his mouth to try and freeze the girl over, but this did not work, thanks to Chiaki's Persona protecting her from intense harm and relieving her of any frozen joints.

"I'm gonna swat you like the FLY YOU ARE! she sneered up at him, grabbing her weapon by both hands, and with all her strength, pulled on it. Hinata choked, interrupting his ascent, and once he reached this brief state of incoherence, Highwayman spun around, swinging his body around her, and then let go, sending the Shadow flying wildly and slamming into the cavern's rock wall!

Despite Komaru's attempts, he quickly shook off the damage and attempted to soar through the skies, making the attack sequence only a temporary inconvenience for him. That was his initial thought, anyway.

As soon as Hinata crashed and Highwayman safely landed, Sleuth dashed down, leaping and skipping over the rubble and gliding past his ally, who gave him a brief hi-five. He called upon his Persona as he leaped into the air to attack his adversary.

He called upon his Persona as he leaped into the air to attack his adversary

"To the FROZEN VOID with you!" he boomed.

"MAKARAKA-!"

"I don't think so!" Chiaki snapped, using her Persona's power to swiftly change the tide of the battle. When Shadow Hinata tried to bring up his reflective barrier again, it shattered apart before it could fully materialize.

With his opening secured, Sleuth blasted Hinata with a powerful wave of icy magic, not only freezing his wings over, but sticking them to the wall!

As Hinata was disoriented from his failed barrier and the ice freezing his wings, Sleuth flipped backwards and launched his grapple shot once more, coming up on the other side and sprinting in the direction of his group, which was grouped between the two pillars that were still standing.

"Alright, are you guys ready!?" Leprechaun hollered.

"Ready as I'll ever be!" his sister called back, unravelling the string, "Sleuth! Catch!"

Highwayman threw the other end of the string to Sleuth while perched atop one of the two pillars. Leprechaun positioned himself in front of it, and the two wrapped the ends around their arms, holding on tight.

With all their strength, the detective and cowgirl held on tight as Hajime took Leprechaun by the shoulders and pulled him back. By using this tactic, they had positioned the string and themselves to create a massive slingshot that was aimed straight at the prone Shadow Hinata.

"Not a bad plan, huh?" Hajime smirked.

"Nope, not a bad plan at all," the Lucky Student smiled, "honestly, Nanami-senpai was right. You could do anything if you just bothered to put some effort in."

"Can it!" Hajime spat, "I'll release you early!"

"Alright...!" Leprechaun nodded, focusing his deadly glare straight at his target, "LET'S DO THIIS!"

"FIYAAAH!" Chiaki yelled dramatically, instilling a speed buff on Hajime and Makoto the moment Hajime took his feet off the ground, and the two of them launched straight into the air! The force of the propulsion was so immense that once they flew, the pillars that Highwayman and Sleuth pressed themselves against completely shattered!

And despite flying through the air at what felt like Mach Speed, Leprechaun focused, and swiped his mask as Hajime held tightly onto his shoulders!

"PAAALEE RIIIDEEEERR!"

Leprechaun recalled that Agatha had asked him to combine the powers of his Persona's to make an extraordinarily powerful one this time around, but she had warned him that the risk of using such a power beyond his current level of strength invited unwanted risks. Even still, now as good a time as any to deploy this new power.

The figure that materialized rode a magnificent grey stallion, its dark cloak billowing behind it. Its sheer presence would have sent shivers down anyone's spine, and the cavern light created an unsettling halo around its skeletal face, frightening everyone who saw him. In particular, the appalled Shadow Hinata. The scythe gleamed in the light and he held it in his bony hand, its blade curved menacingly, ready to harvest souls at his command.

Said scythe, as the duo finally reached the wall where the pinned Shadow was, just as he was about to break free, caught the Palace ruler around his waist, leaving a large gash in him! But then things got a lot worse for him as his real-world self deployed the power of his own Persona!

"Alright Mephisto! IT'S TIME TO END THIS!"

With a powerful flap of its demonic wings, Mephisto carried Makoto, Hajime and Shadow Hajime up the wall, dragging them at sonic speed, and causing Pale Rider's scythe to dig ever deeper into Shadow Hinata's torso.

Panicking and realizing that his end was near, Shadow Hinata foamed at the mouth as he glared at Hajime with bloodshot eyes!

"YOU CAN'T DO THIS TO ME!" he shrieked, "I AM YOUR SHADOW! YOUR TRUE SELF! WITHOUT ME, YOU'LL BE NOTHING, YOU HEAR ME!? NOOOTHIIING!"

"Well I'm sorry I'm never gonna be good enough!" Hajime retorted, "I'm sorry I'm not perfect!"

Something that looked like blood spewed from Shadow Hinata's mouth as the climb upwards reached its end, with all three parties screaming defiantly. As they reached the roof of the cavern, Hajime let out one last retort...!

"And I'm sorry...I'LL NEVER BE LIKE YOU AGAAAAIIN!"

And with it, Pale Rider's scythe sliced straight through Shadow Hinata and rended his torso from his legs!

All Shadow Hinata could do was scream in agony and terror as the power he had absorbed from the Phantom Thieves exploded out of his mouth and through every other exposed orifice on his body!

And with that, having lost all of the Phantom Thieves Persona's mutations as well as their abilities, he collapsed back down to the rocky terrain below. His lower half plummeted into the dark, deep abyss, and his upper half smashed into the stone in front of the now-demolished temple.

Hajime kept holding tightly onto Leprechaun as Mephisto carried them both back down to the ground safely. Below, Leprechaun could see the relieved and tired faces of all his companions. Chiaki, Komaru and Shuichi stood on top of the destroyed temple, while Kyoko, Kaede, Toko and Monomi, all now being able to stand again, looked over from beyond the other side of the bridge.

As their feet touched the ground, Hajime recalled his Persona, and as soon as he did, he clutched his aching head and almost toppled over.

"Woah! Are you ok!?" Makoto quickly grabbed him and helped him up. Hajime gently pushed him away.

"I'm good..." he promised.

Despite his insistence, Leprechaun kept an arm around him for good measure. Sleuth and Highwayman caught up to them, and from a distance, they watched as the other three crossed the gap in the bridge with their grappling hooks, with Razor holding onto Kyoko to help her across.

"Did...Did we kill him?" Hajime asked quietly.

"Let's hope not," Highwayman scratched her face, "you'd probably be dead right now if he was...I think..."

"WHAT!?" Chiaki snapped, "seriously!?"

"You couldn't have mentioned that BEFORE I detailed my plan!?" Hajime shouted, but his frustration was swiftly halted by his headache, "and what do you mean "you think!?""

"Hey, this Palace is way different than anything else we've tackled so far!" she flustered, "I don't get how all of this stuff works! People don't usually have two Shadows, and no one's ever gone into their own Palace before!"

"W-Well...He's clearly not having a mental shutdown..." Sleuth stammered, "...y-yet..."

"Don't worry, it'll be alright, we promise," Makoto told him, "Listen...we owe you so much, you don't even know. I think we all might have died had you not decided to-"

"Get my act together when I did? Nah, if there's anyone you should be thanking, it's Chiaki. And Izuru too, I guess," Hajime sighed, looking downward dismally, resting a hand on his chest as he uttered the Ultimate Hope's name, "the only thing I did was let my doubts about myself create this stupid Palace in the first place. You would never have had to bust your asses and waste your time-"

"You AREN'T a waste of time, Hajime," Chiaki strode up to them and asserted, "your life is just as important as everybody else's. More than everybody else's to me."

"And to us too," Mozart hurried up to him, "maybe this is a little presumptuous of me, but if anything good came out of this situation, it's that we got a chance to meet you, Hinata-kun. Maybe you don't fit in with the Reserve Course, or the Ultimate's. But I guarantee that you'll easily fit in with people like us."

"Pfft...I doubt any of you guys have been through the things I've been through," he scratched his head, "none of you have been the result of a freaky science experiment by a group of self-entitled adults."

"The science part no, but the self-entitled adults part, you have no idea," Kyoko smirked.

"Wait, really?" Hajime frowned. Sleuth gingerly raised his hand.

"Kyoko-sama and I were both manipulated by her grandfather," he unveiled, "he tried to ruin my career as a detective by sending me threats and stressing me out so that he could stand on top. Plus, he stole her from her father to transform her into a great detective and lied to her about it basically all her life."

"Our first target abused a group of kids, one of which is now our foster sister," Highwayman revealed, "oh, and also I'm pretty sure that same beefcake that beat you up beat me up too."

"I have a split personality because of the endless abuse I've suffered throughout my whole life," Razor added.

"My mother neglected my twin sister and tried to use my talents to make herself a profit," Mozart chuckled.

"And I have no memories and absolutely no idea who I really am!" Usami chimed in, almost boastfully.

Hajime blinked a few times as he took these repeated verbal blows to the face.

"That's uh...wow..." he swallowed, "yikes..."

"Yikes is right..." Leprechaun giggled, "but see, the thing is we're all doing a lot better. Things are still rough because there's still terrible people like the Steering Committee out there, but we're working through it together as a team and as friends, and thanks to each other, we're all in a better place."

Makoto released Hajime and gently pushed him towards Chiaki.

"Not to be demanding, but I think it's time you made some friends of your own."

Hajime looked back and forth between him and Chiaki, who's expression was notably very straight-laced and serious compared to her normal languid disposition. Awkwardly, he shuffled forward, twiddling his thumbs.

"Hey...uh...Nanami-san...I...There are some things I should probably say to-OOF!"

Everyone was quite alarmed as before he could finish his sentence, Chiaki suddenly started punching him repeatedly in the chest! Her blows were evidently very soft, given how little Hajime seemed phased by her attacks, but her movements suggested that she was very, VERY angry.

"I think I can guess what, you idiot! What were you thinking!?" she snapped, her digital eyes turning red with rage, "Why!? Why did you sign up for that stupid project!? What talent could possibly be so blasted important you would throw away everything else!?"

"H-Hey! Nanami-senpai, chill!" Kaede hurried over and pulled the shaking Chiaki away from Hajime, who wiggled around like a baby trying to escape an armlock. It would have been very funny had she not been so genuinely upset. Hajime held his head in guilt.

"You already know why..." he sighed, "I thought it would give me...US...a better life...The stupid hierarchy system of Hope's Peak was so intent on keeping the talented and talentless apart, and there was no easy way for us to stay together because I wasn't good at anything, while you had your games to fall back upon..."

"And what about now?" Chiaki broke away from Kaede, but made no more attempt to attack him, "do you still think that talent is all that matters? That we can't be friends just because I always beat you at video games?"

Hajime shook his head.

"Talent and hope...those things don't really matter. You were right in all that you'd been trying to tell me. What makes life enjoyable is creating memories and establishing relationships with people. I simply didn't believe in myself enough to trust you on that..." he told her, not breaking eye contact, "I wanted it to be a surprise for you, so I didn't tell you. I also kind of thought you would have tried to stop me if you had known."

"Yes, I WOULD have! Or rather, I SHOULD have!" Chiaki pulled her mask off her face and wiped her eyes, "I thought everything was fine, but now I know how much you were hurting, and how little I did to help with that! I'm not happy you lied to me, but I get it...I was a terrible best friend..."

"No, you weren't! You were the best thing that ever happened to me!" Hajime snapped, "but that's the problem...I didn't feel like I could ever be the best thing that happened to you..."

Hajime's fist trembled.

"Aside from you and myself, I really didn't give a damn about anything or anybody else at that point in time. No matter how dishonest or shady it was, I saw no reason not to do go through with it as long as it provided me with what I wanted. That's not an excuse, and I won't use it as one. All I'm trying to say is..."

He stopped and lowered his head into a bow.

"I am so, so sorry...I'm sorry and ashamed of what I did...Lying to you as Hajime and never coming back as Izuru..." he shuddered, "I apologize for taking so long to pull myself together. I hurt you because I was certain that what I was doing was right! I sincerely apologize, Chiaki, from the bottom of my heart!"

The thing that got her was the apology. Like a ray of light, the sincerity, regret, and sadness in his voice cut through all of her bad feelings. The last remnants of her anger evaporated before she knew it. And there was only a profound sense of relief in their place.

"...Come here..." she said softly, holding out her arms.

His face flashed with surprise, but then he went into them, tears suddenly welling up in his eyes. He had to bend down to make it because she was so short and he was so tall by comparison. She wept through trembling breaths as she stood on her tiptoes and buried her face in his shoulder.

The Phantom Thieves watched this scene with pride swelling in their hearts. It had been a long, arduous and painful journey to get through this Palace and defeat all the enemies that came their way...But this one display of affection from the reunion of these two made every second worth it...!

Komaru especially, couldn't keep her shit together, and she took sharp breaths as she tried, and failed, to choke back the tears.

"She-! She-! She...FORGAVE HIIIIHIHIM!" she bawled her eyes out burying her bleary face into Toko's shoulder, "ISH SHOO BEAUUTIFULL TOOKOOOO AAAAAHHAAGH!"

"There there..." Toko was obviously disgusted by both the affection and the snot, but in good will, did not push her away.

"Come on guys," Leprechaun put his hand on his hip, "let's go get that Treasure...!"

"Um...actually..." Kyoko suddenly became rather shifty, "about that..."

Heads turned towards her.

"What? What is it now?" Sleuth frowned.

"Actually, before Hinata...uh, that's SHADOW Hinata, brought the ceiling crashing down on me, I was actually able to pry the coffin open," Kyoko revealed, "I didn't open if fully, but I did peek inside."

"And?" Mozart leaned forward, "what did you find?"

Kyoko pursed her lips, her breath getting caught in her throat.

"It was..."

"Empty!? IT'S EMPTY!?" Highwayman shouted, all of her relief and sorrow wiped away in an instant as soon as the team dug the coffin out from under the rubble and opened it, revealing nothing inside, "have we been had!?"

"I know for a fact it didn't fall out during the collapse. There would have been traces, and as you saw, the coffin was locked tight right up until this moment," Kyoko said, "it's more likely that the Treasure was never in the box to begin with."

"What's going on?" Leprechaun instinctively looked towards Usami, confused.

"This doesn't make any sense..." the rabbit tapped her foot, "the Palace is still here which means the Treasure must still be here too. We didn't miss something, did we?"

"Well, are we SURE the Treasure's even here anymore?" Mozart asked, "I mean, we take the Treasure to change our target's heart but...Hajime-kun's regained his memories and...his heart seems pretty much changed already, right?"

"Um...pardon me interrupting," Chiaki raised a hand as she and Hajime stuck to the rear of the group, "but what exactly is this "Treasure" thing supposed to be? What does it usually look like?"

"The Treasure is the source of all the distorted desires that affect a person" Usami educated, "it's the core of the Palace. What makes up everything inside it, which is why removing it erases the Palace entirely, along with the distorted desires it houses."

"The source?" Hajime parroted.

"Yes. Usually, it's formless, but it often takes the form of an object that signifies the beginning of a person's distortion," she continued, "no one is born evil or distorted after all. It has to start somewhere."

"The source of all the distorted desires..." he frowned for a second. After that, his eyes widened as he came to a conclusion, and then frowned again, "in that case...I think I know just where to find it..."

"What?" Sleuth asked, "you know what the treasure is?"

"Not what..." Hajime replied cryptically, "who."

Leprechaun was about to ask him what he meant by this, but as he was interrupted the next second, he realized he didn't need to.

What remained of the chamber echoed with a gargled growl, coming from Shadow Hinata, who was now just a torso, crawling on his hands angrily towards the Phantom Thieves, eyes dilating. Highwayman quickly pulled out her gun and aimed at him.

"Seriously!?" she snapped, "just give it up already!"

"Hold on..." Hajime held out his arm to get her to relax, and turned his attention towards his Shadow. He approached it, keeping his look stern and his expression flat, without showing a hint of anger or frustration. The same could not be said for the Shadow back at him, who was foaming at the mouth as he approached.

"You're WORTHLESS...! Nothing in life awaits you but MISERY!" it hissed, "you're weak...indecisive...UNWORTHY of that kind of power...So why...!? WHY would you throw all those Ultimate Talents away to go back to...THIS!?"

"Because you're wrong," Razor stepped forward, taking Hajime's side.

"Yeah. He's never been any one of those things," Mozart added, "he just...forgot about that part."

"YOU SHUT IT!" the Shadow bit back, "you're just Ultimate's who look down on people like me! What could you possibly know about me!? You're too busy being better than us at everything..."

"Hajime," Chiaki stepped forward, "if I AM better than you, the only reason I am is BECAUSE of you!"

"...What...?"

RUN, RUN, RUN! - Persona 5

"All I ever knew how to do well was play video games! In every other matter, I was a closed-off underachiever! YOU were the one who changed that!" she enthused, "meeting you was genuinely the best thing that ever happened to me! I went from being this shy recluse with no friends to becoming my class rep and best friend of everybody! But I would never have come out of my shell if you hadn't decided to talk to me that day!"

"You know something?" Leprechaun stepped forward, "she waited for you. Every single day since you disappeared, she sat by the fountain, praying that that day would be the day that you finally came back to play with her. She never forgot about you Hajime. You were too important to her."

"R-Really...?" the real Hajime was surprised by this. Chiaki blushed slightly.

"Don't you DARE lie to me!" Shadow Hinata snapped, "what makes me think I'll ever believe you wasted your time-!"

"YOU ARE NOT! A WASTE! OF TIME!" Chiaki shouted, cutting him off instantly and frightening him slightly, "You're my very best friend in the whole wide world! I spent three years wondering what happened to you, never forgetting about you! That's how much I LOVED you!"

Shadow Hajime was stunned. He lay on the floor, seeming to be stuck in a state of feeling unsure, and potentially regretful, as he finally learned the full gravity of his actions. Real Hinata drew closer as the threat died down, and crouched in front of his other self, glaring.

"You are more than simply my Shadow," he said, "you really are my true self. A weak, cowardly, desperate child that hates himself just because he can't bring himself to see past the bullshit that Hope's Peak implanted in his head. Someone who is desperate for love and attention, who is afraid of being hurt by the world for his lack of abilities. Who is doubtful, uncertain...and really just NOT cool..."

He took a knee.

"In summary, you are every part of me that I utterly despise, and wanted to be rid off..."

Shadow Hinata growled, glaring at the ground as he couldn't retort to it. However, his glower turned into a look of surprise and astonishment, as he lifted his head to see Hajime reaching out a hand towards him.

"But even if you are the worst part of me...That's STILL a part of me...!" he cracked a small smile, "and I realize now that it's those faults that the Steering Committee were so afraid of, and getting rid of them made me...not me anymore. And you and I both know that real friends like Chiaki would never hold those faults against us...You know that, don't you?"

"...No...Maybe she wouldn't..." Shadow Hinata, to everyone's surprise, began to cry, "but even if she doesn't apply herself to the hierarchy, it doesn't change the fact that Hope's Peak's word is law! All we wanted was to be something better, and through the stupid act of trusting those old bastards, it TORE OUR FRIENDSHIP APART!"

"Then let's start again!" Chiaki interjected, "let's be friends again Hajime-kun! And if you come back as yourself, you can make new friends too! You'll never know if you don't try!"

"And if something occurs that you don't have control over and it has the potential to alter things, work through it together!" Mozart declared, "That's what friendship should be! Not some kind of agreement between two persons with comparable abilities! As long as you enjoy each other's company, you can be friends without even having a lot in common!"

"She's right Hinata," Sleuth added, "we've all struggled with the loneliness, isolation, and the feeling of being obsolete, just like you have! Ultimate talents be damned! But you've still got your whole life ahead of you, so just imagine all the opportunities, adventures, and friendships you could have along the way if you just gave it a chance!"

"H-How do I know..." Shadow Hinata sobbed, "that things won't turn out the same way!? How do I know that I won't make a mistake again!?"

"I guess it's up to us..." Hajime reached over and took his Shadow's hand, "to make sure we don't..."

Stunned, Shadow Hinata stared as his open palm, then up at his welcoming and ashamed face. Though he seemed highly hesitant, it was clear the the case of ice around the Shadow's heart was starting to melt, and sure enough, with his arm shaking, held onto Hajime's hand firmly, forcing a smile.

"I...am thou..." Hajime uttered.

"Thou...art I..." Shadow Hinata uttered back.

Everyone backed away as there was another burst of arcane blue flame, and once the light dissipated, Shadow Hajime was gone. The flames seemed into Hajime's mask, marking the completion of their contract.

Though nothing seemed to change on the surface, Leprechaun could sense that his already phenomenal power had gotten much stronger. Or rather, it was more like it had been fully completed, and after so long since undergoing the Kamukura Project, Hajime Hinata was finally whole again.

And on top of all this, when Hajime turned back around, he was both surprised and understanding...to see that he was crying.

"I..." Hajime sobbed, "I'm...I'm so sorry...!"

"I know..." Leprechaun approached him, patting him on the shoulder, "it was a lot of trouble...but we forgive you."

Leprechaun held out a hand for him to shake...But right as Hajime reached out to take it, the two of them were almost knocked off their feet by a sudden, violent jolt in the earth beneath them!

"WATCH IT!" Sleuth cried, rushing over to Chiaki, grabbing her and moving her out of the way before another piece of the temple could fall down and crush her! The rest of the Phantom Thieves also moved to avoid the crashing debris.

"Wh-What's happening!?" Chiaki spluttered.

"Like Usami said, when the Treasure is taken, the Palace goes with it!" Leprechaun exclaimed, "but...something's not right! None of the other Palace's were this extreme when they started to fall apart!"

"This is bad! This is very very bad!" Usami stammered, "if we don't get a move on soon, this whole island will face complete and total combustion!"

"Combustion!?" Mozart choked, "don't they usually just crumble apart!?"

"Yeah! We didn't even grab the Treasure! Why is the Palace collapsing!?" Highwayman exclaimed.

"You moron!" Razor spat, "Shadow Hinata himself was the source of the distorted desires! And now he's gone, so the Palace is going with him!"

"It's worse than that, not only did the Palace owner himself step into this domain, but he awakened to his Persona while in here! TWICE!" Usami hollered, "this place could collapse in a matter of minutes!"

"Oh..." Hajime's face went pale, "shit..."

"But if the Palace is crumbling, it means we've accomplished our mission!" Kyoko exclaimed, "we need to get back to reality on the double!"

"Yeah! Good idea!" Leprechuan cried, "MAKE A BREAK FOR IT!"

Chapter End Notes

This is the end. Goodbye Island of Despair.
Oh...no, wait, that's not the right...How did it go again? Oh yeah!
Island of Sloth...Sunk!
Ok, not actually yet, because that's gonna happen in the next chapter, but you get my point.
I mean, what the hell do you want me to say about this chapter? So much happened here that covering all of it individually wouldn't do it complete justice. But I suppose the most important thing to cover would be our newest Persona user.
Hajime's Persona is Mephistopheles, or as he's referred to here, Mephisto. No, not the brand of shoe, and no, not the Marvel villain.
Mephisto is a demon originally from Germanic folklore. He made his literary debut as the demon in the Faust legend, and has since evolved into a standard character that may be found in a variety of artistic mediums and popular culture. According to the narrative, Mephistopheles represents the devil and Faust strikes a deal with him for the price of his soul. In Doctor Faustus, by the English dramatist Christopher Marlowe, Mephistopheles achieves tragic grandeur as a fallen angel, torn between satanic pride and dark despair.)
His skillset features Nuclear as his primary element, and because of how overpowered Izuru Kamukura is, and the presence of him in this universe, he actually gets the "-dyne" skills earlier than any other party member. Also, through combining the two Shadows within him, even though he doesn't use them in this chapter, he also possesses healing skills, powerful physical attacks like Vajra Blast and Flash Bomb, and has the barrier skills Tetrakarn and Makarakarn.
His weapons are a sword, because he's the one who originally did Rebuttal Showdown, and wrist blasters, because why not?
Also, I know this is a little bit confusing, but Hajime does not have two Persona's. Accepting Izuru awakened the power, and accepting Hinata completed it. But even still, because of this power, his Persona is automatically so much stronger than anyone else's in the party as of right now.
He also doesn't have his code name yet.
Two more things I will say is that after this arc is over and done with, I'm firstly going to take a break for a bit, since I have other projects that need my attention and I'd like to get back on those. Not only that but after the break, I'm considering changing up the release schedule for the chapters. They will be once a week as per usual, just on a different day so it doesn't coincide with the days I write Danganronpa Survivor on Tumblr.
Check that out by the way if you're interested, I've been writing that blog for almost 4 to 5 years at this point.
And I know this is minor, but for clarification, when Hajime cut his hair, it didn't go back to being short and spiky like it is in the image. That's just a general render, and it's still a little long, but not as long. It's like up to his shoulder now.
And more than ever, thank you for reading. I love to get feedback from my readers, so feel free to leave a comment, and some kudos if you feel up to it.

Wish Upon a Star

Chapter Summary

After the Phantom Thieves make a daring escape from Hajime's collapsing Palace, they all recuperate at the Kaede household. It's here that they decide to invite Chiaki to join their team...

Grave Situation - Danganronpa 3: The End of Hope's Peak Academy

"Shit Shit Shit SHIT SHIT SHIIIIT!"

These profound screams came specifically from Razor as the entire temple around them started to crumble! With so much at stake and so little time, there was none to lose! On top of the temple, bridge, and platform, all beginning to completely collapse, the chamber suddenly started to fill with water, like the island itself had become a sinking submarine!

Most of the water fell into the abyss, and the Phantom Thieves were wondering whether it might fill up at all, but there was no way they were going to stick around long enough to find out.

The water was also bursting through the walls of the labyrinth once the team made their way through the open wall. If there was one saving grace, the walls of the maze had collapsed, which meant they no longer needed to make their way back through it or potentially get lost along the way.

But this slight glimmer of hope didn't retract from the very desperate situation of the team still being deep underground as the walls surrounding them started to collapse and the ground shook beneath their feet. When the reality set in that the labyrinth was crumbling around them and might bury them alive, panic broke out.

"We're gonna die down here! We're so gonna die down here!" Highwayman shrieked.

"Oh SHUSH!" Leprechaun spat, not waiting for them as he leaped over the crumbled stone, "We did NOT go through all this trouble just to be buried in a watery grave right at the end!"

"I can barely feel my legs anymore! My...hah...lungs feel like they're about to burst!" Mozart huffed.

Leprechaun unfortunately had no choice but to give her a reassuring pat on the back since they had absolutely no time to stop running. Had it not been for the rocky road, simply hopping into Usami's bus form would have made this so much easier, but until they all got back to the surface, they were on their own.

Usami in the rear was holding very tightly to Chiaki's hand, who, to no one's surprise, had never achieved acrobatic feats of speed on this level ever before in her life. Hajime seemed a tad more used to it, and whether that was because he still retained some experience from his time as Izuru or the fact that he seemed pretty athletic in general, no one was sure.

With quick thinking, the leading Leprechaun urged the others to follow him as they dashed across the fallen labyrinth, their hearts thumping with haste in their sprint to finish in time. They didn't falter despite the challenging, rocky, and uneven terrain they had to vault over.

The Lucky Student and his motley crew pushed themselves to the breaking point as the walls kept collapsing and debris rained down upon them, their legs hurting with every step and their lungs burning with exhaustion. They continued despite the heavy dust and the sound of stones smashing into the earth because they were desperate to get away.

When all hope appeared to be gone and their strength was almost gone, Makoto noticed a faint outline of light—a path out!

"WE'RE ALMOST THERE!" he cried, "COME OOOON!"

He gave them one last push forward, and finally, his companions' hearts swelled with relief as they emerged from the collapsing labyrinth and into the safety of the island beyond.

Except it wasn't.

The damage was even worse outside of the labyrinth than it was on the inside. The entire island was splitting apart like the tectonic plates beneath it were being divided apart! Several wide fissures opened up in the ground, creating more holes into the endless abyss that the Phantom Thieves had to use their acrobatic skills to leap over.

This turned out to be very difficult with Kyoko in tow, who possessed no such abilities. Eventually, Sleuth ran to her and offered to carry her on his back until they got to safety. With no other option, Kyoko agreed.

"I DID NOT SIGN UP FOR THIS GOD-DAMN PARKOUR COURSE!" Hajime screamed as they sprinted past the crumbling infrastructure of the central island. The once peaceful island was now a land of destruction, with buildings collapsing and lava and flames bursting out of the ground, licking at the Phantom Thieves heels!

"USAMI, TURN INTO A BUS ALREADY!" Highwayman shrieked.

"I know, I know, just give me a seeeeEEEEEHEHEHEHEEEH!"

"Sorry!"

This short exchange came about as no sooner had Highwayman commanded this, Chiaki, who was holding tightly to Usami's hand, grabbed her, spun her around, and flung her high in the sky! Usami catapulted through the air towards the first island bridge, and as she fell down from above, she transformed into her magic bus form and hit the ground with a *CRASH!*

It was difficult to see and breathe because of the smoke and dust in the air. Still, the Phantom Thieves ran across the quivering earth and over the fissures towards the Usamobile, driven on by sheer willpower and the desire to avoid the approaching catastrophe!

And on top of that, the island's surrounding waters churned with fury as the archipelago continued to crumble into the sea, and the sky crackled with a storm! The ground erupted behind them in a massive volcanic explosion that sent them flying forward, sending them all screaming in fear!

Fortunately, Monomi shapeshifted the rear end of her vehicular body, and all eight escapees safely landed inside, albeit in a crumpled heap.

Sleuth was quick to leap up and swiftly take the wheel, slamming his foot down on the pedal while the rest of the Thieves tried to untangle themselves. But as he had suspected, as soon as the wheels touched the bridge, the entire foundation started to collapse!

"Step on it, Shuichi! Faster!" Kaede panted!

"I'm going as fast as I can!" he yelled back.

The Thieves had no choice but to trust their getaway driver, who managed to remain composed despite the imminent danger and the adrenaline coursing through their veins. Pressing the gas pedal to the limit, he sent the Usamobile hurtling forward, scurrying to get to the other side before the bridge collapsed entirely!

The car accelerated, leaping over large gaps as the bridge collapsed beneath them, and the friends felt their hearts race! As they ducked out of each section of the bridge that fell, the sound of crashing concrete and twisting metal filled the air!

"Oh no...!" Chiaki trembled, "WE'RE NOT GOING TO MAKE IT!"

Unfortunately, it seemed that she was right...! For the bridge started to crumble in front, and the Phantom Thieves screams were the only thing that could be heard above the gargantuan explosion that nuked the entire Palace!

And yet, in an unbelievable stroke of luck, when Leprechaun opened his eyes, he didn't find himself caught in an explosion. Instead, he felt cold stone on his cheek as he realized he was lying down on his side on some pavement.

He quickly scrambled up, sitting up and looking around to see his fellow Phantom Thieves, now back in their regular attire, in very similar positions (with Toko and Komaru basically on top of one another and blushing as they pried themselves away).

He looked up to see that they were just outside the gates of Hope's Peak Academy, confirming that in the nick of time, the Phantom Thieves had successfully made it back to the real world and narrowly avoided a dark fate.

"Is...UHUGH!? Is everyone still in one piece?" Shuichi spluttered, gripping onto a brick wall next to him as he heaved himself to his feet, with Kyoko prying herself away from him; since she was still on his shoulders when they reemerged on the other side. Makoto gently pounded his chest to ease his beating heart.

"Ugh...I...I think I broke my butt..." Komaru stood up, rubbing her rear and wincing.

"Komaru, it's not possible to break your butt, and if it were, you wouldn't be standing..." Kyoko panted.

"And don't worry!" Monomi added, "All butts are supposed to have cracks in them, so don't panic if you find one!"

"That joke's getting old!" Toko spat, "More importantly, where's-!?"

"Hey, hey!"

To answer her question before she could even finish it, the Phantom Thieves suddenly heard a familiar languid call out and turned their heads towards the school gates to see Chiaki Nanami waving at them from the other side of the road. They waved back, and after looking both ways, she crossed the street and met up with them.

Kaede was quick to hold her by the shoulder, as it looked like her legs were turning to jelly.

"Nanami, are you alright?" Komaru asked. Chiaki nodded.

"Yeah, I'm..." she said, but then hesitated, "I'm sorry, I...don't think I've met you before. You were the one with the Dead Red Preemption outfit, right?"

"This is my sister, Komaru," Makoto quickly introduced them, "but don't worry about that. Are you absolutely sure you're ok?"

"Yeah, you look like you can barely stand," Toko remarked. Chiaki nodded again.

"I promise you, I'm fine," she said, "That all came as a bit of a shock, that's all. Is that seriously what you all have to go through whenever you steal someone's heart?"

"Yes, but it's not usually that bad," Kaede promised her, "Listen though, don't we have bigger things to worry about?"

"Right, we should probably leave before someone spots us and wonders what we're all doing," Kyoko observed.

"Wait a second though," Chiaki piped up, "Where's Hajime-kun? Is he not with you guys?"

Everyone looked around. Even though Chiaki had shown up and reconvened with the rest of the group, Hinata himself was nowhere to be seen.

"You don't think he didn't make it out, do you...?" Komaru asked.

"He was with us in the car. I don't see how we made it out, but he didn't..." Shuichi pondered.

"He's alive; I know he is," Makoto reassured them all, "I mean, Nanami-senpai got out, but she reappeared here in a different place from the rest of us. Maybe the same just happened for Hinata?"

"Actually, I respawned in this world not too far away from where I entered the other one," Chiaki noted, "I was on campus talking to Mahiru-chan before I went inside. When I came back, I was just a few feet away from where I started."

"Hm...So maybe that means Hajime-kun reappeared close to where we last saw him," Monomi considered, "which would mean..."

"He's probably back at my house!" Kaede finished the thought, "That's where we last left him before we headed to the Palace. Sure, he might've left to go to the Palace, but if there's anywhere we can meet him, it's probably there!"

"Then let's get a move on!" Makoto steeled himself, "We'll get back to Kaede's house as fast as we can in case we lose him!"

With that, the rest of the Phantom Thieves turned and started running...

...

...and immediately stopped again, keeling over and wheezing from how short of breath they all were, with Komaru even collapsing to the floor.

"Uhugh...ugh...I... everything hurts...!" she moaned.

"Yeah...on second thought...ugh...let's pace ourselves...!" Makoto immediately shot down his prior suggestion, "My lungs feel like they're on fire...!"

Beautiful Dead - Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc

It took some considerable effort, and at least half an hour more than it should have, but stepping out of the Palace back into the real world after the constant fighting and damage the team had been subjected to did a number on them, and eventually, they finally made their way back to Kaede's home.

No sooner did they get through the gates, back up the path, and through the door, Toko, Komaru, and Monomi immediately headed straight for the living room sofa and collapsed into it with chronic groans from all three of them. Kaede was still kind enough to lend Chiaki her support all the way there.

Makoto frowned, but understood well enough why they were this way. Had it not been for the matter at hand, he would probably have sat down and refused to move anywhere either.

"Hinata!? Or uh...Kamukura!?" he shouted out, his voice echoing throughout the seemingly empty house, "Are you here!?"

"Where are you!?" Kaede also called out.

"Hinata-kun! Hajime!?" Chiaki joined them, "It's me, Chiaki! Are you alright!? Speak to me!"

"Something tells me he's not here anymore," Kyoko remarked, "but he was at one point. Once you catch your breath, search the house and see if you can find anything."

Although she said that, it didn't take very long for one of them to find something. Once she made sure Chiaki had the strength to stand on her own, Kaede went to her music room and swiftly found exactly what she was looking for, right where she had last seen Izuru Kamukura sitting.

On the body of the piano was a crumbled piece of paper that hadn't been there before. She called to let the other Phantom Thieves know that she had found it, and swiftly, they all gathered in the living room as a group to hear its contents.

Kaede's eyes quickly scanned over the message, but as everyone thought she was about to recount its contents, she instead handed the note to Chiaki.

"I think it's best if you read it," she said.

Skeptically, Chiaki retrieved the note, and with all eyes on her, she started to read the hastily scribbled handwriting aloud.

Tomorrow will be a Better Day - Danganronpa 3: The End of Hope's Peak Academy

I'm sorry if this is hard to read. In case it wasn't obvious, this is Hinata, and I was in a rush to get this done by the time you guys got back.

I got back to the house before the rest of you. Don't worry, I promise I'm not trying to run away from you. But I'll be gone by the time you read this. I left everything as it was, save for this note.

After everything that happened back in that Palace, I woke up on this side with too many thoughts happening in my mind, like someone had just injected all of the memories I lost after being turned into the Ultimate Hope directly into my brain. I don't think this change of heart is complete yet, and I wanted to remove any chance of it possibly reverting, even if that's not technically possible.

Basically, I need to figure out what happened to my life in the three years that I haven't had one. I want to check up on my family, see if there are any old friends or neighbors that I can talk to. Piecing the puzzle back together basically, while I have the opportunity.

The situation is kind of complicated, and I'll tell you about it when I get back. But this is something I need to do on my own. I hope you can understand. And when I'm done laying the groundwork, I'll try and find you guys again.

But while I have the chance, I want to say a few things in this note. To the Phantom Thieves, I'm sorry for all the trouble you went through for me. You didn't have to help me, but you did, and it sounds like it's been a lot of trouble. You wouldn't have had to go through it if I hadn't been such a moron, but I'm rethinking my life choices, and it's thanks to you all that I have the chance to change things. Thank you. So much.

And Nanami-san. If this letter finds you, I owe you an even greater apology. Not that I could ever give you one that would make up for all the pain I caused you these past three years. I don't really know what direction life is gonna take us both now, and I have no idea what the future holds. The one thing I DO know is that I want you to be part of it.

And I want to be part of yours. If you'll let me, even after all of this.

That's all I wanted to say. I'll show each of you my gratitude the next chance we have to meet. I'll be in touch.

-Hajime Hinata/Izuru Kamukura/Whatever the hell you want to call me.

Chiaki finished speaking and put the letter down. Her hands were shaking slightly as she stood there, reflecting on the words she had read. The rest of the Phantom Thieves were also in a state of disbelief.

"If I didn't know any better, I'd say that sounded like a proposal~" Komaru broke the silence and wiggled her eyebrows tauntingly.

"Komaru, now's not really the time to be teasing. It sounds like he's on the up and up at least..." Kaede said, rolling her eyes.

"Which means...The nightmare is finally over..." Toko added.

"And so is the Kamukura Project..." Kyoko affirmed.

"Which just leaves one last piece of this whole abominable mess standing," Makoto stated, "the Steering Committee themselves."

"Whether Hinata's back or not, it doesn't matter. Now that we know what it is they've done, so long as they keep pushing this ridiculous hierarchy, society won't ever be safe," Shuichi stated, "We need to think of a way to take them down for good and bring an end to all this insanity before we have even more Kamukura's to deal with."

"I'm sorry, are we SERIOUSLY already talking about our next target, right after we've taken down our biggest one yet?" Komaru groaned, sprawled out on the sofa like she was melting into sludge, "Ordinarily I'd be down, but by god, I feel like I'm about to freaking die...!"

"Quit being such a bitch baby!" Toko snapped, acting like she wasn't equally tired out.

"No, Komaru is right. Like it or not, none of you are in any state to be stressing yourselves out over more Palace excursions. The Steering Committee's time will come, that much we all agree on, but after all that we've been through these past few weeks, you've earned a break," Monomi asserted, "On top of that, there are a lot of other things we need to deal with in the meantime."

"Yeah, that's right," Makoto nodded, "Hinata said he'd get back to us, so for now, we should probably wait to hear from him to make 100% sure the change of heart actually worked. Plus, there's the Hope's Peak Sports Day to deal with."

"And above all else, I don't think we should be talking about this in front of...well..." Monomi gestured her ears towards Chiaki, making her point clear immediately.

Tears threatened to burst from Chiaki's eyes as she read the words penned by her closest friend. Not sad tears, though. The words on this note were finally piecing her heart back together, as opposed to the agony of having to feel it shatter into a million pieces over the last few days.

Hope existed. She might finally have her old friend back to normal after three years. Finally.

"Nanami-senpai..." Shuichi uttered her name sadly.

"I'm alright," she assured him, "I'm really sorry you have to see me like this."

"Shuichi! I know you're tired, but be a dear and make Nanami-senpai a hot drink!" Kaede commanded. Acting almost instantly, she led Chiaki to an armchair in a quaint corner of the living room.

Following his sudden orders, Shuichi returned a short while later with a warm cup of tea and a freshly baked cinnamon roll, the aromas of comfort filling the room like a sweet embrace, while the other Phantom Thieves chatted with the Ultimate Gamer to quench her tears.

"You don't have to apologize for getting emotional, Nanami-senpai," Makoto assured her, "It makes sense after everything that's happened."

"I know...Thank you, Naegi-kun," she said, "and I'm sorry. I know you've got some important things to talk about, and I promise I'll be out of your hair soon..."

"Hey now," Monomi tilted her head, "there's no rush. We enjoy your company! It's not like we're trying to get rid of you so we can get down to business."

"Be that as it may, this is still Phantom Thief stuff," she said, "and it's as Hinata-kun said in his letter. I need time to wind down after all of this. There are some feelings I need to sort out in my mind, and I'd prefer to do it alone."

"Well, before you go, you should at least take a bath first," Kaede told her, "If you go home all bleary-eyed from tears and sweating from the Palace, your parents are going to think something's up. Come with me; I'll show you where everything is."

Chiaki nodded and wiped her eyes and nose with her sleeve.

"Thanks, Kaede," she smiled, "I'll take you up on that offer."

The rest of the Phantom Thieves watched as Kaede escorted Chiaki up the stairs towards her bathroom. They all sat in silence, listening to the distant conversation between the two girls upstairs, followed by the sound of hot running water. After it started, Kyoko was the first person to speak up.

"I'm glad that Hinata's Palace has finally been taken care of," she said, "but somehow, things have gotten even more complicated than before."

"Not only did Chiaki Nanami-senpai awaken to a Persona right behind our backs, but on top of that, Hajime Hinata himself awakened to one," Shuichi recounted, "That's two new Persona-users on our radar, on top of the Phantom Killer and Knight."

"Yeah, well, at least these one's are on our side," Toko pointed out, "What are we gonna do? After everything that's happened, should we just leave them to their own devices?"

"I don't really know what to do about Hinata. His Palace may be gone, but you saw the note. He's got his own battles to fight in the meantime," Komaru chimed in, "As for Nanami...I mean...should we let her join up...?"

"Join the Phantom Thieves, you mean?" Shuichi asked. Komaru rolled her eyes.

"No, Shuichi, a worker's union! What the hell else could I mean?" she snapped, "I mean, come on. She's already got a Persona, right? And she's been inside the Palace before, defeated the Gorilla Mechabeast on her own, and saved us right at the end when Hinata's Shadow was about to turn us into sand. She seems like a good fit for the team, in my opinion."

"Komaru's got a good point," Toko said, "I mean, it's not like there's any reason to not at least ask, right?"

"Ultimately, it's up to Makoto and the unanimous decision of the team as a whole. I'm still in disbelief that this all happened..." Monomi asserted, "Although having her on the team would be nice, I wish for her to be safe. To be honest, I've grown pretty attached to that girl, and I'm concerned about my ability to mentor a novice at this point in the game."

"You've been quiet for quite some time now, Makoto," Kyoko observed, "It's your call, of course, but I'm interested to hear your opinion on this whole thing."

"Yeah...Sorry for not chiming in, but this is pretty serious," Makoto finally spoke up after her prompting, "To be honest, I knew Nanami-senpai had the Metaverse Navigator a while ago, and I couldn't write off the possibility that she might use it to investigate Hinata's situation on her own. But I told her to be careful because I didn't want to drag anybody else into this problem. Honestly, this situation was what I was trying to avoid all along."

"You don't think she has it in her to be a Phantom Thief?" Toko inquired.

"That's not it. Not at all. She's more than capable, actually," Makoto refuted, "It scares me to think about her getting hurt, but as Komaru mentioned, she's already done Palace exploration on her own and defeated one of the five bosses with only Shadow Izuru as backup. Plus, now that Hinata's Palace has been dealt with, our next targets will most likely be..."

"The Steering Committee themselves, right? Like we've been saying," Shuichi's expression darkened, "At this point, it's way overdue."

"We've managed to officially stop the academy honcho's big operation. Now it's just a matter of getting them to confess to their many crimes," Monomi acknowledged, "And after everything they've both been put through thanks to them, Chiaki-chan and Hajime-kun have more right than any one of us to get revenge on those old crones."

"On top of that, Nanami-senpai saved us in the Palace with her Persona's unique abilities, and Hinata's power is almost as monumental as mine, especially now that he's combining the power of two Shadows," Makoto concluded, "so yeah, if you want my opinion, I think we should take them on. Both of them. But that's ONLY if both of them are up for it."

"Well, like I said, we'll ask Hinata if we end up running into him again. I just really hope Nanami agrees," Komaru said, crossing her fingers, "Having someone like that watching our backs in the Palaces will mean that those distorted adults will have NOTHING on us from here on out!"

"I'm all for whatever you guys suggest," Kyoko added, "She doesn't seem like the Phantom Thief type, but maybe I'm mistaken."

"Let's fill Kaede in when she comes back downstairs. Then we'll ask her once she's done with her bath."

"Join the Phantom Thieves? I don't mind..."

"That was quick!"

Exploration//After Hours - Danganronpa 0 UST

Chiaki gave her response very quickly after the group had once again gathered in the living room. She was now wearing different, cleaner clothes that Kaede had lent her, and she smelled very nice after having recently gotten out of the bath after a good soak. Once Makoto had popped the offer, the Phantom Thieves were quite surprised at how...easy the answer had come.

"But didn't you just say that you needed time to think about all of this?" Kaede asked.

"Well, yes...I did...and I do...But I don't really see much of a reason to turn you down," Chiaki drummed her lap with her hands, "I mean, my powers in that world seem tailor-made to helping you guys. And if you're looking to stop the Steering Committee, I'd really like to help."

"Well, that's nice and all," Toko said, "but...man, you're pretty impressive."

"You...really think so...?" Chiaki frowned, confused.

"Well, yeah, I agree with her," Kaede chimed in, "but we get that pretty regularly in this group. So don't worry about ever feeling really out of place here."

"Thank you," Chiaki smiled, but said smile quickly faded, "But if I'm really going to do this, there's something I have to let you guys all know first."

"What's that?" Kyoko asked.

"I've always respected the Phantom Thieves goal of reforming society and stopping corrupt adults. So trust me when I say I'm more than happy to have your back on whatever happens," she promised them, "but speaking personally, I don't really have much of an interest in reforming society myself. All I want is Hope's Peak's influence to be taken out of it."

She twiddled her thumbs awkwardly.

"Our school is so influential that the people who run it from the shadows can say whatever they want to the world, and people will believe them. Hinata-kun believed them, and we all know how that turned out," she said, "so my decision to join this team isn't out of heroism or my own sense of righteousness. It's spite. Spite against those lying dastards who try to wrap the innocent and "talentless" around their fingers and make them feel inferior. I just don't want what happened to Hajime to happen to anybody else."

"Hey, that's totally fair," Komaru comforted her, "After everything you've been through because of them, I don't blame you for wanting revenge."

"Though it is a bit unexpected coming from you," Shuichi chuckled.

"I'm just glad you guys were able to forgive me after I went behind your backs," she said, looking down at her hands dismally, "Not only did I go against what Naegi-kun asked of me, but I did it despite knowing you were already on top of it, and I almost died a few times...It was really stupid..."

"Be that as it may, you saved our lives in the end," Makoto reassured her, "You're right that I'm not happy about how you did all that, and yes, it WAS stupid, but it's water under the bridge. So long as you stick to the rules we have in place now, there's always gonna be a place for you in this group."

"I guess I shouldn't be surprised you have a Phantom Thieves Code," Chiaki contemplated, "What rules might those be?"

"The big one is that we don't use our powers to kill, no matter how awful our opponents are," Monomi educated, "dealing with the Metaverse can have dangerous consequences if we ever go too crazy with our powers. It could even lead to our targets accidentally dying in the real world via mental shutdown."

"So we need to tread carefully and avoid making that mistake," Toko reinforced, "We also don't ever do anything as a group unless everyone unanimously agrees with it. That goes for you too."

"And the last big one is that we like to keep things casual here. We may be professional Thieves, but this isn't an office setting or anything. We're just friends hanging out most of the time," Komaru explained, "With that being said, I hope we get along, Chiaki!"

"Y-Yeah...Me too, Komaru!" she replied, very quick on the uptake, "And thank you for the opportunity, Makoto-kun. I swear, I won't let you down."

"Glad to hear it...Chiaki-senpai," Makoto blushed, embarrassed by how he was unable to drop the respectful honorific, even when calling her by her given name. Chiaki didn't seem to mind though. She placed a hand on her chest and smiled.

"I hope you're proud of me, Hajime," she said under her breath, "I'm making more friends...just like...you said..."

"Um...Chiaki?" Kaede tilted her head, "Are you doing okay there?"

"You're not sick or anything, are you?" Monomi asked.

The girls asked this because after her quiet monologue, Chiaki's voice gradually got quieter, and her body slowed down until it basically froze. She shut her eyes as well, and her face relaxed.

"Um...did she just...fall asleep?" Kyoko raised an eyebrow.

"Just like that? That's not possible...right?" Komaru asked.

"I mean, she WAS very tired after what happened earlier," Shuichi sweated, "It makes sense if she conked out, no matter how sudden."

However, shortly after, the sleep bubble popped, and Chiaki jolted awake again.

"...Ah, sorry. I was getting a little sleep..." she confirmed.

"While you were sitting up? Impressive..." Kaede pointed out, "Are you feeling alright? Do you need to lie down?"

"No...Well, yes, I really do, but this is actually normal for me," she explained, "When I'm gaming, I tend to forget about sleeping. Sometimes I even forget to breathe."

"That's not good!" Makoto exclaimed.

"Plus, I keep having nightmares. I've been having a lot more of them lately," the gamer girl said, "In fact, I had a bad dream the other day, so I've been a little scared."

"Was it about Hinata?" Monomi asked, "Oh dearie...To think you've been losing sleep over this stuff...I feel so sorry for you."

"Uh...well, no, not exactly," Chiaki deadpanned, "it was a dream about Trio the Punch."

"Trio the...huh...?" Toko frowned.

"I dreamed that I was on Jabberwock Island, fighting against the other monsters that guarded the bridges, and one of them changed into a bald old man with a thin mustache. It's probably because that game also takes place on a tropical island," Chiaki clarified, but also...didn't, "The more I think about it, the more that situation feels like that bizarre action game! I'm surprised we didn't eventually end up turning into sheep!"

"Wait...I'm sorry...Trio the Punch is...a game, right? What kind of game is it?" Shuichi asked, thoroughly baffled.

"Um...More importantly!" Makoto cut this question off before Chiaki had the chance to go on a lengthy rant, "You must really enjoy games, huh Chiaki-senpai? I mean, being the Ultimate Gamer that much is obvious, but I don't think I've ever truly asked you about it before."

"Hm, how should I put it?" Chiaki turned her head skyward, "I like it, but gaming is my life. Or maybe life is just a game?"

She shrugged, but then her face turned serious.

"Either way...that's all the more reason why things like Hope's Peak's hierarchy and societal view shouldn't be allowed," she asserted, "If life really is like a game, then in my eyes, it's not worth living or playing if you're not having fun. It doesn't mean anything if you just focus on winning or losing or what skills you can learn that will give you the optimal experience instead of the fun one."

"That's...actually very sound philosophy," Kyoko cracked a smile, "While happy endings aren't necessary for games, winning them should still provide some sort of reward."

"Right!?" Chiaki enthused, "There might be weird games here and there, but there are ways of enjoying those, too. That's why bizarre games are fun. You can beat them as long as you do your very best."

"Hehe...Typical of the Ultimate Gamer, of course. That kind of game would probably make me give up on it," Makoto admitted.

"Oh man! Now I can't wait for us to hold our next Thieves' Den meeting!" Komaru's eyes sparkled, "I really wanna play games with Chiaki-chan!"

"Thieves Den?" Chiaki parroted.

"Basically our hideout," Shuichi explained, "this place is kind of an auxiliary meeting point for us, but our actual abode is Toko's old flat, which we've dolled up to be more suitable as a lair for our missions. As Komaru implied, we have a game console there."

"We'll get your equipment and figure out your code name later as well," Makoto promised.

"You do realize she's gonna crush you if you try to fight her in a game, right?" Toko asked. Komaru rolled her eyes.

"It's not about winning or losing; didn't you just hear her?" she asked, "Trust me, Chiaki! You're gonna love it there!"

"Yeah...I can't wait..." Chiaki nodded, albeit a little solemnly.

"Is everything alright?" Makoto asked, "You're acting rather..."

"Huh? Oh, no, I promise, I really am excited!" she told him firmly, "Really!"

"Yeah, I know, I believe you," he assured her, "but you look like you've got something else on your mind. Is everything okay, or is there something else you want to talk about?"

Chiaki rubbed her eyes, looking like she was about to nod off any second.

"Yeah...Just...I'm worried about something," she admitted, "Honestly, I'm really super smashed right now..."

"You're...I...what...?" Kyoko frowned.

"She means she's tired," Makoto translated.

"Yeah, and I'm worried," she said, "I live all the way in Kichijōji. If I get the train back there, I might fall asleep or collapse on the way. I can barely keep myself awake as is."

"I know this is her own disposition that's causing that, but to be honest, I'm the same," Toko admitted, "What with fighting Shadow Hinata, that Mechamalgamation, and escaping that collapsing island? It hit me like a god-damn wrecking ball when we finally got out. I'm honestly surprised I even had the strength to stand and make it all the way back here."

"I see...so it wasn't just me..." Shuichi hung his head, "If I may be honest, I too feel like I may pass out at any given moment..."

"Yeah, I think this is the most exhausted we've all been since starting out," Makoto added, "Kaede? Would it be rude to ask that we all stay the night here? We'll head home in the morning when we've all rested up."

"Not a problem," Kaede beamed, "I'll get the futons ready and make everyone some hot drinks."

"Sorry to intrude," Chiaki said, pulling out her phone, "I should probably let my parents know I won't be home tonight."

"Well, don't worry about me," Kyoko stood up, "I'm tired too, but I can't really stay here. I need to get back to the KDA and file some reports."

"Are you joking?" Komaru frowned, "Tiredness aside, you got super banged up in the Palace! You almost got crushed beneath some rubble! You can't pretend that you're not injured!"

"Komaru's right," Makoto stated, "I get that your job's important to you, but even you're smarter than sacrificing your health for the sake of it. Like it or not, you're in no position to exert yourself."

"But I can't impose, and I have to-" Kyoko stood up, looking like she was heading for the door, but before she could make much headway, Chiaki stood up and grabbed her wrist.

Kyoko looked back at her in surprise to see Chiaki puffing her cheeks comically; her brow furrowed angrily.

"Stay!" she commanded. Kyoko tutted.

"I'm not a dog...!" she sighed, "Fine, fine, I'll stay..."

"Wow...honestly can't tell if that counts as puppy dog eyes or a mothers demanding glare..." Kaede remarked.

"Well, I should think Chiaki-chan gets her say here," Monomi smirked, "It's impolite to refuse your upperclassmen after all."

"Oh wow, that's right!" Komaru raised her eyebrows, "I totally forgot about this, but she is actually the senpai of everyone here!"

"She's also her class's representative," Shuichi reminded her, "and maybe with time, we'll see why."

"Hm...That's certainly an interesting turn of events..."

Back at Hope's Peak Academy, even late in the evening, Yasuke Matsuda was sitting at his desk and examining some wavelengths on his computer. As he drummed the keyboard and refreshed the scanner with one hand, he held a phone up to his ear with the other, talking to an unknown person on the other end of the line.

"Man, I pity the Steering Committee," it laughed, "if he really has disappeared, that's what? Almost a century worth of study completely up and gone?"

"Pity ME," Matsuda snarled, "I'm the one who has to deliver them the goddamn news."

"You can do it, I believe in you," the voice chuckled back, almost tauntingly, "but hey. If it makes you feel any better, I'm kinda reeling from this as well. The Committee aren't the only one's who were betting a lotta coins on that whole operation."

"You're right. That does make me feel a bit better," the corners of Matsuda's mouth turned up a millimeter, "but you're still the one who's suffering the least."

"You say that like YOU'RE the one who's suffering the most!" the voice retorted, "but I'm calling to let you know that...there's been a slight change of plans."

"Really, I hadn't noticed," Matsuda bit back sarcastically, "do you mean beyond not having a potential outlet to do your dirty work for you?"

"Kamukura-kun going off the map is a tad annoying, yeah, but I still have so many other things I still wanna do," the voice murmured, "and let's not kid ourselves. He was NEVER going to be my outlet. I have much bigger fish in mind, especially now that he's gone."

"You mean the Phantom Thieves, right?" Matsuda asked, "what are you plotting? You're seriously not considering tracking him down? You do realize that if his heart HAS been changed, he won't have his powers anymore."

"Well, I'd rather not take my chances. Based on the way you described it, the anomaly was more than just the Palace collapsing or the Treasure being stolen," it replied, "But let's answer your question with another question. Do you still have documentation on the Kamukura Project and who was involved?"

"I got a full list," Yasuke replied, reaching over to one of his drawers and sliding it open, checking to see if said list was still inside, "luckily, I was able to fend off little-miss princess long enough that she didn't end up searching and finding it."

"Good boy! Have a treat!" the voice taunted him some more, "listen to me. I need you to send me that list, as well as any evidence on the Kamukura Project that you can get your little mitts on. Video footage and evidence photos preferably."

"I see...Right, I'll get on that," Matsuda promised, "wanna tell me what it's about though? Or are you gonna keep me in the dark until the unveiling of your "big surprise?""

"Well, I'm planning a big thing. Something that's going to bring about global change, and shake the world to the core!" the voice assured him, "I need some helpers for that, so please find some for me at the school. People who are...weak. Open to convincing. Dare I say, "lost." You know the type."

"Uh-huh..." he nodded dismissively, "again...why exactly?"

"Well like you said my dear, THAT'S the surprise. You'll see if you just find some for me."

"Fair enough...anything else?" he inquired.

"Nothing too crazy, just let me know what transpires. I'm really invested right now," the manic voice giggled on the other end of the line, "What will the Phantom Thieves of Hope come up with next? They're playing a really entertaining game, and I'm really into it! I'm can't wait to watch how much of that repulsively gloomy hope spreads throughout the academy!"

"Good for you..." Matsuda sighed, "I honestly can't tell if you're in love with these randos or if you hate their guts. You're giving me mixed signals."

"Fear not, Yasuke-kun! These guys are ours! They may have big plans, but the higher up they go, the easier it will be to bring 'em down!" the voice became sinister and sickeningly silly, "I'm enjoying watching his game far too much in the meantime. It's far more fascinating than I anticipated."

"It's not just a game. It's an attempt at complete social reform," the Neurologist asserted, "if these guys get their way, you can kiss your own aspirations and plans for the future a sorrow goodbye. I know that I'm asking stupid questions, but doesn't that bother you even slightly?"

"It's not the first time that's happened, y'know?" the Ghostface wannabe sighed, and Matsuda could hear the sound of them drumming their fingers on a table of some kind, "it's not exactly something you can pull off with just changing the cognition of a few rotten apples. There's gotta be more to it than that."

"Well, other than a few names, I don't have any leads. Nothing substantial enough to establish a link. Nonetheless, the degree of coordination points to a group effort," Yasuke picked up a notepad of notes that he'd collected based on the news coverage he had been watching as of late, dating up to the public scandal involving Kirie Kaede at the Tokyo Dome, "I was initially thinking that it might just be one man acting like he has his own group of friends in order to scare people away from him, but I'm now certain that this is a real group project. And what's more..."

"Hm?" the voice hummed as he trailed off.

"What's more...I'm convinced that Kirigiri is one of them..." Matsuda uttered.

"Oh shit, for real? THAT'D be a damn good plot twist!" the menacing unknown figure chuckled, "Make sure you keep tabs on that girl and her father. If ANYBODY is a threat to what we're working towards, it's her. But soon enough, we'll cover the entire planet in Despair if we just keep on keepin' on."

"Well if you need me for anything, I'm here for you," Matsuda told them, "make sure you pop by so I can give you a checkup. I'm worried about your mental state."

"Daw, you're so sweet," the voice sounded ditzy and sweet, but then very suddenly shifted into dark, mysterious and foreboding, "just remember what I asked of you. I gotta go now. Our beautiful "Phantom Killer" is patiently awaiting my return. Give me a call if something noteworthy happens."

"Yeah, yeah, I got it..." Yasuke rolled his eyes, "I need sleep, so can you hang up already?"

"No YOU hang up~" the voice teased.

"Ok..." Matsuda scowled, and did so.

Once he was done, he turned off his computer, grabbed a copy of his manga, and lazily made his way over to his bed before he slumped himself in it. He planned to read for a bit before he nodded off for good, but he wondered whether there was really any point.

Especially since he had a LONG day tomorrow.

Truthfully, Matsuda wasn't crazy about all this new world order bullshit that his allies were secretly planning. If anything, he detested the thought of the world becoming drowned in a feeling of despair and misery. He loathed the very idea of it. And the only reason he'd gotten this far in is because he wanted to support his only friends and honestly didn't believe they had what it took to make it a reality.

That was before he found out they could control the Metaverse. Then it seemed like a distinct possibility.

But even so, there were worse things than the end of the world. And with how far he was in, he had little choice but to endure it and do as he was told.

He leaned back, using his pillow as a perch, and scanned the pages of his manga, letting his thoughts fade into it.

Tomorrow was going to suck...

It Is You I Need - Danganronpa 3: The End of Hope's Peak Academy

Even though it was still rather early in the evening, the Phantom Thieves collectively were so exhausted that most of them conked out the minute their heads hit their pillows. In stark contrast to the last time they had slept over at Kaede's place, since that time, they'd stayed up late after forgetting to study.

Despite her prior protests, it was clear that Kyoko was absolutely exhausted. Before she'd gotten to sleep, Kaede had touched her up with some painkillers, plasters, and bandages for the injuries she'd suffered from almost being crushed into Kirigiri-Salami, and it had evidently done her a lot of good. Makoto was hoping to talk to her before they went to bed, but surmised that it was best that she get some rest first.

After all, the problem wasn't completely over. Hinata's change of heart was clearly still in progress, so even though the Palace was gone, they still had to wait to hear back from him. On top of that, with the Phantom Thief matters now in limbo, they had to focus on being good students, and preparing for the eventful summer sports event that was on it's way.

It was here, as he was drifting off, looking at the sleeping faces of his teammates that he remembered the event in question was going down in a few days time. Were they all going to recover in time to put on a show and act like nothing was wrong?

Makoto sighed, realizing he was getting uppity again and chose to set his problems aside and take a nap for the time being. The Phantom Thieves were fast asleep in the room where a crack in the curtain let in a soft silvery glow from the full and heavy moon hanging in the night sky.

But in the darkness, a lone figure stirred as the clock reached eleven. Even though he finally felt himself nodding off, the sound of rustling sheets and creaking floorboards startled him awake. He strained to see in the dim light, blinking blearily as he saw, rising from her futon with an almost ghostly grace, none other than Chiaki Nanami.

Makoto wanted to call out to her to ask her if she was okay, but he was afraid to wake up his peers. Rather, he observed Chiaki walking across the room in silence. She wasn't sleepwalking, as he could tell by the intentionality and deliberateness of her movements. In the silence of the night, he could hear her muttering under her breath, her words unintelligible.

It was here he noticed that Monomi was also awake, and had noticed the same thing as he had. She turned to him and nodded, and he nodded back.

Makoto and Monomi made the decision to follow the gamer girl through intrigue and anxiousness. The rabbit slid off the bed, hopped up on his shoulder, and he cautiously padded across the wooden floor in his bare feet.

His careful movements gave way to his speed, and he quietly followed Chiaki up the stairs. At first he thought that she might be moving to Kaede's bedroom, because the futons weren't comfy enough for her. But remembering that she had earlier almost fallen asleep while sitting upright, this seemed rather unrealistic.

Turns out he was half right though. Chiaki did indeed go into Kaede's bedroom, but when he and his plucky rabbit companion followed her inside, they didn't find her on the bed. Instead, she was looking out of the window.

Only when he slowly opened the door did Chiaki realize she was being followed. She turned around to look at them in surprise, and all Makoto could do was awkwardly wave back.

"I'm so sorry," he whispered, "we're not trying to spy on you. We just got worried about where you were headed."

"Are you alright, Chiaki-chan? Are you having trouble sleeping?" Monomi inquired, "do you still have a few things on your mind?"

"Well...yeah, I do..." Chiaki relaxed and nodded, "but there's no helping that. I'm sorry I worried you, but truthfully, I was looking for a good view outside."

"Why's that?" Makoto asked.

"Well, for stargazing," Chiaki told him, "aside from video games, it's a hobby of mine. We have a staircase in my house that leads up to the roof, and sometimes I'll go up there with my mom and dad and just...take in the view. I don't know a lot about stars, but they're very nice to look at."

"Oh! I...didn't know that about you," Makoto was rather pleasantly surprised by this, "so you were trying to see if there was a similar vantage point here that you could look at the stars from and clear your mind?"

"Exactly!" Chiaki smiled, but her face quickly turned into a sad pout, "at least, that's what I was HOPING but..."

Monomi and Makoto drew closer to the window and peeked outside, discovering why it was she seemed so down. The stars were no longer visible due to the onset of dark clouds that covered the sky. Monomi let out a sigh.

"I suppose it's a little cloudier than you anticipated, huh?" Monomi asked. Chiaki nodded.

"Yes, it was," she made the motion as if she intended to lift her hood over her head; something she typically did if she was upset or trying to shut the world out, but had forgotten that she wasn't wearing it and made the motion through muscle memory, looking a tad embarrassed as she lowered her hands, "I thought that the stars from up here would be ever the much brighter, but even now my hopes continue to be crushed. I just hope it doesn't suggest anything..."

"Didn't take you for someone who believes in fate or horoscopes," Makoto observed, "spend enough time with my classmate Yasuhiro Hagakure, and that'll be swiftly fixed."

Chiaki chuckled at his attempt at humor.

"Hm...It is a shame, but it's not all that bad," Monomi chimed in, "don't look up there Chiaki-chan. Look down there."

Chiaki, though confused and hesitant, did as she was requested, and Makoto did the same.

Even though the clouds were covering the night sky, Kaede's house being on top of a small hill meant her window looked out over the rest of the city around her, and its sparkling lights.. A captivating tapestry that extended as far as the eye could see was created by each light as it appeared to dance in the darkness.

"The world can truly be beautiful, no matter how much darkness lurks within it," Monomi uttered, "it may not be a star-filled night sky, but the view from here is breathtaking as well, wouldn't you say?"

"Yeah, you're right..." Chiaki gasped quietly, "it all looks so clear from here..."

"Shibuya really is a city that never sleeps," Makoto added, "this late in the evening and it's still bustling out there. Up here, the streetlights look like holiday lights..."

"I can also hear faint musical sounds. And who is listening..." Chiaki pondered, "You're right Monomi-sensei! It's like a starry night sky on solid ground. It's amazing!"

"You're the one who's really amazing, Chiaki-chan," Monomi smiled back, "it's almost like you can see the colors of those emotions. It's very impressive!"

Chiaki shook her head sadly.

"I almost wish I truly had such an ability," she said, "maybe then, I would have noticed Hinata-kun's plight earlier, and would have been able to give him the help that he needed."

"Alright that's enough," Makoto frowned, "what's done is done. You can't keep playing the blame game, Senpai. I would know, it gets you absolutely nowhere in life."

"I know, I know," Chiaki forced a sad smile, "I've just got a lot to feel guilty about..."

Monomi rested on the windowsill and looked up at her.

"Tell me something, Chiaki-chan," she said, "do you have a favorite star or constellation?"

"Hm...I guess I quite like Sirius," Chiaki replied after some quick but patient thinking, "It's the night sky's brightest star, and occasionally the brightest object overall. The only celestial bodies that can outshine it when above the horizon are the Moon, the planets Jupiter, Venus, Mars, and occasionally Mercury."

"You're well-educated. You just keep impressing me," Monomi beamed, "see, MY favorite is Crux."

"Crux?" Makoto parroted. Monomi nodded.

"It's a constellation. Others call it the Southern Cross," Monomi educated, "the star that corresponds to Polaris in the north is not in the south, so it was used as a guide instead. Although the Southern Cross is a constellation found in...well...the southern sky, it can be observed in Okinawa under certain conditions."

Monomi turned her head back to the window, and looked upwards at the still black and cloudy sky.

"The first time I saw that glow with my own eyes was one of my earliest memories of this world, and it was breathtakingly beautiful," she explained, "In addition, I've heard that this constellation has long been adored by people in the southern hemisphere. It turns out that this constellation appears on the national flags of a large number of southern hemisphere nations and regions. Among the examples are Brazil, Australia, and New Zealand."

"That's definitely amazing," Chiaki played with the hem of her pajama shirt, "but where exactly are you going with this?"

Monomi turned back and smiled.

"Since ancient times, the Southern Cross has shone unaltered, drawing large crowds and being revered and loved as a sign. Similar to how you are with this team and your peers, Chiaki-chan," she said, "back when I first saw you, Makoto-kun told me that you were one of the most beloved students in the school by your classmates, your kouhai and your teachers. And it's not difficult to see why."

"You...really told her all that...?" Chiaki asked bashfully.

"It's true!" Makoto assured her.

"That's what you do Chiaki-chan. And your Persona reflects it. You are the hope and ideal of everybody around you that looks up to you. The fact that there are so many is proof of just how amazing you are!" Monomi added, "and as things are, that constellation has become more to me than just pretty lights in the sky. It's become...a goal."

"A goal?" Chiaki parroted.

"I don't think I ever really told you this, but the truth is I don't remember much of anything before I met Makoto and Toko in Haiji Towa's Palace," the rabbit admitted, "I don't know who I am, where I came from, or whether I'm really even a rabbit at all. Being with the Phantom Thieves, I've become determined to discover for myself the answer to those griping questions..."

"Amnesia," Chiaki frowned, worried, "that's strange...You seem to know so much about the world..."

"Except HOW I know so much about the world as it happens," Monomi's face soured, "You may all be my students, but even as a teacher, there are so many things I still need to learn. However there is one thing I'm sure of..."

She hopped slightly closer to Chiaki, who leaned down closer in turn to listen.

"Even if I never truly find out what I am, or where I come from, I know what it is I want. More than anything," she said, her ears and nose twitching, "I want you, me, Makoto, Komaru, Toko, Shuichi, Kaede, and Kyoko—the Phantom Thieves— to shine as brightly as a constellation. And I want to be the ones who captivate people for all eternity like the Southern Cross. And now that you're with us, I know it's more than possible."

"Monomi-sensei..." Chiaki looked touched, like she was about to cry. Admittedly, even Makoto felt his eyes welling up.

"I...never imagined you thought like that..." he said, "but she's right. We're serious about this Chiaki-senpai. It's great to have you on the team, and you could never ever be a problem to any of us. It was a rocky start, but we're proud to call you one of us."

Chiaki wiped her eyes and smiled back, her tears glistening in the light.

"Got it. In the future, I'll be depending on each and every one of you," she promised, "and I'll do whatever it takes to bring the Phantom Thieves to the stars!"

Makoto grinned a cheerful, smitten and happy grin back at her, and with her promise, their long-winding contract was finally signed, hearing the familiar chanting in his mind.

I am thou...Thou art I...Thy hast acquired a new vow.

It shall become the wings of rebellion that breaketh thy chains of captivity.

With the birth of the Star Persona, I have obtained the winds of blessing that shall lead to freedom and new power...

*Huh...* he chuckled internally, *the Star...How appropriate...*

Tomorrow is Another Day

Chapter Summary

As the Hinata incident comes to an end, and the Phantom Thieves are left waiting for any news, things begin to gradually wind down. Makoto spends his free time strengthening his relationships with his classmates and peers and getting ready for the Sports Day event.

Chapter Notes

See the end of the chapter for notes

Beautiful Days - Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc

"COME ON, EVERYONE!" Hina commanded, blowing her whistle, "HUP-TO! HUP-TO! HUP-TO!"

"Asahina, you're using that in the wrong context!" Leon wheezed, "We're not training to be soldiers here!"

"Makes no difference to me," Mukuro remarked.

With Hope's Peak Academy's Sports Day right around the corner, it was more important now than ever that the Ultimate Students got in shape. Much like their average class, the students weren't actually REQUIRED to attend the events, at least not those that didn't have athletic talents. But as mentioned prior, they had all noted down what sports they would participate in if they needed to.

But it became apparent that at some point, every one of the students was going to have to do something physical, something that Mr. Kizakura had warned them of just this morning and had thus handed the responsibility of such a matter over to the class representative.

Ishimaru's solution? A straightforward but efficient jog around their modest academy's quiet riverbank roads with all of Class 78. Everyone was running, decked out in their P.E uniforms, with Sakura Ogami and Aoi Asahina leading the charge. As one might expect, opinions were not entirely unanimous, even though everyone eventually came around.

Hina and Sakura, being the sports junkies that they were, were ALL ABOUT this idea, and as mentioned, they were the ones taking the front of the group throughout. Sakura Ogami was unbelievably fast; hell, if she wanted to, she could run all the way from Japan to Prague in a matter of minutes, so obviously, she was barely working up a sweat through a casual run like this. Even so, she didn't mind since she had the company. And obviously, Taka was very enthusiastic about his own suggestion, seeing it not as a way to train but as a bonding exercise for his classmates.

Makoto, Sayaka, Junko, Mukuro, and Mondo weren't as enthusiastic, but being some of the more athletic members of their class, it wasn't exactly an issue for them, even with the beating sun on their backs, and for once, Toko seemed shy of complaints. Thanks to their Phantom Thief training and the runs the former regularly went on with Hina, Makoto and Toko were rather fit and healthy, and this casual jog was in stark contrast to the breakneck pace the Lucky Student was used to. With that in mind, he did have to keep reminding Hina to slow down before she ran a marathon on her own.

Sayaka was in a similar boat. She was very slender, fair, and petite, but it was evident that she was hiding a lot of core muscle underneath her skin. She frequently went on runs like this to retain her beautiful figure, and had mentioned before that her idol performances, where she was constantly bouncing up and down on stage, were a vicious workout routine by themselves.

No wonder her massages were so effective.

Junko was in a similar state as Sayaka, exercising to keep her figure and remain sexy for her pinups, and Mukuro was self-explanatory. This was probably a much-needed change of pace for her, considering how rigorous her soldier training would normally be. And you could take one look at Mondo, and it said all you needed to know. Although Makoto considered that his firm frame probably came from...less gratifying sources, such as street fights and high-speed bike chases.

Lagging behind a little were Kyoko, Byakuya, and Yasuhiro, all of whom were decently athletic but clearly weren't that interested in the plan as it was, choosing instead to keep their distance and not waste time being social or friendly.

And at the far back, falling behind everyone else, were the resident four stragglers. Leon, Chihiro, Celeste, and Hifumi.

Taka had always been pushing Hifumi to exercise, and now more than ever, it was very important, but getting someone who weighed 342 pounds and basically lived on a diet of crisps and sweets, spending most of their time at a desk writing illicit fan-manga, to get outside and work up a sweat wasn't very easy.

Still, to Hifumi's credit, he was at least trying to keep up. As was Chihiro, but unfortunately for her, she was similarly an indoor person. Though she wasn't as unhealthy as Hifumi, she was the weakest and most vulnerable of the students, and it seemed like a slight wind would be enough to topple her due to her small stature.

And then, at the very bottom, were Celeste and Leon, both of whom had faces like thunder.

Leon had always had this problem, since before Makoto had even met him. Despite being very boisterous and having the typical personality traits of a fiery, passionate young adolescent, Leon was smart, talented, and charismatic. He could do anything he set his mind to if he just bothered to try.

The problem was that he NEVER BOTHERED to TRY.

Leon utterly despised his own Ultimate Talent, especially since it made him one of the students who was REQUIRED to participate in Sports Day. If he had a choice in the matter, he would more than happily have gone off to do his own thing and left the rest of his classmates to pick up the slack.

Because he was already so skilled, he detested exercise of any kind, especially baseball practice, which he found to be pointless and boring, and absolutely HATED being sweaty. Despite his skills, Leon actually declared that he detested baseball and was resolved to renounce his current title and become the Ultimate Musician, just like Class 77-B's Ibuki Mioda. Frequently, without anyone else's encouragement, he would vent about all the many things about baseball that he thought were "uncool" and "gross."

And Celeste was not too dissimilar. This time of year was utter hell for her, but Taka and Hina had basically forced her to participate in this activity in the good-natured spirit of the class. Although Makoto and a few others thought it would have been best if they had left her behind, since not only was she not exchanging pleasantries of any kind with her peers, but the look on her face implied that if you got within a foot of her, she would BITE you!

In fact, during this run, the only words she had spoken to anybody were going around to the larger and taller members of the group (Sakura, Mondo, and even Hiro) and saying she would PAY them to carry her so she didn't have to work up a sweat. Sakura and Mondo had refused, earning them her ire, and Taka too when he stopped Hiro from being swayed by the offer of money.

"Make sure you lock your door at night, Ishimaru! I have half a mind to sneak into your room and slit your throat in your sleep!" she hissed.

"I do not appreciate the threat of violence, Celeste!" Taka said back but didn't turn her way when he said it, which somehow made her even more angry.

"HEEEH! HEEEH! I'm...I'M TOOO WEAAAK!" Hifumi spluttered, with his tiny little legs in stark contrast to his large body finally giving out underneath him, and he landed flat on his hamsterly face.

"I feel like...I'm gonna die...!" Chihiro also belched out before she did the same, falling over and wheezing like the air was being physically pumped out of her lungs.

"Come on, Fujisaki-chan!" Mondo cheered the Ultimate Programmer on, "ya' can't lose hope yet!"

"You can do it, Yamada-kun!" Hina clapped her hands, "C'mon, let's hear you belt it out! HOOAH!"

What actually came out of Hifumi's mouth was more of a "UHHUAGH!"

"Can you all shut up!?" Leon moaned as the group finally came to a stop to give the two shut-ins a chance to catch their breath and catch up, "It's bad enough that I've got ringing in my ears from all this stupid running and that my eyes are burning from the sun! I don't need you losers being even more of a nuisance!"

"Oh, will you QUIT your BITCHIN'!?" Junko rolled her eyes, "You and Taeko are the only nuisances here!"

"Stop calling me Taeko!" Celeste snapped, "That's now my goddamn name!"

"Funny...Why'd you respond to it then?" Junko jeered. Celeste drew a thumb across her neck in response.

"So much for team spirit..." Sakura remarked.

"Come on, you guys, live a little! It's fun if you decide to get into it!" Makoto said, trying to sound as positive as he could, "No need to look down; we're all friends here! See? Even Byakuya's making an effort!"

"I'm not doing this for the sake of team spirit," Byakuya was quick to retort, "I am only helping you now because I refuse for Class 78-A to be the butt-monkeys of this event. Any failure on your part translates to a failure for me, and I will not show the world any weakness as the heir to the Togami throne."

"How gracious of you..." Kyoko bit back sarcastically, "although I admit I feel the same way. I don't really care about this event, but if it's for the sake of the class, I'm game."

As usual, Makoto's voice seemed to carry a weird sort of spell that instantly seemed to lift everyone's spirits a bit, some more than others. However, it was ultimately Junko who sealed the proverbial deal.

"Alright, I'll tell you all what," she said as the class slowly started to move again, "Let's all make a deal! If we make this Sports Day a success, I'll take everyone here to an All-You-Can-Eat Yakiniku Buffet near where I live! Expenses'll be on me!"

"Yakiniku!?" Hiro's eyes widened.

"All-you-can-eat!?" Hifumi perked up.

"You heard me," Junko gave them a teasing, light-skinned stare, "Now come on, boys and girls! We've got a Sports Day to win!"

Though this promise had more of an effect on some than it did on others, the combined effect of Makoto's sweet words and Junko's bribing finally roused the rest of the team to the occasion. The pace was picked up, and even though the stragglers remained stragglers, the promise of a reward for their efforts made it just enough worthwhile for them.

As they continued to run, Makoto nudged Junko's shoulder.

"You're awesome; you know that, right?" he asked, "I don't know if people tell you that enough?"

"Oh, I know I am," Junko said, raising her nose mockingly towards the sky, "but by all means, keep telling me that; I won't stop you."

Makoto chuckled as the jog continued.

Beautiful Dead - Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc

The jog lasted for about an hour and a half, although it felt a lot longer than that, and by the time the 78th Class returned to the school grounds, most of them were exhausted. As the class turned the final corner and saw the welcoming archway of the academy gates ahead, there was a collective sigh of relief among the rear group.

"Finally..." Leon gasped, resting against the metal of the gate, "Jesus Christmas Christ...I can barely feel my legs..."

"I am taking a NICE...LONG...BATH...the SECOND we get back to the dorms..." Celeste huffed.

Secretly, Makoto was annoyed about how overdramatic the two of them were being. What they had just done was absolutely nothing compared to his escape from Hinata's Palace a few days ago, which was LITERALLY a run for his life.

They had it easy, and they didn't know it.

"Well...Hah...We did it...!" Chihiro wheezed, reaching over and patting Hifumi's very wide back with one of her hands, keeling over, "We did the full...run..."

"I'm proud of you two," Hina beamed, walking over and patting them on the shoulder, "I think we have what it takes to win the Sports Day!"

"Let's not get too confident yet!" Taka boomed, "We still have a few days to prepare, and we're going to face a lot of opposition from the other classes! If we're to stand out and make this event a success, we're going to have to give it the best we can muster!"

Half of the class cheered. The rest groaned.

"Tak, I get that you're excited, and what you're sayin' is right 'n all," Mondo patted the tired Chihiro on the head, "but look at the state of us. Tellin' us that we've got more work ahead of us after all the shit we just put into that run ain't exactly lifting our spirits."

Taka hung his head shamefully.

"Yes, I know...I'm sorry, I got carried away, but...You must understand," he said, quietly and seriously, which was rare for him, "After everything that's been happening at Hope's Peak Academy, what with all the ill-intentioned people associated with it being exposed, and the presence of the Phantom Thieves of Hope still lingering about, I want to do whatever I can to help improve public relations. The Sports Day is the best way to do that, and...I don't want to mess it up..."

"Oh, Ishimaru...!" Sayaka looked sad, "Why didn't you just say so?"

"Well, I'm not completely brainless when it comes to other people's feelings. Although I DO have a lot to learn," he sighed, "no doubt me chronically reminding you to stay on your best behavior and pressuring you to do the best you can would get tiresome very quickly. And I wouldn't want any of you to act as anything but yourselves. Just know that my expectations for you all aren't as lofty as they may appear. I just have faith in all of you as my classmates and friends, and I want people to see you all shine as the good souls you all truly are..."

Everyone looked rather guilty all of a sudden. Taka's attitude could get very annoying. Everyone thought so. But everyone also knew that he never had anything less than good intentions, and he did and said everything he did because he believed it was right. And most of the time, it was.

He was only saying these things because he cared too much, not because he cared too little about everyone's condition. He was trying to push them to be the best they could be. That was his job after all, as both the Class Rep and the Ultimate Moral Compass.

Despite the rather gloomy air of guilt, Taka smiled and put his hands on his hips.

"I'll tell you what! I'll see if I can talk to Hanamura-senpai from Class 77 and have him whip us up a hearty round of food and drinks!" he declared, "You've all earned it!"

This time, there were many more cheers and no jeers. Class 78 slowly started to dissipate. Celeste went straight back to the dorms, presumably for her bath, followed by Hifumi, Leon, Hiro, and Byakuya. Everyone else was going to go back and get showered before Taka's big dinner, which he went off to make happen, with Mondo and Chihiro joining him. Kyoko went off on her own as well after giving Makoto a quick goodbye, which left Makoto, Toko, Sayaka, Junko, Sakura, Hina, and Mukuro behind, who all decided to have a quick wind down before they went back to their rooms.

Hina passed around some water bottles (and a protein shake for Sakura) to everyone, and the students all indulged in hydrating themselves. Makoto was surprised that he still had enough energy in him after the breakneck escape from Hinata's Palace, but he was doing pretty well all things considered.

Granted, the run had been a light jog compared to the usual affair, and he was nervous about how his body would manage after Sports Day was over. The muscle pain was going to be unbearable.

In the midst of the conversation, however, Makoto overheard Junko say something that piqued his interest.

"Man, it's so hot out...Honestly, I've half a mind to dip my head in the fountain-...Ah...Look who it is!"

Junko looked over at the fountain in question, and as she said these words, the rest of her classmates glanced over towards it as well. They immediately saw who she was talking about as a lone figure sat on the bench in front of the fountain, head down, her face presumably in her game console.

"Oh, it's Chiaki Nanami-senpai! There she is!" Hina raised her eyebrows, "Wasn't Mitarai-san from her class looking for her the other day?"

"I wonder what it is she is doing there?" Sakura asked, "I mean, it's obvious she's playing video games, but I heard that she had gone back home for the summer."

"Maybe she also came back today for some class training, like we did?" Sayaka suggested, "Though, to be brutally honest, I can't exactly imagine Nanami-senpai being into sports."

"I dunno..." Toko shrugged, "She does like games, doesn't she? Maybe she's super into sports, even if she's not physically active."

"Yeah..." Junko brought a hand to her chin, curiously, "You know, she really likes hanging around that fountain a lot, don't you think? This isn't the first time I've seen her there."

"Yeah, now that I think about it, ever since I met Nanami-senpai, she's always been hanging around the fountain. I see her there at least once every single day," Hina recalled, "What do you think she's up to?"

"Maybe she's waiting for someone?" Mukuro mentioned off-handedly, "The fountain does seem like a good spot for it. It's noticeable and accessible to almost everyone on campus, including the Reserve Course."

"Huh...You might actually be onto something there..." Sayaka pondered, before she suddenly gasped and smiled excitedly, "Wait...! What if she has a boyfriend!? Maybe that's who she's meeting?"

"Nanami-senpai? A boyfriend?" Sakura parroted slowly, like she was struggling to picture it.

"Hm...Well, she's definitely very pretty," Hina crossed her arms and puffed out her cheeks as she dwelled on this concept.

"Oh my god, I think you might be onto something!" Junko cupped her face and beamed, "OOOH that's so tantalizingly exciting! I wonder who it could be!?"

"Jeez...No one said she ACTUALLY had a boyfriend..." Toko grumbled.

"Well, there's a variety of boys in 77-B...I doubt it's Soda or Hanamura..." Junko scratched her chin again, "Nidai and Tanaka probably aren't interested in that sort of thing..."

"Kuzuryu maybe?" Hina suggested.

"Not a chance! Someone as prickly as him with someone as quaint as Nanami-senpai would never work out," Sayaka scoffed, "What about Komaeda? He's kind of handsome, despite...y'know..."

"I'm like...99.9% certain they're just friends," Makoto chimed in, "I don't think it's Mitarai either. He seems to care about her a lot, but no more than the rest of her class do."

"Maybe she's waiting on one of the girls then," Junko suggested, "Damn, I might wanna see that..."

"Considering she is waiting for someone outside the classroom, I don't believe it's someone from Class 77-B," Sakura asserted, "unless she's trying to keep such a relationship a secret, but that would be difficult in a tight community like that which our upperclassmen have."

"Koizumi-senpai has a friend from the Reserve Course, so maybe she's waiting for someone from there, or...a different class?" Sayaka pondered.

"Oh! Maybe it's Koters!" Junko pointed towards the Lucky Student, "We all know how much of a playboy he is!"

"You're HILARIOUS..." Makoto deadpanned, "That being said, I think I will go and talk to her. There's something I needed to ask her. Feel free to keep theorizing without me."

The girls did so, with Junko now dead set on the "Chiaki has a boyfriend" theory and already tearing her hair out coming up with theories. In the meantime, Makoto approached the bench to see how Chiaki was doing.

It had been a day or two since the night over at Kaede's after Hinata's Palace had gone, and still the team hadn't heard anything from him yet. Makoto knew that this sort of radio silence was to be expected, but he had been worried about how Chiaki was feeling about it, especially now finding her sat at the fountain bench like always. Perhaps she thought that this time there really was a chance that Hajime could show up and play games with her.

Unfortunately, the likelihood of this was, in reality, fairly small. Hajime couldn't risk coming back to Hope's Peak Academy if the Steering Committee had caught on and realized Izuru went missing, in case they found him and captured him. And technically speaking, he was no longer a member of either the Main Course or Reserve Course, which made him a trespasser, so he couldn't come back anyway.

Makoto did, however, feel a small sense of relief as he saw that Chiaki had her head down for a different reason than misery. She was napping, snoring as the sun beat down on her. She had a game console in her hand that had clearly been occupying her attention before.

Even though it was a little bit rude, Makoto nudged her shoulder to get her to wake up. She blinked a few times, shook her head and turned to him.

"Oh...hey Makoto-kun," she greeted him, "did you just get done with P.E?"

"Chiaki-senpai, it's summer break," Makoto reminded her.

"Oh...right...Why are you wearing your P.E uniform then?" she asked.

"My classmates and I just did a run to practice for Sports Day," Makoto nodded towards his classmates in the distance to show her what he meant, "Not to sound rude, but it doesn't seem like you're putting in the same amount of effort."

"Well, I'm pretty confident in my classmates abilities. I've just never been good at physical exercise," Chiaki admitted, "I am worried I'll let them down, though. But I'm also worried if I try going for a run, I'll pass out in the middle. Either because I get too tired or...well, I just randomly start sleep-running."

Even now, she looked like she was about to nod off again.

"Hey, why don't you just go back to your room and rest if you're that tired?" Makoto asked. She shook her head.

"Ah, no... Since you're here...let's talk," she rubbed her eyes and yawned, "If you give up at this level, you'll never defeat the Warlock Lord. "My adventure ended like this"...That's all you're gonna get."

Makoto felt a fierce, confused frown form on his brow. Chiaki stared at him blankly for a second.

"It's a Shadowgate reference," she clarified...but also didn't.

"Well, hey, would you like to go somewhere if you're bored? Taking a walk could help you wake up," Makoto suggested, "or...were you waiting here hoping Hinata-kun would show up? If so, I..."

"Huh? Oh, no, I was here out of habit more than anything. It's a nice place to sit and chill. Though I'd be lying if I said I wasn't secretly hoping he'd suddenly appear," Chiaki smiled, "As for your offer, I think I'll take you up on that. Where did you have in mind?"

"In the early days of the Phantom Thieves, we used to hang out at a park before we established the Thieves' Den," Makoto told her, "How about there? It's a nice place with well-kept greenery and fresh air."

"Mmm...I don't know...When you're playing a game at the park...all the kids just gather around for no reason..." Chiaki considered "There was a game you're only able to play in the sun...It's very difficult for adults and shut-ins to play."

"Ok, what reference is that?" Makoto tilted his head, confused again.

"The Sun Is In Your Hand," she replied, "that's the name of the game."

"Well, alright, you want to go somewhere else; I understood that much," Makoto said, "Alright, why don't you pick where we go?"

"Well, if you're offering," Chiaki played with her hood as she thought about it, "How about we go to the supermarket?"

"Supermarket?" Makoto repeated.

"Yeah. I like running over zombies with skateboards and wheelchairs," she told him, "Chainsaws are the strongest though...It sounds fun, so it's fine."

"Ok, THAT one I got," Makoto chuckled, "but I guess it's fine if you're ok with it."

Beautiful Afternoon - Danganronpa 3: The End of Hope's Peak Academy

Makoto didn't go to the supermarket near the school very often. As mentioned a while ago, he was kind of a minimalist and never overstocked on things he needed if he didn't need to. Hope's Peak provided him with all the things he needed to take care of himself.

But there was some sort of thrill about stepping into a supermarket, especially when the seasons changed, as it looked different at every time of the year. The Ultimate Lucky Student and his upperclassman were welcomed by a blast of cool air as soon as the automatic doors slid open.

Makoto had gotten changed out of his P.E uniform since he didn't want to go out while he was drenched in sweaty and smelly clothes, but the heat made him sweaty enough, and the coolness of the supermarket was a VERY WELCOMING breath of fresh, cold air.

Shoppers were crammed into the aisles, their carts piled high with vibrant fruits and cool drinks. They passed by the produce section and noticed some luscious watermelons, juicy peaches, crunchy cucumbers, and delicious strawberries on display, all of which looked very appetizing.

On top of that, they stumbled upon a display of exotic tropical fruits that, apparently, Chiaki had never seen before. She picked up a star fruit and a dragon fruit out of curiosity and excitement to try something novel and interesting.

They then made their way to the frozen foods area, where they discovered a selection of refreshing treats that would be ideal on a hot day like today. Chiaki picked up a box of popsicles with a variety of flavors and advised Makoto to bring them so she could share them with the other Phantom Thieves when she was eventually brought to the Thieves' Den. Makoto grinned as she thought about it.

Looking around some more, Makoto was blown away by all the little knicks and knacks the supermarket had on top of the food stuff. They even had bamboo grass for Tanabata, though that festival had already passed by.

Chiaki's attention was drawn towards a display near this, and Makoto raised his head curiously as she leaned down towards it.

"What is it, Senpai?" he asked her.

"What is this?" she asked, moving aside so he could see what she was looking at, "These sweets look cute."

"Oh, those are sweet rice crackers, or senbei," Makoto informed, "They are savory, though occasionally sweet, and come in a variety of sizes, shapes, and flavors. Senbei are typically served as a courtesy refreshment to guests staying at the house and are eaten as a light snack with green tea. You see a lot of those around early March, but...This place really has it all."

"I see...Senbei..." Chiaki pondered, "Hold on, why March though?"

"Well, because of Hinamatsuri, of course," Makoto told her, "It's traditional to eat senbei on Hinamatsuri. Didn't you know that?"

"What's Hinamatsuri?" Chiaki asked.

"Huh...? You know...it's on March 3rd. Hinamatsuri, or Girls' Day. You're a girl...didn't you celebrate it with your family...?" Makoto puzzled.

"No, not really," Chiaki told him, "At home, it's just me, my dad, and my mom. I don't have any siblings, and my Mom has never really been a big holiday person."

"Well, even still, to not know about it altogether...No, I'm sure she has her reasons," Makoto stressed, "It's nothing. Forget I said anything."

"No, it's really not that big a deal. I think it's just because my mom's always been very overprotective of me," Chiaki smiled to reassure him, "she just doesn't like the idea that I'm growing up and making my own way in the world. She's not done keeping me around as her little angel yet."

"Aha...I get that...My mom sometimes stresses about that stuff too," Makoto chuckled, "Parents, am I right?"

"Yep..." Chiaki sighed, "Hey, hey...so what is Hinamatsuri anyway?"

"Ah, well, basically, it's a Shinto religious holiday in Japan that happens on March 3rd of each year. Typically, people set up a platform covered in red carpet material and use it to display a collection of ornamental dolls depicting the Emperor, Empress, attendants, and musicians in traditional Heian court dress," Makoto elucidated, "They're set up so you can pray for the girls' health and success. And then you eat colorful senbei or mochi."

"I see..." Chiaki processed, "That's amazing, Makoto. You sure know a lot."

"Aw, it's nothing, really..." Makoto said, blushing slightly, "Anyone could've told you that. I'm just surprised you didn't know about it."

"I am too. It's not like my family isn't religious. We pray at the Shinto shrine in our neighborhood at least once a season," Chiaki recalled, "Maybe I've just been so reclusive these past three years that I don't know a lot about the world around me?"

"Well, you never stop learning and growing," Makoto reassured her, "You've got a whole life ahead of you, even after you graduate from school."

"Yeah!" Chiaki smiled, "Hey, let's go somewhere again, okay?"

"Yeah, lets!"

After making that commitment, the two bought a few items and departed the supermarket; Makoto already thinking of a new place to take Chiaki.

"Oh! Naegi! Fancy running into you here!"

"M-Mitarai!?" Makoto felt a shiver run up his spine as the innocent and familiar voice of Ryota Mitarai went through his ears. He turned around to see the Ultimate Animator walking casually over to him.

"Yes, it's me," he smiled, "I'm sorry...did I interrupt you?"

"What? Oh, no, you didn't. I'm not doing anything in particular; I was just...on my way to the cafeteria," Makoto told him, "I have a big meal waiting there for me, or...at least I should have."

"Oh, really?" he smiled, "What's the occasion?"

Makoto briefly filled Ryota in on what had happened earlier with his class run and how Taka had promised everyone food and drink in the cafeteria as a reward for a job well done.

He tried to repress it, but Makoto couldn't help himself. Ever since he had the suspicion of Ryota being the Phantom Knight, every time they'd run into each other, Makoto had reacted to him like he was a ghost. Fortunately, Mitarai either hadn't noticed or he didn't seem to mind too much.

"Ah, I see. It's good to hear that you're all having fun training. Our class is planning to come up with a strategy for Sports Day fairly soon," he acknowledged, "Say. Sorry if this is a class-only event, but would you mind terribly if I was to join you?"

"Assuming you were on your way there anyway, I don't see why we can't at least walk there together," Makoto nodded, "Sure! Hopefully Hanamura-san's got my food ready."

"Even if he hasn't, he'll whip it up lickety split if I ask him," Ryota sighed, "That guy has issues, but he's a reliable chef; there's no doubt about that."

Even though he was secretly quite nervous, Makoto couldn't turn the earnest Animator down. They headed to the cafeteria, and thankfully, Hanamura had received Ishimaru's message. He happily handed Makoto a plate of curry and rice and then tended to Ryota's order while the Lucky Student went to sit back down.

Ryota had urged Makoto not to wait for him, or else his meal would get cold, but by the time he joined him at the table, Makoto almost choked on it when he saw the table in front of him start to fill with plates of fragrant curries, crispy fried chicken, creamy desserts, and steaming dumplings. There was an exorbitant amount of food, and Ryota happily tucked right in, relishing every morsel like it were his last.

"I'm sorry, are you eating breakfast, lunch, and dinner all at the same time!?" he couldn't help but blurt this out. Ryota chuckled.

"You know, that's a pretty interesting concept, even if it's not very healthy or practical," he said, "You're not the first person to make note of my rather big appetite. You don't need to worry about offending me."

"Well, that's good," Makoto scratched his face, "but Hanamura seriously didn't mind?"

"Of course not. He actually loves preparing food for us," Ryota assured him, waving to Teruteru behind the counter as he did so, "although I'm definitely an odd customer. He doesn't usually prepare so much food for one person, but if you think I'm bad, you should see my classmate, Owari-san."

"Ah...right, I almost forgot about that..." Makoto recalled. Akane Owari had a voracious appetite and could eat just about anything, even tiny animals, a notion that belied her curvaceous and robust physique.

"She and I have similar appreciation for food, however, her diet caters more to keeping herself sustained than it does to ensuring a healthy body," Ryota chuckled, "Well, I suppose I don't have what most people consider a "healthy body."

"I think you're healthy enough," Makoto comforted him, "Someone's size doesn't say all you need to know about them. Besides, given your different occupations, Owari-san moves about and exercises a lot more than you probably do."

"You're right about that," Ryota nodded, "I'm glad you brought that up, though, because I have a pretty important question to ask you, Naegi-san."

"Wh-What is it?" Makoto asked, becoming slightly unnerved as Ryota's expression darkened into something more serious, and he leaned in.

"I have a question that I would like you to answer because I've been wondering about it for a while," he said, "What percentage of body fat do you have?"

"I'm...sorry?" Makoto frowned.

"Your body fat percentage," Ryota repeated as if that were supposed to fix his confusion, "do you know what percentage of your body is fat?"

"Well, no...Actually, I'm not too sure of the precise figure," Makoto told him, "I've never had it checked before."

"I see...I guessed as much, but that's a shame," Ryota sighed, "It's important to keep track of these kinds of things..."

"Don't give me that sad expression, I'm starting to think I've done something wrong!" Makoto pleaded.

"But from the way I see you, I can't really put a number on it, but I'd say you're probably around 7 at the very least," Ryota said observed, "you're definitely in the single digits. Thank goodness it's summertime. You would definitely freeze to death if it were winter or if we were in a less friendly place."

"I...see..." Makoto awkwardly picked at his curry with his spoon. Ryota seemed to notice this.

"Did I...bother you...?" he asked, "I'm really sorry...I can't help but notice that you always act on edge when you're around me...I swear, I'm not trying to tell you off."

"N-No! It's not that at all!" Makoto exclaimed, "I'm sorry, I really don't mean to upset you. I just...think about things a lot..."

"What kinds of things?" Ryota asked.

Makoto began to sweat barrels. Ryota putting him on the spot like this felt so sudden; it was almost like he'd done it on purpose. He forced himself to remain composed, and then delivered a heartfelt answer.

"To be perfectly honest, Mitarai-san, I do find you somewhat intimidating. But that's through no fault of your own," he said, "I just think you're pretty amazing, that's all."

"Where's this coming from all of a sudden?" he asked.

"Well, you really do know a lot about the human body, and what's important for it. And you care so much about the health of the people around you, even if you don't need to," Makoto told him, "even with this food in front of you...Sure, there's a lot of it, but you've obviously thought of nutritional balance. You must spend a lot of time planning what you want to eat to make sure you can cover your basic needs, especially since you probably do it every day. I just think that's way too impressive."

"Th-That's a bit of an exaggeration...Once you get used to it, it's not so hard," Ryota blushed, "To be honest, the only reason I watch my own health is because I'm constantly pushed down by deadlines and classes, and I need to take care of myself where I can."

"But...can't you skip classes?" Makoto asked, "So long as you're developing your talent, I thought that was allowed here?"

"Haha...Not in Class 77-B it's not," Ryota chuckled awkwardly, "Ms. Yukizome absolutely won't allow it. It's all or none of us when it comes to her. Even if I wanted to stay in my dorm room, she'd probably break down my door and drag me out. That's what she's always done."

"Well, that at least explains why barely anyone sees you around," Makoto considered, "Either way, my point is that I'm not usually that careful with what I eat. With most of my meals, if there's not enough green, I usually add a bit, but that's about it. But you've got a pretty good balance of veg AND meat there."

"Chicken breasts are a traditionally popular menu item for athletes. I certainly like them, but they're not really my favorite food," Ryota told him.

"That's what I mean though," Makoto said, "If I had a bento or a full-course meal, I'd probably just fill it with all my favorite foods. That's why I think you're so amazing."

"Well, if you're so enthralled by the idea, you can always give it a try yourself," Ryota suggested, "It might feel like a chore at first, but once you get used to it, it'll come naturally. It's very important to ensure your work-life balance."

"Yeah, I know that," Makoto told him, "but AGAIN, that's why you're so impressive. It's such a chore that I don't ever bother thinking about it. I just eat what I eat without giving much thought to the consequences, but sometimes I worry it'll bite me in the rear later down the line."

"Well, I admit, there are times where I really wish I could eat whatever I pleased without thinking about it, but that's a bad, unhealthy habit to fall into," Ryota admitted, "I haven't had pizza in quite a long time, for example, and every time I overeat, I try and work it off. But that just sucks up more of my time, and...Ugh...It just gives me gray hairs thinking about all of it."

"Hm...But you haven't completely sworn off it?" Makoto asked.

"No," Ryota shook his head.

"How about this then?" he suggested, "We can go get pizza together after Sports Day as a celebration. Assuming you don't mind?"

"You'd...really do that with me?" Ryota asked.

"Sure!" Makoto smiled, "We're friends, aren't we?"

"Naegi, I'm...I'm rather touched by that," Ryota smiled, "I'll definitely give it some thought."

Makoto was similarly pleased. All that he had said about Ryota wasn't wrong, or a lie. Deep down, he'd come to respect this guy, and really wanted to be his friend, with the only thing getting in the way being his doubts about the Phantom Knight.

But putting those aside...well...He supposed there were worse things than letting his guard down for just a day...

Beautiful Days - Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc

After finishing his meal with Ryota, the two of them went their separate ways after exchanging some quick promises to eat together later down the line. However, before Makoto could leave the cafeteria to take care of other matters, his attention was suddenly captured by something else.

Aoi Asahina practically slumped through the doors to the cafe, panting like a dog and turning a few heads in her direction. She was still wearing her sweaty P.E uniform since this morning, and she looked like she'd taken a shower from how much she was sweating.

She didn't smell too bad, though. Makoto surmised she'd probably put on some deoderant or perfume before showing up, but even still, she looked to be in a rough place.

"Hina-chan!" Makoto exclaimed, hurrying over to her and reaching out to try and help her, "Are you alright!? What happened!?"

"Huh? O-Oh...hey Makoto..." she smiled and waved lazily at him, "Don't mind me, I'm fine. I'm just...pretty tired..."

"Yeah, you LOOK tired!" Makoto frowned, "What happened?"

"Well, you know how we all did a big jog together earlier as a class? I still felt kinda invigorated and lively after we were done, so I did another one on my own, same route," she explained, "but that didn't really help, so I decided to do a push-up, sit-up, squat set. I ended up doing a thousand of each..."

"Well, that explains it!" Makoto facepalmed, taking Hina by the shoulder and supporting her into a seat, "I get that this is an important time for you, not just with Sports Day, but with your Olympic tryouts too, but if you keep overworking yourself, it'll have the opposite effect. You'll just destroy yourself."

"Yeah, I know...Usually I can take it, but I've just been so stressed out about everything," she said, giving Makoto the pleasure of a rare sight as she reached up and pulled out her hair tie, letting her usually high-curled ponytail hair cascade down her back. This attracted some more attention, albeit for a different reason, and Makoto shot the other students a glare to get them to return focus to their meals. "It's just that if I don't show my A-Game off, Donyokuna is gonna be disappointed in me..."

"Wait, what? Who's Donyokuna?" Makoto asked. Hina shook off her fatigue and wiped a cold towel across her forehead as she explained.

"Hito Donyokuna," she explained, "She's my new trainer. A couple of months ago, my old one just gave up on me out of nowhere, and she quickly dropped in as a replacement. It was around that time that talks of the Olympics started to make headway. She's kinda strict and has super high standards, but her track record speaks for itself. She's got almost as many athletes under her tutilage as Nidai-senpai does."

"I see..." Makoto thought on this, "well...Just be careful with people like that, ok? Sometimes, if you give them too much control over you, they run with it, whether they mean to or not. You don't want to get too comfy with overbearing people like that."

"You sound like you speak from experience..." Hina observed.

"Nothing quite like that," Makoto told her, "it's just...well, you remember that scandal that happened not too long ago with Kaede Akamatsu-chan's mother, don't you? The one at the Tokyo Dome?"

"Oh yeah! That was one of the Phantom Thieves' hits, right?" Hina remembered, "Yeah, she turned out to be real rotten...I see what you mean..."

"Well, forget about all that," Makoto urged, "you look exhausted. Is there anything I get you to help? What do you want to eat?"

"Mmmgh...Something sweet..." Hina rested her head on the table, so delirious she was struggling to form words, "Maybe one of...you know...those things you get when you like...mix flour, sugar, butter, and...and eggs...yeah, and then deep fry 'em..."

"...Do you mean donuts...?" Makoto raised an eyebrow. A smile crawled across Hina's face as he said that last word.

"Don't tell anyone, but there's actually a bunch of frozen donuts in the fridge at the back of the kitchen...!" she whispered just loud enough for him to hear her, "Throw those in the microwave for a few seconds, and just imagine...Imagine the warm chewiness of that donut! You know what I'm saying, right? You'd eat the crap outta that, right!?"

"You really do love donuts, huh?" Makoto laughed stiffly, "That's surprising coming from a sports junkie like you." Hina glared at him.

"Is there anyone who doesn't!? Who on Earth-!? No, who in the whole UNIVERSE can say they hate donuts!?" she snapped, but then quickly grinned as she cupped her face, "Think about the sensation of biting into a donut...First the sweetness floods your mouth, then the soft dough cushions you...Next, you get that hint of egg and butter, right? Your whole body starts to melt...You feel like you're falling into the center of the donut itself! It's called the DONUT EFFECT!"

"No...That's not what that means at all..." Makoto deadpanned.

"Ahh, I can't take it anymore!" Hina groaned, "I'm drooling like Niagara Falls over here! Gimme a donut now, Makoto, or I got an uppercut with your name on it!"

"Hey now, I'm not trying to keep it from you!" he sighed, standing up, "Fine, I'll talk to Hanamura. See if he can grab some from the back!"

"Oh thank god!" Hina slumped on the table again, "Thank you, Lord of Donuts!"

Makoto rolled his eyes, but headed towards the counter.

"I swear..." he said under his breath, "Whenever I'm around her, I feel like I'm soaking in the essence of human vitality..."

Seventy-Seven - Danganronpa 3: The End of Hope's Peak Academy

"Your body seems to be in good shape today, Naegi. It's clear you've been practicing for the upcoming events."

"Yeah, well, my class really wants to take this seriously. With all the doom and gloom lately, Ishimaru's pretty serious about demonstrating that Hope's Peak has still got it."

"Just make sure you don't overdo it. You could collapse from exhaustion, then you won't be running anywhere on the day of."

"Actually, about that. Something like that just happened to my classmate, Asahina. I think she'll be fine, but if she gets any worse, I might have to send her your way."

"If you describe her symptoms to me, I could probably just give her some medicine to perk her up a bit? Assuming it gets really bad, that is."

"Really? You'd do that?"

"Yes, but she'll have to come and get it herself. I can't exactly send it to her through you."

"Ok, I'll let her know then. Thanks Senpai! You're the best!"

"No problem, ehehe!"

Ever since his visits had become frequent, Seiko Kimura had gotten a lot more comfortable around the Ultimate Lucky Student, and didn't treat him with the same level of hostility and suspicion as she had when they'd first begun their arrangement.

Someone trying to befriend her with such persistence was something new to Seiko. However, as time went on, she discovered that she kept looking forward to their conversations beyond her medical examinations. Her walls gradually began to crumble under Makoto's amiable demeanor and contagious smile, which increased her sense of comfort in his company.

Still, it was clear she was putting a lot of attention on her job, especially since she'd been put in charge of the paramedic team for the Sports Day. And with some of the insane powerhouses of Hope's Peak, that was one hell of a job, only balanced out by the Pharmacists' equally powerful medicines.

Speaking of which, she walked over to the corner of her office and opened a cabinet. From over her shoulder, Makoto could see two boxes on the top shelf, and she took out both, opening them up and quickly checking the contents. Once she did, she nodded and picked up one of the boxes, carrying it over to Makoto.

"Here you go. Your regular supply," she smiled under the mask, "I must say, you used up the last one fairly quickly. Be careful you don't overdose on them, I don't quite know what the consequences would be, but I'd rather not risk it."

"Don't worry, I won't. You know I haven't been overdosing; you would have noticed if I had," Makoto smiled back as he gave Seiko the money for them, "Thanks as always."

He stood up, but curiously, he looked behind her at the other box she had taken out.

"Pardon me if I'm poking my nose where it doesn't belong, but what's in that box?" he inquired, "I thought you told me you couldn't technically make private deliveries without permission?"

"Ngh...Well..." Seiko glanced back at the box, and though half her face was covered, she looked rather guilty, "This is a little different. That box is for Ruruka-chan."

"Oh..." Makoto nodded, remembering his previous encounter with Izayoi, Ando's boyfriend. "Right, your classmate..."

"Don't think too much of it," Seiko waved her hand, "She's planning on making a big muffin feast for our class after Sports Day. She's even considering opening up a small pastry booth to run outside of her events for school visitors. She'll need those supplements if she's going to make our show a success."

Makoto blinked twice and frowned at her.

"Hold on a second..." he said, "I thought you said that Ando-san had a condition since she was a kid? That's not what that medicine is for?"

"Oh..." Seiko's face turned pale (paler than usual, which was honestly impressive), her eyes dilated, and her body trembled. Makoto sighed.

"So it's as I thought..." he pouted, "All that stuff about her being sick was a lie..."

"NO! That's not-! I-!?"

Seiko scrambled to come up with some sort of excuse, but one look at Makoto's betrayed and sour face forced her to throw in the towel. She relaxed her body, clenched her fist, and under her mask, a look of pure guilt and shame spread across her face.

"Yes..." she admitted, "yes...I lied...The truth is the supplements I've been giving Ruruka aren't for any underlying conditions. They're ingredients that she uses in her confections that I provide her."

"So what you're telling me is that this whole time, she's been putting DRUGS in her sweets?" Makoto glowered.

"Well...yes..." Seiko confessed, "B-But they're safe! They basically work the same way as something like vitamins in sweets!"

"That's not the problem!" Makoto snapped, which evidently frightened her, "You're the one who keeps telling me that you can't use your drugs willy-nilly or because you feel like it! Just-!? How long have you been doing this for!?"

"A-A long time now!" Seiko shrieked, "L-Like I said! We've known each other since we were kids! I've been helping her out since we were in Elementary School together!"

Makoto realized that he might have been coming on too strong as he saw Seiko begin to cry. He backed down and pinched the bridge of his nose.

"I...I'm sorry..." he apologized, "It's just...I knew that something like that was probably going on the day I met Izayoi and the way he spoke to you. I just...don't appreciate you lying to my face about it."

"I know..." Seiko sobbed, "I am so, SO sorry, Naegi..."

"If you're sorry, then would you mind telling me what's really going on?" Makoto asked, sitting back down in his seat, "What's so important about the connection between you and Ando that you would try to keep me out of it?"

"I...well...alright..." Seiko sighed, sitting down, "I suppose I owe you that much..."

Ultimate School Sentimentalist - Danganronpa 3: The End of Hope's Peak Academy

Seiko sat down, and even though she was nervous, Makoto did his best to make sure she knew he wasn't angry anymore and just wanted to earnestly know the truth.

"I know this isn't really a surprise to you...I mean, you can tell just by looking at me...but I was born incredibly sickly and with a weak constitution," she began to explain, "From the time I was a baby until I was around 4 or 5, I was confined to bed and unable to play outside with the other kids. Watching time pass by through a small window in a tiny room..."

Makoto remained quiet but made it clear he was still listening. Before Seiko continued, she suddenly reached into her pocket and pulled out a small bottle of gray pills, showing it off to him.

"See these? I have to carry around these pills with me all the time, every time," she said, "because if I don't take them at least once a day...I'll die..."

"That's...that's horrible..." Makoto felt his heart sink. Seiko shook her head.

"Yeah...as a child, it was torture...all of it...But I'm used to it now," she assured him, pocketing the pills, "However, my illness and isolation made me realize that I wanted to help those who were experiencing similar problems. Ultimately, I'm not the only person on the planet afflicted with an illness that's beyond their control. For this reason, I began studying medicine as soon as I was old enough to support myself."

She smiled under her mask.

"And as it turns out, I had a real knack for it," she said, "By the time I was about 8, I'd already created my own brands of unique medicine by combining the properties of others. I even had people ask me to buy them off, or make them a brand. My family was able to sustain ourselves pretty well in those early days thanks to that."

"That sounds less like pharmacy and more like alchemy," Makoto remarked. Seiko chuckled.

"I suppose that's true," she said, "but... no matter what happened, I still couldn't find a cure for my own affliction. I just had to live with it, and I still do...And as time went by, I came to realize a harsh truth. Even the most powerful medicine couldn't save everyone..."

"What happened?" Makoto asked.

"When I was going into elementary school, I witnessed something horrible...Two dogs were hit in a motorbike accident right outside the school gates," she told him, "I quickly healed one of the dogs with my medication, and it recovered right away. However, the other one was incapable of ingesting the medication in time to save itself. That traumatized me for a very long time..."

"I can only imagine," Makoto said, looking downtrodden, "I don't know what I would ever do with myself if something like that happened to Monomi..."

"Who's Monomi?" Seiko asked.

"My rabbit," Makoto told her, "never mind that. Why do you bring this dog story up anyway?"

"Because it's the answer to your question," Seiko told him, "that incident is how I met Ruruka. And Sonosuke too, I guess."

"Really?" Makoto asked.

"Really," Seiko nodded, "turns out that they weren't stray dogs after all. They were Ruruka's pets, and...well, when I saved the puppy, she was enthralled by my skills with medicine. She was the first person at school who ever really talked to me, who took a liking to me, or who didn't find me creepy. And we remained close thereafter, all the way up until now."

"And all three of you got into Hope's Peak Academy in the same class as well," Makoto considered, "Something or someone of a higher power must really be trying to keep the three of you together."

"Yeah, it's funny how fate works like that, isn't it?" Seiko nodded, "although...It wasn't all it was cut out to be..."

"What happened?" Makoto asked.

"Well, nothing "happened" per se," Seiko told him, "it's just...Ruruka has always loved sharing sweets with the people around her. Even if she's been using some of my medicine as ingredients, her confectionary talents are very real. But...ever since we were kids, I've never been able to enjoy her treats for myself. Something that's always bothered both of us."

"Why not?" Makoto queried, "Are you diabetic?"

"N-No, nothing like that," Seiko said, "There are some horrible side effects that happen with my medication if I eat anything with high levels of sugar. If I'm not careful, it could kill me..."

"Yikes...!" Makoto gasped.

"It's always been really upsetting to her that I've never been able to eat her sweets, even though we're best friends. She loves making treats, but the one thing she loves more than that is getting to share them with the people she's close to," Seiko explained, "but she was kind enough to stick with me for all these years, despite how many others think of me, and she's even come to my defense with lots of my own personal problems. For that, I want to repay her, and if I can't do so through enjoying her treats with her, then I have to do it anyway I can."

"Which is why you started making supplements for her," Makoto finished the story for her, "and you've been doing this ever since elementary school?"

"I've made her a variety of things. Drugs and medicine to help with fatigue... memory drugs to help her with her exams...even lip balm," Seiko smiled, "I just don't know any other way to show my appreciation, or show her that I can be as good a friend to her as she is to me."

"That's the thing that bothers me, Kimura-senpai. You ARE a really good friend," Makoto asserted, "but SHE ISN'T!"

"H-Hey! That's a little harsh, isn't it!?" she snapped.

"No, it's not! Even if she's not doing it on purpose, don't you think she might be using you and your talents for her own ends?" Makoto asked, "I mean, think about it. Those last supplements you gave her were during the end-of-term exam period, which means she leeched off YOUR pharmaceutical abilities to pass HER exam, and didn't even give you credit for it! Don't you think there's a problem there?"

"Well...when you put it like that..." Seiko clutched her sleeve, "I get what you mean...But she's still my friend, and I cherish her. I really don't mind..."

"She knows you don't, and that's why she keeps exploiting you," Makoto stated, "because you never put up a fight and always do exactly what she tells you to."

Seiko couldn't think of a response to this, so Makoto continued.

"Kimura-senpai, you are a wonderful person with a heart of gold. But you must not let your friends, even your closest childhood friends, exploit your kindness," he asserted, "True friends would never take advantage of you or make you feel used. I know I shouldn't be butting my head into your personal matters, but...well..."

He wanted to reach out and pat her shoulder, but knew she would have a problem with that, so instead he just awkwardly waved his hand in the air.

"You're my friend too. And I mean that. I just want you to look out for yourself..."

"Naegi...I...I don't know what to say...I'm touched..." she blushed slightly, "I understand...Thank you for worrying about me, but...still...What should I do?"

"I'm not saying you can't do these favors for Ando. If it's something like lip balm as a gift, or something that she actually needs to take while she's sick, that's fine," Makoto told her, "but the next time she asks you for a favor, take a second to think about whether she REALLY needs it, and then decide whether you should give it to her."

"O-Ok...I'll give it a try," Seiko nodded, "Thank you so much, Naegi."

"Hey, it's no problem," he said "What are friends for?"

Chapter End Notes

If I see anyone making any FNAF 4 jokes in the comments, I'll get mad.
I don't really have an awful lot to say about these chapters, just that we're going to be dedicating this and the next one to confidant ranks, and then a fairly long sequence of chapters to the Sports Day. As for what comes after that, I'll remain tight lipped on that much, but I need to set everybody's expectations just for a second.
Put simply, after this arc ends, it will be A WHILE before we get into the 5th Palace. Between today's chapter and that point, looking at my planned roadmap, I estimate that there will be at least 20 chapters before the official beginning of Palace 5.
But DON'T WORRY.
Those 20+ Chapters aren't going to be devoid of any Phantom Thieving or hard-fought fights. There will still be some Metaverse Shenanigans of smaller scale going on during that waiting period, not to mention some important plot details for the endgame of this story.
But suffice to say that I'm gonna be in this one for the long haul. Not that I didn't expect I would be, but this is one of the biggest, most in-depth story I've ever written, even though it originated as a silly little concept. And you know what? I'm running with that.
So the only thing I can earnestly request of everyone in the meantime is patience. The community of this story is a small one, but ever person counts, and I appreciate any feedback, comments, compliments, whatever you have to give.
So, as I always say, thank you for reading. I love to get feedback from my readers, so feel free to leave a comment, and some kudos if you feel up to it.

Sheltering Tree

Chapter Summary

Makoto discovers some interesting conspiracies when he deepens his connections. More mysteries for the pile, and more people in need of help.

Chapter Notes

See the end of the chapter for notes

"Huh...I see..." Mahiru Koizumi considered, as she quickly scanned over Makoto's notes, "Phantom Thief activity's been on the decline lately. Seems they're taking a break for the summer."

"I don't know about that. I just haven't seen much worth talking about," Makoto told her, "The devil never sleeps, so they shouldn't either."

"Pfft...Which comic book did you rip that line out of?" Mahiru scoffed.

"Hey! Isn't that the kind of corny dialogue you should be looking for in a headline?" Makoto asked.

As had become tradition, Makoto decided to go to Mahiru and deliver some more Phantom Thief related information to her for the school paper, and in exchange, she provided him with the latest gossip and street rumors.

"Well, I guess it'd be too eager of me to expect great stories from you every time. It's not like you've got a direct hotline to the Phantom Thieves or anything," Mahiru sighed, "Thanks anyway, Naegi-kun."

"No problem," he smiled, "By the way, I'm sorry for asking this if it's too personal, but how have you and Sato-san been since the last time we saw each other?"

"When was that?" Mahiru tried to recall.

"You know...when we were in the Reserve Course building and Fuyuhiko-senpai's sister was harassing you..." Makoto reminded her.

"Oh...Oh yeah..." Mahiru looked rather downtrodden now that she remembered it, "I'm really sorry you had to see that, but don't you dare think about sticking your nose into my problems."

"I wasn't gonna..." Makoto lied, "But if you need help, I'm here for you. That's what friends are for, after all."

"Friends..." Mahiru repeated, "is that what we are?"

"Yeah..." Makoto nodded, "Do you not think so?"

"Well, I guess we're not enemies, and you did do us a solid back then. I guess I owe you one if nothing else. Don't worry about Natsumi-chan though, seriously. She's just always been jealous of my talents and my jobs at school, ever since I've known her. Honestly, if she wanted to join the club, she could just ask, but I don't think she's especially thrilled about being beneath me in anything," Mahiru sighed, "Honestly, if I could get rid of this stupid role and give it to someone else, I would. All I care about is taking photos...It's Hiyori-chan who does most of the work in this club..."

"Why DO you do this job, Koizumi-senpai?" Makoto asked, "You clearly don't enjoy it, so why do you keep it up?"

"Pretty sure I already told you that," Mahiru crossed her arms, "Since my talents cater to journalism, Hope's Peak themselves put me in charge of the paper. Said it was the best way for me to apply my talents in a real world setting and show off and develop my abilities."

"I'm not sure how much of that is accurate..." Makoto remarked. Mahiru rolled her eyes.

"Tell me about it," she sighed, "but I basically don't have a choice. If I could assign Hiyori-chan to be the club president, I would do so in a heartbeat so I could focus on taking the photos. But she's a Reserve Course student, so she's not allowed."

Mahiru slumped in her seat and seemed to growl...

"Honestly..." she pouted, "the old windbags who run this school don't know a damn thing about photography. It's not all news, journalism, and propaganda...What era are they living in...? Can't they just appreciate the beauty of the world around us...?"

"What are you talking about now?" Makoto asked.

Mahiru sighed, disgruntled. She got out of her seat and walked around the desk to sit next to Makoto. She then handed him her camera, and when Makoto looked through the digital screen, she started to flick through the photos she had saved on them.

The composition was beautiful, and it was clear she truly did have a talent for it, but aside from the crisp detail of the photos, the one thing they all had in common was that they were full of cheerful, happy smiles.

It was mostly a record of the people close to her. Sato was in a fair few, as was Saionji from the same class. Tsumiki and Mioda too. But the rest of her classmates showed up in the photos too, and all of them had the same cheerful smiles. Even Chiaki and Pekoyama, who rarely ever showed much emotion on their faces.

"Didn't I tell you?" she asked, "These are the kinds of photos I take."

Makoto had never seen anyone smile like this before. However, he was very quick to notice that there were far more pictures of the girls than there were of the boys.

Makoto expected this, though, especially knowing Mahiru's personality. Given that she rarely appeared to let her guard down around boys, she didn't seem to be the kind to snap many photos of them.

In any case, it was evident that everyone was having a great time. So much so that any issues they might have had instantly disappeared.

"...Well?" Mahiru's facial expression looked like she was sulking, "At least tell me how you feel about it."

"Huh? O-Oh yeah..." Makoto stammered, "Um... It's amazing."

Mahiru clicked her tongue.

"What?" Makoto frowned, "What did I do this time!?"

"N-No that's not-...Uh...sorry..." Mahiru shook her head, "It's just that to me, words like "awesome" and "amazing" aren't words of praise at all. They sound half-assed and insincere...I really hate when people say stuff like that."

"Oh...Sorry..." Makoto clenched up, feeling incredibly shallow.

Makoto then remembered that she seemed to be a little upset when he said something like that previously. Maybe it was more polite to evaluate her work properly.

Well...maybe...

"I'm not sure how to put it, but it makes my heart feel warm and fuzzy," he said, "You must really like taking pictures, Koizumi-senpai."

"You thought about it for that long, and THAT's all you have to say?" Mahiru's face turned sour, "I mean, that's obvious. If I didn't like taking photos, I wouldn't be snapping shots here at Hope's Peak as the Ultimate Photographer, would I?"

"Well, I'm sorry, but you're not exactly making this very easy for me..." Makoto scratched his face.

"Yeah, I guess I am giving you a hard time. Sorry, but this kind of stuff is important to me," Mahiru told him, "Photos depict everything, whether it's beautiful or horrible. That's the truth contained in these images...That's why, no matter what situation we're in, it's a photographer's duty to keep taking photos...That's basically what my Mom taught me."

"Your Mom is a photographer too, huh?" Makoto asked.

"Not just any photographer. She's a pretty famous war photographer...If you think my photos are impressive, wait until you see what SHE'S capable of," Mahiru cracked a small smile, but it quickly vanished, "I just take lots of photos of smiling people at normal places. But because the theme of my work is too conventional, people don't really care to judge it. They just say stuff like, "You should take more "AMAZING" pictures!" Feh..."

"Well...I'm not very knowledgeable about photography, so I can't really offer any helpful criticism, but..."

Makoto flicked through Mahiru's photos again, giving them a thorough second look.

"...I really like photos such as these. What wording should I use?" he said at last, "It's like you told me before. You wanted a record that right now, we're all here studying together...And these photos...It helps me understand how important what's in front of me is."

There was a hefty silence that followed this.

"So...um...say...something...please?" he said awkwardly.

However, as he slowly turned his head, he was surprised to see that Mahiru was blushing.

"That was it. You made a good comment." she mumbled.

"Huh?" Makoto raised his eyebrows.

"...I guess...I can show you my photos again next time," she said, gathering all her notes and suddenly and quickly walking away, "B-Bye...!"

Makoto watched her leave, feeling a little awkward now that he was alone in her office.

But at the same time, he was glad that she was beginning to open up to him.

With everything moving at a slow pace, exercising and practicing for Sports Day were the only things that Makoto could really focus on doing right now. Still, nothing had been heard from Hajime, and he was beginning to worry about what might happen if he didn't contact them before the important day ahead.

Still, the Palace was gone, and there was nothing the Phantom Thieves could do except wait and retain their cover while they still had it.

So after his arrangement with Mahiru, he headed to the gym on campus to get a few reps in, and then maybe meet up with Shuichi, Kaito, and Maki that afternoon to do a little bit of extra, though he couldn't stay for long since he had promised to meet and eat with Komaru and Kotoko after the former's art prep class was finished. Even though he had joined their training group, he had mostly done so unofficially and wanted to let them have time to themselves. Seeing as Sports Day was coming up, though, he supposed they wouldn't mind letting him join them.

However, when he arrived at the gym with the workout equipment all set out, he was caught by surprise. The typical lineup of sporty students across the school was all present, but on one of the pull-up bars was a familiar face that he hadn't expected to see.

"Yo! How's it hangin' Koters?" Junko asked, "guess we're both working out here today, huh?"

"Junko! Yeah, um...I guess we are," he scratched his head, "assuming that's what you were doing...is it?"

The reason why Makoto phrased it this way was because Junko was attracting a fair bit of attention, and it wasn't hard to see why. Ordinarily, hanging from the bar and using your arms to pull your body up vertically is the first exercise in this routine. The participant then lowers their body from the top position until their arms and shoulders are fully extended.

That wasn't what Junko was doing. Instead, she had wrapped both her legs around the bar and was hanging from it upside down, with her rose-blonde pigtailed hair hanging down like a curtain.

"Eh, I got bored," was the only excuse she could offer, "I swear I'm not slacking off. I've already done a full run on the treadmills! Don't look at me like that!"

"I'm not looking at you like anything," Makoto asserted.

"I notice you've been exercising a lot more since the start of the school year," Junko expertly and acrobatically dropped from her bar and flipped to land on her feet, standing at full height again, "Let me guess. You're here to hit the weights, right?"

"Yep," Makoto smiled, "you wanna join me? Or is that kind of thing not your style?"

"Sure!" she nodded, "I've been wanting to give those things a try for myself. Gotta make sure I watch my core and figure, though. Don't wanna get TOO muscular, otherwise, no magazine company's gonna want to take me on."

"I've probably said this before, but you really do have it rough, don't you?" the Lucky Student laughed awkwardly.

Makoto spent about half an hour after that in the gym, chatting and working out alongside the Ultimate Fashionista, who made surprisingly good company. By the time they wrapped up, Junko tossed him a bottle of water, and she wiped her own sweating forehead with a towel.

"Phew! Good sesh, good sesh," she huffed, taking out her phone, "Now to snap some shots!"

"Are you taking a selfie?" Makoto asked.

"Ayep!" she smiled, "for #JunkoJym!"

"Hashtag what-now?" Makoto frowned. Junko rolled her eyes.

"Honestly, don't you follow ANY social media, Koters?" she frowned.

"Well, I'm not as internet-savvy as I tell myself I am. Usually the only online threads I follow are the ones about Ultimate's and Hope's Peak Academy," he admitted, "What's "#JunkoJym?""

"Just one of the MANY online hashtags starring the splendid selfies of YOURS TRULY~" she winked, doing an overexaggerated peppy pose for the camera, "Basically, on my social media, every time I do anything in public, or whatever I'm up to, I always take a snazzy snapshot of m'self and put it on social media under a different hashtag depending on what that thing is. So for gym and exercise, it's #JunkoJym, but as for others, there's things like #JunkosJungle for haircuts, #AWildJunkoAppeared for public photoshoots, #CafeDeEnoshima for when I go to coffee houses or get a nice treat...Etcetera, etcetera..."

"That..." Makoto wasn't quite sure how to react to this, "Honestly, that sounds exhausting."

"Doesn't it?" Junko sighed, "But hey, it's not like I don't have any semblance of a private life. But as an activist of high caliber, I'm basically required to live at least half of it online. Which is why I'm glad we have a private gym on campus. Snipers are the worst sometimes."

"Snipers!?" Makoto exclaimed, "Wh-What does that mean!?"

"Oh, I don't mean people with long-ranged guns pointed at my head," Junko clarified, "It's just a term for people who follow someone's social media posts to track where they've been and try to follow them. It happens a lot to vlog streamers, and some people can be really rude. What I wouldn't give to kick one of them in the balls..."

Junko quickly snapped another selfie, then looked back at Makoto.

"Say, Koters, do you wanna be in one of the shots?" she asked, "I bet we could get a duo photo like that at the top of trending."

"Is that really alright?" Makoto asked, "Even if I'm an Ultimate too, I'm still just a normal guy. Won't people be weirded out by me in your comments."

"You say that like I don't live for that chaos and drama," Junko smirked, "Let's see how many simps we can piss off by getting a buff boy like you in the photo~"

"I've certainly put on a lot of muscle, but I'm definitely not "buff." And I don't even know what that word means," Makoto frowned, "but aside from all that, I'm gonna have to pass. I've already had too much of an internet presence this month after...You know..."

"Oh, right, that thing that happened at the arcade that was trending for a bit!" Junko remembered, "Honestly, I'd completely forgotten about that. Deadass, I thought that happened months ago..."

"It's been a few days..." Makoto said, "Though I guess I shouldn't be complaining that people are already moving on from it. Either way, I'm not gonna poke that bear now that it's finally gone back to bed."

"Aight, that's fair," Junko sighed, "forget it then."

"Sorry to disappoint you, but I'm actually a bit surprised," Makoto admitted, "I guess models have a lot more stamina than you'd think, huh? Both physically AND mentally."

"What, are you put off by the fact that I can spend an hour running without being an actual runner?" Junko pretended to blush, "Is that a turn off for you?"

"What am I supposed to say to that!?" Makoto snapped as Junko cackled, "What I MEAN is, I'm sure it takes a lot of work to maintain your figure, so I bet you're used to exercising. I guess I just...put your work life on a proverbial pedestal for so long that I never quite realized how important your private life and social life were to you."

"I'd be perfect even without it! I just had a little spare time, so I figured what the hell," Junko shrugged, scoffing, "To be honest, it doesn't really feel like exercise; it's just me making use of my spare time. But now all I've got is spare time. Not having anything meaningful to do makes me feel so empty!"

"Empty? That might be overexaggerating a bit..." Makoto sweated, "Not that I'm qualified to say anything, but I'm sure you'll be fine, Junko. You're always cheerful, strong... Not to mention smart."

"Huh...Wow..." Junko played with her hair, "So you really don't smooth talk on purpose? Ok, I'm starting to get why Kyoko-chan, Sayaka-chan and Mukuro-chan all have the hots for you..."

"I-I wouldn't say they "have the hots for me!" We're just friends!" Makoto asserted.

"Yeah, and I can give you at least 69 reasons why that's a load of shit," she cackled, "In all seriousness, I'm just jerking you around. You're saying I'll find something new to live for, and there's a future filled with hope for me?"

"Yeah, I'm positive," Makoto smiled back, "As a classmate who watched you for two and a half years...I really do believe that. And...I'm getting preachy now, I will stop immediately..."

"How hopeless..."

"Sorry?" Makoto tilted his head, confused at Junko's strange response.

"Ah, sorry," she laughed awkwardly, "What I MEAN to say is...you're a poor judge of character! Your little speech was fun though!"

"C'mon, don't poke fun at me! I'm well aware that I said something really corny..." Makoto nudged her arm. Even with the brief confusion, the two of them laughed heartily.

It was always nice to be in each other's company.

Rise of the Ultimate's - Danganronpa V3: Killing Harmony

The evening arrangements hadn't exactly gone to plan. As mentioned, Makoto was planning on going to another training session with his teammate and his two friends, but a spanner had been thrown in the works when Maki hadn't shown up.

This confused Kaito, especially since Maki had already agreed earlier that she would show up, so maybe something had come up.

Kaito remained in the usual spot just in case she showed up, while Shuichi went back to the dorms, and Makoto offered to search the rest of the campus for her. It was apparent that Kaito really wanted Maki to be there and wasn't fond of doing the training group without her.

Even though she had been very cold and distant ever since he'd known her, Makoto felt similarly.

Determined to locate her, Makoto made the decision to begin by looking through all of the usual hangout locations in the school. He ran to the cafeteria, the library, and even the gym, but Maki was not there.

Makoto's concern grew over time, and he realized he needed to expand his search.

Makoto felt a sinking sensation in his stomach the longer he searched, even though he knew she was probably fine. He started going through each classroom, hallway, and nook in the school. Even though it was late, he asked the teachers, students, and staff that were still around if they had seen Maki. For those who weren't familiar with her, he described her appearance in great detail. While some shook their heads in confusion, others made a commitment to watch out.

After what seemed like two hours of searching (it was actually only about 20 minutes, but it felt a lot longer), he was about to give up and return to Kaito and Shuichi when he ran into Santa Shikiba, the Ultimate Botanist of Class 77-C, who mentioned seeing someone who fit Maki's description close to the school gates. Makoto grabbed hold of this glimmer of hope, thanked Santa, and hurried to the gates.

As expected, he arrived just in time to see Maki outside the school, standing well back from the gates beneath a fading streetlight. She appeared to be daydreaming a little. As Makoto began walking over to greet her, a wave of relief washed over him.

But then he stopped in his tracks.

Maki wasn't alone. She was talking to a strange man in a black suit and dark glasses. As tidy as he had made himself, Makoto got the vibe of a very unsavory customer from this stranger.

He didn't want to jump to conclusions, but Maki didn't seem happy to be conversing with him. As he drew closer, he could see a dark shadow over her eyes, and her fist was clenched. He kept a distance, sticking to the shadows so that neither of them would notice them, but remaining close enough so he could overhear their conversation without interrupting them.

"What...do you want with me...?" Maki asked, growling. Despite the murderous glare in her eye, the man was unphased.

"There's no need to take that tone with me," the stranger told her, "I came here on direct orders from the HSS to check up on your progress."

"Would it kill you guys to leave me alone for once?" Maki asked, "I hope you realize just how difficult it is to train my Ultimate Talent while also retaining my cover, and you showing up at my school isn't going to help me with that. If someone sees you, they're going to start asking questions."

"And what will you do?" the man's tone became serious and threatening, "Explain yourself? Tell them the truth? You already know what will happen if you do."

"Don't threaten me, Odakawa," Maki glared, "I outrank you. If you're picking a fight, then I could have you on the floor in a few seconds flat."

"I'm afraid I've trained a lot more since the last time we saw each other," the stranger, apparently named Odakawa, told her. Maki rolled her eyes.

"Cliché line if I've ever heard it," she pouted, "Look. Hope's Peak Academy were the ones who ratted me out, but instead of exposing the doings of the Society, they offered me a place here. If the Society really sent you here to find me, let them know that I'm here, I'm fine, and I'm doing my goddamn job. If they have such a problem with Hope's Peak taking me on, then take it up with the school itself, not me."

An evil, malicious grin crawled across Odakawa's face.

"That's good to hear, but this is the first time you've ever been around children your age who live in a different world than you do," he snarled, "Don't get attached, Maki. You may wear a different uniform now, but you will always be one of us."

"Shut it..." Maki spat.

"They'll never accept you for who you are if they find out what kind of monster lies underneath that stoicism," he taunted her, "You cannot wash your hands of what you've done. You cannot wash away the past. You will always and forever be one of us first-GUAGH!?"

Makoto nearly jumped out of his skin as the sound reached his ears before the visuals did. Maki moved like a flash, and in a blink, Makoto saw her knee dig deep into Odakawa's stomach. He keeled over and fell to the ground, spluttering, while Maki loomed over him, looking like she was about to execute him.

"Fuck off..." she hissed, "Go back to the HSS before I SEND you back in a bodybag...!"

Odakawa realized that any more shit-talking, and she would gladly follow up on this threat. Instead, he scowled and quickly scarpered away.

Makoto was hesitant, wondering whether he should reveal himself now that the stranger had disappeared. Maki probably wouldn't be happy with him if she found out he had been listening, but at the same time, he couldn't just leave her.

Especially after he saw the state she was in. Her body was shaking, she was sweaty, and she was struggling to catch her breath. She was a complete mess, and in good conscience, he couldn't leave her like that, even if she didn't want his help.

So he bit the bullet and cautiously revealed himself.

"Maki?"

What happened next, Makoto could never have been prepared for.

She snapped around like some sort of slasher movie villain. Her expression was lethally stoic, and there was a malicious red glimmer in her eyes as she spun around swiftly to face him. But Makoto's attention was not on her expression...

It was on the knife...!

Wonderful Story - Danganronpa V3: Killing Harmony

He had no idea where the HELL she even GOT such a thing, but in her trembling hand was a wickedly sharp army knife, the tip of its curvature blade pointed straight at the Lucky Student.

"H-Hey! H-Maki-!? HARUKAWA-SAN!? What's gotten into you!?" he panicked. Maki slowly advanced towards Makoto, the knife held unsteadily in her hand. The dim flickering light of the street lamp cast grotesque shadows on the Child Caregiver's face, twisted by a mix of emotions.

Makoto's eyes widened in disbelief, realizing the gravity of the situation.

"Maki...It's me, Makoto! Your friend. Please, put the knife down," he pleaded, his voice tinged with fear.

But Maki, clearly consumed by a storm of emotions, couldn't hear Makoto's words. The knife shook in her hand as she struggled to make sense of the conflicting feelings of fear and anger. A single tear escaped her eye, making a glistening trail down her dimly lit face.

But Makoto wasn't a Phantom Thief for nothing.

Just as she raised the knife, he suddenly grabbed her wrist and attempted to disarm her. However, the minute he made contact, Maki seemed to snap back into focus, and she stopped trembling. The reality of what she was about to do hit her like a thunderbolt, breaking the spell of fear and anger that had clouded her judgment.

With a gasp, she dropped the knife, the metallic clang echoing in the silence of the night. Makoto caught her before she could collapse to her knees. For safety measures, he kicked the blade into the bushes, but used both hands to keep Maki on her feet.

"I...I'm so sorry...!" she said with shaking breaths, "I don't know what came over me there I just...!?"

"It looks to me like you had some sort of trauma-induced panic attack," he said, "Don't worry. This isn't anything I haven't seen before."

"L-Leave me alone...!" she hissed, "I don't need your help...!"

"Yes, you fucking do!" Makoto spat.

He guided her over to a brick wall nearby and sat them both down on it. Makoto sat there silently, continuing to support Maki as she calmed herself down. It took about 10 minutes, but she finally steadied herself and was preparing to talk.

"Thank you..." she uttered quietly.

"You don't have to thank me. Or apologize for that matter," Makoto reassured her, "and you know what? You don't even have to tell me what's going on. Just as long as that guy's not harassing you, or threatening you, or if anything else is going on, then it's fine, so long as you're safe."

Maki's expression changed from stressed to stunned.

"You..." she said, with a slight hint of a smile on her face, "are so weird...You know that, right?"

"Trust me, I'm aware," Makoto sighed, "but who at this school isn't at least a little bonkers?"

"You know what? That's fair," Maki nodded, pulling on her hair, "Thanks for not prying...Trust me, the world that guy and...I come from...It's not a place I ever want someone like you to go."

"Don't mention it...I do hope you've got at least somebody in your corner to help you out if you need it," Makoto told her, "I guess that guy was from your orphanage, right?"

"Yes, you could say that," Maki nodded.

Makoto was uncertain where to go from here, but he wanted Maki to know that he was earnestly trying to support her as a friend. He wanted to say something, but it had to be something that didn't involve him bringing up the conversation he'd eavesdropped on.

Welcome to Despair Academy - Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc

"Listen I...I still don't know an awful lot about you...and I really want to help you..." Makoto admitted, "But if you want me to leave or if you want me to sit here in silence, then I'll do either if it makes you feel better. But if something's bothering you or there's something heavy weighing on your chest, it might be better to just get it off. Think of it like ripping off an old band-aid."

Maki shook her head.

"Band-aids are for children," she said, "I haven't been a child in a long time..."

"I...don't think I get what you mean by that..." Makoto told her. She shook her head again.

"Can I ask you a stupid question, Naegi-senpai?" she queried, "...Do you believe in second chances?"

"Huh?" Makoto frowned, "Well, yeah, I suppose I do. I think even the worst people can change if they just give it a try."

"Well, what if I told you that there was more to me than meets the eye? What if I told you that I'm not as cool or as calm as I seem? What if I told you...What if I told you that I'm actually dangerous and have hurt a lot of people in the past?"

Makoto was caught by surprise by this notion but answered appropriately.

"Well, your reaction to being caught by surprise just now kind of suggested that, if I'm being honest...But you wouldn't be the first person I know who has. Or the first person I've forgiven," he said, "even though I'm not sure what you're talking about. But I know that whatever it is, and whatever that guy said to you, you have to know-"

"I know what it is I am, Naegi-senpai. I know what it is I've done," Maki cut him off with cryptic dialogue, "I have caused fear and suffering in this world. I have harmed people without feeling anything about it. And I still do it now, and Hope's Peak...Hope's Peak was just a brief escape from all that. All I'm asking is whether what I'm doing now at this school will ever be sufficient to make up for it."

"Maki, whatever you've been through might have made you forget this, but you're only 15 years old. You're still a child, even if you don't act like it," Makoto told her, "Whatever it is that you're talking about, or whatever it is you had to do before you came to Hope's Peak Academy, I'm sure it wasn't your fault."

"Doesn't change the fact that I still did those things," Maki sulked, "or that I have to spend the rest of my life living with it."

Makoto hesitated, taking a second to make sure that she was calm and listening to him. She was, but he noticed she was tightly clenching her fist. He continued talking as he looked at her hand.

"Listen to me. It's a common misconception that good people are incapable of doing evil deeds. Without a doubt, they can," he asserted, "We're all humans at the end of the day. We err, we make bad decisions, and we mess up."

He turned his attention to her sad and stressed out face.

"But what's REALLY important isn't what we've done. It's what we do NEXT," he said, "Do we intensify our efforts and continue to cause harm? Or do we accept responsibility for our acts, learn from them, and develop as people?"

He gingerly reached out to touch her shoulder, albeit gently, so he didn't startle her.

"The reason why I'm still here instead of running away in fear of you is because I know you're not as dangerous as you make yourself seem, Maki. You're a good person because you want to change that about yourself after realizing that you've hurt people, not because you've been flawless all your life," he said, "Maki, you have a good heart. It won't mislead you."

Maki turned to him, her eyes wide, clearly very surprised by not only how earnest Makoto was, but also by how sound his advice was. However, her expression quickly went back to being defeated.

"What if I don't have a choice?" she asked, "what if...What if I'm forced to do it again? What if...What if I can never have a normal life with normal friends?"

"I don't really know what it is those people are making you do, but you DO have normal and very real friends," the Lucky Student said, "even if it's just me, Kaito and Shuichi."

"But you barely know me!" Maki snapped.

"And yet, we three would follow you anywhere when it came to the important stuff," Makoto beamed, "If you're still not convinced, go speak with Shuichi and Kaito directly. They would be as thrilled to be in your corner as I am, I can assure you."

Maki went silent for a bit, and to Makoto's relief, her expression calmed. After taking a deep breath, she looked into his eyes.

"You're a sentimental fool. And I'm half-convinced you're just trying to placate me," she sighed, "but...Thank you...Makoto-senpai."

"Ah, first-name basis!" Makoto smirked, "Who's the sentimental fool now?"

"You are absolutely insufferable..."

"Thanks for the compliment!"

"That wasn't a compliment!"

"Coming from you, it was!"

Maki opened her mouth to retort, but what followed instead of her usual biting words was a pleasant surprise. With her tongue tied, she let out a hysterical, genuine, hearty, if a little quiet, giggle.

Makoto also laughed, and the two of them relished this moment while it lasted. Eventually, Maki stood up and inhaled a deep breath of the almost-evening air.

"Well, I certainly feel better now..." she huffed, "hate to admit it, but maybe you and Kaito were right...opening up helped quite a bit."

"You probably should get some rest for tonight after everything you just went through," Makoto told her, "Do you want me to tell Kaito that we should go on without you tonight?"

"Please do. Skipping for tonight would probably be in my best interest," Maki considered, "but...I promise you. I'll be there for the next training session, and when I am I...I promise I'll explain everything. You've earned the right to know, since you helped me."

"Normally I'd be glad to hear it, and I have a tendency to poke my nose where it doesn't belong, but I told you already. If it's none of my business or you don't want me involved, you don't have to tell me anything," he said, "You can keep your secrets as long as you aren't secretly suffering."

"Well, I am kind of suffering...And no doubt this is gonna turn in your mind now that you've seen it. You'll probably come up with a bunch of crazy theories, keep thinking about it, and get awkward around me, so...I don't have much choice but to clear the air," Maki sighed, "Besides, Kaito already knows what's going on with me. I think I'll tell Shuichi too..."

"Heh...You really trust Kaito, huh?" Makoto smiled. To his surprise, Maki smiled back.

"More than I'm willing to admit," she said, "speaking of which, if you tell him I said that, I'll kill you."

"Harsh. But fair," Makoto chuckled, "do you need me to see you back to your room?"

"I'll manage..." Maki stood up and started to make her way back through the school gates, with Makoto following behind her, "And...Naegi-senpai?"

"Yeah?"

"Maybe you're not as stupid as you look..." Maki said, not turning his way again, "Thank you..."

"Heh...I knew you weren't as stoic as you let on," he teased.

Maki shot him a glare, but in the end, she couldn't help but smirk.

Big Bang Burger March - Persona 5

Makoto was still worried about Maki after that experience, so he waited until she got back to the dorm rooms safely before he went back to Kaito and Shuichi. He didn't tell them what happened, saying that Maki wasn't feeling well (which wasn't wrong, actually), and once they finished up their training without her, he headed out to meet up with his sisters.

Komaru had been wanting to take the Lil' Ultimate to the pancake place up in Akihabara that the two Naegi siblings had gone to when they were much younger. So they all got on a train together after meeting up at the station, and made their way to Electric Town.

Komaru still remembered the way there, despite having not been to eat there in a long time, and their bellies rumbled with anticipation,as they walked into the welcoming diner and were greeted by the aroma of freshly brewed coffee and sizzling pancake batter.

"You know what we should do?" Komaru suggested as they were welcomed in and settled into their booth, "Instead of getting separate orders, why don't we get the house specialty and share it between us?"

"House specialty?" Kotoko parroted.

"Oh, it's awesome! Well, it's been a while, so I don't know if it's changed at all, but basically, it's this tall stack of pancakes with whipped cream on top and maple syrup drizzled over them! Back in the old days, they actually used to do this challenge to see if any of the kids who signed up for it could eat the whole stack by themselves. If they were successful, they didn't have to pay for it!"

"Wow! That sounds awesome!" Kotoko beamed, "Did you ever do it, Big Sis Komaru?"

"Surprisingly, no, she was never successful," Makoto sighed.

"HEY!" Komaru snapped, "What do you mean "surprisingly!?" Are you trying to say I'm fat!?"

"I don't mind sharing the pancake stack between the three of us," Makoto said, blanking her accusations, "so long as we get some crispy bacon on the side."

"I really like the look of these fluffy blueberry pancakes too," Kotoko remarked, looking at the menu, "Super adorbs!"

"Alright, we can get both," Komaru promised, "just make sure you eat it all."

They eagerly tucked into their order, relishing every bite of warm, fluffy pancake perfection as it was delivered. While having dinner, they entertained each other with stories from their week. Komaru related events from St. Koa Girls, Makoto talked about his Sports Day preparations, and Kotoko proudly showed off a handmade card that she and Jataro Kemuri had made for Mr. and Mrs. Naegi.

"So, what's the occasion, Big Sis?" Kotoko asked, "Is there any reason why you wanted to go out today with just the three of us?"

"Heh...Should've known I couldn't get anything past you," Komaru huffed, "Yeah, I wanted to talk to you both about something important. I know the timing's not the most appropriate, but this was important to me."

"What is it?" Makoto asked.

"Well, you've been out of the loop for a bit, Makoto, but as you know, taking care of Kotoko's has become a big responsibility of mine for these past few months," Komaru detailed, "but recently, there's been some developments. Mom and I have been talking with some people named the Kitake's. Apparently, they're old associates of Junya Utsugi."

"Oh..." Makoto frowned, "Is...Is everything alright?"

"N-No! It's alright, Big Bro!" Kotoko exclaimed, "The Kitake's are actually really nice!"

"They've both known Junya for a while, but they were proven to have had no involvement in his or the Towa group's misdoings. The opposite, in fact. They were one of the first people to speak out against Junya in court," Komaru explained, "they'd always had their suspicions about him. Mrs. Kitake is a psychiatrist and always sensed something was wrong with the Utsugi family, but was never absolutely sure. It's thanks to their evidence gathering all these years ago that Junya got put behind bars."

"I see," Makoto relaxed, "that's a relief. But why have you been talking to them?"

"Well, they were devastated when they heard what happened with Kotoko," she told him, "They were extremely grateful when they found out we'd taken her in, but they actually approached us because they wanted to ask if they could adopt her."

"Oh...I see..." Makoto wasn't quite sure how to feel about this. There was a sense of relief and gratitude, but also disappointment. "And what do you think of this, Kotoko-chan? Has Komaru talked to you about this?"

"She has. And I understand. Like I said, the Kitake's have always been nice to me, and they've got children of their own already that I used to play with. I'm sure if they took me in, I'd be happy," Kotoko smiled, but then sulked, "but...I don't know...I don't know if I'm ready to leave the Naegi's yet...I mean...I've only been with you for a few months, and you've already made me feel like part of the family..."

"You ARE part of the family, Kotoko, and you always will be," Makoto assured her, "but I get your concerns. Normally this takes a little longer, and it's awkward to talk about it when you feel like you've just settled in. Now you might be going somewhere else, exchanging your current life for a new one."

"We love you, Kotoko; trust me, but the truth is we can't take care of you forever," Komaru wrapped her arm around her shoulder and hugged her, "We're just a simple family, and we can't support you or help you make your dreams come true. More than anything, we want you to live a life where you get what you want and where you make yourself and other people happy, but we can't offer that to you."

"Komaru's right. It's a shame, but we all knew it wasn't gonna last," Makoto sighed, "Still, though, this is actually good news. And we're still together here now, so let's make every last second we have together worth it!"

"Yeah!" Kotoko beamed, "Besides, it's not like we're not ever gonna see each other again, is it?"

"Definitely not!" Komaru grinned, "I just wanted to bring it up because Makoto needs to know what's been going on. Now come on. Let's chow down on these cakes."

However, despite the happy look on her face, Komaru's movements and tone of voice betrayed her. Kotoko noticed it as well. She seemed very down and out, and the look in her eyes as she opened them wasn't a pleased one, in spite of her smile.

"Are you really alright with this Komaru?" Makoto said, reaching over and holding her hand from across the table, "If something's eating you about this, then you can tell us."

"Are you also not ready to say goodbye yet?" Kotoko asked with sadness in her eyes. Komaru's eyes snapped open, alert.

"Huh? O-Oh! No! I really am happy about this! I'm glad that Kotoko's getting new opportunities, and yeah, it is sad, but it was gonna happen eventually, so I'm fine!" she reassured them, "This is...well, this is something entirely different, trust me."

"Really?" Makoto asked, "Hm...Come to think of it, I completely forgot to ask you how things have been going at art prep school? You've barely spoken to me about it since you started."

"Me neither, and I spend a lot more time with her," Kotoko pointed out, "Is everything going alright at the prep school, Big Sis? Did something happen today?"

"No, nothing in particular," Komaru trailed off, but her hesitance only drew Makoto and Kotoko in more. Realizing she couldn't brush this off very easily, she gave in and decided to open up.

"Kotoko-chan...I have a bit of a weird question," she admitted, "You used to be an actress, right?"

"Yeah, child prodigy. Though after everything, that's not the life I want for myself any more," Kotoko reminded her, "why?"

"Well, the thing is..." Komaru spoke slowly, "Have you ever worried that...you might not have any talent for it?"

DSO_Desire for Execution - Danganronpa Another Episode: Ultra Despair Girls

"W-Woah, that's...kind of heavy. Where's this coming from?" Kotoko asked, worried.

"Ok, seriously, Komaru," Makoto chimed in, similarly worried, "is something going on at your art prep classes? If so, you can tell us about it."

"Thanks...And trust me, it's really nothing serious. I just kind of wanted to take a moment and ask," she said, "It's definitely been an interesting experience going to art prep school and doing my drawings, but honestly, I don't think I'm really getting it. And I actually feel super out of my element."

"Why's that?" Makoto inquired.

"Well, you know how you said that most of the students there would be college students? You weren't wrong, but I was relieved at first to see a lot of high school students my age there as well," Komaru said, "At least, I was at first. My instructor, Kitagawa-sensei, is really nice, but she told me that a lot of the kids there have been attending these lessons since they were in kindergarten. Kitagawa-sensei told me I didn't need to worry, that there's no such thing as starting too late, and that I could take things at my own pace."

She poked one of the blueberry pancakes with her fork.

"At first, that made me feel a lot better. I mean, I've been drawing since I was a kid too, even if not professionally," she continued, "but then when we actually started doing plaster-cast drawings, they weren't really coming out right for some reason. And then I looked up and saw the person next to me's drawing, and I was shocked at how skilled they were! I mean, their drawing was TEXTBOOK level, especially compared to mine!"

"Komaru, we've been over this," Makoto sighed, "You can't keep comparing yourself to other people around you. All it does is make you feel inferior, and that's just not true."

"But it is! That student wasn't the only one. Everyone else in the class was doing amazing...Everyone seemed to get it...except me..." she sulked, "It just sucks...I mean, I'm trying to push myself away from the stupid feelings of feeling inferior to everyone around me because I don't have an Ultimate Talent, but I want at least ONE good thing!"

She rested her arms on the table and rested her head depressingly on those.

"But I don't...I don't have anything...Even in the things I'm good at, I'm just plain, stupid, average..."

"Big Sis..." Kotoko reached over and patted Komaru's back.

"Hm...Well, how about it, Kotoko?" Makoto asked, "You didn't really answer Komaru's question. Have you ever been concerned that you might not be a natural actor?"

"Well, most of my roles were given to me through...unsavory means..." she admitted, shivering a little bit, but thankfully managing to repress the ill thoughts and trauma, "but outside of that, I've never really thought about my Ultimate Title, or about talent. In fact, to be honest, I don't believe in that sort of thing."

"You don't?" Komaru raised her head.

"What's the point in relying on something invisible and undefined like "talent?" Isn't that just someone's own arbitrary belief?" Kotoko stated.

"You know, she has a point there," Makoto pointed out.

"Hm...Maybe..." Komaru lowered.

"People who make such statements typically do so as a justification, I think. They say they have a "lack of talent," but it's actually a "lack of effort." Uh-!? No offense!" Kotoko quickly added at the end.

"None taken," Komaru giggled.

"What Kotoko is trying to say is that, ultimately, whether you are gifted or not, you will struggle at times and need to work through these issues on your own," Makoto asserted. Komaru nodded.

"Yeah, you're probably right," she acknowledged, "Thanks for listening to me, though. Sometimes I feel a bit embarrassed getting help from someone younger than me, but you're wise beyond your years, Kotoko-chan. I'm grateful."

"Well, you helped me show that side of myself," Kotoko told her, "Honestly, I hated adults so much before because of what all of them did to me. I wanted all the adults in the world to eat poop and choke on it...But I think if I can grow up to be like you two...Maybe being an adult isn't so bad?"

"Adults suck; they really do," Makoto said, "but that's why you need to appreciate the good people in the world."

He then turned to Komaru.

"And you know what? I can't make any promises, but if these are the problems that you're having..." he said, "I think I know just the person to ask for guidance on that."

Beautiful Morning - Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc

[THE NEXT DAY...]

After seeing his siblings home, Makoto returned to the dorms, and intending to follow up on the offer he'd made his sister yesterday, he started looking through the academy halls for his classmate.

Kiyotaka Ishimaru normally had such an overwhelming presence that Makoto was surprised by how long it took for him to actually find him. Sometimes, you could hear his booming voice down any hallway in Hope's Peak where you walked, and if you did, it was a coin toss whether it was him or Nekomaru Nidai from the class above.

Fortunately, when he heard a notably loud voice down the hallway, he turned the corner and was relieved to find who he was looking for.

And he was dismayed to see that he was in the middle of one of his typical Taka-style lectures. Specifically aimed at first-year Ultimate Inventor Miu Iruma, someone who had very quickly become one of his more common targets.

"What's your problem, Hard-Head!? Fuckin' pleb like you thinks you can mock me!?" the vulgar girl spat, ""Seek my potential" my shapely genius girl ass! This isn't some sex toy; it's an invention that brushes your teeth while you sleep! Ain't that genius incarnate!?"

"Hard-Head?" Taka repeated, "Are you referring to me?"

"No, I'm talking to my goddamn imaginary friend behind you! Who else do you think!?" Miu glowered, "I just know you're getting hard from head to toe with me standing here! Every guy does!"

Taka pinched the bridge of his nose.

"For the love of... I won't tolerate this!" he snapped, "As a member of the morals committee, Class 78-A's rep, AND your senpai, I have a bone to pick with you! Your behavior has gone too far!"

"Oh, I BET you have a bone to pick," Miu smirked, "You're just dying to spank this naughty ass, aren't you? Stop making things so hard! Your head's hard enough. Both of 'em. Fuckin' virgin..."

Clearly, whatever conversation they'd been having hadn't gone on for very long, but Taka had already had enough, and Makoto didn't blame him. With a strange and unfamiliar glare in his eye, Taka stared furiously at Miu and crossed his arms.

"Enough, I say! Besides, an invention to use while you're asleep?" he scoffed, "Your ideas aren't "genius!" They are the epitome of contrived, stupid, and lazy!"

"C-Contrived!?" Miu exclaimed, "Stupid!? Lazy!?"

"Yes, that is what I said," Taka snarled, "and I will repeat it as many times as I possibly need to!"

"B-B-But that's my greatest invention to date...!" Miu whimpered.

"If that's really what you believe, then it's a miracle that Hope's Peak still allows you within these walls!" Taka boomed, "If you really wanted to make an effort and show off your "genius" then you'd show more active participation in Sports Day with the rest of your class, but no! You tried to ignore the important assignment! If you're really so focused on showing off, this event is the perfect way to do that, so why would you waste such a valuable opportunity!?"

"Because nobody understands my talent...!" Miu began to cry, though Makoto couldn't tell if it was genuine or not.

"All you do is rely on your talents. And frankly, it's pathetic!" Taka snarled, "You know what? I'll let you go today, but I expect you to reflect on this and talk with your classmates!"

"Y-You don't have to shout...!" Miu sobbed, before turning and running off down the hall. Taka completely ignored the commotion he had caused, and it took only a few seconds for the other students to just walk on by like nothing had happened.

Beautiful Days - Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc

Eventually, he turned his head and was surprised to see Makoto. He turned, and like a wooden soldier toy, he marched towards the Lucky Student at a swift pace—less than a run, but more than a walk.

"I'm very sorry you had to see that," he greeted him, "How are you, Naegi-kun?"

"Good, thanks," Makoto smiled, "and don't worry. I'm used to it. First-years causing trouble again?"

"They're a real rowdy sort. For every polite and well-mannered young person, there's an equally chaotic one next to them. Kokichi, Miu, and Tenko being the main offenders," he sighed, "Either way, can I help you with something? We can walk while we talk. Just make sure you watch where you're going."

"Yes, actually," Makoto affirmed, "it's not really about Sports Day, but there's something important I wanted to talk to you about, since I think you of all people would know what to say."

"Aha! Then let's get down to brass tacks and find out where we stand on all the big issues!" Taka beamed, "So, what is it you want to discuss? Politics? The economy? International affairs!?"

"Uh...No...None of those..." Makoto scratched his face awkwardly, "It's really nothing that serious..."

Makoto went on to detail Komaru's conundrum to Taka until they decided to stop and sit down in their classroom. He detailed how she had been trying to develop her future prospects, and as Taka listened very keenly to what he was saying, he knew that he had gone to the right person.

Even if Taka didn't have the exact answers he was looking for, it was comforting to know that he was talking to someone in their element.

"I see...So your sister is looking to brush up on her skills...aha...pun not intended...and attend an arts academy? How admirable," he smiled, "It's nice to see she's taking her life seriously."

"Yeah, I think we can all learn something from her," Makoto swelled with pride, "but therein lies the problem. Komaru really does care about her future, and about making herself stand out, but she's not really getting it. At least, she's worried she doesn't have what it takes. Kotoko said that it's less about lack of talent and more about lack of effort, and...well, since you value that kind of thing and supporting those in need, I figured you might have answers."

"Hm...Well, it was kind of you to consider approaching me. I can't promise it'll help, but here's what I think..."

Taka walked over to his desk, pulled out his seat, and sat down on it, keeping his posture straight. Makoto more casually pulled the seat in front of him and turned it around.

"Kotoko Utsugi is certainly thinking along the right lines. I don't really know an awful lot about the arts, but what I DO know is that achieving success in any professional endeavor requires dedication and effort. It is motivation that pushes people toward their objectives and stokes their desire for success. Consistent application of effort leads to diligent task completion, meticulous project execution, and effective results," he explained, "The value of effort is found in the commitment, tenacity, and resolve it gives people—qualities that help them overcome obstacles, push boundaries, and achieve new heights of success in their professional lives."

"So you say," Makoto nodded, "but that might be a little hard for someone like my sister to understand."

"Whatever the case, I have no doubt that she will eventually make a breakthrough and be on the road to success if she keeps trying and stops criticizing herself. Making an effort communicates your dedication to the task at hand, your willingness to go above and beyond, and your strong work ethic—all of which are crucial for making an impression in a crowded professional setting. People can only stand out from the crowd, achieve their goals, and leave a lasting impression in the field they have chosen if they work hard and consistently."

"Yeah...Yeah, that's pretty good advice," Makoto smiled.

"I can't guarantee it's the exact sort of words she's hoping to hear, but it's how I feel, and I hope it's of some use," Taka nodded, satisfied, "Just remember, you can come to me if you ever want advice on future prospects, government matters, or anything related to economics or the world. I may not be useful for a lot of things, but I'm certainly useful for that!"

"Wait, hold on, Ishimaru-san. Instead of a big, serious discussion..." Makoto bumbled, "Can't we just have a normal conversation? That's the best way to learn about people, I think."

"What do you mean by a "normal conversation"?" Taka asked.

"Umm... Well, for example..." Makoto pondered for a moment, "What do you like to do in your spare time?"

"Study, of course! I'm a student, aren't I? A student must be a studying professional!" he boasted, "And of course, my duties as chairperson of the morals committee and as class rep keep me quite busy as well! It's my duty to foster an environment in which we can all focus our studies!"

"Okay, but...what else?" Makoto floundered, "Like when you're at home, or you just have some time to kill?"

"If I have time to kill, I study!" he asserted.

"I see..." was the only response Makoto could think of.

"Hm...Now that I'm thinking about it, you're right! We've been classmates for well over a year and a half, and yet I've just realized we've never really sat down and had a casual conversation before!" he exclaimed, "Okay, my turn. Naegi-kun! What do you like to do in your spare time?"

*Save the world as a Phantom Thief, kicking ass and changing hearts...* he thought secretly, letting out a small chuckle that Taka barely noticed, but his verbal response was, "Um, you know, just normal stuff. Watch TV, play video games..."

"Huh? And this helps you study...how?" Taka inquired.

"N-No, it's not about studying. I mean, I DO study, of course I do!" Makoto told him, "But that stuff...It's just for fun, you know?"

"But doing things "just for fun" serves no purpose! There must be more to it...!" Taka scratched his head, thoroughly confused, "You wouldn't spend your valuable time doing something useless, would you!?"

"Sorry, that's all there is to it," Makoto smiled awkwardly, "It's just something fun to do. There's not really a deeper meaning to it or a purpose."

"Impossible! There must be a reason, you just haven't realized it!" the Ultimate Moral Compass asserted, "which means this is a perfect opportunity for you to reflect and learn something about yourself!"

Makoto wasn't sure what to make of this. It made sense that Taka was strict, sheltered, and studious, but he could insist all he wanted; in the end, it really was just some casual fun on the side.

If he didn't think of a good answer, he was never going to get it across to him.

Still, it made Makoto think. Maybe Taka was right? Maybe there WAS a good reason. Like getting into something, and talking to people about it...So he responded.

"Well, now that you mention it," he said, "I guess it helps give you something to talk about with other people!"

"Something to talk about...?" Taka parroted slowly.

"Like when you see something awesome on TV, or some awesome game and you want to share it with someone," Makoto explained, "you find other people who feel the same way, and that's how you make friends. See?"

Makoto didn't know what to expect from Taka's reaction to this, but it certainly wasn't what he ended up getting. Taka's eyes widened, and his face looked like his breath had gotten caught in his throat. As if Makoto's explanation was an electric current shooting through his body, he just sat there, frozen in disbelief. His eyes were wide, as if he was having trouble processing what he had just heard.

"Wh...? Wh-Wh-Wh-Wh-Wh-!?" he blubbered out at last, worrying Makoto before he suddenly exclaimed, "I once was blind, BUT NOW I SEE!"

"Wh-What the hell!? Hey, are you okay!?"Makoto spluttered.

"That kind of thing has plagued me for years...I've tried making friends, but whenever I would have a conversation, it would die after a few minutes..." Taka cried, actually, PHYSICALLY, CRIED, "And now... I've finally found the answer...! I need to study more games! More TV shows!"

"N-No, you don't need to "study" them..." Makoto stuttered, but his words fell on deaf ears.

"Ahh, I'm so ashamed of myself! If there was a hole somewhere around here, I'd totally go hide in it! I let it get to me. I wasted all that time...I never saw the blind spot in my studies!" Taka sobbed, "I'm a complete embarrassment! I'm not qualified to even be on the morals committee, let alone lead it!"

"Oh, you don't have to be so overdramatic!" Makoto exclaimed, "It's really not that big a problem! You not understanding why people play games is not a big deal!"

Makoto wasn't even sure if Taka was listening to him anymore, but he jumped as the Moral Compass almost leaped out of his seat and grabbed him firmly by the hands. The ferocity of his shaking almost send Makoto thrashing around like a fish out of water.

"Thank you, Naegi-sensei!" he boomed.

"Sensei!?" Makoto choked.

"You've taught me a most valuable lesson! You've earned my respect, and the title of sensei!" Taka asserted.

"Th-That's gonna make things super awkward...!" Makoto whined, "You're not gonna call me that in class in front of everyone, are you!?"

"Please, it's hardly the strangest honorific you've been given," Taka told him, which, to be honest, WAS actually true, "There's no need to be modest, Naegi-sensei! I can't wait for your next lesson! And until then, I will strive to learn as much as I can on my own!"

*Ok...I guess we're doing this then...!* Makoto exclaimed secretly.

I am thou...Thou art I...Thy hast acquired a new vow.

It shall become the wings of rebellion that breaketh thy chains of captivity.

With the birth of the Sun Persona, I have obtained the winds of blessing that shall lead to freedom and new power...

"Well, in any case, thanks a bunch for the advice," Makoto brushed his worries aside, "really, what I told you is nothing by comparison."

"Poppycock! You may very well be saving my life with your words of wisdom!" the Moral Compass cheered, "Well then, Sensei—by your leave!"

Without waiting for a reply, Taka ran off.

"Naegi-sensei..." Makoto uttered quietly to himself after he was gone.

That was gonna be embarrassing...

Although, thinking about it...He didn't totally hate it.

Naegi-sensei...Heh...

Chapter End Notes

That's going to be it for the confidant storylines for the time being, but they'll pick up a little bit later after we turn our attention back to the main story.
The next few chapters are going to be a bit odd because they will double as both main story and confidant stories. The Sports Day segment of this story will detail interactions between the confidants and the Phantom Thieves that ordinarily go on behind the scenes, but it's not all fluff. There will be some serious things discussed in the chapters.
For now though, we have another confidant on the roster. Welcome Taka. Only a few more left to go. Also, anyone else think its kind of fitting that the public service boy is the same Arcana as old Yoshida from the original game.
Also, one thing I will remark on before anyone sends out any comments. Yes, Komaru's art class teacher being named "Kitagawa-sensei" is a reference to Yusuke from the original Persona 5; however, Komaru's teacher is not Yusuke himself.
Thank you for reading. I love to get feedback from my readers, so feel free to leave a comment, and some kudos if you feel up to it.

Super School's Stupendous Summer Sports Day.

Chapter Summary

The Summer Sports Day at Hope's Peak Academy finally begins, and the students prepare to give it their all. However, things take a twist early on for the Phantom Thieves when Hajime shows up...!

Chapter Notes

See the end of the chapter for notes

Love is Surviving - Danganronpa 2: Goodbye Despair

Juzo Sakakura was gonna be working overtime today.

The day had finally arrived for the annual Hope's Peak Academy Sports Festival, one of the few days in the year where the prestigious school was almost completely open to the public. The students were all on the grounds getting ready, and the former Ultimate Boxer himself waited by the gates with the men of his department, letting the guests in with the utmost caution.

Though he didn't like to stand out, Juzo was doing everything he could to make certain that the people who entered through these gates were fully aware of his presence. A lot of them, recognizing him as the one who had punched Mr. Daimon's lights out at Haiji Towa's on-site conference, got his message very clear.

Ever since that event, several strange happenings had taken place that could somehow be traced back to the prestigious school. Towa was the biggest example, but following him, an influential private investigator and father of the current academy headmaster confessed in a manner similar to that of what Towa had done. Then, not too long after that, the mother of one of the new first-year students did the very same at a live event at the Tokyo Dome in front of several hundred people.

And it could all be traced back to that damn rumor of the "Hope's Peak Phantom Thieves."

So naturally, knowing that there would be several dozen people AT LEAST who would be using this day as an opportunity to snoop around and get information for which paper wherever, some precautions had to be taken in comparison to the last few years. Mainly, the number of places that the guests were allowed to go to was limited far more than they ever had been before.

On top of that, the Steering Committee and Munakata had gone out of their way to make sure all the stops were pulled out so that these restrictions WOULDN'T be broken. They had taken a risk, and it had paid back when the government became aware of the situation and was willing to send a small squadron of armed police as backup just in case. Hope's Peak Academy was influential and important enough to the Japanese economy that it would make sense to send them. But still, Juzo was infuriated that something he still considered a prank would have invited this much trouble.

The guests also weren't allowed to bring any device that had a camera on them into the school premises, including mobile phones, which were confiscated at all entrances to the school. This was to the chagrin of a lot of ordinary non-reporters, or paparazzi, but Juzo didn't care.

So while he was preoccupied making sure that no one did anything shady, the students of all the classes in Hope's Peak Academy were gathered on the absurdly large grounds, each class of each year each in a different tent.

Despite the apprehension, most of Class 78-A had turned up in their gym clothes, even Leon, Celeste, Kyoko, and Byakuya. Even they didn't plan on letting their home team down this year, and since there were so many people on the campus in light of the incidents who were here for a show, it was only right to give them one.

Makoto and Toko were the only two who had not shown up yet.

"Hm...Seems we still have a few people missing..." Taka looked down at his register in dismay.

"Yes," Sakura affirmed, "Naegi and Fukawa are present, though. They just called to let us know they were almost here."

"I wonder what's keeping 'em?" Mondo asked.

"Say, have any of you guys noticed?" Leon chimed in suddenly, "Like, no weird jokes or suggestions here, but those two've been actin' a lot closer since the start of this term, haven't they? They keep going off and chatting on their lonesome."

"You're right, that's true," Hina considered, "but hey, whatever he's doing, it's getting Toko to open up to the rest of us more, so I say let him keep at it."

"Hey!" Just as they were all wondering, Makoto's familiar chipper voice called out to them, "Sorry we're late! We made it though!"

Class 78 all turned to see the messy-haired Lucky Student and his purple-haired writer friend, both kitted out in their P.E uniforms, ready and waiting to go.

"About time! We were waiting on you guys!" Junko cooed, but suddenly, she noticed a third person with them over Toko's shoulder and raised her head to look at them, "Hey...Who's this then?"

Makoto chuckled anxiously, and Toko groaned disgruntledly as both stepped aside to reveal their tag-along. Komaru Naegi was wearing her home school's colors, blue and white, embodied in a fitted top embellished with sequins, radiating pride and unanimity. The light and airy fabric of her pleated skirt allowed her to leap and twirl with ease as it swirled around her. She embodied elegance and athleticism, her white sneakers sparkling with each stride.

With a cheeky smirk on her face, she held up two glittery pom-poms on both hands, brandishing them with flare as she began a silly chant.

"Give me an F! Give me a U! Give me a K-A-W! K-A-W, AAAA! Goooooo! FUKAWA!" she beamed, "Go Fukawa! It's your birthday! Go Fukawa! It-It's your birthday! It's your birthday-!"

"SHUUT UUUUUP!" Toko shrieked, blushing like a ripe tomato, while the rest of Class 78 cackled with laughter, "I swear to God, if you do that at ANY of my events, I genuinely might waltz over mid-game and slap you!"

"Duly noted!" Komaru beamed, flourishing her pom-poms mischievously, "but I hope you know that it's become my official duty to support you guys."

"Nice to see you again, Koko!" Hiro laughed, "It's been a hot minute!"

"I don't believe we've been introduced before," Sakura stated, "You must be Makoto's younger sister, correct?"

"Yep. This is Komaru," Makoto put an arm around her shoulder and introduced her, "she decided to come here today in her cheerleader uniform and give us some encouragement...Of course she didn't tell me that before she and my parents showed up today..."

"Is that child you took in here too?" Mukuro asked, "Kotoko Utsugi, if I'm not mistaken?"

"No. I really did want her to come, but in the end I decided against it," Komaru told her, "I don't want her going anywhere near this wretched place again after everything that happened."

"Understandable..." Byakuya uttered.

"That's adorable though!" Sayaka beamed, "Thanks so much for the support, Komaru-chan! It really means a lot to us!"

Komaru suddenly noticed Sayaka and immediately became a blushing mess herself.

"Yeahyeahitsfinenoneedtopraisemeoranythingjustdoingwhatanygoodsportorsisterwoulddoyouknow?" she stammered, "dontworryIswearImnotgonnatrygettinginanyofyourwaysjustthoughtIdhaveabitoffunandshowyouguysupImeanIthoughtitwasagoodideaatthetimeImnottryingtobeobsessiveitsreallynicethatyousaidthattomeImsorryImtalkingsofastitsjustreallyniceofyouImsosorrythankyousomuchImreallyhappytobehere-"

"You alright, girl?" Leon asked. Makoto sighed.

"Don't mind her," he said, "she's a Sayaker. A major one at that."

"Aaah..." Leon nodded in understanding. Komaru's rapid ramblings were interrupted as Taka strode over and vigorously took her by the hand, giving it a firm series of shakes.

"Well, it's wonderful to meet you, Komaru-san! I'm Ishimaru! Your brother was telling me a lot about you! It's so fascinating and wonderful that you can commit yourself in such a way on top of focusing on your art studies!" he beamed, "You're an inspiration to us all!"

"Nice to-!? Ngh!? MEET YOU!?" Komaru was jerked around by Taka's vicious handshaking until Toko finally got him to let go.

"Hey, this is great though, isn't it?" Junko asked, "Toko, you said that you put cheerleading down as one of your events, right? For the football game and other stuff?"

"That's right," Toko sighed, "and from the looks of things, it looks like that's actually gonna go ahead...God forbid..."

"Well, then I guess you got lucky," Junko smiled at Komaru, "Now you've got a friend backing you up the whole time! Sorry for the trouble, Komaru, but it'd be absolutely damn swell if you could help us out!"

"That's allowed?" Komaru asked.

"Yeah, we stick to the rules for most of the games, but honestly, this is less like a Sports Day for the school and more like a public fairground," Kyoko explained, "Sometimes, if teams are a few members short, they'll get students from other classes, kids from the Reserve Course, or even staff members or public visitors to join in on the events."

"They sometimes even get pets in to fill out the holes," Sayaka said, "so if push comes to shove, even Monomi-chan could join in on the events if she wanted to."

"Monomi too!?" Komaru exclaimed, seriously struggling to think of Monomi dribbling a basketball in her bunny form, "Well, guess that means anything goes."

"Putting the peanut gallery aside, we're all here now, right?" Toko said, "So what's the plan?"

"Yes, for once, I agree with her," Byakuya stated, "Let's get down to business. What's on the itinerary for the day?"

"We begin in about half an hour. Here I have clipboards detailing the times of the events, and I've respectively marked each participant's specific events with a red marker," Taka said, following on his words and swiftly marching around to hand out said clipboards, "Then, in the afternoon, classes across all three years are gathered together and split apart for one last event each. This year, we, Class 78-A, will be pitted against Class 77-B and Class 79-A."

"Huh...!" Kyoko raised her eyebrows, "That's...My, what a coincidence..."

"What? Why?" Komaru asked.

"Class 77-B is Chiaki-senpai's class," Makoto told her, "and Class 79-A is Shuichi and Kaede's."

"Oh, wow!" Komaru whistled, "So that means you guys are gonna be going up against them at the end of the day, huh?"

"There are at least 18 classes of Ultimate Students, with roughly 16 in each class, which makes for a total of 288 Ultimate Students across the entire Main Course," Kyoko detailed, "Even still, such a convenient matchup isn't really surprising to me, knowing our luck."

"You mean MY luck..." Makoto chuckled.

"And what, might I ask," Celeste, decked out in her own stylized black tracksuit and not wearing her clip on hairdrills, gingerly raised her hand, "is the event in question we will be competing against 78 and 79 in?"

"Actually, I was about to meet up with the class representatives of those classes and find out directly from the teachers," Taka said.

"Wait...Nanami-senpai is the rep of 77-B," Chihiro recalled, "I don't think I know who the representative of 79-A is..."

"Well, you don't need to worry about that any longer!" a peppy, upbeat, and cheerful voice cut into the conversation as two figures entered their tent, "Because that would be me!"

"Kaede!" Makoto beamed, seeing the Ultimate Pianist arrive. Not only that, but the Ultimate Gamer was standing right next to her, who was similarly chuffed, even if her expression didn't say it.

Chiaki, Kaede, and Taka were all wearing different colored headbands that signified their roles in the classroom. Clearly, they had come to pick up the Moral Compass for the task in question.

"I didn't know you were Class Rep!" Toko exclaimed, "How come you never mentioned it to me?"

"Eh...I don't really do a lot of "repping," so it's not something worth bringing up, much less bragging about," she admitted, "Hell, I don't even know why everyone picked me."

"Well, the fact that you have absolutely unmatched charisma might be a good reason," Kyoko remarked. Kaede blushed, brushing some hair behind her ear.

"Ishimaru-kun. We're about to talk to the instructors," Chiaki mentioned, "Are you finished up here?"

"Yes, I have faith that my classmates will be able to handle themselves from here on out," Taka smiled, "Alright everybody, I'm off! You all know what to do! Good luck, but most importantly of all, have fun!"

"You got it, bro!" Mondo waved his best friend away. Makoto and the other Phantom Thieves shared a brief farewell to Chiaki and Kaede as well.

"Good luck, you guys!" Makoto called, "See you at the showdown!"

"Sure thing! Can't wait to crush you," Chiaki smiled, her brow furiously furrowed, but smiling competitively, "Just kidding."

"Oooh, you've said it now!" Junko beamed back as the trio finally made their exit.

Once everyone was left alone, Makoto pulled up his note board and checked the Sports Day itinerary. He noted all the red-marked events that he was set to participate in, and made note of the times. It was gonna be a long and tiring day, but he had expected it to be. Thankfully, it seemed he had a lot of time to kill between events.

EVENT LIST:

Basketball

Volleyball

Three-Legged Race

Soccer

Obstacle Course

Cavalry Battle

{BREAK}

Egg and Spoon Race

Table Tennis

Scavenger Hunt

Team Sports Contest

Folk Dance

"Man, are you serious? So many sports, and not a single one of 'em is baseball?" Leon groaned, "I know we decided this a while ago, but c'mon man!"

"I mean, you got a point," Mondo checked the list himself, "havin' the Ultimate Baseball Star in year 2'd be a surefire sign that baseball's gonna happen."

"Well, you say that, but it's not like swimming or any kind of martial arts on the list either," Chihiro noted, "Maybe for the sake of audience participation and fairness, the events are designed to cater to sports that we Ultimate's aren't used to. That puts even the sporty ones on an even playing field."

"Fujisaki is correct," Byakuya examined the list, "there are many sporty and athletic Ultimate Students across the Main Course, but none of the current ones comply with any of these sports, not even soccer."

"Huh..." Kyoko noted, "still...since when is "folk-dance" an event?"

"Hey, it's pretty fun. It's not one that everyone has to join in on, but people can jump in if they wish. It's there to let people wind down and soak up the sweat," Makoto enthused, "Maybe we can go together when the time comes?"

"That's a very roundabout way of asking me to dance with you," Kyoko teased, although Makoto could swear that Sayaka, Mukuro, and Hina's ears all perked up when they heard this.

"This again..." he sighed, "That's not what I meant...!"

"In any case, it looks like volleyball and basketball are the first two sports, then the three-legged Race," Chihiro contemplated, "Three-legged race is on my list, so I'd best be prepared for that."

"Me too!" Sayaka smiled, "You maybe wanna be partners with me then?"

"Y-Yes! Please!" Chihiro beamed, "Ah, but you're captain of the volleyball team, aren't you Sayaka? Won't you like someone who can pick up the slack a little better after you recover from that?"

"Hey, don't underestimate me! Or yourself, for that matter," she beamed back, "It may not look it, but I've got abs and legs of steel!"

"Owada-kun. You are captain of the basketball team, correct?" Mukuro asked, "Then we will be relying on you when that time comes."

"Yeah, I got it," Mondo nodded, "It's all good. I used to play B-Ball all the time with my Big Bro when I was a kid. I might be a bit rusty, but I'll do my best. The only problem is..."

"What are you looking at?" Byakuya raised his nose as he noticed the Biker Gang Leader turn his way, "Let me guess, you're nervous about being a captain?"

"What kinda bullshit is that!?" Mondo spat, "I was just thinkin' about how I don't want you on my team if you're gonna be an asshole!"

"Um, have you MET Byakuya?" Hina shrugged, "He is perpetually an asshole."

"I'll ignore that..." Byakuya grumbled, "Just this once, Owada, I'll follow your instructions and plan, but you can forgive me if I object to the idea of serving under a captain who is all bark and no bite."

"Urgh! Everything you say pisses me off!" Mondo glowered, "All I'm sayin' is I can't promise I won't snap at you during the match."

"Hmph," Byakuya scoffed, "if you can't even win this dullard's game, you don't deserve your Ultimate title."

"Now you've said it!" Mondo palmed his fist with a sinister smile, "Just you wait; this team will be the best!"

"Well, at least he's motivated..." Sakura remarked, "We'll leave the basketball to you boys. Leave volleyball to us girls."

Sayaka nodded to affirm this, then glanced around at all her upcoming teammates. However, she noticed that Kyoko had a bit of a distant look in her eyes, and while this was normal, it gave her cause for concern that she was showing it in this moment. Having known the detective for a considerable amount of time, she was aware that this was the face she pulled when she was deeply contemplating something.

"Kyoko?" she decided to call her out on it, "Are you alright?"

"Yes, I am fine. However, I still feel a little uneasy," Kyoko admitted, "Sorry, I'd prefer not to remove my gloves. It shouldn't interfere with passing the ball, so..."

"Ah, that's not what I was worried about!" Sayaka exclaimed, knowing that Kyoko had personal reasons for not taking her gloves off, even if she didn't truly know what those reasons were, "It's just...you seem a little tired. You've been pretty busy with detective work, haven't you?"

Truthfully, Kyoko was fine when it came to excess work. She'd spent so long honing her abilities and body for late-night stakeouts and desk work that she hardly felt fatigue anymore. Her only cause for concern was that she might accidentally reopen a wound she suffered while in Hinata's Palace when she was almost buried alive.

But, of course, the truth was, she had plans of her own. Even though she was certain that the transfer could no longer go ahead, as by now the Steering Committee must have found out that Kamukura had gone missing, she was still planning to check up on the operation during her break. But given that she had such an early appointment, she had to delay this investigation a little later and was worried she might miss her opportunity.

Of course, she couldn't tell Sayaka that, so instead, she said something else.

"You're always busy as well. Don't worry about me—you should worry about winning the game," she smirked.

"Well, alright then!" Sayaka beamed, "Let's do our best, girls!"

Beautiful Days - Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc

Volleyball and basketball were running at the same time, though Class 77-A's sports didn't coincide with each other. Since this was one of the sports that Makoto hadn't signed up for, he was one of two boys in his class, the other being Taka, who didn't need to join the team and offered to wait on the side in case Mondo needed to bring him in at any point. So all he had to do for the time being was wait while he watched Mondo, Byakuya, Leon, Hiro, and Hifumi get ready to play.

He was accompanied by Toko and Monomi, the former who sat next to him in the bleachers and the latter who snuggled tightly into his gym bag, buried amongst the large crowd of people that were gathering like bees in a hive, trying to fit anywhere they could. Thankfully, this was the largest gym in the country, so there was more than enough space in the bleachers provided.

At least Makoto thought so. It felt like the entirety of Tokyo was crammed into this place, and even with the extraordinarily large space, there was still barely any room to fit. By the time Toko sat down, Makoto noticed that she'd already gotten decked out in her own cheerleading outfit. Though hers was white and orange, and she was wearing a long-sleeved vest underneath it to cover up her arms and stop her from showing more skin than she wanted to.

"It actually doesn't look bad on you," Makoto complimented. Toko rolled her eyes.

"Well, the good news is that Komaru's introduced herself to the cheerleading team for the sports day, and they've been more than happy to bring her on. Also, outside of her own events, Kaede's also gonna be cheerleading for her class," Toko told them.

"Mm...No wonder Kaede was picked to be student rep. She's diligent AND multitalented," Monomi beamed, proud of her student, "though...what might I ask, is the bad news?"

"The bad news is that the captain cheerleader is Ibuki-freaking-Mioda of all people," Toko groaned, "I can't think of anyone I would want commanding me LESS! And now she's apparently my boss for the day...Still, my cheerleading duties don't start for another few periods, so I guess I can mentally prepare myself at that time...And watch Master Byakuya's basketball game while I'm at it..."

To say that Ibuki Mioda was a bit shocking and bold was like saying Kyoko was only a little bit stoic, especially with her unique personality and appearance. She was undoubtedly the most cheerful girl in Chiaki's class and among the most positive people on campus. She was vivacious and enjoyed conversing, but she was prone to forgetting things and frequently went off on strange, irrelevant tangents.

Speaking of Chiaki's class, Makoto could see that their team was talking to the other teams on the benches as they prepared for the game. He spotted a few familiar faces, including Sonosuke Izayoi, Seiko's classmate, as well as Kokichi Oma and Kaito Momota and some of their classmates. The captain of their team was a notably large and hulkish boy, Gonta Gokuhara, who looked to be in serious contemplation. Even in the chaos of the gym, Makoto could just about hear their conversation from where he was sitting.

"Gonta have big body... Might hurt other players if Gonta run into them..." the Ultimate Entomologist considered. Kokichi giggled mischievously.

"Yeah, you should be careful, Gonta. I heard people at this school's sports festival..." he snickered, "...die! The intensity of all the Ultimates' competitive natures leads to bloodshed!"

"What? Really!?" Gonta exclaimed, his face turning pale.

"Well, no, I lied," he smirked wryly, "but I'm positive you'll end up killing someone with that big brutish body of yours!"

"G-Gonta not kill anyone!" Gonta exclaimed, petrified by Kokichi's words.

"Shut up, Kokichi! What's the matter with you!?" Kaito snapped, "Just ignore him, Gonta; he's trying to throw you off your game! We all know that you won't be hurting anybody."

"Then...what do you think Gonta should do, Kaito?" he asked. Kaito smiled his usual big, dumb smile.

"I think you should play more aggressively!" he asserted, "Just having you leading the charge and being at the front lines will put pressure on the other teams!"

"Hm...If Gonta hesitate cuz he not understand rules...Gonta just hold whole team back..." Gonta considered, "Got it! This first time Gonta play basketball...but Gonta will do his best!"

"Yeah! That's the spirit!" Kaito affectionately jabbed Gonta's shoulder, "Come on, let's greet the other teams before its our time to head on."

"I see...So Gonta is your captain, huh?" Ryota Mitarai, who seemed to be the captain of Class 77's team, heading onto the pitch to prepare for their game, mentioned as he passed by and overheard this conversation, "Neither you, nor Owada-kun seem like you'll be easy opponents...We may both be large, but where I have fat, your body is covered in meat."

He pointed a competitive finger at the young Entomologist.

"But don't forget! It's fine to rely on muscles, but in the end, fat is most important!"

"Ummm... You saying Gonta have big body and look strong?" Gonta asked, "Gonta not know much about basketball, but Gonta strong! Gonta do his best!"

As Makoto watched his friends and classmates all gather around to discuss their strategies, the referee for the match stepped up to see if both sides were ready for the game. He was an old Ultimate alumnus with quite the look and quite a reputation with it, simply known as The Great Gozu. Formerly the Ultimate Wrestler and a Hope's Peak Academy 68th-year student, he was a gentle soul despite his intimidating appearance, and although he wasn't a teacher, he was Councilman Tengan's former business partner, who was always willing to drop by the academy to help out.

"Alright everyone!" Gozu called under his bull-shaped mask, bouncing the basketball on the court, addressing the teams of Classes 78-A and 77-B, "Remember! I want a nice, clean game from all of you! You hearing me, Owada-kun!?"

"Oi! Why'd you zero in on me!?" Mondo snarled.

"I know this isn't really what you want to hear, but don't sweat it. You're gonna do great, and your support is more than appreciated," Makoto patted Toko on the shoulder, turning back to her as someone in a black hoodie shimmied into the spot next to him, "Don't think your efforts are going to go to waste."

"Naegi-sensei is right, Fukawa-san!" Taka, the other boy who wasn't playing basketball, sat himself down in the row above them, talking down to them from above, "Every little thing you do matters to our class's contributions. And in case it doesn't feel this way, we're lucky to have you on our side."

"Alright, alright, I get it..." Toko sighed, playing with her hair in embarrassment, "quit buttering me up; I don't thrive off compliments or anything!"

"Now now, there's no need to be so...humble..." Taka trailed off, his fierce brow furrowing as he spotted something else, "Wait a moment...C-Celeste!?"

Makoto, Monomi, and Toko swiftly turned their heads to where Taka was looking and saw that Celestia Ludenberg was conversing with the boy in the black hood that had sat down next to Makoto, who didn't look to be comfortable with his situation.

"This is getting interesting," Celeste murmured, "The odds have changed with an irregular such as yourself..."

"I...wouldn't call myself an "irregular..."" the boy told her. However, before their conversation could continue, Taka had already stepped in.

"C-Celeste! What on Earth are you-!?" he snapped.

"Ah, Ishimaru-kun. Somehow I didn't notice you despite your booming voice," Celeste's expression remained calm, but Makoto could somehow tell she was annoyed that a troublesome person like Taka had caught her in her act, "Whatever is the matter? Are you angry?"

"I am furious with you right now!" Taka boomed, "You're placing bets on everyone while they're working so hard and roping innocent members of the public into your scams! Such indignity!"

"I believe you're mistaken. Scams are Hagakure's thing. I would never place an unfair bet," Celeste smirked, "I am a Gambler. This is what I do. It is my way of honing my talent. It is my way of performing my best."

"Gah! A-Are you serious?" Taka groaned.

However, before Celeste could completely coax him, or continue with her offer to the stranger, Kazuichi Soda of the class above had been attracted to Taka's shouting and had clambered up the bleachers towards the group.

"Hey! You there!" he said to the boy in the black hood, "You look like you're about our age, and you exercise a bit. Mind coming to help us out?"

"Wh-What!?" the hooded character exclaimed, "H-Help you out how?"

However, as he let out this blurt, Makoto's brow furrowed...Something about the way this boy had said that...He recognized that voice...

"Listen man, we're one player short on our B-Ball team since Nagito decided to dip. We can't play against those guys if we don't have a fifth player," Kazuichi explained, "Nekomaru said you were probably a good pick based on the style of your hood and the frame of your body, so take it up with him if you got any complaints."

"H-Hold on a second," the boy exclaimed, turning his head a little Makoto's way as he scramble-spoke to Soda, "why me? Is that really a good idea?"

"Huh? What'dya mean?" Kazuichi asked.

"Well, why invite me over someone with sports talent? You've got other options, don't you?" he asked, "Besides, I'm not from the main course...You guys might get disqualified because of me..."

"Oh, don't worry about stuff like that, man," Kazuichi assured him, "I saw some of our teachers being thrown into games to fill in for people. I think you'll be alright. Anyway, you better work hard so I can show my stuff! Miss Sonia might be watching!"

"H-Hey! I never said I was going to-!?" he exclaimed, but Kazuichi quickly grabbed him by the wrist and pulled him down into the field helplessly.

Having caught a glimpse of his face, Makoto's horrified suspicions were confirmed, and he quickly grabbed Toko's shoulder and started to shake her.

"Toko! Tokotokotokotokotokotoko!" he exclaimed, albeit quietly, "D-Did you see that!?"

"Yeah, I did..." Toko groaned, clearly falling asleep in her spot, "How is that weird to you at this point? People from the public get dragged in all the time..."

"No! That's not the point!" Makoto snapped, "The guy that they just brought on! I think that's HAJIME!"

Junk Food for a Dashing Youth - Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc

"WHAT!?" Toko choked, now fully awake. She and Makoto snapped their attention to the game, and the boy in the black hood kept his hoodie up to hide his face. However, even from a distance, they could just about make out his facial features as he talked to Kazuichi and Ryota and was given a brief rundown. Monomi, however, with her keen eyes, could see quite clearly.

"Oh my word!" she gasped, "it IS Hajime-kun! What in the world is he doing here!?"

"Wait...maybe..." Makoto thought aloud for a moment, "Maybe Hinata-kun thought that meeting us here on the day of the Sports Fes was the best chance he had at getting in contact with us since it's one of the only days in the year where the public can freely enter the academy!?"

"That's so fucking dumb! Of all the stupid options he could've picked, why this one!?" Toko snarled, "The goddamn Steering Committee is still on campus running their little op! If they catch him here, everything we've done will have been for nothing!"

The two 78 students scrambled to grab their mobile phones. They both opened up the Phantom Chat and started to text their teammates.

----------------------------------------------

PTChat

OneTrueEgg: GUYS!

OneTrueEgg: We've got an emergency!

OneTrueEgg: Hinata-kun is HERE!

Pian0Fr3ak: WHAT!?

Chucky: He is!?

Sweetchi: Where!? Where is he!?

Bookworm: Before we answer that, where are the rest of you guys right now?

Kyoko: I'm outside the academy trying to catch wind of the Committee's location before I hurry back for volleyball.

Pian0Fr3ak: I'm also getting ready for volleyball.

Chucky: I think the rest of us are in the hall watching the game.

Bookworm: So that means you guys are seeing what's going on on our class's court, right? The guy they just brought on in the black hood?

Sweetchi: Don't tell me...!?

Kyoko: What's going on?

OneTrueEgg: Kyoko, he's ON THE PITCH!

OneTrueEgg: Class 78 just brought him on as an extra player, and basically everyone's eyes are on him now!

Shoot2Thrill: Ok...This...

Shoot2Thrill: is BAAADD!

Kyoko: God dammit! Hold on, I'm on my way back as fast as I can!

Sweetchi: What can we even hope to do about this!? It's not like we can just keep all these people's attention away from him!

Sweetchi: If by chance any member of the Steering Committee happens to recognize Hinata, it's likely they'll grab him and make off with him as soon as they can! Then what happens!?

Chucky: Actually I think for now Hajime-kun is safe.

Chucky: The Steering Committee care too much about their public image and retaining relations with the world. No matter what excuse they offer, if they grab him kicking and screaming off the pitch, that's going to attract some attention, and not the good kind.

Chucky: His best option would be to play along and join in on the Basketball game. If he keeps the hood over his head, he should be alright.

Kyoko: Chiaki raises a valid point, but even so it would be best to find a way to keep attention away from him. There's nothing stopping any Committee spies from nabbing him after the game ends.

Pian0Fr3ak: And how the hell are we gonna do that?

OneTrueEgg: Ok...I got an idea, but it's stupid and kind of risky.

Shoot2Thrill: Just do it! Anything that'll work! We need to buy time until we can get him to safety!

----------------------------------------------

"Monomi? Toko" Makoto looked back and forth between the bunny and the Writing Prodigy, "Both of you...I'm really sorry about this...!"

"YOWCH!" Monomi let out a loud squeak as Makoto suddenly grabbed her cottontail and yanked some fluff out of it. She rubbed her sore rear, but by the time Toko realized what he was doing, it was already too late.

He was already reaching out a hand towards her and tickling her nose with the fluff.

"No! NononononoNO!" Toko wheezed, smacking his hands away, "YOU MOTHERFUCKAAAACHOOOO!?"

Mr. Monokuma's Lesson - Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc

The sneeze was so loud that lots of heads turned Toko's way, even those on the field. And for those who recognized what this sneeze meant, a lot of faces turned pale, especially Byakuya's.

"YAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAGH! Somebody mashed the Triangle Button and now here I am!" Genocide Jill reeled her head back and started cackling, but her smile faded as she looked down at herself, "Ew! What the fuck am I wearing!?"

"Please just roll with it for now!" Makoto flustered, having kind of dipped himself into this plan without seriously thinking of the consequences, "If that gets ripped, everyone's gonna be very upset."

Fortunately, or unfortunately, Genocide Jill wasn't listening. She had immediately become distracted by the court beneath her and made an astounding bound from above, dropping and rolling onto the pitch, scurrying over to Byakuya.

"Aha! The power of love guides me! I've found you, Master Byakuya!" she squealed excitedly, "Of course you would be here! Master's slender body is perfect for basketball! And that gym uniform is SOOOO HOOOT!"

"Hiro. Rejoice; I have a job for you," Byakuya glowered, "Detain her."

"What!? You want me to detain HER!?" Yasuhiro immediately went into panic mode, "Byakuya, please! Anything but that!"

"I'm coming for youuuuuu!" Jill shrieked, reaching for her scissor holster, but quickly realized she didn't have them on her person, so she instead tried to scratch at Hiro with her nails. Gozu, however, interfered, grabbed Jill, hoisted her into the air, and carried her off the pitch...

And he ended up doing this repeatedly, even after the game began, much to Hajime's evident confusion. However, his thoughts were interrupted when Mondo, who decided to let this situation defuse on its own, approached him.

"Hey," he said, with Hajime looking up, since he had at least a foot over him, "Haven't seen your face before. But it doesn't matter; I'm gonna kick your ass anyway."

Hajime wasn't sure what to say here. Without even knowing who this guy was, Hajime could tell that he'd taken a swan dive into Shits Creek. Even if this guy's talent didn't have to do with sports, he looked like he'd be a tough opponent anyway.

But knowing that he couldn't just walk away, Hajime swallowed his fear and decided to just play along and join in.

"You guys may be Ultimate's, but you're not all athletes! We can still win!" he asserted. Mondo grinned smugly.

"Bring it on! This is a test of manliness!" he snapped.

As absurd as it had been, Makoto's plan had worked like an absolute charm. As the boys basketball game continued, the Ultimate Murderous Fiend kept popping up and trying to interrupt their game so she could get to Byakuya, constantly having to be fended off by Coach Gozu. Because of this, a lot of the audience members were having a little game of their own, keeping a keen eye out for when and where the purple slasher would pop her head up next.

It got a lot of laughs from the crowd, and even though a lot of the attention was on his class's game, said attention was not on Hajime, who, despite being forced into this situation, was playing normally and actually holding his own somewhat.

Makoto had to wonder if he still had his Ultimate Talents after what happened in the Palace, but if he did, he certainly wasn't showing it.

Keeping an eye on the game as it progressed, trying to keep an eye on both Hajime and Jill in case things got out of control, Makoto and Monomi continued to eagerly watch Makoto and Chiaki's classmates go at it; the sound of sneakers squeaking on the shiny floor filled the court, audible even over the cheering.

Mondo, Byakuya, Hiro, Hifumi, and Leon were on one team, and Kazuichi, Nekomaru, Ryota, Gundham were on the other. The score was still tied as the timer ran down. There was a noticeable sense of tension as both teams battled it out to win. The gymnasium was alive with energy as the crowd let out excited cheers.

Unfortunately for Makoto's class, Class 77 had a distinct advantage over the clumsy Hiro and the slow Hifumi simply because they had their fair share of exuberant students on their side. It was also evident that Ryota had not underplayed his own athletic prowess. Hajime ran down the court and swiped the ball from Leon in the last seconds of the game. He was obviously not a professional, but with a quick dribble, he dove under defenders and swiftly passed the ball to Nekomaru.

The buzzer went off, and Nekomaru went on to make a miraculous half-court shot. The whole gym held its breath as the ball shot through the air in what seemed like slow motion. And then it went through the net with a satisfying swish, giving the 77-B Class an incredible victory.

Cheers broke out from the crowd as everyone gathered around Nekomaru to celebrate their moment of unadulterated victory. Although Makoto was relieved that he had been able to deceive the situation, he was a little disappointed that his classmates had lost. He was a little uneasy, though, as he turned to face the court.

With the game set and done, Hajime tried to quickly make an escape before anyone could stop and thank him, but before he could, Mondo of all people suddenly strode over and rested a hand on his shoulder. At first, Hajime was worried he was about to get beaten to a paste, but he looked up slowly and saw that Mondo's expression was...surprisingly calm.

"Hey. That last shot was awesome," he smirked, "Good game, man."

"Y-Yeah, good game. That was really tough..." Hajime wheezed, and he certainly wasn't lying. It had taken everything he had to stand up to these guys.

"Don't think I've seen you around before," Mondo said, shaking his hand, "you new?"

"New? No, I'm not in the main course," Hajime told him, "I'm just here filling in for someone..."

"Ah, helping out a friend, huh? I gotta respect that." Mondo nodded. Hajime shook his head.

"It's nothing that cool...I'm just going to try not to get in the way."

"Ha! You've got determination on your face! We should do this again sometime!"

"Hey, Owada! Come on, we gotta discuss our plan for the next game!" Leon called out, "We're breaking now, but we gotta redeem ourselves for the next match!"

"Yeah, you got it!" Mondo called back, turning to see Class 79-A step into the benches, "So we're up against you guys, huh? Never thought I'd find someone bigger than me!"

"Owada-senpai! This Gonta's first time ever playing basketball, but...Gonta will do his best!" Gonta assured him with a big smile. Mondo nodded.

"Good luck to you, big guy," he smiled back, "Man, you're like a really big...puppy dog..."

"Oh...Gonta like dogs!" Gonta beamed as Mondo seemed to get a little bleary-eyed for some reason, "Of course, Gonta like bugs the best..."

"More than dogs?" Mondo frowned, "Well, let's settle this with a game of basketball!"

While Mondo's fighting spirit was ignited, Hajime noticed that Fuyuhiko Kuzuryu had shown up to the hall, and it seemed like he was about to take Hajime's place as the team extra. So he quietly slipped away, and noticing this, Makoto and Monomi both heaved sighs of relief.

That had been too close for comfort. All he could do now was pray and hope Hajime didn't get dragged into any more games before he had a chance to confront him.

Beautiful Morning - Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc

----------------------------------------------

OneTrueEgg: Crisis averted.

Shoot2Thrill: Can I just say that that was an absolutely genius play on your part, dear brother.

Sweetchi: I must agree.

Pian0Fr3ak: Quite so.

Chucky: I suppose this is why you're the leader, huh?

OneTrueEgg: Trust me, I'm not usually this intellectual.

OneTrueEgg: Also this is probably the first time that I'm actually scared of TOKO being the one to come out, because this time SHE'S the one that's probably going to kill me.

Kyoko: I'm sure she'll find it in her heart to forgive you.

Pian0Fr3ak: Oh yeah!

Pian0Fr3ak: I know it was probably cut short by the interruption but...

Pian0Fr3ak: How did things turn out on your end, Kyoko?

Sweetchi: Did you find anything of note?

Kyoko: Well, I have confirmed one thing.

Kyoko: Everything was indeed put in place, and the transfer seems to be in process.

Kyoko: The Steering Committee are gathering up the equipment from the lab and preparing to transport it as we speak.

Chucky: Isn't that...bad?

Kyoko: Well, yes and no.

Kyoko: It's bad in the sense that they're getting rid of the evidence, but I secretly took pictures of the lab equipment both as they were loading them into the trucks, and the first time we were down in the lab.

Kyoko: So even if they escape with this equipment for now, they're not getting off the hook so readily.

Kyoko: And fortunately, Hajime's sudden appearance has made me quite confident that the Steering Committee have been unsuccessful in finding him.

Kyoko: Which means that for now, I can confidently claim this mission was a success.

Shoot2Thrill: Aces!

Shoot2Thrill: So now what?

Kyoko: My only course of action is to play a good student and participate in the events as I should be doing.

Kyoko: Not just to retain my cover, but also to keep a close eye on Hajime, and see to it that the Steering Committee don't interrupt any events so they can grab him.

Kyoko: So long as he keeps a low profile from this point forward, I think we should be safe.

Kyoko: Especially since it's only their security we need to worry about. The Committee members themselves are too distracted with the transfer.

OneTrueEgg: Looks like things are finally looking up in our favor.

Chucky: About time.

Chucky: Anyway, Volleyball should be starting soon, right? Good luck out there Kyoko-chan, Toko-chan and Kaede.

Chucky: And don't underestimate Sonia-san. She's surprisingly good at these kinds of sports.

Kyoko: Thank you. I'll do my best.

Pian0Fr3ak: Yeah! Thank you Chiaki-senpai!

----------------------------------------------

Kyoko put her phone down and into the pocket of her gym bag as she made her way onto the volleyball court as the game began. The other girls in her class were preparing to go up against Chiaki's class for the first round, just as the boys had done with basketball. Hopefully, they would prove to be more successful.

"Is everybody ready?" she asked, looking around at her teammates. Junko shook her head.

"Eh, not yet. Toko's on our team too, right?" she asked, "Where did she go?"

"Oh, um...about that..."

Before Kyoko could finish responding, something moved above the group like a flash and came crashing down in the middle of them, quickly rising to her feet and cackling manically.

"TADA! Volleyball time, biatches!" she said, twirling her Genoscissors in the air, "Master promised he'd watch our game, so you'd better not slip up!"

"What!? She's Genocide Jack now!?" Sayaka exclaimed.

"I do not believe Byakuya will have time to watch," Mukuro stated, "He'll be preoccupied with his own game-"

"SHSHSHSH! Muku-chan, shush!" Junko demanded, "Man, I-I don't think I can keep up with you..."

"And I don't think I'm gonna keep up with a pretty little fashionista!" Jill boasted, "But none of that matters when I slice the ball to pieces! Kyahahaha!"

"A-Alright, change of plan," Sayaka steeled her expression, "Mukuro-chan. Your job is to pass the ball and stop Genocide Jill from slashing it."

"Understood," Mukuro saluted, "and don't worry. I'm positive it will be fine. After all, we have an ace player in Asahina-chan. I do believe you mentioned that you were on a basketball team before, so we should pretty easily win this."

"Mukuro! You actually remembered that I play sports!" Hina beamed, "Leave it to me! I'm going to do my best!"

"Indeed. I'll pass you the ball. Make sure you make the shots." Mukuro affirmed.

"We'll be relying on you too, Sakura-chan," Junko added, "Let's do our best."

"I will do what I can. But volleyball is a team sport," Sakura reminded her, "I will need your support as well."

"Yeah, yeah. Well, I think I can help out here," Junko nodded, her face still and monotonous, "Despite my appearance, I'm actually pretty good at predicting my opponent's moves."

"That is someone reassuring," Sakura smiled, "but...are you quite alright?"

"What's wrong, Junko-chan? You look like you have no energy!" Hina said. Junko shrugged.

"Well, tbh, I've got no energy or motivation. I'll do my best, sure, but I'm not as pumped as I'd like to be," she said, "Do I look like I play any sports?"

"I see... Well, you ARE a model...I can understand that you want to avoid bruises or breaking a nail..." Hina considered, "But it's good to move your body! And a diet, too!"

"A diet, huh? I don't really need one of those." Junko smirked. Hina sighed.

"Oh, definitely not. If anything, I should be getting pointers from you..." she said.

"Pfft! NOW who's all dismal and down!?" Junko scoffed, "If you wanna really fire me up...bring me a despairingly strong enemy!"

"Oh, speaking of which," Sayaka piped up again, "we should probably scout out our opposing teams."

"Indeed," Sakura affirmed, "especially since our current adversaries seem to already be scouting us out."

The girls all turned towards the net and saw that the captain of the opposing side, Sonia Nevermind, the Ultimate Princess, was gazing at them with considerable fire in her eyes.

"Oh, so we're up against your team first, Sonia! I bet this'll be a good match!" Hina beamed.

"Wow, my opponents are none other than the formidable Asahina and the even more formidable Ikusaba..." Sonia gasped, "However, I have a duty as a member of the royal family to overcome this powerful foe...My body's readiness is hella maximum! You have my permission to bring it, fool!"

"I don't know what that means, but now you've done it! I'm gonna go all out!" Hina pumped her arms, the fire inside her reigniting as quickly as it had dispersed.

"I...don't think I can even attempt to match whatever style she is conveying..." Mukuro coughed awkwardly.

"And it looks like the other team's captain is Kirumi Tojo-chan," Sayaka looked over towards the bench, seeing that Kirumi was talking to the rest of her teammates.

Somehow, despite the cacophony of the crowd, Kirumi heard her name and turned to look at Sayaka.

"Oh, sorry, I was just making observations," Sayaka assured her, "Let's have a good match."

"I received a request to support the whole team and work together for a good game..." Kirumi nodded, "I am sure you and your team will pull through. I look forward to our match."

"I doubt this game will be boring. She may look like this, but Maizono-san is actually pretty built," Kyoko told her.

"Be that as it may, I feel very reassured that we have all of you guys on the team," Sayaka smiled, "I can't let you do all the work. Let's do our best to support each other!"

"Well said, Sayaka. Although we train our bodies, most of us are unaccustomed to team events..." Sakura nodded, "Victory cannot be achieved without your help...I appreciate it."

"Yes! Let's put our all into it!" Sayaka beamed.

Watching the teams cheer and prepare for the upcoming match, the other classrooms watched as Yukizome-sensei served as the umpire for this game. Sitting on the side, Kaede Akamatsu had put her cheerleader uniform to the side and was focusing on watching the game, with Maki Harukawa and Tsumugi Shirogane next to her.

"There's one unpredictable person on the second-year team..." Maki said under her breath, just loud enough that the girls next to her could hear, "We should watch out for them."

"You mean Genocide Jill?" Kaede asked, "Yeah, she seems pretty dangerous. If we do go against her, we should probably be careful. But we won't have to worry about it if Class 77 wins."

"Class 77 are another issue entirely," Maki retorted, "they have the likes of Akane Owari and Ibuki Mioda on their side...The only saving grace is that I don't think they understand the rules. Even so, they might be dangerous...so it might be a good idea to stay away from them."

"Wow...You're really analyzing the team, Maki. You're like a character straight from a sports manga!" Tsumugi squeed, "I'd love to hear what thoughts are going through your head!"

"Don't get it twisted. I'm not really expecting anything, especially from the ones on my team," Maki replied with a light but mean jab, "...It'd be better to avoid doing anything too rash, so we don't hurt ourselves."

"Thanks for worrying about us, Maki...But I'll do my best today!" Kaede pumped her arms.

"Yeah, I think I'll do well here," Tsumugi added, "I've cosplayed as basketball manga characters a few times too!"

Maki sighed.

"I have no expectations of either of you."

It didn't take long for the basketball and volleyball events to end after that, and the field sports started up shortly after.

Fortunately, Class 78 had managed to redeem themselves after their defeat in the first round of basketball, and with some hard work and good team building, they'd done really well in volleyball too.

Although their final battle against Class 77-A had come down to the wire, it was a suspenseful moment for the viewers as the score was deadlocked and the final point got closer. The underdog squad executed an incredible play that had everyone in shock, securing the victory point with an ingenious and unexpected fake-out move.

The good news about transitioning everyone to the field now was that there was no need to worry about space or being cramped. Hope's Peak's field had more than enough space to fit everybody, and the students had tents all to themselves.

Well, Makoto HAD asked for Komaru to be an exception so she could come in and cheer. But now, Hifumi Yamada with Yasuhiro Hagakure, Sayaka Maizono with Chihiro Fujisaki, and Kyoko Kirigiri with Mukuro Ikusaba were stepping up to the field.

Kyoko had never done a three-legged race before, but in principle, it was fairly simple. She knew she was perfectly capable of running with her legs bound, and her only cause for concern would be a lack of synergy with her teammate.

In that regard, Mukuro was the perfect companion. She was straightforward and easy to communicate with; she always carried herself with proper form and precision; and she understood whatever instructions were provided.

Being the first pair up to run, Kyoko stood on the track alongside Mukuro. On her right-hand side were Chiaki Nanami and Sonia Nevermind from the class above. On their left were Maki Harukawa and Tenko Chabashira from the class below.

"Hm...tricky..." she pondered aloud, "Let's do our best, Mukuro-san."

"Even though you don't appear athletic, you seem to be getting decent P.E grades," Mukuro recalled, "Then, I'll be depending on you."

"That's my line," Kyoko smirked, "You're the one who's been on actual battlefields before. Even if I didn't know that, I can tell from your movements that you exercise quite a bit."

Mukuro said nothing but nodded.

"This is my first time doing a three-legged race," Sonia in the next lane over looked down at the rope in Chiaki's hands, "I look forward to working with you."

"Oh...it's my first time too," Chiaki smiled quietly at her, "As beginners, let's do our best to clear this co-op challenge."

"I see... I am a little relieved to hear that," Sonia gripped her arm and flexed, "The two of us shall work together. Just like in school dramas, let us work up a youthful sweat!"

"What school dramas are about sweating?" Chiaki frowned, "Anyway, I look forward to working with you."

*You can do this Chiaki...* she thought internally, *It's just like in rhythm games where you need to push two buttons at the same time.*

"I feel like having you is like having the help of 100 people, Maki!" Tenko struck a determined pose, "Let's go for the gold!"

"You're pretty pumped about this," Maki said, not matching anywhere near the same level of excitement, "Well, I don't plan to hold back."

"Ooohh! You look calm, but you're competitive, aren't you? I can definitely rely on you!" Tenko beamed. Maki shook her head.

"Well, not really...but you can assume whatever you want."

"I'll do just that then!" Tenko asserted, "If it's us, I know going to the top will be a piece of cake!"

Tenko's excitement was significantly higher than anyone else in the first lineup, and it attracted the attention of the other runners quite quickly. But Kyoko's vision was focused more on Maki than it was on her.

Maki noticed this and decided to call her out on it.

"...Are you cautious of me?" she asked.

"Was I staring at you rudely?" Kyoko smiled at her, "I didn't mean it like that...I'm sorry if I hurt your feelings in any way."

"You...didn't do anything. I just felt like you were."

"You're sharp. You and your partner, Tenko..." Kyoko told her, "You both have superior physical abilities, so I took note of how powerful you two are."

"Well, true. Even though sports festivals are a pain...I don't intend to hold back," Maki asserted, "There's someone in my class who would nag me if I don't do my best."

"If it helps, you're not the only one I'm cautious of," Kyoko said, turning her head to the other lane, "I should not underestimate the Ultimate Princess's leadership skills."

"So the person in the next lane is Kyoko!" Sonia furrowed her brow and steeled her eyes for the challenge, "I shall be your opponent!"

"And Mukuro-chan too," Chiaki gazed at the Ultimate Soldier, "I'm sensing a strong energy coming from her."

"Shouldn't you be saying, "I look forward to our match?"," Kyoko asked, "Well anyway, likewise."

"Chiaki Nanami, you seem like the kind to spend her time indoors rather than on the field," Mukuro observed, "It would certainly be more difficult if we were up against Owari or Pekoyama."

"Hm, it's true I can't run like Akane or Peko, but...speed's not the only important stat here," Chiaki puffed her cheeks out in determination and frustration.

"The Kingdom of Novoselic has no events like this, so I am most excited!" Sonia cast a hand out, "I fully intend to go all out!"

"It seems you're pretty enthusiastic about this," Kyoko, in preparation, pulled a hair tie out of her shirt pocket and started to tie her long hair into it, "I'm sure you'll be difficult to beat."

"Well...we won't know until we try..." Mukuro averted her gaze, "Maybe you're faster than you look..."

"Alright. I need to prepare my protective gear," Chiaki nodded, "and by that, I mean I need to tie the rope around our legs correctly..."

While the other teams started to do the same, Chiaki leaned down and attempted to tie the knot around her and Sonia's ankles. Unfortunately, she was struggling quite a bit, and her forehead wrinkled in annoyance. She had always relied on others to tie knots because she was not particularly adept at them. But this time, her teammate and her classmates were relying on her, and the rope would not stay tightened, constantly falling apart with even the slightest tug.

She attempted to follow the internet directions, but the more she tried to mimic the complex twists and turns, the more twisted the rope got.

"Huh...it's not working out..." she said with a defeated expression on her face.

Noticing her trouble, Kyoko stopped what she was doing for a moment and walked over, kneeling down and taking the rope from her.

"There's a trick to it. Watch."

With a few quick finger movements, Kyoko undid the knot and started to show how to wrap the rope around her and Sonia's legs in a straightforward but secure manner. She tied the knot with a flourish, and Chiaki stared in wonder as she did the same for Mukuro and her own legs.

"Hmm...I see..." Chiaki pondered.

"You tie it tight, so that the legs are firmly together," Kyoko told her, "That's what's needed for competition."

"Thanks, got it." Chiaki nodded, "If you're teaching this to your opponents...I wonder if a passionate rivalry will bloom?"

"It's no trouble," Kyoko nodded with a small smirk, "And besides, I don't think we'll lose just from that little tip."

"Yeah, you're definitely my rival...I think," Chiaki pumped herself up, "I can't lose."

While this was happening, behind the girls were a group of boys from the same year groups. Including Shuichi, who had partnered up with Kaito. They were on the far left lane just as Tenko and Maki were, and on their right were the duo of Hifumi and Hiro, and on THEIR right were the duo of Kazuichi Soda and Fuyuhiko Kuzuryu, neither of whom seemed to be especially happy with their arrangement.

Shuichi watched as the umpire fired the shot to signify they were going, and to their credit, none of the girls fumbled early on. He wasn't sure which side to cheer for since his fellow Phantom Thieves were in the other two lanes, but in the end, he resorted to cheering for his classmates as Tenko and Maki took the lead, with Mukuro and Kyoko close behind them.

"Alright, bro! It's finally time to show off the results of all our training! We can't lose to Maki-Roll, y'hear?" Kaito asserted, lightly jabbing Shuichi's shoulder, "Don't hesitate! There's no way we can lose after training through blood, sweat, and tears!"

"Blood, sweat, and tears sound like a little too much..." Shuichi stammered before smirking confidently, "But it's true that this training will give us an edge in the festival. I feel like we can win!"

"I've already decided I'm gonna win at everything today!" Kaito beamed, "So as my sidekick, you better support me!"

"I don't think I can be a "sidekick" in a 3-legged race..." Shuichi chuckled, "but I'll do my best."

As they prepared themselves for their own run, Kaito observed the other teams while Shuichi tied their rope. And being Kaito, he decided to strike up a conversation with them.

"Oh, hey Kuzuryu-senpai!" he called and waved to the Ultimate Yakuza, "Never thought I'd be going up against you!"

"What? Am I not allowed to be here or something?" Fuyuhiko almost growled back, "Did you think I'd just ditch school events?"

"Nah, man! I'm glad you're here!" Kaito smiled, "I always thought you were the type that'd show up to this stuff! Especially if it was for your classmates! I know how much they mean to you!"

"Geez...don't act like you've got me figured out; I never wanted to do any of this lame shit," Fuyuhiko grumbled, but then smirked right back, "But now that I'm here, there's no way I'm gonna embarrass myself. I'm gonna win this thing!"

"Right on! It won't be a real challenge unless you come at me with everything you got!" Kaito laughed, "That goes for you two too, Yamada-senpai and Hagakure-senpai! Although, I gotta admit...that hairdo does look like it'd be hard to run with..."

"Honestly...when I run, it shakes back and forth and gets in the way," Hiro giggled, scratching his nose.

"You think that's bad?" Hifumi grinned, "My whole body shakes back and forth when I try to run!"

"Hahaha, that is pretty bad! I can tell just by looking at you!" Kaito guffawed, "Just thinking about it is making me laugh. Was that your strategy the whole time!?"

"Try not to get distracted, Kaito..." Shuichi pleaded with him.

Chapter End Notes

So while I didn't want it to be dragged out too much, this part of the story, as I mentioned before briefly, is gonna take a while.
These chapters will be touching on some important character developments for our main heroes, while also giving the side characters a time to shine, even those that don't get much because they aren't confidants.
One of the big problems with this story is it's difficult to give every character in the main series a lot of screentime because there's far too many. Which is why most of the story focuses on the Thieves themselves, and their confidants on the side.
But just prepare for a couple chapters, including this one, filled with fun and games, as well as some character lore as we put the finishing touches on this arc of the story.
Thank you for reading. I love to get feedback from my readers, so feel free to leave a comment, and some kudos if you feel up to it.

Go, Go, Phantom Thieves! Change Their Hearts and all that stuff...

Chapter Summary

As the chaotic Sports Day at Hope's Peak continues, the Phantom Thieves work together to track down Hajime.

Chapter Notes

See the end of the chapter for notes

Beautiful Morning - Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc

The Sports Day already felt like it was getting into full swing, but at long last, Makoto's first event rolled around. Soccer.

So while he was getting ready for the game, he quickly handed Monomi and the bag she was in over to Kyoko for safekeeping, while he got his boots on and made his way to the bleachers, ready to discuss whatever strategy they had for the game.

Most of the boys in his class had hastily come together for the sake of the team, with an interesting addition. Due to their limited number of players, a boy named Yuta Asahina, Aoi Asahina's younger brother, had agreed to fill in for them. Given that Yuta seemed just as sporty as his sister, the class was glad to have him.

As the coach called everyone in for a final pep talk, the team's captain, Taka, stood tall and delivered a motivational speech that filled his teammates with determination.

"We've trained hard for this moment, and now it's time to show everyone what we're made of!" he declared, his eyes shining with a fierce determination.

Nearby, though, the girls of the Phantom Thieves were having their own party.

"Alright girls! We've got a few new last-minute additions to our squad!" Ibuki Mioda, cheerleading captain, noted Komaru's arrival, who awkwardly waved, "But it don't matter! Soccer's THE cheerleading sport! So I wanna see all ya'll girls give it yo ALL! Also, thanks for showing up, Toko-chan; I actually kinda didn't think you would!"

"Kehahahahaha! Master Byakuya's long legs are suited for stepping on faces and balls!" Genocide Jill cackled. Ibuki also cackled.

"I'm going to repress the fact that you said that!" she beamed, "Now let's get started! Cheer for your classmates as loud as you can! No! LOUDER!"

Her instructions made absolutely no sense, but Komaru and Kaede were very easily able to roll with them. The first match was going to be Kaede's class and Makoto's class against one another, and the crowd was patiently waiting for them to get ready on the pitch.

Kaede was going to cheer for her own class since she wanted them to win, but at the same time, she didn't especially want Makoto's class to lose either.

"Oh, Kaede! Here to cheer for us?"

Kaede turned to see who was talking to her. It was the captain of her class's team, the Ultimate Adventurer, Rantaro Amami.

"I didn't know that you'd joined the cheerleading squad. There's supporting your class, and then there's this."

"Aw, quit flattering me. I just felt it'd be fun, that's all," she giggled, "Good luck out there. Remember, I'll be cheering you on."

"We don't have any athletes on our team, so I dunno if we can win..." Rantaro smiled, "But we're gonna do our best! Cheer loud for us!"

"Will do!" Kaede winked.

As the cheerleaders were getting set up, Kyoko and Monomi watched the game from a distance. Despite bleachers being prepared for the students use only, the Ultimate Detective instead chose to observe the game perched atop a brick wall a fair distance away. The rabbit jittered excitedly, clearly looking forward to watching Makoto show off his skills in the game.

"We're a little bit far away, aren't we?" Monomi asked, looking up at the detective, "Surely moving closer wouldn't hurt?"

"This is far enough," Kyoko said, "Just give me a moment to compose myself. Large crowds and lots of people have always interrupted my thoughts."

"You're still worried about Hajime-kun, aren't you?" Monomi asked, "We haven't run into him since the basketball game."

"Be that as it may, I'm convinced he's still somewhere on campus," Kyoko said, "I'm glad we haven't seen him and that he's not been swept up in any more games, but I'd like to confirm his location and potentially his reasons for being here as soon as possible."

"The best spot to do that will be during the break in the proceedings. That's when the confectionary and food students bring out the banquet for everybody, I believe," Monomi told her, "We'll need to make sure we keep an eye out for...Uwah!?"

Monomi quickly shut up because, despite Kyoko's isolation on the wall, they were suddenly alerted to the presence of another. A tall, fair-skinned young lady with long, silver hair arranged in two braids on either side of her head. Silently, she sat down on the same wall, seeming to not initially acknowledge Kyoko's presence or the rabbit on her lap.

"Pekoyama-san?" Kyoko spoke her name "Are you here to support them? Are you sure you wouldn't like to sit closer?"

"No...Raising my voice and making a scene...That kind of cheering isn't really my style," Peko replied, still looking directly forward, sitting up perfectly straight, "Looking on from afar is perfect. Besides, you're also cheering from here, aren't you, Kirigiri-san? I'm sorry if I interrupted you."

"You didn't. It's fine," Kyoko reassured her, "and it's...how do I put this...? I'm more just watching. I'll have plenty of time to cheer for them at the ceremony."

Peko didn't respond. So with a deafening silence in the air, both girls looked back towards the football pitches.

"H-Hey! You can't just sit in silence!" Monomi snapped, "Make conversation with her! The tension is killing me!"

*Well, what do you want me to even say!?* Kyoko groaned internally, but did as Monomi requested and raised her voice barely above a whisper, "Looks like the matches are starting. And it looks like your class is participating."

"Yes...Your classmates are participating as well." Peko nodded.

And the silence came right back again. As the two classes played against one another, Peko and Kyoko watched them quietly as it proceeded. And Monomi could not bear it.

"Alright, that does it," she said, "Listen! I have some things I want to say to Pekoyama-chan, so if I say them, will you translate for me?"

Kyoko sighed.

"Oh...alright..." she groaned.

"Pardon?" Peko turned, "Who are you talking to?"

"Well, my rabbit. Well, actually, she's Naegi-kun's rabbit. I'm just looking after her while he plays," Kyoko lifted Monomi up and played with her ears.

Peko looked down and gave Monomi a...strange look...A look that looked like it was...eager...Eager for what she didn't know, but worrying that she was entering dangerous territory, Kyoko cleared her throat, and Monomi made a lot of squeaking noises, which Kyoko relayed into actual words for Peko to hear.

"Monomi's been here since the beginning, and she's been cheering everybody on the whole time," Kyoko explained, "She saw yours and cheered for you, Pekoyama-san."

"...Me?" Peko looked perturbed.

"Your moves were amazing. It's no wonder you're the Ultimate Swordswoman..." Monomi complemented, which Kyoko then relayed to her, "Even so, you always keep your cool and assist your teammates...I was so impressed!"

"I see...so you were watching me very closely..." Peko looked at the fluffy pink and white ball, who looked strangely smug with herself.

"Hehehe... Doesn't it make you happy to know someone was cheering for you?" Monomi snickered, "I bet everyone you cheer for will feel just as happy, too."

Peko reflected on Monomi's words for a moment, but their attention was turned back to the game as the captains of both teams greeted each other on the pitch. Even from this far away, Nekomaru Nidai's booming voice was as audible as if he were yelling through a megaphone.

"Let's have a good game, fair and square! GET YOUR GAME FACES ON!!!" he roared. Fortunately for the big guy, Kiyotaka Ishimaru's voice was equally bold and loud.

"Nekomaru. I have the deepest respect for how you support others so passionately!" he asserted, "I am honored to fight against you! I look forward to it!"

"AHAHA! Glad to hear it!" Nekomaru laughed heartily, "Going up against a guy like you will be as refreshing as taking a huge shit!"

"Alright, I'll be a defender or whatever!" Leon Kuwata grinned, "Makoto, you play forward; get us some goals."

"The heck do you mean "get us some goals!?" Th-That's your entire strategy!?" Makoto spluttered.

"Calm down, Makoto. It's soccer," Leon shrugged, "We can't even win with this team anyway. I mean, even if we do, that other class has the Ultimate Robot in it. I bet he transforms and has a rocket booster leg and stuff. Ain't that unfair?"

"No, I don't think he does...But if we're against Nidai and Class 77...Maybe not, but I'll still try my hardest!" Makoto asserted, "Besides, are you sure you want to be in defense? I think it'd be best if you were on attack, Kuwata-kun."

"You mean a striker? Huh...Now that you mention it, I bet a lot of flashy goals will impress the ladies..." Leon pondered, "Yeah! You've got a good mind for this shit, Naegi-kun!"

"Well, it won't work if you don't show the effort," Makoto said, "and I'm only saying this so that Taka-kun doesn't later."

"You don't gotta worry about that! I'm starting to love soccer!" Leon grinned, "I don't have to shave my head for this!"

"Hey... Are you underestimating soccer?" Nekomaru cracked his knuckles, having overheard this, "This is perfect. There's some things I've been wanting to say to you. I'll be your opponent!"

"Whoa, hey, relax!" Leon broke out into a cold sweat, feeling the pressure of Nekomaru's glare.

The game started, and immediately it was off to quite the start. Both teams showed amazing skill and tenacity from the moment the whistle blew. Class 78-A depended on their quickness and agility to mount rapid counterattacks, while Class 77-B controlled possession by passing the ball quickly and with accuracy.

"So you guys gotta run out to the front!" Nekomaru strategized on the fly, "Tanaka! Kuzuryu! You guys'll be our point of attack!"

"What!? Us!? Why not you!?" Fuyuhiko exclaimed, running alongside the coach, "Big guy like you'd be way better for that, right!?"

"You've both got guts! There's no need to hold back! JUST DO IT!!!" Nekomaru roared, and both the force of his voice and the pounding of his footsteps threatened to knock everyone on the pitch over.

"Kehehe...So you will count me as a mere pawn on your chessboard," Gundham started to ramble, "But that arrogance amuses me! Very amusing, Nekomaru! I shall leave my fate to you for now! Guardian with hair of flames...will your flimsy barrier be able to stop my Reihado-kick!?"

"Ra-hee-do WHAT NOW!?" Leon spat, "Da fuck are you talkin' about!?"

"I'm worried about being up front with this guy...but I'll trust you for now, Nidai..." Fuyuhiko hid a wry smirk, "If you're gonna be using me...you better not show me any weak shit."

On the field, tensions increased as the game went on. The athletes made bone-crushing (not really) tackles and audacious dribbles as they battled tooth and claw for every inch of ground. The goalies had to make numerous outstanding stops to keep their teams in the game, which kept them on their toes.

And from nearby, while the younger Lucky Student was on the pitch putting in his A-Game, the older Lucky Student watched silently. That was until one of his classmates strode up and joined him.

"Komaeda-kun?" Ryota Mitarai greeted Nagito Komaeda, who turned his head halfway once he heard his name be called, "I didn't think I would find you here. Did you come to provide the athletes with your support?"

"Yes, now that my events have ended," Nagito nodded as Ryota leaned against the barricade with him, "I'm relieved I arrived without any problems."

"You have always enjoyed observing other people's talents, haven't you?" Ryota responded, "I'm surprised you've come to cheer despite there being no Ultimate Soccer Player here."

"I just want to see the moment my classmates all shine as symbols of hope," Nagito smiled, "But being in an event not related to your talent isn't really what I'd call despair...Ultimates can easily overcome something like that."

"I see...Well, I DON'T see, but I'm just going to accept your words as they are..." Ryota chuckled awkwardly, "Maybe that be considered an expression of hope? I could be able to apply my attention to detail, for instance, to succeed in soccer. I wanted to go to other events, but maybe I should have joined the team after all."

"That's exactly right! I knew you'd be able to think of something like that, Mitarai-kun!" Nagito exclaimed, grabbing Ryota by the shoulder suddenly, which made him jump, "Oh...sorry, I...didn't mean to frighten you..."

"No, it doesn't bother me. This was an interesting discussion," Ryota acknowledged, "Unfortunately, I don't think it really brought me any closer to understanding you."

"I'm glad that scum like me can be of use to someone like you, Mitarai-kun." Nagito smiled, before both of them turned their attention back to the game.

The intensity increased even more once the second half began. Makoto's class increased their onslaught, launching wave after wave of blows in the direction of their upperclassmen's objective. However, the 77th Class were not going to back down, challenging the 78th Class's defense with their potent shots and mounting counterattacks of their own.

The score was still tied at one with just minutes remaining in the game. Visitors from the public held their breath in anticipation of a breakthrough, creating a tangible sense of tension in the field. During the last seconds of stoppage time, Makoto chose to show off his abilities and succeeded in breaching the opposition's defense with an incredible demonstration of talent and teamwork.

With Leon on one side and Taka on the other, they closed in, getting past Fuyuhiko and Nekomaru, and then, after the Lucky Student passed the ball one last time to the Moral Compass, Taka scored the decisive goal right as the referee called time.

In one of the most dramatic soccer matches the city had ever witnessed, the 78th Class scored the game-winning goal, and the crowd let out a cheer. Both teams expressed their gratitude to one another for a valiant effort in the face of defeat, understanding that they had given it their all on the field that day.

"THAT'S MY BROTHER! WOOOO!" Komaru cheered at the top of her lungs, making Makoto a little embarrassed but happy.

And nearby, having watched from the beginning, a quiet young man in a black hoodie clapped for him.

Abnormality on the Girls Front Line - Danganronpa Another Episode: Ultra Despair Girls

"That was awesome, Makoto!" Komaru enthused once the games had finished and they'd made it off the pitch, "That stuff you did in the first match was incredible! I mean, I know you've been working out lately, but it's really paid off!"

"Hey, it was Ishimaru-kun that scored. I just knew to put my trust in him," Makoto assured her, "still, thank you very much. Where'd everyone else go?"

"Well, Kaede's going to cheer for some of the other events with Mioda-san...Jill went off somewhere to look for Byakuya...Chiaki-chan's gonna take part in the girls cavalry battle pretty soon, but she's free right now...And Shuichi's still loitering around the football pitch right now. Kyoko and Monomi are...oh, there!"

"There's still a bit of time before your next event, isn't there?" Kyoko asked as she and Monomi approached suddenly.

"Since most of us Phantom Thieves aren't doing anything right now, we've decided to look around to see if we can find Hajime-kun anywhere," Monomi said, "The sooner we manage to locate him, the better."

"Right...We don't want him getting dragged into any more events..." Makoto considered, "But hey, I might not have known Hinata-kun for very long, but something tells me he's learned his lesson. My best bet is he's keeping as much of a distance as he can so he can avoid getting called on for anything."

"I was watching the game from quite a distance away, but I didn't see him," Kyoko said, "Even if he is trying to avoid that, I don't think he's trying to isolate himself."

"So the best assumption would be that he's sticking to the more heavy crowds of people where he won't stand out," Monomi considered, "We should try and look for anyone wearing a black hoodie. We should split up for now and-"

"Ah! There you guys are. I've been looking for you!"

The group turned to see Sayaka Maizono hurrying up to them, carefully making her way through all the people gathered around until she reached them. She breathed a sigh of relief, glad to be out of the tight squeeze, before she addressed them.

"I'm really sorry if I'm interrupting anything..." she swiftly apologized.

"No, it's nothing. We were just talking about our plan for the afternoon," Makoto assured her, "what's wrong? Did something happen?"

"Yeah, well, nothing major. I just needed a hand with something," Sayaka explained, "Hey, Komaru-san?"

"Anything-I mean yes?" Komaru choked, blushing like a tomato, simply by being in Sayaka's presence.

"Sorry, I know you're trying really hard to cheer us on, and we really appreciate it," Sayaka told her, "but we need your help!"

"I CAN HELP!" Komaru exclaimed, louder than she meant to, which turned a few heads. She cleared her throat. "W-With...what exactly?"

"Ugh...Celeste from our class has vanished somewhere right before the next event. She was signed up to be on the obstacle course with me and Mukuro-chan, but she's decided to ditch at the last second," Sayaka grumbled, "She's probably worried about getting mud on her clothes...honestly, I don't know why she even bothered coming today...But anyway, case in point, I was wondering if you could fill in for her?"

"W-Wouldn't you prefer someone like Kirigiri-chan?" Komaru stammered, looking at the detective as she said this.

"Normally yes," Sayaka said, "but I tried to ask Genocide Jill earlier when she ran by, and she said you were...well...I quote... big-boned and beefy, despite your looks." So even with the crude choice of words, she recommended you directly."

Komaru looked disturbed and frustrated, casting a glare of ire off to the side as if she expected Jill to be there to receive it."

"I...I don't know..." she whimpered, "I-I don't know if I can keep up with the Ultimates b-but I don't wanna let Sayaka down...!"

"Well, you're in luck!" Monomi smiled, suddenly jumping over to Komaru and perching on her shoulder, "I've been interested in this obstacle course since I first heard about it. I'd like to join you over there, if that's alright."

"What happened to looking for Hinata?" Kyoko hissed?

"Sorry, but Komaru-chan needs my assistance right now," Monomi hushed back, "Just find Shuichi and Chiaki-chan and let them know the situation. They'll help you out."

"Who are you guys talking to?" Sayaka asked, tilting her head.

"N-Nobody! N-Nothing to worry about, ahahaa..." Komaru giggled nervously, "Say, um...d-do you mind if the rabbit comes with me?"

She pointed at Monomi on her shoulder.

"I don't see why not," Sayaka smiled, "She wouldn't count as an actual player, but she can play around. I just hope she doesn't get caught in the net."

"I'm sure she'll be fine. She's more dextrous than she appears," Makoto said, patting Komaru on her other shoulder, "Good luck out there. And thanks for the help, seriously."

"We'll look around the campus and see if we can find Celeste," Kyoko said, "She's on our team for the Cavalry Battle too, so it'd be best to catch her before she can make a getaway."

"Thanks, Kyoko-chan," Sayaka beamed, "Alright, Komaru-san, let's go."

"Y-Yes! R-Right behind you!"

With Monomi on her shoulder, Komaru swiftly followed Sayaka through the crowds to the obstacle course. Sayaka's presence was enough to get a lot of people to turn her way, which Komaru expected, but it still highlighted the absurdity of someone of her meager stature alongside someone like Sayaka with a very high one.

She was grimly reminded of her early days of high school, walking alongside Kanon and Miruku, and how people had disapproved of that. How were people going to react to seeing the esteemed pop idol with this nobody?

Komaru swore that she would never let these thoughts bother her again, but this situation was really testing that resolve.

"Um...Is something the matter, Komaru-chan?" Sayaka asked. Komaru coughed.

""K-Komaru-chan!?"" she parroted.

"Ah, sorry, was "-chan" too informal?" Sayaka asked, "I just assumed you wouldn't mind, given that we've known each other for a bit now, plus your brother and I are classmates..."

"No! NO! NononononNOO!" Komaru jittered, "I-I'm the one who's sorry! I'm sorry for making me think you and I were good friends and addressing you so casually!"

"You...don't think we're friends...?" Sayaka asked.

"NO! No, that's not what I-!? I didn't-!?" Komaru flustered, wheezing as she struggled to catch her breath.

"Komaru, you can take a second to form your words," Sayaka assured her, "I'm not going to judge you if you're struggling to get your thoughts out."

Komaru stopped and did as Sayaka asked. She took a few deep breaths and composed herself, trying to calm down her nerves and her fluster.

"I'm really sorry..." she groaned dismally, "Like Makoto said when we first met...I'm an absolutely huge fan of yours and your idol group. So whenever I go near you, I always think I don't deserve to be here, and I lose my mind...That's not your fault, of course. I mean, you're THE Sayaka, and I love you and-SHIT, I don't mean like-! I'm so sorry! I'm seriously not trying to act like a weirdo! I'm so embarrassed aaaaah!"

"I see. I thought that's what it was," Sayaka smiled, "I understand it may be hard to see me as a regular person rather than as an idol, but I really don't mind how you address me. In fact, I'm glad to have that sense of closeness."

She tilted her head and smiled.

"Besides, as I said, I'm your brother's classmate, and for the time being, you and I are teammates," she said "So you're more than free to treat me as such."

"Ooh...You drive a hard bargain, Sayaka-chan..." Komaru jittered, "You're just as kind as I thought you'd be!"

"Right. Feel free to call me Sayaka-chan," Sayaka nodded, "and if you don't mind, may I call you Komaru-chan?"

"Yes! O-Of course!" Komaru beamed, "Wow...I'm actually on an informal basis with Sayaka Maizono...This is the best day of my life...!"

Komaru was not the first fan of her kind that Sayaka had encountered, but Sayaka found her very cute, even if she didn't say so out loud. And she was glad that Komaru was set on respecting boundaries.

It wasn't until they actually got to the starting line of the obstacle course that Komaru even remembered why she was walking with Sayaka in the first place. Even if she'd managed to calm her nerves a little, she absolutely could not afford to screw up in front of her in this event, especially after her team was putting so much trust in her.

In addition to a few other things, the obstacle course had tires to leap through, walls to climb over, and a mud pit to crawl under. The participating students crowded around, excited to compete and show off their skills, creating an electrifying atmosphere that threatened to shock Komaru still.

*And of course, electricity would be my weakness...* she groaned internally.

Fortunately, even if she got stuck, Monomi was tagging along to guide her, and from what she could see of the obstacles in question, Komaru figured experienced Phantom Thieves like themselves had this in the bag!

Then again, she had to be extra careful not to flaunt her stuff too much and completely blow their cover.

Komaru quickly made note of Mukuro Ikusaba and Yasuhiro Hagakure, who were also running the course with them, but while Hiro got very chummy, remembering Komaru from the last time they'd met at their home, Mukuro barely seemed to acknowledge her outright—not that she hadn't expected as much.

Sho's Fever Time - Danganronpa: Ultra Despair Girls

The umpire fired his gun, and like that, the girls were off. As were the groups in the lanes next to them. The Tire Gauntlet, the first obstacle course challenge, required contestants to make their way through a number of tires that were arranged on the ground. Each of the Ultimates, plus Komaru and Monomi, hopped and twisted their way through the tires. Some did it with grace, while others faltered and fell.

"Ugh! Drat! The one time being large doesn't help me!" Ryota Mitarai grunted as his foot got caught in one of the tires.

Following this, the racers were required to crawl under a net of ropes, which trapped a few of them like a web...most notably Hiro.

"AGH! AAAGH! My hair's got caught in the rope! SOMEBODY HELP! CUT ME OUT!"

"We can't cut you out! That'd be cheating!" Sayaka snapped, "Hold on, you two keep going; I'm gonna go untangle him."

"Hm...This takes me back..." Mukuro remarked, "I used to do exercises like this on the field."

"Oh, yeah, you're a soldier, aren't you?" Komaru remembered, "Man, I really AM out of my depth."

Komaru, Monomi, and Mukuro made it out the other side, not waiting for Sayaka and Hiro to catch up. They then used ropes and footholds to climb a tall wall with the other contestants. Being Phantom Thieves, Komaru and Monomi had gained a lot of experience scaling buildings, despite Monomi's small size and lack of hands; thus, the three of them had no trouble reaching the top. Aside from them, a few rival teams succeeded effortlessly, while others had difficulty but persisted. With every successful ascent, the audience's applause intensified, inspiring the pupils to challenge their own boundaries.

The interesting part came about as they got over the wall, for the next area was split into lanes. For this part, the participants were required to nestle themselves into sacks and hop their way to the other end. Mukuro got into the bag first and took off, and Komaru quickly followed, with Monomi deciding to share a bag with her.

But while Mukuro rushed ahead, clearly not intending to wait for her, a certain mischievous boy with a Cheshire grin in the lane over looked at Komaru and smirked.

"Oh, I guess you'll do..." he snickered, "Oi! Catch!"

"Wha-!?"

Komaru gasped as, all of a sudden, Kokichi pulled something out of his scarf (which he was still wearing over his P.E uniform) and tossed it onto the tracks. As she approached, Komaru could see that the boy had scattered CALTROPS over her path!

"WHAT THE HELL!?" she shrieked, and without even thinking, she crouched down in her bag and did an agile and acrobatic backflip over the spikes, while Monomi held onto the hem of it for deer life.

The crowd was in a complete and total uproar when she landed again. The other competitors were stunned by this feat of hers, and the onlookers were cheering or screaming at her and/or booing Kokichi for his shameless foul play.

"A-Ahaha..." Komaru chuckled nervously as the other lanes gave her some incredulous looks, "Cheerleading practice, you know?"

"Wow! That was amazing!" Kokichi grinned, "Congratulations! You passed my test!"

"Like hell that was a test; you're just trying to screw with me!" Komaru spat back, "You'd better keep running after this course is over because I'll be coming for you!"

Absolute Despair Girl - Danganronpa Another Episode: Ultra Despair Girls

The last sport for the students of Hope's Peak to participate in before the break was the Cavalry Battle, an event that everybody in every class was required to be a part of.

For those uninitiated, the Cavalry Battle, sometimes called the Kibasen, is a kind of piggyback sport that is commonly played at school athletic events in Japan. There can be as many teams playing as there is space on the vast field. For this event in particular, there were 4 teams of 4 for each class: two teams for girls and two teams for boys.

There are four players per squad, with three of them on the ground and one of them riding atop the other three. Every member of a team has a bandana on. The bandana is important because if any of the other teams manage to seize the bandana of the person who is riding on top, the team that loses their bandana is eliminated.

Each side can aim at any other team on the field as soon as the game begins in an attempt to split up the players or seize the bandana of the player in the lead. Although they are not permitted to use their hands, the players at the bottom can utilize their momentum to take down other teams, and if even one player on the ground becomes separated from the others, the team is eliminated.

The game continues until every team on the field is eliminated, with the exception of one, who is then crowned the victor.

Class 78-A ran into a hurdle pretty early on, unfortunately. As mentioned already, the teams were split up by gender. The girls game would be first, and the boys game would be second, but Makoto's class was a rare example of there not being a completely perfect gender split: having 7 boys and 9 girls as opposed to the typical 8/8 split.

Originally, the classmates debated what to do about it, and Hina even suggested that she could ask Yuta to fill in again. However, the debate swiftly ended when Chihiro Fujisaki made it clear she didn't mind being in the boys game. Despite a few vocal protests from the likes of Taka and Hina, Chihiro put her foot down.

So in the end, the four teams turned out to be Jill, Celeste, Hina and Sayaka, Sakura, Mukuro, Junko and Kyoko, Byakuya, Hiro, Hifumi and Leon, and Makoto, Taka, Mondo, and Chihiro.

Honestly, Sakura was so big that she could be the lone person on the ground with her other three teammates ALL on her back. But, of course, she intended to play the game normally.

The girls team was up first, and the competition got off to a pretty quick start. Jill was the rider on her team, and they were quickly sweeping through the competition. She ended up with a fair few headbands on her person, and for those who didn't have their bands taken, she was able to push them over.

Of course, having Sakura Ogami on their side made Class 78 all the more powerful, but things got a bit more complicated when Class 77 stood up to bat.

Akane Owari was the rider, with Peko Pekoyama, Mikan Tsumiki, and Mahiru Koizumi as the steeds. Being an athletic student as well as a food and fighting hungry maniac, trying to knock her down was like trying to push a boulder! Not to mention, she was so quick that Jill couldn't grab her headband and struggled to keep her own. Akane cackled as she was able to snatch two of their points from her.

Jill's teammates beneath her were cheering (taunting in Celeste's case) her on, and nearby, the cheerleading group were a mess of emotions. Half of them cheering on Jill, and half of them cheering on Akane.

"Go Akane-chan! Beat that horse! BEAT THAT HORSE!"

"Toko-chan, how are you being pushed back!?"

"Stay strong, 77!"

"Where was that insane strength you showed earlier, Toko!? What good are you if it's only temporary!?"

"Let's go, Toko-chan! Scream! Shout! FIGHTING SPIRIT!"

"Let that power explode in yo' heart Akane-chan!"

"You stupid dumb moron Genocider!"

"FIGHT FIGHT FIGHT FIGHT HOOAAH!"

"Dummy-!"

"FIGHT FIGHT FIGHT FIGHT FIGHT!"

"PUSH! PUSSH IIT!"

"MORON!"

"WILL YOU ALL SHUT THE FUCK UUUP!?" Jill shrieked angrily.

Akane and her classmates gasped as veins shot out of Genocide Jill's head as she started to overwhelm the gymnast with a burst of energy. She held off until her guard was completely shattered, and then, in an unexpected move, she was able to turn the champs over and get the pin.

As the Class 78 girls—all of whom were still left standing—were declared the game's winners, the audience let out a round of applause.

"Aw man, we lost!" Akane grinned as she helped the rest of her teammates up, "Good match! You're really strong!"

"Indeed. Well played, Fukawa-san," Peko nodded.

"Yeah, yeah, whatever..." Jill said, not really listening and glaring at the cheerleaders, "Oi! One of you just now was layin' into me with some really nasty words!"

"Oh? Oh goodness!" Komaru looked left and right, "Whoever could that have been?"

"It was YOU, you raisin!" Jill spat.

Flashing Anagram - Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc

The boys didn't have as much of an easier time. Even though Chihiro had agreed to participate as a lone exception, this came as a bit of a handicap for Makoto's crew. With their team composition, Chihiro would have to be the one riding. There was no way she was going to be able to carry ANY of her teammates, not that the boys would let her anyway. So while she was the rider, Mondo served as the front horse, while Makoto and Taka supported her from the back.

Unfortunately, with Chihiro being the rider, there were very few people in the tournament that she was going to be able to overpower. So it was going to be up to the other three to pick up the slack for her.

Unfortunately, it became very apparent early on that the girls team compositions were a lot better and stronger overall. When the tournament got underway, the other squad was struggling to overpower the boys of the other classes, and Makoto's squad was having trouble keeping up with the other teams. He, Mondo, and Taka raced around the field, trying to capture their opponents, while Chihiro up top hesitated, unsure of how to contribute. Her arms were too short to reach out and grab any of the headbands, on top of not being powerful enough to overcome the majority of their opponents.

"Dammit...!" Mondo grunted, "This ain't workin'!"

"I-I'm so sorry you guys...!" Chihiro sobbed, "I just wanted to help, but I'm completely useless..."

"No, you're not, Fujisaki-chan!" Taka asserted, "We can still turn it around! We're not out yet; we just need to try harder!"

"She's tryin' as hard as she can!" Mondo snapped.

"Then maybe we don't have to try harder. Maybe we have to try SMARTER!" Makoto exclaimed suddenly, as something popped into his head.

"Eh? Whatchu' talkin' about?" Mondo tilted his head back.

Makoto's eyes quickly darted around to get a read on everyone's position around him. Fortunately, there were no incoming enemies right now as far as he was aware, so he tried to steer himself and his teammates to a more open space.

"Fujisaki-chan might not be especially athletic, but the three of us are. So even though we lack power up top, we have the advantage when it comes to speed and mobility," Makoto strategized, "and there's nothing in the rules that say those who make up the horse aren't allowed to attack. Since she's the rider, everyone would be focusing on Fujisaki-chan, and they might think she's an easy target."

"Well...I sort of am..." Chihiro whimpered.

"Yes, but that means if they're so focused on taking care of you for easy points, they won't be prioritizing the rest of us. Owada-kun being at the front is a great idea because it means we have fortitude on our side as well. So while she draws their attention, we can try to trip or sweep the legs of our opponents as well. After all, toppling an opponent is just as good as getting their bandana."

"Hm...That might work...!" Taka acknowledged, "So what should we do?"

"Hm...The greatest risk is being ambushed by two teams at once or coming under attack from behind while battling another team," Chihiro detailed, utilizing her own inquisitive mindset, "Our mobility is the key to avoiding both of these. We can prevent assailants from assembling in large groups if we can maintain our movement."

"Yes. For the time being, let's try to stay back and wait for others to engage before attempting to assault them from behind," Makoto said, "In order to avoid being surrounded or assaulted from behind, we must be aware of other teams. It's okay to flee and then get back in the game later."

Makoto then looked up at Chihiro.

"Maybe you're not exactly "strong," Fujisaki-chan, but don't focus on where it is you're lacking; "focus on what you CAN do. You've got the best vantage point on the team, so you need to be on the lookout for any enemies coming our way. Then make sure you're ready to execute whatever plan we come up with, alright?"

"Yes!" Chihiro exclaimed, "I-I can do this!"

"Shit, sounds like a plan!" Mondo smirked, "Let's fucking go!"

So Makoto's proposal was implemented, and it was a great success. It proved to be a very successful tactic for them to stay out of the way and move quickly to seize the bands when they spotted an opening. To put it into perspective, it was similar to controlling a runaway character in a combat game, where the objective was to hop all over the stage to escape being struck and then close the distance when their opponent left themselves open. They come back with a couple of solid hits before going on the run again.

Chihiro saw the other teams' movements and took note of their advantages and disadvantages, whispering her plan to Makoto, Taka, and Mondo. They paid close attention and took her lead. They moved across the field slowly but gradually, outwitting their opponents by using Chihiro and Makoto's strategies.

Unexpectedly, Makoto's team defeated one of the more formidable teams by capturing their rider and cornering them. The surprising display of ability and knowledge stunned the cheerleaders and the audience, who cheered in astonishment.

"Good job, Fujisaki-chan!" Taka beamed.

"Yeah, good goin' Chi!" Mondo exclaimed.

"You're doing great, Fujisaki-chan!" Makoto smiled, "Keep it up!"

"U-Um...Thank you...!" Chihiro blushed. This blushing grew more intense as the excitement near the cheerleaders amplified in light of their success.

"Yaaaaaahooooo! Who's our hero!? Chi-hiro!" Ibuki, captain of the cheerleaders, hollered at the top of her lungs, "Come on everyone! Let's cheer-o Chihiro on! We'll support you with all our might so you can work hard!"

"U-Um...Thank you!" Chihiro called out, "I'm not very good at this kind of thing, but your cheering will really help me!"

"That's the spirit! Let's get pumped up!" Ibuki grinned, headbanging wildly as she cheered.

DSO Beautiful Dead - Danganronpa Another Episode: Ultra Despair Girls

Unfortunately, the strategy could only work for so long, especially as the competition started to die down and more of the teams got eliminated. Both of the Class 78 boys teams managed to hold out for a while, but ultimately, they were both eliminated.

Chihiro was quick to take the blame for the loss after she, Makoto, Taka, and Mondo's horse were knocked over, but Makoto calmly reminded her that it was her dedication to the plan and tactical and observational skills that had gotten them so far. Fortunately, this made her feel a lot better.

Regardless, with the end of the Cavalry Battle, it was finally time for a break. With the fields cleared, lots of the students and the visitors set out some picnic mats and baskets to eat with their kids.

Makoto and Komaru's parents had brought their own picnic, and while he was very happy about this and eager to sit down and eat with them, there were other matters to attend to. With sports on hold, this was the perfect time to track Hajime Hinata down before the afternoon. However, they couldn't risk acting too suspicious, so after doing one more check on the Steering Committee's movements, Kyoko gathered everyone in the team, and they split off to search, with Komaru and Makoto periodically going back and forth to appease their parents and act like nothing was wrong.

At one point, however, Mrs. Naegi mentioned that she would like to try out the food made by the Ultimate Cook, so Komaru agreed to go and order some from Teruteru Hanamura, with Genocide Jill deciding to go with her.

As the two of them approached the stall, however, they turned the corner and almost bumped into somebody. As she jumped back, Komaru quickly recognized her.

"Oh, hey! You're that, uh...soldier girl, right?" Komaru asked, "Mukuro, was it?"

"Yes..." Mukuro nodded, "Apologies for not saying much to you earlier, but you are Naegi-kun's sister, aren't you? Your display of skill and technique was very impressive during that obstacle course."

"Aw, gee, it was nothing..." Komaru blushed, "Coming from you, who was miles ahead of me, that means a lot."

"Still, I must wonder...I've been training for sports like that most of my life. Where did you learn to do that?" the soldier inquired.

*Phantom Thieving...* Komaru thought.

"Cheerleading," Komaru said, "makes you do some CRAZY stuff..."

"What's with you today, Yakisoba?" Jill bit her extraordinarily long tongue and scowled.

"It's Ikusaba..." Mukuro told her.

"Whatever. What's up with you? You're acting weirdly...nice...today..." Jill bit her thumb, curious and suspicious. Mukuro smiled quietly.

"Well, thanks to Makoto, I've gotten a lot better at talking to people...It's still not my strong suit, but I realized I was rude earlier and wished to make up for it," she admitted, "and...if I may be honest...I was actually about to ask him what he wanted to eat. I was...rather hoping to bring some lunch to him and his family."

Jill leaned over and whispered to Komaru.

"She fancies him big time..." she hissed.

"Yeah, I'm getting that feeling..." she whispered back.

"You are aware that I can HEAR you, right?" Mukuro's expression darkened. Komaru and Jill seized up.

"S-Sorry! We're just joking! It's a joke!" Komaru assured her, "But hey, if you're looking to get lunch, why not come with us? I can tell you what Makoto's favorites are."

"That...would be very nice of you," Mukuro affirmed, "Thank you, Naegi-san."

"You can call me Komaru! It's cool!" Komaru made an ok symbol with her fingers, and the trio set off for the food stall. What should have been a simple catering service for the break was very lively. Teruteru Hanamura was hard at work at the stall, making food for several dozen people, while Kirumi Tojo and a few Reserve Course students helped him deliver them. To credit his talents, he was hardly breaking a sweat over anything except the heat of the pot and had a big, goofy smile on his face. Though clearly overworked, he was having the time of his life, getting to show off his talents. Not to mention, he was pleased by how much money he was getting too.

"Ah, hello, hello!" Teruteru beamed as the girls approached after waiting in line for a bit, "Come in, come all! I have a light menu for the ladies, if that's what you wish!"

"I thought I smelled something good..." Mukuro cracked a small smile again, "Look at this delicious food..."

"Yeah, for real!" Komaru beamed, "The Ultimate Cook is no joke...!"

"Uh...I would very much prefer Ultimate Chef, if you don't mind," Teruteru asserted, "but thank you for the compliment!"

"Well, we ain't got all day," Jill snapped, "Hey, Tubby! Recommend us some shit!"

"If you'd like, you can order me..." he said, but his charming and seductive expression quickly waned, "...is what I'd USUALLY say, but even I have a line..."

"Well good, cuz I just came here to get my lunch!" Jill spat, "Maybe you think, "Hey, this psycho chick doesn't eat normal meals!""

"Well...I'm sorry. When you say "meal," I can only picture you eating adorable boys..." Teruteru admitted, "That is your MO, after all..."

"Well duh! I could always go for slicing up some adorable boys!" Jill smiled innocently, "I want to fill my stomach...with Master!"

"Er, how passionate...You have my condolences, Byakuya..." he said quietly, "Anyway, just order whatever you like! From lunch courses to snacks, I can handle pretty much anything! Since everyone's working up a sweat today, I want them to refuel with some good food."

"Then we'll take something with a lot of flavor. Don't mind the fats too much," Mukuro said, "We'll be working it off in the afternoon regardless, so we can afford to cheat a little."

"Since when were you a culinary connoisseur, Ikusaba?" Jill snarled, "I kinda thought you lived on light meals and emergency rations!"

Mukuro shook her head.

"Rations are still better for you in terms of nutrition...But surely it's vital to have the luxury of appreciating food?"

"I'll say."

"Junko!"

Mukuro's exclamation came out as the Ultimate Fashionista suddenly strode confidently towards them and joined their conversation nonchalantly. Despite the line, she seemed to have pushed her way to the front by pretending to be part of their group.

Teruteru wanted to say something but decided not to.

"Oh, great, now you're here..." Jill groaned, "What do you want?"

"Nothin'. I just overheard your lovely conversation on my way back. Mukuro-chan's right, you know?" Junko said, "They're nutritional and keep you fed, and a lot of the time you've gotta resort to them if you wanna watch your figure. Still, a good meal every once in a while does you a world of good."

"With all due respect, I was talking about it in the context of a militaristic setting," Mukuro told her, "By ensuring that you have food for a longer amount of time, rationing increases your chances of surviving longer, battling for longer, or discovering more resources. If you eat everything at once and don't find additional food soon, you could starve to death."

"Sheesh girl, you got war on the brain. You need to get help," Junko scoffed.

"But, hmm...that's a strange way to look at it," Teruteru pondered, "Is it possible that you're not the type who values the joy of eating, Enoshima-chan?"

"Well, like I said," Junko shrugged, "I have to watch my figure. I'm counting calories."

"Your slender, petite body is sexy...but it looks like you could snap in two! You need nutrition!" Teruteru asserted, with a weirdly conniving expression on his dumb face, "If you'd like, I can serve you from morning to evening...and even all through the night. Do you want me to serve you as your personal chef-EEEH!?"

"WOAH!?" Komaru jumped as Teruteru squealed, as before he could finish this perverse suggestion, Mukuro Ikusaba's face darkened, and she suddenly pulled out an army knife, thrusting the tip of the blade towards his face.

"It would be wise to prematurely end that sentence before I cut out your tongue and do it for you, you leech...!" she threatened.

"U-Understood! So sorry ma'am!" Teruteru bowed apologetically as Mukuro slotted the blade back into a hilt around her waist.

"So you're just...ALLOWED to carry that with you...!?" Komaru whimpered.

"Since it is related to my talent, yes. After all, you never know when it may come in handy. An appropriate situation for it could arise at any given moment," the soldier said.

"I...don't think shutting up the chef counts as an "appropriate" situation, but...hey, I'm not the one with the knife..." Komaru chuckled nervously.

Chiaki's parents hadn't been able to make it to the event. Both of them were busy with their jobs, but on the bright side, it meant that she could search without much issue. Of course, as a student rep, she had to attend to the needs of her classmates should they arise, but something told her that they could take care of themselves.

Hajime was what was important.

This was a big deal for her. They'd officially reunited in his Palace during the climactic battle, but she had yet to meet him outside the Metaverse. She was anticipating their reunion, wondering if he had changed at all. She was still relatively new to the Metaverse stuff, and clearly this particular change of heart was markedly different than any other the Phantom Thieves had undergone before.

Chiaki's pulse was racing with excitement as she dashed through the throngs of people. In a desperate attempt to identify the person he was looking for, she combed through the sea of faces.

Unfortunately, it was too much of a risk to ask any of the security if they'd seen him, since she couldn't count on them not being in the pocket of the Committee. She especially couldn't mention him by name, not that that would have done her a lot of good anyway. She had to make sure she didn't appear too suspicious, but she was determined to get through the crowd of people and buildings without giving up.

She took an unexpected detour, however, when she heard some familiar voices nearby the school dorm area. After getting away from the crowds, she was able to catch the sounds of what seemed like an argument nearby.

"What the hell are you doing here?"

"I had heard about student absences being a problem, and so I am on patrol!"

"Tch... Figures. I knew I shoulda gone back to my room earlier..."

"I heard that! You weren't planning on SKIPPING THE AFTERNOON EVENTS, were you!?"

Following the sounds of the thundering voices, Chiaki rounded the corner to see fellow student rep, Kiyotaka Ishimaru, and her classmate, Fuyuhiko Kuzuryu, in a pretty heated discussion.

"Is that really how you talk to your senpai!?" Fuyuhiko spat, "What's it to you if I wanna take a prolonged break!?"

"You may be older than me, but you have not earned the right for me to refer to you as "senpai!"," Taka snapped, "Older or younger, I simply refuse to abide by your bunking! Simply thinking about how you would betray your classmates like this!"

"Shut up, what's it got to do with you anyway?" Fuyuhiko growled.

"It has EVERYTHING to do with me! I cannot let such truancy go unpunished!" Taka boomed, "You must come with me, Kuzuryu-san! No excuses!"

"Ah-! Hey! Wait just a moment, Ishimaru-kun!"

Chiaki knew that this situation might not end well if Taka tried to pick a fight or forcefully drag Fuyuhiko back to the events, so she decided to step in. Both the Moral Compass and the Yakuza were surprised to see her, but Taka quickly recovered and explained himself.

"Nanami-senpai. Apologies, but I just caught Kuzuryu-san here."

"I heard. Honestly, it's hard not to hear with how you two are shouting," she said, "Ishimaru-kun, you should go back and look after your own classmates. I can take care of Fuyuhiko-kun."

"Are you sure?" Taka asked. Chiaki nodded.

"This is my responsibility, right?" she asked, "Go do your job and do it well."

"Oh...very well..." Taka nodded, "I'll be off then! You'd better give her your undivided attention, Kuzuryu-san!"

Chiaki and Fuyuhiko watched as Taka rounded the corner, and once he disappeared from sight, Fuyuhiko bit his lip and stuck his middle finger up towards him, hissing violently. However, he calmed down momentarily and looked disgruntledly towards Chiaki.

"Thanks for the save...Really wasn't in any mood to get chewed out by that guy..." he said.

"It's ok...But don't mind Ishimaru-kun. He's only saying this because he cares a lot," Chiaki said, "But I also think you should come back soon. The lunch break won't last forever, you know?"

"Chiaki...did you come here looking for me?" Fuyuhiko frowned.

"Well, no, not exactly," Chiaki told him, "but I don't think I'd let the afternoon events start until the rest of us are ready. What are you doing back here by yourself?"

"Leave me alone. If it's starting again soon, you should get back already," he diverted his gaze, "Events like this just ain't my style. I figured I'd power through the morning, but now I feel like layin' low for a while..."

"Don't you want to come, Fuyuhiko? Isn't that why you're here instead of inside the dorms?" Chiaki asked, "This festival only happens once a year...Relationships with people make memories, right?"

Fuyuhiko didn't answer but jumped as Chiaki leaned in closer.

"...Right? Right?"

"Geez...you're so persistent. Fine, okay, I'll go with you," Fuyuhiko sighed, "...It's not like I wanted to participate or anything."

Chiaki smiled.

Maybe Hajime could wait for a bit after all. He wasn't the only friend she had to look out for.

Kaede had decided to cover the picnic field for her search. Though this search for Hajime among the crowd was like a sport in and of itself. Amidst the cheerful chatter and laughter of families enjoying the sunny day, Kaede scanned the sea of faces for any sign of the ex-Ultimate Hope.

She couldn't even call out his name. Not only would that attract too much attention, but her voice would blend into the sounds of people chatting, and Hajime probably wouldn't even hear her if he was too far away. The minutes felt like agonizing hours as she searched the field, her eyes darting from one colorful picnic blanket to another.

Until eventually, she heard someone call out to her.

"Hey, Kaede, right!?" said the voice, "Fancy seeing you around this part!"

"Oh...Hagakure-san!" Kaede frantically turned around in surprise to see the long and messy mop of Makoto's older classmate, "Aren't you eating? What are you doing here?"

Hiro had also set up a blanket on the grass, but it most certainly was not a picnic blanket. It looked more like he was trying to run the world's smallest lemonade stand, complete with a sign and everything. But Kaede knew that he wasn't in the lemonade business.

"Funny that you ask," Hiro smirked, "Because the Ultimate Clairvoyant is telling fortunes!"

"Oh...so you're a special fortune teller today?" she asked, "You know, from what I know about you, you definitely don't seem like the type to pass up an opportunity to make money..."

"Hey, it ain't just about money," Hiro snapped, "How many more opportunities am I gonna get to have this many potential customers?"

"Why do I get the feeling you don't really mean that?" she deadpanned.

Kaede had never been one to believe in fate, the power of cards, or people predicting the future. But this mindset had shifted ever since she became a Phantom Thief. The power of the Persona alone seemed intricately tied to fate, Makoto's in particular. She and the rest of the team knew this, even if they weren't so sure how.

Toko had always told Kaede not to trust Yasuhiro Hagakure's fortune-telling abilities, but she hadn't seen them for herself yet, and hey, he had to be here for SOME reason. Hope's Peak wouldn't have let Hiro into the school if his abilities weren't the real deal.

So with all of this in mind, now that Hajime was a Persona-user too, maybe a tarot reading was worth a go. There was only one issue on her mind...

"Say...How much would it be for a reading, exactly?" she queried.

Hiro's face perked up with interest.

"You're really interested?" he scratched his nose, "Then, as a special for you, the first time's free!"

"Really!? Neat!" Kaede beamed, "Then, is it okay if I ask you a question? It's...kind of important."

"Oh, ask away..." Hiro smiled, "But... you WILL have to register on a partner site first..."

Kaede frowned.

"Huh...?"

"But don't worry, that site is free!" Hiro assured her, "And you get a magazine in the mail!"

Ok, NO. NOT falling for that one.

"Wait! I just remembered I had something else to do!" Kaede flustered, "Sorry, can we do this some other time?"

"Wha-!? But it's such a good deal! H-Hey! Kaede, don't run away!" Hiro pleaded.

Beautiful Dead - Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc

Shuichi, not too far away from the field, was putting his questioning skills to good use. Unlike the other Thieves, he wasn't afraid to ask people for information, but was smart enough to be vague about it, as to not give any identifiable clues away.

To be honest, Shuichi had come up with an idea of searching that could potentially help out. Something that he had noticed acutely since the beginning of the day.

Mahiru Koizumi, Class 77-B's Ultimate Photographer, had been snapping photos of the events since the morning. When he and Kaito had gotten ready for the three-legged race, she'd come by to take photos of the starting line. Something Kaito had been very excited about.

"Okay, okay. I'll get a picture of your dumb-looking face," she said in response.

To show the monumental scale of the event, she'd taken photos of the huge crowd as well. And though the chance WAS low, there was a non-zero possibility that she had snapped a shot of Hajime at some point during the games. If Hajime was wise, he would try to remain amongst the crowds of people, and getting an idea of who to look for amongst the crowds was what he needed.

The break was the perfect time to track her down on top of asking questions to people who passed by.

Unfortunately, finding Mahiru amongst this crowd was challenging, even with her strawberry-red hair making her stand out. But he WAS able to find someone who might be able to help him.

Staying away from the bigger crowds and keeping to herself at the side was Hiyoko Saionji, another one of Chiaki's classmates. She was crouched down, looking over some flowers that had been planted outside the main building entrance.

Come to think of it, Shuichi had barely seen her at all all day. She'd apparently been on the girls volleyball team but had barely done anything to help them win. So much so that he'd almost forgotten she was there.

Though not spending a lot of time with the third-years, at least not before Chiaki joined their team, Shuichi hadn't spoken to her, or Mahiru, that much. But he did know that the two of them were close friends, so if anyone could help him find her, it was Hiyoko.

Whether she'd cooperate was the real question, but it was still worth a go.

"Hello, Saionji-san," Shuichi greeted her, and she turned her head and looked up towards him, "I've been wondering where you've been this whole time. Are you waiting here for someone?"

Hiyoko scoffed.

"Mahiru's been in too many events, so I'm waiting for her here," she said, "If I stay near all those obnoxious running people, my kimono will get dirty."

She was indeed wearing her traditional kimono, not her P.E uniform. Shuichi realized that if she'd been wearing it all day, then there's no way he could have missed her. She must not have been in the volleyball game after all.

Clearly, she'd been truanting all the events up until now, but that wasn't his problem. He'd leave it to her classmates. He watched her quietly for a moment as he saw her pressing her thumb down on some innocent ants that crawled out of the wooden box.

"I see...I was actually looking for Koizumi too," Shuichi admitted, "but...are you alright, Saionji-san? Nothing's troubling you, I hope?"

"Huh? Me, troubled? That's impossible..." Hiyoko rolled her eyes, but then suddenly jumped up and snapped at him, "I mean, quit eavesdropping on me, you creep!"

Ordinarily, this kind of thing would set Shuichi off or make him apologize immediately. But he knew Hiyoko's type. After becoming a full-fledged detective in his own right, he'd dealt with unsavory customer after unsavory customer. Nothing this little girl could say would get him to crack.

"I wasn't eavesdropping," he told her, "I asked out of curiosity and for the sake of your wellbeing. It's fine if you don't want to accept my kindness."

"Pfft! Do you hear yourself!?" she spat, "You're just as bad as Tsumiki! Are you some kind of desperate wannabe therapist or something!? If you're so desperate to help me out, then you could get me some snacks!"

"I cannot fathom why you are being so standoffish," Shuichi spoke to her calmly, "I'm simply here doing a bit of investigating, and I'd like to get in your good graces before I ask you any questions. It's part of the procedure."

"Well, if you wanna get in my good graces, go get me some snacks!" Hiyoko demanded. Shuichi secretly rolled his eyes.

"What kinds of snacks?" he asked.

"Hold it!" the conversation was suddenly interrupted as the very redhead Shuichi was looking for suddenly appeared, "Hiyoko, leave Shuichi alone. He's not bothering anybody."

"Yayyy, Mahiru! You're here!" Hiyoko beamed, immediately dropping the cruel attitude in exchange for a playful and happy one, as she scurried up to Mahiru and hugged her.

"Yeah, sorry. I just took what photos I had back to the clubroom," she said, hugging her friend back, "I was wondering where you were. I didn't see you at any of the events I visited."

"Mahiru, were you worried about me?" Hiyoko stuck her tongue out and tapped herself on the forehead with her knuckle, "Ehehe...sorry."

Mahiru sighed.

"Are you skipping out on all the events today?" she asked, "Please don't leave us on the final one. We need the whole class for it."

"Yeah, I know, I'll be there. But until then, I'm gonna leave the stuffy gross stuff to the physical idiots...and play with you!" Hiyoko squeezed her tighter, "Hey, hey, let's go eat snacks!"

"O-Okay...don't be so clingy..." Mahiru blushed, "I have more pictures to take later, remember?"

"Sorry to interrupt you, Koizumi-san," Shuichi apologized, "but you said that you took your photos back to your clubroom, right?"

"Yes. What is it Shuichi?" she asked, "Did you need something?"

"Small, dark, and brooding here said he was looking for you," Hiyoko told her, "I don't know what he wanted though."

"I'm terribly sorry, but would you mind taking me to see those photos?" Shuichi asked.

Mahiru frowned, raising an eyebrow.

"I don't mind...but why?" she asked.

"Well, I'm looking for someone, but I'm struggling to find them amongst the crowd," he told her truthfully, "I was hoping that your pictures might contain some sort of clue as to their appearance, and potentially, their wherabouts."

"What kind of person?" Mahiru's eyebrows then raised, "Not someone dangerous?"

"No. Just someone who's gone missing amongst the crowd. I was asked to help find them," Shuichi told her, still technically telling the truth, "do you mind much?"

"No, I don't mind at all," Mahiru nodded, "But we don't have to go back to the clubroom. It's a digital camera, and I just went to upload the shots to a computer, so I can show you right now if it'll help find this person."

Shuichi smiled.

"That would really help. Thank you, Koizumi-san!"

"No problem. But you better catch him soon so he doesn't get completely lost!" Mahiru asserted.

Makoto had adopted a similar method as Shuichi when it came to searching. While he avoided any staff and security he didn't trust, he instead looked around for some of his close confidants for any advice or information. Though he would be carrying Monomi around with him normally, he'd decided to let her wander off on her own this time, with the promise that she'd keep herself safe.

They needed as many feet (or paws) on the ground if they were going to make this work.

As luck would have it, even after drifting a ways away from the main crowd, Makoto still came across a few familiar faces. Though he was surprised to see them together.

"Seiko-senpai! Nagito!" he called out to them as he approached the Pharmacist and the other Lucky Student, "I haven't had a chance to talk to either of you all day. How are you doing?"

"All things considered, pretty good," Seiko said, "I've been handling the medicine side of things, but I'm on break now. Tsumiki-san from the class next door has been managing most of the injured and sick today."

"Isn't she absolutely amazing?" Nagito beamed, "Mikan-san's been taking part in the events when she can while also keeping an eye out for the injured! She's truly deserving of her Ultimate Nurse title!"

"I didn't expect I'd run into the two of you together, though," Makoto told them, "Are you friends?"

"Well, I wouldn't go that far. It's not as if I have problems with Komaeda-kun, but we're not well-acquainted," Seiko admitted, "Truthfully, I was about to round up anyone who needed to bedrest before taking my break, and I found him here by himself."

"You're not sick, are you, Nagito?" Makoto asked.

"No, he's perfectly fine...I wouldn't say he's "healthy," but it's not like he's injured himself or anything," Seiko told him, "Honestly, I thought he was skipping out on the events. I've already heard a few of his classmates have been trying to bunk. N-Not that that's any of my business."

"I wouldn't do something so drastic..." Nagito said, but then added, "...Well, maybe a bit. Events like this are hard to get motivated for."

"Huh? You don't like the sports festival?" Makoto asked, "I thought you of all people would be into it. After all, you love the Ultimate's, and they're all here doing their best, right?"

"No, that's not it. Of course, I'm excited about the sports festival. Because this isn't a normal festival, it's Hope's Peak Academy's sports festival!" he exclaimed, "By using all the different talents we have here, we can make this event shine even brighter!"

"So...what's the problem?" Makoto queried.

"If I had to take a guess...Is it because none of the sports detailed align with anyone's Ultimate Talents?" Seiko asked, "For example, we have table tennis in the afternoon, but there's no Ultimate Table Tennis Player in the Main Course."

"That might be part of it...It's just...Looking at it, it seems like it's going to be a normal sports festival," Nagito admitted, "I've found it hard to get motivated by what's going on because I don't foresee it being as exciting as it could be."

"That's...an interesting problem to have..." Seiko fiddled with her mask.

"Don't you think it should be done differently?" Nagito said in a tone just above a whisper, "So that everyone's talent can truly shine?"

Makoto gulped.

"I don't think I like the way you said that..." he admitted, "You're not thinking of doing anything drastic, are you?"

"Well, I HAVE been thinking," Nagito smiled, innocently enough, but there was some darkness to the curve of his lips. "I've been thinking...is there even anything someone like me could do to help everyone?"

"Well, I don't think there's any need for you to worry yourself over that," Seiko told him, "Besides, you can help just how you are, right?"

"Huh? Really?" Nagito's eyebrows rose.

"I don't know a whole lot about you, as I mentioned before. However, given what I've observed of you and your classmates, it appears like you all get along great—almost like a little family. That is something I am envious of; I wish I had that with my classmates, but we're not nearly close enough, even after 3 years," she explained, "Particularly, Komaeda-kun, you have shown your friends such unwavering support during good times and bad. They have truly been guided by your compassion and care, and I don't think they could have made it this far without you."

Nagito seemed swayed by her words, but Makoto saw right through them. Seiko didn't COMPLETELY mean this, even if she was speaking from her heart. The Seiko he knew wasn't this kind to people she didn't know and was much more distrustful of them.

It was more likely that, like Makoto, she had a bad feeling and was trying to get Nagito back to the festival before he could do anything untoward.

"Well...if someone with amazing talent like you thinks so, Kimura-san," he blushed, "then it must be so."

"Let's get going, then," Seiko said, "It won't be long now before the events start again."

"Alright, I'll come with you guys," Makoto said, "I was gonna ask some questions, but I think I'll ask on the way."

In the case of Monomi, searching the grounds with everyone else was not the way to go. Given her small size, if she looked through the crowds, not only would she have the least amount of luck looking for Hajime, but she would most certainly get stepped on several times and crushed into paste.

So while the humans in the group searched outside, she stuck to the buildings.

However, this was the first time that Monomi had ever explored these buildings on foot before. Whenever Makoto carried her through the academy halls, she'd always be nestled in his school bag, out of sight, so he wouldn't get in trouble. Which meant that she didn't know where she should be going.

The good news was that the general public and non-students were limited to a select few buildings and weren't allowed to explore beyond a certain threshold. Which meant she didn't have to search the whole school for him.

For Monomi, however, the interior was enormous and practically maze-like, with hallways that seemed to go on forever, especially considering how little she was. The small rabbit persisted, navigating the labyrinthine building with the help of her acute sense of smell.

She navigated her way back towards the gymnasium and had to be discreet about her movements. The hall was now being set up for table tennis, and she didn't really want to be caught by any of the staff if she tried to sneak in.

"Hmmmmm...I've got a sneaking suspicion that leads me over...here!" she exclaimed as she jumped around the corner.

"Whoa!?"

But somehow, just as she had predicted, someone was indeed hiding behind the corner and peeking through the door at the event hall. When Monomi burst from around the corner, they were jump-scared and fell over.

And fortunately, it was just the person that Monomi was looking for.

"Ow...Dammit, what the hell...!?" Hajime groaned, sitting up, rubbing his rear end as much as possible.

"There you are!" Monomi spat, "We've been looking over the whole school for you! What are you doing in this corner?"

Hajime just stared at her, wide-eyed and looking a little scared.

"H-H-How...How the hell are you doing that...!?" he whimpered.

"Um...doing what?" Monomi asked.

"Wh-Why the hell is a rabbit talking to me!? Wh-What the hell ARE you!?" he panicked, crawling backwards on his hands to put as much distance between them as he could.

"Woah! Hold on, Hajime-kun, it's ok! I promise you, I'm not dangerous!" Monomi flustered, sweating nervously, "it's me! Monomi! Don't you remember me!?"

"M-Monomi...?" Hajime frowned, tilting his head.

"Oh, well, I go by Usami in Metaverse..." Monomi told him, "Does that name ring a bell?"

"Metaverse?" Hajime asked, "What are you talking about?"

"The Palace! That temple? Remember, we fought your Shadow and the Mechamalgamation together," Monomi reminded him, "Oh...Please tell me you haven't forgotten."

"Palace...N-No, of course I remember...It'd be pretty hard to forget all that..." he took a second to remind himself of everything he'd seen and everyone he'd met inside that other world, and then his eyes widened again with recognition, "Oh! You're the Demon Rabbit!"

"I'M NOT A DEMON RABBIIIIIT!" Monomi shrieked, which petrified the poor ex-Reserve student, and upon seeing him, she immediately forced herself to be composed. "But...fine...Yes, I'm glad you at least recognize me now."

"So...you're just a regular talking rabbit in this world?" Hajime asked.

"Yes and no. I do talk, but only the other Phantom Thieves can understand me," Monomi told him as he pulled himself to his feet, "and you too, now that you've been to that other world."

"Hnngh...Between this and getting dragged into that basketball game this morning..." Hajime groaned, clutching his head, "Things are getting out of hand...This isn't what I wanted at all..."

"Ah, yes, to business then," the fur on Monomi's back prickled up with her frustration, "What in the wide, wide world are you DOING here!? Don't you realize how dangerous it is coming back to Hope's Peak after everything that happened!?"

"What was I supposed to do!?" Hajime spat back, "When I heard the Sports Day allowed regular members of the public into the school, I figured it was the best way to get in contact with everyone after what happened! It's not like I know where your hideout is! I wasn't expecting to be pulled into the events! I've never been to one of these before!"

"Well, why didn't you just meet us at Kaede's house!?" Monomi asked.

"Kaede...You mean Kaede, right? Well, aside from the fact that I didn't know how long I would be waiting before you guys got back, there's a funny story..." Hajime admitted, "Since I didn't know how to open the front gate, I basically had to climb over the wall inside...And uh...some woman passing by with her dog saw me do it and called the police...She thought I was a burglar."

"Oh...I-I see..." Monomi wasn't quite sure how to respond to this, "I'm sorry that had to happen to you."

"Well, I mean, thinking about it, she wasn't exactly wrong..." Hajime gripped onto his hood, "I did basically steal this from her house. I found it at the back of her closet and used it to keep my face hidden. Either way, you see why I couldn't go back to that area after all that."

"Hajime-kun! You shouldn't go through a woman's wardrobe! For ANY reason!" Monomi frowned.

"Hey, I'll apologize and give it back later," Hajime shook his head, "It's not like I could go around just wearing the Reserve Course uniform, less I get reported to Hope's Peak...I haven't showered in days either...I'm amazed I didn't get kicked off the premises for being homeless or something..."

"Wait, but didn't you say you would go home to your family before you came back?" Monomi recalled.

"I said I'd check up on my family and try and figure out what happened to my life, not that I would "go home." Honestly, I'm not ready to talk to my parents, especially about all this. I haven't seen them in years," Hajime told her, "Look, I...I..."

"Slow down," Monomi interrupted him, "I get it. All of this is very overwhelming. It's like you've just woken up from a really long dream, and your life has gone by just like that. I understand how it feels..."

"You said you had amnesia...I remember that..." Hajime pondered.

"Well, I guess in my case, I'm not sure if I even had a life before now," Monomi said, "but forget about that. What matters right now is that you're here and that you're safe. Let's keep it that way."

"Believe me, I'm trying. I came to hide out here for most of the outdoor events in case I got dragged into them again," he said. Monomi tilted her head, and her ears wiggled curiously.

"You mean you haven't been cheering Chiaki-chan or the others on?" Monomi asked, "I figured that's another reason why you chose to show up today, no?"

Hajime blushed.

"I mean, yeah, I guess you've got me there," he admitted, "The Main Course's sports festival is pretty cool...if a bit chaotic."

"Hehehe... It sure is. The students are so full of energy. I'll go let the others know that I found you here and that you're safe, but feel free to stay here if you want," Monomi smiled, "We got fun events this afternoon, like table tennis and a Scavenger Hunt! Plus, all the Phantom Thieves' classes are doing one big final sport at the end of the day! Please come cheer for everyone!"

"...I promise I'll try..." Hajime replied quietly, watching her hop off.

After all was said and done, Hajime was wondering whether or not there was any hope of getting his old life back. But through this one interaction, he was now certain that he wouldn't.

No...This was gonna be MUCH more chaotic than that...

Still...

He could live with that...

Chapter End Notes

For these next few chapters I'm not really going to have an awful lot to say. I think I'd rather just let the events play out as they are and sit back to let people enjoy them, but we haven't quite got to the heavy stuff yet.
The few things I will say about this chapter have to do with some outside info and little easter eggs. Figured I'd leave you guys with something.
First off, yes, the title for this chapter is based on Ann's dialogue from Strikers when the team first meets Akane Hasegawa and goes into her Phantom-themed bedroom.
And second, the scene between Nagito and Seiko was included for my audience from Danganronpa Survivor, the ask blog I manage on Tumblr that I recommend checking out, especially because we're nearing the end of the second season. For context, that blog has the two in a...unique romantic relationship. I've always kind of wished Nagito and Seiko were a more well-recognized pairing because I think they have great chemistry in the brief scenes they had together. And I know that this is far too much to expect from Danganronpa 3's abysmal pacing, but I do kind of wish there had been a more satisfactory conclusion to the plotline where he inadvertently got her and the other two expelled.
Other than that, it's always fun to write Komaru being a complete simp for Sayaka, and considering how little she appears in the story of
this overall, it's nice to give Genocide Jack a couple chapters for herself instead of Toko.
And as one last little thing, I've started writing a Honkai Star Rail AU fic called Flipping the Script, where the main character changes factions, so if you're interested or a part of that fandom, go check it out. Shameless plug, I know, but I've got to get people to read my stuff somehow.
Thank you for reading. I love to get feedback from my readers, so feel free to leave a comment, and some kudos if you feel up to it.

The High-Jump of Life

Chapter Summary

As the Sports Day continues, Makoto starts to have self-doubts about the Phantom Thieves mission. Monomi helps to console and comfort him, and reassure him of their future, and Makoto pays her kindness forward to Toko when she suddenly runs off after her White Knight.

Chapter Notes

See the end of the chapter for notes

By the time Monomi found the rest of the Phantom Thieves, the events had already started up again, and the Egg and Spoon Race had already come and gone.

Makoto had watched the event after bringing Nagito back into the fray, and if nothing else, his presence had certainly made the event interesting.

Through some sort of miracle halfway through his egg and spoon run, a baby bird had HATCHED from his egg! And it had taken flight no sooner than it had burst out of the shell.

Though Makoto knew to sort of expect this absurdity from Nagito's luck, it had done well in getting the audience excited. Unfortunately, it also meant Chiaki's class ended up coming in last place since Nagito had to run back and get another egg before continuing.

But from how Nagito described his talent, it would only be a matter of time until his luck came back around. So now, Makoto had gone with him to the gymnasium to watch him have a go at the table tennis tournament.

The event was simple enough. Unlike the rest of the sports, this one wasn't a team event and thus wasn't divided up by class. Which meant that classmates could be pitted against each other in the bracket depending on how it turned out. Whoever won each game would be allowed to go forward.

Aside from Nagito, Junko, Celeste, and Hifumi from his class were participating in the event, as was Shuichi. Kaede had promised to come and cheer for him, but something had come up, and she said she was going to be late to the show, so Makoto arrived to support Shuichi in her place until then. Meanwhile, Monomi waited for him to show up at the gym, hopped into his bag, and explained what had happened.

"I see...Well, as long as he's safe..." Makoto considered, "I can't imagine what he's thinking right now. All this must be so overwhelming.

"He's definitely on the paranoid side, but he's stable enough," Monomi explained, "secretly, I still think he's paranoid about what he might say to Chiaki-chan when they reunite. Even though he already said his piece, I imagine it won't be easy for them to be around each other like they used to be..."

"HEY! WOAH! Slow down there!"

Makoto and his bunny-buddy's attention was turned back to the game as the first round concluded. In the corner of the room, they spotted Celeste at her table, having just duked it out with Miu Iruma from Kaede and Shuichi's class, whom had devised a...peculiar strategy for victory.

Miu, without anybody realizing in time to stop her, put on a pair of advanced robotic gloves that improved her accuracy and reflexes, giving her a decisive advantage at the table. Celeste appeared relieved rather than irritated, even though Miu had easily won the game and completely controlled due to her technology.

"Hoo-yeah! I could land every serve in my sleep like this! Man, it sure is tough to be a genius like me!" she boasted, spitting out something gross as she cackled haughtily, "Hope you like a face full of balls!"

"Your inventions really are sublime. Thank you for ending the match so quickly," Celeste bowed courteously, "Swinging around a racket and getting sweaty does not suit my image."

"Wow! Go figure! Someone who actually gives a shit," Miu smirked, "and hey, same here! As if I'd really work up a sweat during the day by exercising!"

"Woah! Hold on! Time out!" Mahiru Koizumi exclaimed. She was playing on the table next to theirs, against Angie Yonaga, the Ultimate Artist, and another one of the first-year students.

"Huh, this strange invention of yours is a clear demonstration of your talent..." Angie commented, "But...it is also a clear violation of the rules. If you put it away now, Atua will forgive you."

"Doesn't your god have anything better to do than meddle in a fuckin' table tennis match!?" Miu snarled.

"She's right, you know!?" Mahiru asserted, "Miu, these matches won't be fair if you use your inventions! You can't rely on them all the time!"

Just one look at Mahiru's fierce expression caused Miu's overbearing and prideful personality to slip off her face like a mask. Her demeanor swiftly transformed into that of a shy coward.

"Wh-What? You're mad? Really?" she whimpered, "I-I was just jokin' around...I'm sorry...!"

"Well, that's going to sort itself out..." Monomi shook her head, "I understand I may be beating a dead horse by saying this, but it is rather jarring to see just how much fun everyone is having all day at this school...none the wiser to what goes on beneath it..."

"After everything that happened with Hinata, we need to set our sights on the Steering Committee. Regardless of whether they're the ones responsible for the mental shutdown cases or not, we know what they have done and what they will continue to do if they aren't stopped..." Makoto crossed his arms and pondered aloud, "We need to expose them to the world for what they truly are..."

"That's all well and good...We can't let them do this; you're right..." Monomi looked back down towards the game, "...my...That boy from Shuichi's class seems to be doing remarkably well."

"Hm? Oh, you mean Ryoma," Makoto acknowledged, "yeah, but that's about what I expected. Honestly, I wasn't sure he would participate in this event. It's not exactly what he's used to, but holding the paddle must bring back some memories for him."

Ryoma Hoshi, the Ultimate Tennis Pro, had easily defeated his opponents in the opening rounds of the competition. His hands moved like lightning, deflecting and parrying every shot with strength and accuracy. His amazing talent left the audience in amazement, and whispers about him circulated throughout the space.

"Everyone else is doing their best, so I thought I could give you the win, but..." Ryoma remarked. His opponent, Hifumi, hung his head, almost smacking his face on the table.

"It can't be... After I spent all night reading that famous table tennis manga...I lost!" he groaned.

"I think "It can't be..." is my line," Ryoma pulled his strange hat over his brow, "Even when I try to throw the match, I win..."

"It's interesting that I don't hear an awful lot about Shuichi and Kaede's classmates. Much less someone with this much prowess," Monomi remarked, "I don't think I've ever heard his name before."

"Shuichi told me about it. He is pretty famous, but not for the right reasons," Makoto told her, "I first heard his name in a newspaper about a year ago. The tennis prodigy who brought down a mafia on his own..."

Monomi spluttered.

"He defeated a mafia all by himself!?"

"Yeah, him getting invited to Hope's Peak despite going to serve prison time for his actions was pretty big news," he explained, "According to the reports, he used an iron ball and his tennis skills to shoot them all through the head."

"What in the world...Why would he throw away his future like that...?" Monomi asked.

"I can't speak for him, nor do I want to try," Makoto replied, "but he's not a bad person. I'm sure he had his reasons."

Monomi growled under her breath.

"This school really is disgusting...How can people be so blind to what's going on?" she hissed, "Assassins, robbers, bosses of motorcycle gangs, yakuza, and a real homicidal killer. While it's true that none of them are genuinely evil individuals, how could a school that accepts LITERAL CRIMINALS as students be so powerful and well-known even in this day and age?"

"Well, the way the school explains it, their goal is to gain more insight into the criminal psyche," Makoto quoted, "Additionally, the government grants and the school would much rather have such "miscreants" kept off the streets."

"Ah, what a wonderful solution then!" Monomi rolled her eyes, making the sarcasm in her tone of voice forefront, "Keeping such dangerous individuals at a school with other teenagers and young adults is FAR preferable..."

"Hey, don't take it up with me. I don't like it either," Makoto sighed, "but it's Hope's Peak. Honestly, it feels like they could get away with murder at this place."

Their attention was turned back to the game as the next round came and went. While cheering Shuichi on, Makoto and Monomi also looked towards Ryoma's game, since he had become a topic of interest so suddenly. Ryoma's opponent was Nagito, and there were many cheers in the crowd as he secured a resounding victory with a thunderous smash that caught his opponent off guard. When the match was over, he went around the table and shook Nagito's hand.

"Thanks, Ryoma. That was the best game I could've hoped for." Nagito held Ryoma's one hand with both of his, an action that seemed to weird out the Tennis Pro.

"You've suffered a crushing defeat, Komaeda-senpai, but you look so happy..." he pointed out.

"Please don't call me Senpai; I'm not worthy of that title," Nagito assured him, "And of course I'm happy! I was able to get a glimpse of your amazing talent! One day, I'd love to see you holding a tennis racket instead of a table tennis paddle."

"Hmph... I don't like this guy..." Ryoma mumbled, clearly with a bad taste in his mouth.

Makoto tapped his foot on the ground as he watched the rest of the games go by. Shuichi managed to win his match against a boy Makoto had never seen before (apparently his name was Yuto Tamashiro) and the semi-finals were decided.

"You seem rather unnerved by something, Makoto-kun," Monomi asked, "Was it something that I said?"

"No...It's not you...I'm just thinking a lot about what we've just been talking about," he admitted. Monomi tilted her head curiously.

"Would talking to me about it help?" she inquired. Makoto shrugged.

"As things stand, we've got more than enough reason to go after the Steering Committee and the head honchos of the academy," he thought aloud, "We suspect them to be the ones behind the mental shutdowns, or to be in league with the Phantom Killer, but even aside from that, we've found proof of the Committee's illicit actions, influence over public servants, and exploitation of innocent people."

"Correct," Monomi nodded.

"And now that we've got Hajime and Chiaki in the fray...two people who really deserve to get back at that group for their crimes...it's only natural that they'll be our next targets..."

"Also correct," Monomi affirmed, "it would be best to forego looking for any other big targets and take care of the Committee and its ringleaders down as soon as we can. Why are you bringing all of this up?"

Makoto crossed his arms, as if he were hugging himself.

"What we're doing now...is we're effectively going against the people in charge of the most powerful, most influential, most formidable organization in all of Japan. Possibly even the whole world," he said, "and we've all agreed this is what we should do, so it's happening after all..."

"Right..." Monomi nodded again, "Could it be that...you're nervous about what we have to do?"

"No. The Steering Committee can get fucked. There's absolutely no way in hell that we can let them get away with everything they've done," Makoto frowned, "What scares me isn't what we have to do...It's what will come afterwards that does..."

Beautiful Days - Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc

"What comes afterwards?" Monomi parroted.

"Japanese society and the standards for work almost revolve around Hope's Peak. Everyone who graduates from this school is guaranteed success in life. So what will happen if we expose this corruption? What will happen if the school gets closed as a result?" Makoto explained, "Everyone who's set to graduate from this school might never reach that success that many of them deserve if we stop the Committee. And those who have graduated might lose any and all influence and respect they hold...What do you think will happen when all that goes down, huh?"

"Makoto-kun..." Monomi lowered.

"On top of that, what do you think will happen if the Reserve Course students next door find out their money was going towards something like human experimentation? I wouldn't be surprised if they, and/or the public, start RIOTING. Whatever happens, when that truth gets out, it gets out for good," the Lucky Student elaborated, "maybe this is something I should be bringing up with the rest of the team too, not just you...And I promise, I still feel driven to reveal the truth for the benefit of society, even though I am aware of the risks. But..."

He paused and looked back at the faces of all the people smiling in both the midst of the game and the crowd as the current round ended and everyone queud up for the semi-finals. This time, Ryoma went up against Shuichi of all people. And even though he looked apprehensive, the detective still looked excited and pleased to face off against his classmate.

"What I'm trying to say is that, for some reason, I can't get rid of the sense of impending disaster. I'm feeling really uneasy at the idea of facing such a strong bunch of individuals," he confessed, "Not only will exposing those old hacks and everything they've done potentially jeopardize the careers of the people I care about, but it may also put their safety in danger. I don't want the Steering Committee to hurt anybody else, but...I don't know if that's a risk that I'm willing to take.

"Makoto..." Monomi said his name a second time and looked sheepishly down at her paws.

What Makoto had burdened himself with...These thoughts...For once, she wasn't quite sure what to say. It was a brave, and smart thing to think about the consequences their actions might bring. And it was good-natured of him to think about what might happen to those he loved.

What Makoto was feeling was very similar to the emotions of a younger Shuichi. One that was afraid to reveal the truth because of what consequences it might bring about. Except the difference was Makoto was still planning on going through with it because he knew that sparking a wave of change in the city might be necessary.

This was going to be the biggest operation of the Phantom Thieves yet, as he had claimed, and the most important mission of their whole lives. They'd already been through a lot, but this was undoubtedly the endgame.

And throughout all of what the Phantom Thieves had been through already, one thing had remained the same. In Makoto and his friends' moments of need, Monomi had always strived to be a wise and kind mentor who could provide consolation and direction. Sometimes she wasn't that much help. Sometimes she was barely any help at all. But she still tried. She still wanted nothing more than to be his teacher, and even she wasn't sure why.

But that wasn't about to change. Though she struggled to find the words immediately, the disturbed young Luckster was calmed by her soothing presence as she slithered along the bench and nestled against his hip.

"I know that you're concerned, Makoto. Furthermore, I can't promise that whatever I'm going to say would improve the situation..." placing a comforting paw on his leg, Monomi whispered quietly, "But remember, you're doing what you believe is right. No matter how tough the repercussions may be, we occasionally have to deal with them.

"I know...I know I'm being selfish..." Makoto scowled sadly, "Everyone else in the Phantom Thieves has already suffered because of our own actions, but still persisted with the team anyway. I mean...Kyoko and Kaede already lost their parental figures because we changed their hearts. It's not fair for me to be feeling this way when they've been put through the motions already..."

"And when they were put through the motions, they came out the other side stronger than ever before...Don't you think?" she turned her head innocently, almost mischievously.

Makoto had to admit she had a good point. He looked down at Monomi, grateful for her words of wisdom.

"I know, but what if we make a mistake?" he asked, "What if taking down this organization only leads to more harm in the end?"

"Nothing, in my opinion, is worse than the Steering Committee continuing to have authority. As long as they continue to sit in their high chairs, they pose a threat not just to the school but also to society at large," Monomi asserted.

"I agree, and that's why I know we still need to stop them," Makoto clenched his fist, "but even still..."

"It's a big deal; I get it," Monomi gave a warm smile, "Makoto, it's normal to be doubtful. However, you must have confidence in your abilities and judgment. You have a strong sense of justice and a good heart. I promise to be here to support you at every turn, no matter what; and I can assure you that the rest of the Phantom Thieves feel the same."

Makoto and Monomi's conversation was briefly interrupted before Makoto could give a proper response to her words. The crowd around them started to get more excited, which brought their attention back to the game.

With his keen eyes, Makoto noticed that unlike his previous two bouts, Ryoma was being much more serious with this game. Clearly, Shuichi wasn't opposed to showing off his Phantom Thief capabilities and seemed to be giving the Tennis Pro a run for his money.

...Seemingly.

Truthfully, Ryoma was still going easy, but Shuichi was posing more of a challenge to him than Hifumi and Nagito had, and out of respect for his classmate, Ryoma was putting in a bit more effort for his sake. The noise of the ball striking the table reverberated throughout the gym, loud enough to be heard over the throng.

Taking some deep breaths, Shuichi kept his gaze fixed on the tiny white ball while maintaining a determined look on his face during each serve and swat. He put his all into the heated game, showcasing their skills to the fullest.

But the more the game went on and Shuichi refused to give up, the more obvious it became that Ryoma was winning. Shuichi was forced to scramble as his accurate and powerful rounds forced him to return fire. Despite their anxious looks, Makoto and Monomi kept encouraging Shuichi, their words echoing throughout the gym. (Makoto's words at least. To everyone other than himself and Shuichi, Monomi just made a bunch of squeaks.)

Shuichi gave it his all, but in the end he lost the match, and his shoulders drooped in defeat while the crowd cheered. In a show of sportsmanship, Ryoma extended a hand to help him up. While sad to see his kouhai fall, Makoto was equally proud of him for reaching thus far.

"Come on...We can talk more about this later with everybody else," Monomi nudged him, "let's go congratulate him on a job well done."

"Yeah," Makoto smiled, "you're right. Sorry to bother you with all of this, Monomi..."

"Don't you dare call yourself a bother," Monomi frowned, "You should never have to apologize for how you feel. The fact that you're thinking like that, to me, is a testament to your role as this team's leader."

Before Ryoma could go up to the board to meet his opponent, another student from a different class that Makoto had never met before, he and Monomi hurried down to talk to him and Shuichi. At the same time, once they got to the end of the bench, Kaede Akamatsu and Genocide Jill both burst into the hall, out of breath.

"I'm so sorry!" she exclaimed, "we got caught up in helping Mioda-senpai move the bleachers!"

"Tch, no Master!?" Jill bit her thumb, clearly having her own ill intentions, "My prettyboy radar must need tweakin'!"

"Hey...cheering is fine, but don't get too worked up," Ryoma pushed his hat over his brow again, speaking in his uncannily deep and sultry voice, "You'll distract the people playing, y'know?"

"What?! You talkin' to me, midget?" Jill hissed, "You think some masculine mini-boy can stop me? I'll make you bleed!"

"You're pretty good...but you still got a ways to go," Ryoma pulled his hat down further, casting a shadow over his eyes, "I can dodge you with my Shukuchi Method."

"You wanna bet!? I'll have you BEGGING me to kill you in five minutes!" Jill grinned maliciously.

"H-Hold on! There's NO need for that!" Shuichi quickly and desperately diffused the situation, "Did you two...come to cheer for me?"

"We got caught up in something, but we came as fast as we could once it ended," Kaede told him, "Oh wait...Did yours already end too?"

"Unfortunately, yes...I just got knocked out of the semi-finals by Ryoma here..." Shuichi admitted, "I suppose I didn't ever stand much of a chance against him."

"Hmph..." Ryoma gave an almost...knowing...smirk, "Disappointed you couldn't see Shuichi's victory streak, Kaede?"

"Th-That's not what I meant!" Kaede blushed, "Obviously, I just wanted to see how well you did!"

"As a detective, you've got good instincts," Ryoma nudged Shuichi affectionately, "but your reflexes still have a ways to go. I'm sure they're proud of you either way."

"Ah, I don't know if I was very impressive out there...but thank you for coming to support me anyway," Shuichi smiled awkwardly, "You too, Makoto-senpai. Jill-senpai."

Kaede looked a little guilty to be thanked, even though she couldn't send him any cheers. Makoto patted her on the back.

"It's okay, Shuichi. You played really well," Makoto said, then going to pat the detective on the shoulder, "you made your friends proud." Monomi nodded in agreement.

"That was a tough match, but we're still proud of you for giving it your all." she beamed.

"Yeesh...That rabbit sure is noisy..." Ryoma remarked. Makoto blushed and chuckled. Shuichi looked up at his friends, gratitude shining in his eyes.

"Thanks, guys. I appreciate your support, even when things don't go as planned," he said, "Are you ok though? You look like you're about to cry..."

"Oh, I'm alright...Just thinking about too much," Makoto assured him.

"Well, I hope things start to look up for you then," Ryoma sighed, "Anyway, can't say I was expecting to get to the finals, but I might as well go all in at this point, don't you think?"

"...You look like you're having fun, Ryoma." Shuichi smiled earnestly. Ryoma scoffed, turning and waving casually.

"Hmph... Quit it. I don't want to have to tell you to get your eyes checked," he grumbled.

"Well, I wasn't able to make it in time to support Shuichi, but I can definitely support you guys," Kaede turned to the Lucky Student and Murderous Fiend, "you're up next in the Scavenger Hunt, right?"

"Oh, yeah, that's right!" Makoto exclaimed, "We'd better get going, Jill! They won't wait for us forever!"

"Man...Do I gotta? What if I pull a card that doesn't say "adorable boy?" on it?" she glowered.

"The probability of that happening must be way below 0.01%..." Shuichi noted.

"You know..." Makoto smirked wryly, "Byakuya's gonna be in this event."

"Well, why didn't ya fuckin' say so!?" Jill beamed, "Let's GET GOOIIIAAAAA-CHOOO!?"

She spun around a little too quickly, and a passing girl's hair swept past her nose. Of course this tickled her snout, and she let out a rather audible sneeze that she caught with her sleeve.

She shook her head, and her eyes rolled back in her head, before she slumped down and wiped her eyes. Just like that, Jill was gone, and Toko was back.

"Wh-What happened...?" she groaned like she'd just woken up from a long nap, "h-how long was I out for...?"

"Oh, welcome back, Toko-chan!" Kaede smiled, "We're about halfway through the afternoon events! You got back just in time for the scavenger hunt."

"Oh...good, that means I'm not gonna remember half the things I did...Lucky me..." she said, half genuine, half disgruntled, before she pointed at Makoto, "still, you're fucking dead to me for that stunt this morning."

"Yeah, I figured..." Makoto sighed, "But hey, it did work. Hinata's fine."

"You found him!?" Shuichi exclaimed, keeping his voice down as they made their way over to a private corner.

"He's going to wait for the day's events to be over, then meet up with us when everyone goes home," Monomi reported to them, "He'll be watching and cheering us on from a distance in the meantime."

She quickly broke down everything Hajime had told her to the rest of the team.

"I see...Well, fine, I guess that works for me. But he'd BETTER stay out of sight," Toko hissed, "Come on, let's just get this scavenger hunt over with."

Makoto nodded, and with Monomi on his shoulder, he and Toko headed out with everyone else, with Kaede and Shuichi sticking behind them.

"You know, I don't know if this is a comfort or not, but I'm so proud of you, Shuichi," Kaede said, her eyes sparkling with pride, "Your hard work and determination have paid off big time."

Shuichi nodded gratefully, his gaze meeting hers. "Thank you, Kaede. Having you by my side has been my greatest strength. I couldn't have achieved this without your constant support and encouragement."

Kaede shiftily looked around for anyone watching before she cupped Shuichi's face and passionately kissed him.

"You're exaggerating," she said with a red face as she pulled away, "Come on, let's get a move on."

The Scavenger Hunt was a game where players attempted to collect or finish everything on a list that was created by the organizers, usually without having to pay for them. The aim was to be the first person to collect the item written down on a piece of paper and given to you. In some versions of the game, players were tasked with taking pictures of the items on the list or with coming up with the most inventive ways to finish the task.

The Scavenger Hunt took place once again on the big field, with a lot of the audience watching eagerly as Makoto and the other runners lined up next to each other, waiting for the game to start. Before the whistle sounded, the students of all the classes gathered at their bleachers, and those participating were gradually given paper cards with their objects on.

As he waited to be handed his paper and get ready to start running and looking, Makoto stood next to a few of the students from his class and the other classes, including Toko and Sayaka.

They were caught by swift surprise as Mahiru Koizumi suddenly appeared with her camera in hand, smiling cheerfully.

"I want to get a group picture of everyone before they run," she proclaimed, "Alright, everyone. One! Two! Three-!"

"H-Hold on! D-Don't just start shooting!" Toko spat, suddenly interrupting her.

"Huh? I'm sorry!" Mahiru exclaimed, lowering her camera, "Do you not like having your picture taken?"

"It's not that, just...ask me first, for crying out loud!" Toko spat, "Do you do that stunt often!? It's annoying!"

"Jeez Fukawa-san..." Makoto frowned, "Calm down. She didn't mean any harm."

"Indeed, Fukawa-chan," Korekiyo Shinguji, the Ultimate Anthropologist from Shuichi and Kaede's class, chimed in, "It is Koizumi-chan's duty as a photographer to take her pictures of everyone."

"First of all, don't you "Fukawa-chan" me! Second of all, not me! And third, if YOU'RE in the photo, there's gonna be a ghost or something in the shot, I reckon!" Toko scowled.

Korekiyo chuckled.

"...Actually, you may be correct," he hushed.

"H-Hey, Korekiyo!" Mahiru forced a smile, jittering, "L-Let's not joke about that."

"Th-Th-There's no such thing as ghosts!" Toko growled, "Don't be stupid!"

"I disagree. Ghosts are real. I have heard their voices many times. They are merely humans after death," he uttered cryptically, "One needs to follow certain steps to hear their voices, but they are always amongst us."

"N-No way! It's your dumb imagination!" Toko frowned, biting her nail. Makoto sighed.

"What are they talking about...?" he sighed. Sayaka chuckled.

"Scavenger hunts sure are exciting, even before they officially begin," she smiled, then, with a nostalgic look in his eyes, asked, "Hey, Makoto-kun? Do you remember the last time we went on a scavenger hunt together? In middle-school?"

Makoto laughed stiffly, an embarrassed smile crossing his face.

"Of course I do. My team got lost for hours trying to find that hidden treasure chest," he recalled, "It turned out to be a rock painted gold."

Sayaka gave a bashful smile. "Yes, that was a really fascinating journey. However, I think we're going to have a lot more fun this time."

She said this with confidence in her voice, but before Makoto and her could go on a chat about the old days, his card was handed to him. Before he even read it, Korekiyo turned and seemed to eye the pop star suspiciously.

"The national pop sensation, Sayaka Maizono... Everyone has fond feelings towards you..." he uttered mysteriously, "None would question us running together for the scavenger hunt..."

"What's wrong Korekiyo?" Sayaka asked, clearly a little nervous, "Can I help you?"

"Yes, I believe you can," Kiyo nodded, "Apologies for my quiet approach. I believe you will be the key to my success for this first game."

"I don't mind running together, but...what did it say on the card?" Sayaka wondered. Kiyo gripped the brim of his hat as he responded.

"Well... "A popular person with a nice smile"...that's what it said," he explained.

Makoto wasn't quite sure if this was the honest truth, but he knew he couldn't stop Kiyo. So he exchanged a quick farewell to Sayaka as Kiyo went off, bringing her with him. His attention was then turned to Toko, who read her card, and her face immediately lit up.

""Someone You Like!?" O-Of course, there's only one answer!" she beamed cheerfully, turning towards the Ultimate Affluent Progeny nearby, "M-Master! Please, will you run to the goal with me!?"

Byakuya scowled at her.

"Did you seriously think that I would expend energy for YOU?" he snapped.

"N-No, I would never assume..." Toko blushed. Before she could finish, Byakuya halted her.

"Then shut your mouth," he said, examining his own card as Toko let out a lustful squeak.

Makoto was used to his crude words, but he frowned at both of them with ire in his eyes. Byakuya seemed to sense his glare, and he turned away when he stole a glance towards him. His attention quickly went back to his card.

"How boring. Hardly a challenge for me," he scoffed, turning towards the first-year bench, "I suppose I HAVE to participate in this childishness. Tsumugi, come with me."

"Huh, me? Umm...okay," Tsumugi Shirogane, the first-year Ultimate Cosplayer, stood up and approached, "But why would you need plain old me? Was your card "someone with glasses" maybe?"

"...Just get moving," Byakuya snapped. Toko's face lit up again.

"...Master! If you need someone with glasses, I'm right-!? Wait, Master! MASTER!"

"TOKO!"

Toko jumped as Makoto suddenly shouted at her, loud enough that a few heads turned their way. He pinched the bridge of his nose and glared at her.

"Just...! Give it up!" he sighed loudly, "He's not gonna go with you, even if you pay him everything you own!"

"W-We won't know unless I try!" Toko spat, "Just...let me go to him! I'll see-!"

"Not happening!" Makoto firmly grasped her shoulder and pulled her back, "Look. Come with me..."

Makoto practically dragged Toko away from the bleachers and pulled her around the corner into a more private part of the grounds. Once they were alone, he crossed his arms and faced her, while she glared back at him.

Desire for Execution - Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc

"What the hell is your problem!?" Toko hissed, "Are you trying to interrupt the match or something!"

"You're doing that yourself by chasing a pavement that never ends!" Makoto snapped, "My PROBLEM is just how stupidly eager you are to get Togami's attention! He clearly doesn't want to give you any! He never has! What makes you think this time will be any different!?"

"H-He's just like that! We both know that!" Toko exclaimed, "Even if I throw the game, I can live with that!"

"Well, I can't!" Makoto asserted, "Don't tell me you GET OFF on his abuse!?"

"What's it to you if I do!?" Toko spat, "What makes you think you have the right to pull me away and lecture me!? I don't want your goddamn pity!"

"Because it's unhealthy, and I want to HELP you, goddammit!" Makoto snapped back, shocking her, "You're one of my best friends in the whole world, and I can't stand watching you always do this to yourself! So give me FIVE! FUCKING! MINUTES!"

Toko paused...Seeing Makoto's genuine concern for her, she couldn't even think of a witty or snide remark to get him to back off. He was dead serious about this. Her breath got caught in her throat, and she stared helplessly down at her card.

"I don't get it is all...You are the smartest and most mature person in our group. And you've been taken advantage of and abused by so many people in the past! You told us that yourself!" Makoto stated, reaching out and grasping her wrist, surprising her, "why is Togami the one exception to ALL of that!? Why do you keep pining for him even after all the horrible stuff he says and does to you!?"

"I...I still don't..." Toko whimpered, "I've been like this ever since we met...Why are you only telling me this now?"

"Because it was a mistake to let it get this out of control, and I want to fix it...And unfortunately for you, I'm not in a good headspace to be nice," the Lucky Student declared, "it's fine to have a masochism fetish or whatever, so long as it's consensual and no one's getting anyone REALLY hurt. But you ARE getting hurt, Toko, and Togami...He's..."

Makoto paused. Byakuya was his friend, sort of, but he also wasn't a very nice person. For his sake and Toko's both, he tried to put it as eloquently as he could.

"Byakuya Togami has done nothing but treat you poorly, in a way that you don't deserve. He casually verbally attacks you in the worst ways conceivable, criticizing you all the time and making you feel inadequate," Makoto observed, "He's made it abundantly clear that he DESPISES you. No matter what desires you hold towards him, he will never feel the same way."

Toko remained quiet.

"I know you don't want me intervening. But don't you see? I HAVE to," Makoto asserted, "this can't keep going on, Toko. You're my friend, and I won't just sit back and let him mentally torment you. And I won't let you keep going back for more either."

Toko snorted, turning her head, and Makoto could see that she was slowly crying. He gulped, feeling a little ashamed of himself, but he wasn't about to relent.

"I...don't think I even know the difference between love and hate anymore..." she admitted, "For me, Byakuya Togami is a projection of my past traumas in the shape of an intense, unexpected, and heartbreaking love. From my fractured family to my peers, everyone I've loved has treated me horribly throughout my life. And by this point in time...I don't know where the line between love and hate rests anymore..."

"Well, I do..." Makoto said, taking a few steps forward and wrapping his arms around Toko.

"I...didn't know you cared about this stuff so much..." Toko said. Makoto nodded.

"I never said anything because I thought that it was making you happy," Makoto told her, "but I've seen what you're like when you smile. Genuinely. When you're with us, you have good times. And when you're with us, your smile is so much brighter than it is when you're with him. And honestly...now that you have us, do you even need to rely on your love for him anymore?"

"I just...I feel like abuse is the only valid recognition that I can get from people..." Toko admitted, "and I hate myself for it..."

"So..." Makoto asked, "When you became friends with my sister...Was her kindness not valid to you?"

"That's not..." Toko trailed off.

"Let me say this. Komaru genuinely adores you," Makoto said, downplaying it a tad, "and if she were standing here, I think she'd be saying the same thing...No, actually, I think she'd be even MORE headstrong. She'd probably be PHYSICALLY beating this stuff into you, not that that would help anyone."

"Hmhm...Maybe that's true...I...I don't really know why I'm still like this..." Toko rested her head on his shoulder, "It's just...It's like an addiction. It's not good for me, but I just can't give it up...

"Well, people break addictions with friendly support, so let me just say this," Makoto pulled away, but kept his hands on her shoulders, staring into her eyes, "you are worthy of affection. You're a beautiful, kind, and caring person, inside and out. And honestly, it's not just a matter of loving Byakuya or not. He doesn't DESERVE you."

Toko listened intently, tears glistening in her eyes. Though she didn't admit it, she had always trusted Makoto and valued his opinion above all others. As his words sunk in, she realized the truth in them. She saw the toxicity of the relationship she had been nurturing. She accepted his words like pearls of knowledge in a dry region, feeling an unexpected kind of admiration in her heart. She came to see the breadth of his concern and the genuineness of it, all for her welfare.

"Maybe now's not the best time to talk about this stuff..." Makoto realized, "But I just wanted to make it clear how I feel...I love you Toko, and I want the best for you. But Byakuya doesn't care about you as much as you care about him. I want you to fall for someone who will reciprocate your feelings in full."

"I...Thank you...Makoto..." Toko admitted, "You're headstrong, and you're a nuisance, but...I get that you're looking out for me."

"I'll take that as a compliment," Makoto smiled at her, "and I'm sorry for coming on that strongly. I just can't stand seeing you hurt yourself anymore."

Beautiful Dead - Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc

"Yeah, well..." Toko looked down at the paper card in her hands with the words "Someone You Like" on them, "Mast-Uh...Togami's not gonna work with me, so what am I gonna do about this then?"

"Well...I might be able to help you with that," Makoto smirked, "After everything we've just discussed, I might have a good candidate. Just give me one second."

Makoto reached into his pocket and pulled out his phone. He quickly dialed a number.

"Hey, Komaru?" he smirked.

"Komaru!? NO KOMARU! Why are you calling HER!?" Toko shrieked, jumping forward, her eyes still moist with tears, but now panicked and embarrassed upon realizing what he was doing. The phone rang once, twice, and then a voice answered.

[Hello, hello?] Komaru replied, [what's up?]

Makoto danced and dove around Toko as she attempted to grab the phone from him, telling Komaru what was going on and why Toko needed her assistance.

[Alright, tell her to come to our picnic blanket. I'm waiting there with Monomi, Mom, and Dad,] Komaru laughed.

"You're the best," he nodded, "Thanks, sis."

He hung up and turned towards Toko, who was a pathetic, blushing, and angry mess.

"You...are SO FUCKED!" she snarled. Makoto laughed.

"You don't mean that," he smiled, gingerly pushing her back onto the playing field, "Now come on. She's waiting. She'll always have your back, and you know it."

"Fine..." Toko flushed, pouting, "I guess...good luck with your game or whatever..."

Junk Food for a Dashing Youth - Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc

Toko scampered off, but through the intense conversation and emotional turmoil, Makoto had completely forgotten that he was also supposed to be playing the Scavenger Hunt, and he'd blown a lot of precious seconds when he'd pulled the both of them aside.

I mean, it was worth it, but even so. He hadn't even opened his card and read his prompt yet.

He swiftly unfolded the paper. *Please don't be something hard, please don't be something hard, please don't be something hard, PLEAASE don't be something hard!* he begged internally. He then looked down at the words penned in black ink for him.

"Someone smaller than you."

"DAMMMIIIT!" he groaned, crunching the paper in his fist. Makoto was a measly 5'3", so there weren't a lot of people who fit that description. Even Shuichi and Komaru were both a fair few inches taller than him, and he knew that the judges were going to be very specific. And that part just bothered him even more.

Fortunately, he managed to spot another person participating in the game nearby that fit the bill. A student from the class below; the Ultimate Magician, Himiko Yumeno.

She was wearing a tall witches hat, but she was short.

"Himiko!? Hi!" Makoto called out desperately, grabbing her attention, "Could you come with me, please?"

"Nyeeeh...that's a pain," she sighed.

"Bear with me..." Makoto put his hands together, LITERALLY begging her, "Please, Himiko?"

Himiko, however, wouldn't budge and pointed at him.

"If you want me to move, you gotta persuade me with magic..."

"Magic!? I can't do magic!?" Makoto spluttered, *I mean, I CAN, but not HERE!*

"Ah, Himiko! There you are! I was rather hoping you'd run with me."

Makoto lifted his head to see the flowing white hair of Angie Yonaga come skipping towards her.

"Let's go to the finish line," Angie beamed, "Atua has chosen you to join me."

"Nyeh...I mean...ok..." Himiko nodded.

"Oh, COME ON!" Makoto exclaimed, "Why am I a bother, but she isn't!?"

"Well, it's not my fault," Himiko frowned, "Angie kinda fits what I've got on my card as well. "Someone upbeat and merry.""

"I'M UPBEAT AND MERRY!" Makoto snapped, not in an upbeat and merry way, "But uh... you know what? Can I run with you guys anyway? I think Angie kind of fits what's on my card too..."

"Hmmm? Me?" Angie bobbed her head curiously, "I don't mind, but can you tell me what it said on the card you drew?"

"Umm...it said "someone smaller than you."" Makoto told her truthfully.

"I see... And you're sure I qualify?" Angie smiled, "Our size difference is not that great, you know?"

"Well, I think I'm a LITTLE taller..." Makoto reasoned. Though she was right. She had to be at least an inch beneath him and nothing more or less.

"Ummm, I suppose that will work," Angie nodded, "When we cross the goal, I'll hunch a little."

"Oh, thanks, that would help..."

Makoto breathed a sigh of relief. However, his relief was swiftly washed away with what she said next.

"In return...will you be a sacrifice~?"

"A-Awhaa...?" Makoto fumbled.

"Nyahahaha! C'mon, let's hurry up and go!" she beamed, with Himiko just as eager to get a move on.

"W-Well...You know what? I don't think I want to know what that means, so I'll try my luck elsewhere!" he exclaimed, "Thanks anyway!"

Makoto had enough experience to know that he probably wasn't going to like whatever the hell she meant by that, so he left the girls to run together and made his own way off. Still, he was running out of time and was sure that by this point, Toko and Byakuya had already made it to the goal.

But the tide turned in his favor just as he was about to lose hope.

"Naegi-kun! You're still running!?"

"Fujisaki-chan!"

Seeing Chihiro show up so suddenly to check up on him was like God sending down an adorable angel harbinger to bring him to salvation. Dramatic, but a wonderful miracle. He hurried over to her.

"I need somebody smaller than me to come with me to the goal," Makoto explained quickly and effectively, "Could you come with me, please?"

"Huh...? You want me to run with you?" Chihiro asked, "Um...I'm not that fast...Are you fine with that?"

"Oh, that's fine!" Makoto urged, "Trust me when I say that you're my only hope!"

"O-Okay...I'll try my best then. Thank you!" Chihiro exclaimed. Makoto swiftly grabbed her hand but fought through his fluster and ran with her towards the goal.

Trial Underground - Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc

Makoto unfortunately didn't get to the goal in good enough time, and his team ended up lagging behind a bit thanks to him, failing to take the top score. However, they still didn't do too badly with how quickly Byakuya had made it to the goal before he and Toko.

And as the sun on the horizon started to set, the 78th Class once again gathered in their tent to discuss their final special event: the competition against Class 77 and 79.

The other classrooms had already begun their own final competitive sports, and their classes would be up second. Compared to the other sports today, this one was truly going to be competitive and not so much fun and games.

"Thank you all for gathering here. Above everything else, it's absolutely imperative that you all help with this final sport," Taka spoke up, sitting in front of everyone's seats with a turned-over whiteboard behind him, "I will now announce the sport that has been chosen for our final event of the day..."

"So, we're finally here, huh?" Hina pumped her arms excitedly, "Whatever it is, let's go for it!"

"Wait. Before we reveal the sport, I have just one question," Celeste gingerly raised her hand, "In the object of a fair competition, you claimed that every student in each class was required to participate. However, from my knowledge, Class 77-B only has 15 students, whereas ourselves and the younger class have 16."

"I was curious about that too," Byakuya chimed in, "what will they do if they are down a competitor?"

"Does that even matter, man?" Mondo asked, "They can pick up the slack."

"Actually, I'm glad they asked," Taka nodded, "Given the status of the event, it's quite likely they may receive additional help outside their class. With that in mind, we should prepare for an unknown adversary."

"Why?" Makoto asked, "what kind of sport are we doing exactly?"

"Yeah, just cut to it, Tak," Leon stood up, "what's the game!?"

Taka nodded, and without saying a word, he grabbed the whiteboard and turned it over, showing the event title, and a list of rules beneath stuck to it...

"WHOLE-CLASS RELAY RACE."

"A relay, huh?" Kyoko twirled her braid, "Yes, I had estimated the finale would be something like this."

"Yeah, it'll be pretty hard to win an event like this if the whole class doesn't participate," Sayaka affirmed.

"Alright, then let's start strategizing and planning!" Hina beamed, "We need to decide who goes when and take into account everyone's athletic capabilities and speed!"

"Yes, it would be wise to let the sporty ones among us do the planning," Celeste nodded, "I'll go wherever you decide."

"Same here," Chihiro added, "I don't know how much help I'll be, but..."

"Uh-Actually..." Taka raised his hand, "I'm very sorry to interrupt so quickly, but...I wouldn't if I were you."

"Wait, what?" Hiro frowned, "Why not?"

Taka responded by taking the rule paper off the whiteboard and giving it to the person closest to him, that being Toko. Toko took the sheet and quickly scanned its contents, and her expression did not look best pleased.

"What the-!?" she exclaimed, "why!?"

"What's the matter!?" Makoto jumped to his feet. Toko responded by reading the footnote of the sheet aloud."

""In the spirit of competitiveness, talent, and to best show off what the Ultimate's are capable of in a hectic situation, the running order has been COMPLETELY RANDOMIZED!"" she read aloud, ""The names of each student were placed into a hat, and drawn out in an unbiased order.""

"Random!?" Junko snapped, "You mean we don't get to decide!?"

"Afraid not," Taka nodded, "The academy has chosen the running order for us, so it's up to us to make good with what we have."

"But that's like...HALF the strategic stuff just GONE!" Hina groaned.

"Not so," Sakura chimed in, looking over Toko's shoulder at the sheet, "If our running order is not for us to decide, then we must figure out the running order and plan accordingly for what we will do. Aside from this, the rules appear to be quite free and fair."

"Do we at least know what order everyone's running in before we go up?" Hifumi asked.

"Of course. I would have said something about it if I wasn't," Taka affirmed, "the order is on that same sheet."

"According to the list..." Toko declared, "it looks like Ogami's the first runner, followed by Kuwata, Hagakure, Enoshima, and Maizono..."

"So I am the first runner..." Sakura quoted, "that is quite a shame. If I was closer to the end or even the middle, I imagine I would be able to close the gap if we end up falling behind..."

"The middle runners after Maizono...are Fujisaki...Yamada...Celeste...Ikusaba...then me," Toko continued.

"That's not good..." Celeste frowned, "Of everybody there, Mukuro is the only one I imagine has the speed to keep up."

"Hey, Toko's pretty fast," Makoto chimed in, "and aren't you being a bit harsh on those two and yourself?"

"Nay, she is not incorrect, Makoto Naegi-dono," Hifumi shook his head, "It is no secret that the three of us exercise very little, especially when compared to the rest of this class."

"Yeah...We'll do our absolute best though," Chihiro promised, "but...I hope the anchors can pace better and return us to the front if we end up pulling everyone behind..."

"Speaking of the anchors, after me..." Toko looked at the sheet one last time, "The last few runners are Owada, Ishimaru, Asahina, Kirigiri, Master Byakuya...and the anchor is Naegi."

"I'm the last one?" Makoto checked.

"Well, that's good," Sayaka said, "Makoto-kun's fast. We can count on him to get the victory for us."

"Let's not put all our Na-eggs in one basket," Leon smirked, proud of his pun, while everyone else groaned, "I mean, we don't know who Makoto'll be running with."

"He's got a good point...But we can't change that," Makoto scratched his head, "I guess there's nothing to it but to do it..."

"Then let's get ready," Kyoko followed up, "there's a severe limit to how much we can plan for this if we can't decide our order...Let's just make sure we have everything we need, then get ready to run..."

Chapter End Notes

After this, there will be one more Sports Day-centered chapter, and then we'll move on to the actual juice of the coming chapters.
Again, as I mentioned, it will be a damn while before we get to the next Palace, but as for this arc, the next two chapters will bring it to a close.
This is the only one of the Sports Day chapters that Hajime isn't present for because the other Thieves are going through their own motions. Especially Toko, and even though I haven't made her admiration and obsession with Byakuya forefront for a while, it is still knocking about in the background, and it needed to be covered at some point.
Byakuya is one of Toko's more popular ships in the fanbase, and it's easy to see why considering how much interaction the two of them have, but those interactions are mainly designed to bring a level of comedic relief to both characters, especially to Byakuya who is portrayed very seriously most of the time. Though I myself am not a fan, this is not to knock the ship or the people who support it. But in a story where one of Toko's biggest character development points is her self-improvement and the progress of her mental health after all the trauma she's suffered, this is a big milestone for getting over that.
Even though I don't hate Byakuya as a character, regardless of how much of a douchebag he is, and while I know he's not a completely abhorrent person, just very crude, selfish, and snide, Byakuya would not be a good spouse for Toko because he despises her so much. He wouldn't care if Toko was depressed since he would make the partnership incredibly toxic. He would push Toko away if she occasionally expressed a desire for love and care. Though I am aware that this is being done for a reason, Toko manipulates the truth to make it appear as though Byakuya likes her and thinks it's acceptable to be needy, whether she realizes this or not.
In my opinion, that's a slight against Toko as much as it is Byakuya. Yeah, Byakuya's an asshole who is constantly abusing her verbally, but the reason he does is because he just wants Toko to fuck off, and she just DOESN'T. She continues to harass him all due to the warped sense of love she feels, so Makoto pulling her aside wasn't just to help her, but also to help Byakuya, since these problems go both ways.
Having observed these signs, Makoto knows that if Toko pursued Byakuya while he kept pushing her away and insulting her, Toko would probably interpret this as a sign of affection and choose to stay with him, which could have disastrous consequences and cause her to deteriorate back into the frail and skittish girl Makoto first met. As someone who is proud to call Toko his friend and teammate, Makoto doesn't want her to regress like this when he's so proud of her for how far she's come. It goes beyond simply trying to set her up with his sister.
I know this is incredibly heavy and sudden for what was supposed to be a light-hearted series of chapters, but this is such a serious thing in the modern day that needs to be brought to attention as much as possible. Toko and Byakuya's relationship is a tad different than the standard situation, but it can be debilitating and lonely to be stuck in an abusive relationship, and it's crucial to realize that support is out there. Everyone has the right to be in a loving, safe relationship that is free from violence and intimidation.
It's critical that you or someone you know go for support and assistance if you or they are in an abusive relationship. There are services available to assist in ending the cycle of abuse, and you/they are not alone. People should never be reluctant to ask for assistance and take the required actions to put their safety and wellbeing first. It's never too late to do so and end the cycle of abuse.
Thank you for reading. I love to get feedback from my readers, so feel free to leave a comment, and some kudos if you feel up to it.

Climactic Sporty Showdown

Chapter Summary

The Hope's Peak Sports Day comes to a climactic close as the Phantom Thieves and their classmates face off against each other in one final race, with Hajime serving as an interesting gear in the works.

Chapter Notes

See the end of the chapter for notes

Cheering and yelling for their favorite classes, the entire crowd, comprised of people both inside and outside the school, gathered around the track. As they prepared to start, Class 78-B felt the strain building and their hearts thumping with excitement.

Despite the last-minute preparation, there was comfort in the fact that the other two classes were in the same boat. Still, that didn't stop the likes of Chihiro, Hifumi, Sayaka, and Taka from looking quite nervous.

As they had done for most of the day (at least for as much of it that Toko had been around), Toko, Celeste, and Leon looked like they just wanted to get this over with and go home.

Byakuya, Makoto, Mukuro, and Kyoko were all rather indifferent to the situation, but a keen eye could tell that even they had competitive spirits that were quietly burning under a cooler surface. Unlike Hina, Sakura, and Mondo, who were all clearly pumped up and ready to win.

Makoto quickly split off from his class after a quick (and awkward) team chant. He hurried off towards the end of the long track. He wouldn't go on yet, since every classmate had to run around half the track at least. So he would have to go up as soon as Kyoko received the baton. Then wait until Byakuya carried it to him, and then run for the grand finish.

However, he was quite surprised when he arrived at his spot to see who his fellow anchors were.

One was Shuichi Saihara...

And the other was...

"Hinata!?"

Hajime looked a little embarrassed when Makoto showed up. He even pulled his black hood over his head a little more. Clearly, he and Shuichi had already had ample time to talk before he'd arrived.

"Wh-What is going...What is...Why!?" Makoto made some random motions and points with his hands, desperately confused. Shuichi sighed, shrugged, and shook his head.

"Well...Class 77 only has 15 students. They were a person short," Shuichi explained, "and apparently...Well...I mean, you can probably figure out what happened..."

"Chiaki's classmates remembered I helped them out with basketball this morning, and they said they might ask me to come back for the relay since I helped them win the game...I was...less than thrilled about it..." Hinata covered his face, "When she asked me, I couldn't say no..."

"Chiaki asked you?" Makoto questioned, "Well, okay then...I mean, I hope she knows what she's doing."

"As it turns out, I can participate while keeping myself anonymous," Hajime sighed, "they said that I can keep the hood up, and they gave me sunglasses and a mask to hide my face too. Whether they'll stay on while I'm running is the question..."

"Well, that should at least keep you hidden from any spies in the Steering Committee," Makoto acknowledged, "for now that is..."

"Yeah...I'm sorry, I really wasn't trying to draw any attention to myself, but...after everything I put her through, I owe so much to Chiaki. I have to do this if it means paying back what I owe," Hajime nodded, "With that in mind though, I just want you to know that even if I'm trying to stay out of the spotlight, I'm still going to give it my all to win for Class 77."

"I will do the same for my class," Shuichi added, "We may be friends and allies, but today we are opponents. Don't expect me to hold back."

"Same here," Makoto smirked competitively, "time to show you guys what a REAL Phantom Thief can do."

Discussion HOPE VS DESPAIR - Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc

Makoto chatted with Hajime and Shuichi for a bit while the first runners lined up. Admittedly, if you saw the lineup, then you would feel so very sorry for the other two competitors besides Sakura, Miu Iruma from the class below and Teruteru Hanamura from the class above, who were CLEARLY outclassed the moment she stepped onto the starting line, and the terrified looks on their faces said they knew it.

Chisa Yukizome was the one refereeing this game. And announcing it. And clearly she couldn't be happier.

"And now, with all our contestants in place, the final showdown between Class 77-B, 78-A, and 79-A will begin!" she beamed, "On your marks...! Get set...! GO GO GOOOO!"

Like an energetic schoolgirl, Chisa popped her gun, pressing the trigger multiple times even though only one blank could be fired. And like that, the three starting runners took off.

"Leon...! The baton!"

"JESUS CHRIST!?"

Leon almost jumped out of his skin. Sakura was so fast that she moved across the track and got to him in a blink, like she had just teleported around the track to get to him. Still, the marks on the ground suggested that she had made the full run.

The shouts and cheers of the crowd and the cheerleaders shook Leon out of his trance, realizing he couldn't look pathetic in front of them all. He quickly grabbed the baton and took off.

"Thanks Ogami! You're carrying already!" he called back.

"God dammit!" Miu snapped, "My boobs're weighing me down! Curse my incredible body!"

"Maybe if you watched your weight more, we wouldn't have that problem, would we?" Ryoma Hoshi, the second 79 runner, remarked slyly. Miu scowled.

"Shaddup and take my rod, tiny!" she spat, thrusting the baton onto him.

"Aah...Haah...Tanaka-kuuuun!" Teruteru called, panting and sweating like a pig in the sun. Before he collapsed on his bottom, he swatted the baton into Gundham Tanaka's hands, who nodded and started running.

"Hey...This is great..." Leon jogged casually towards Hiro, "Sakura left those other guys in the dust. I can go at my own pace."

"You're gonna wish you hadn't said that!"

Leon's jaw dropped. His ego and confidence had bested him, as before he knew it, Ryoma had shot past him in the next lane like a bullet, and Gundham wasn't that far behind. Knowing this, Ryoma chose to taunt him.

"Wh-What the fuck!? How did you-!?" Leon exclaimed.

"Because you're lazy and sloppy," Ryoma hushed back, "and just super lame..."

"You BASTARD! I'll show YOU LAME!" Leon snapped, picking up the pace, putting in the effort and closing the distance. Still in last place, Gundham managed to pick up where Teruteru had left off.

"BUAHAHAHAHA!" he chortled, "I have the raging soul of a woodland monster and the pace of a fieldbound starblazer! Fall on your sword while you still have the chance, firehead!"

"You can shut up too!" Leon snarled, "HAGAKURE! GRAB IT!"

"Y-Yeah, I got it!" Hiro exclaimed. He took the baton from Leon, but not before Ryoma handed his team's baton to K1-B0. Gundham, shortly afterwards, handed his team baton to Nagito Komaeda.

"78! 78! You guys are doing GREAT!" Komaru cheered from the cheerleading area, waving her pom-poms in the air, chanting for Makoto's class.

At first, things seemed to be good. Once Hiro took the baton, Class 79 lost the burst of speed Ryoma had granted them, as Keebo turned out to be rather slow. Nagito too wasn't nearly as fast as Gundham, and Hiro turned out to be surprisingly quick on his feet.

At first...

Class Trial [Odd Edition] - Danganronpa 2: Goodbye Despair

In a display that could only be described as spectacular, Hiro tripped over, even though there was nothing in his path, landed flat on his face, lost his shoe, and dropped the baton! At the same time, a squirrel that had shown up from god knows where scurried onto the track! It slipped through Keebo's legs, which tripped HIM up too, and for some reason, after the robot fell to the ground, the squirrel grabbed Class 78's baton and made off with it!

"N-No...!" Hiro scrambled up, "g-give that back!"

Half of the crowd was stunned silence, the other was in a din of disbelief, and Class 78 and their supporters watched helplessly as the squirrel ran away, with not even the event organizers or teachers knowing what to do.

"Oh dear..." Nagito watched, continuing to run, "What misfortune..."

"How...What...Wha-!?" Hajime blinked in astonishment, "What kind of luck is THAT!?"

"Ultimate Luck..." Makoto responded quietly, recalling how Nagito's misfortune earlier had now come back around to bite everyone other than himself in the ass.

"Oh no..." Komaru gasped, "What are they gonna do!?"

"Don't worry..." Monomi turned her head as if she were cracking her neck, but no sound came out, "I've got this!"

Monomi, who was perched on Komaru's shoulder, leaped off and rushed as fast as she could after the squirrel, and upon seeing her, the crowd started cheering again. The other Phantom Thieves watched as the squirrel spotted her and tried to make a run for it, but the plucky rabbit was hot on his tail.

"You get back here!" she shouted. With its quick reflexes, the squirrel was able to stay slightly ahead of Monomi, who continued to pursue the thieving squirrel with unwavering determination.

The chase took them all the way to the edge of the field, and just in time, before the squirrel could duck behind bushes or jump up a tree for protection, Monomi came up to it and tackled it, making it give up the baton. The audience let out a yell of joy as she quickly reached for the baton and dashed back, sending the defeated squirrel running.

Hiro's fall had been rather nasty, so Seiko Kimura had rushed onto the field and taken him to the side for medical care, so instead, Monomi darted straight towards Junko, who was very happy to see her.

"Here! Enoshima-chan! Get going! You can't give up now!" she jumped up and spat the baton out towards the fashionista. Junko swiped it and went running.

"Got it!" she beamed, as if she could sense what the rabbit was saying, "Good job, Monomi! Thanks a bil!"

Class Trial [Future] - Danganronpa 2: Goodbye Despair

Unfortunately, the ridiculous setback had put Class 78 WAY back. Keebo had recovered, and by the time Monomi got back to the field, he had already passed the baton to Korekiyo Shinguji. Meanwhile, Nagito, who's luck had managed to gain Class 77 an astounding lead, handed his stick over to Peko Pekoyama.

This competition was fierce, and Junko was outclassed. Peko was blindly fast, and with his long legs, Kiyo wasn't on the slow side either. She ran as fast as she could, noting that her face was curled into something ugly, but right now, she couldn't have cared less.

Even in the face of such a despairful situation...Even when things looked like they were over and done with when they'd barely just begun...The people supporting their class, or rather, an animal of all things, had come through for them.

Forget letting that hard work and kindness go to waste. They were gonna win, no matter what happened!

"It's all yours, Sayaka-chan!" Junko declared when she finally reached the pop idol. By the time she got there, Peko had long handed the baton to Fuyuhiko Kuzuryu, and Kiyo handed his to Kokichi Oma.

"No more pranks," Kiyo had told him as he'd passed it over, "I will not let us fail if you decide to pull any antics."

"Aw, Kiyo!" Kokichi pretended to sob, "I thought you trusted me!?"

"Right! Thanks Junko-chan!" Sayaka exclaimed, turning and running as fast as she could around the track to get to Chihiro. Her feet drummed on the sidewalk. With a determined expression on her face, she dashed forward, the wind whipping over her hair. She looked stunning as ever, even though she was perspiring profusely and had an angry curled brow.

Sayaka could feel her muscles burning as she approached the midway point, but she was determined not to slack down. In the distance, she could make out Chihiro's tiny and knew she would make it.

"Hey, you looking a little exhausted already there, Sayaka-chan~" Kokichi teased from the lane over, staying just ahead of her, like he was doing it on purpose, "Every single person in the audience has their eyes on you! And you look like it's the end of the world with how you're running! That pretty face of yours is TWISTED~!"

"Your face looks even more twisted!" Fuyuhiko noted from the other lane, highlighting Kokichi's gremlin-like expression, "Why don't you shut up and let her do her!? Ibuki!"

"Thanking YOU, Fuyuhiko-chan!" Ibuki Mioda beamed. Once she got the baton, she skipped away, chanting "I-Buki-Mio-Da! I-Buki-Mio-Da!" to herself as she took rapid steps.

As they drew in, Sayaka kneeled down, brow knead, and managed to pass Kokichi.

"Please, take it, Chihiro-chan!" she exclaimed.

"G-Got it!" Chihiro cried, grabbing the baton and getting running.

"Well, darn...I really thought that'd work..." Kokichi sighed casually, "Anyway! Gonta!"

"Y-Yes!" Gonta Gokuhara cried, receiving the baton from Kokichi and taking off shortly after. Sayaka scowled at him as they came to a stop.

"Trust me, you're not the first person to try and use that excuse to get to my head," she stated, "and I disagree. I think the most beautiful thing in the world is someone who gives it their all for the sake of their loved ones. Not that I would expect you to get it, because I don't see how someone like you could HAVE loved ones."

"Ouch~" Kokichi faux-squeamed, "that's harsh!"

Unfortunately, Sayaka's efforts, even managing to pass Kokichi, had mostly been in vain. Screaming at the top of his lungs, desperate to pick up the slack after seeing his team fall to last place, even if just briefly, Gonta rushed forward as fast as he could, and though she did well to keep up, he still nearly blitzed Ibuki. Who, unsurprisingly, didn't seem that upset about it. Excited even.

"WAHOO! This beat rocks! The vibrations are really killing my knees!" she cheered!

"Kirumi!" Gonta cried as he got to the end of the track just like that, "Please, get the baton to the end! For all sakes!"

"Understood! I will do my utmost!" Kirumi Tojo declared.

"Okey-dokey! Do your thing, Akane-chan!" Ibuki beamed, passing her baton over to Akane Owari.

"Yep! You got it!" Akane casually grabbed the baton and took off. Though she was very athletic, Akane still found herself falling behind Kirumi a bit.

"AAAKAANEEE!" Nekomaru Nidai, 77's next runner, bellowed to her, holding something in his hand, "Pass the baton to me NOW! I'll reward you with a RIIICEE BAAALLL!"

And with this one promise, Akane's eyes sparkled, and if she was an animal, her ears would have perked up.

"HELL YEAAAAAAGH!" she hollered, and just like that, she managed to pace with Kirumi, who understood the threat well enough and picked up her own pace.

But even after those two had given the batons over, Class 78 was FAR behind. It was completely rotten luck that Chihiro had to placed in the middle of all these speedy students, and not only that, but Hifumi was following her up.

As she watched them go on with strong, self-assured strides, tears filled her eyes. She wondered if she would ever catch up as a flood of disappointment washed over her.

"CHIHIRO FUJISAKI-DONNOOOOOOOO!" Hifumi hollared, "YOU CAN DOOO IIIIIT!"

But even though Chihiro was crying, she persisted after seeing Hifumi this close. Even with them this far behind, he still believed in her. She dried her tears, inhaled deeply, and concentrated on striding forth, one foot at a time. She reminded herself of her own tenacity and power with each stride.

"Take it, Yamada-kun!" she cried.

The audience cheered when Chihiro passed the baton. She had finished her race, even though she was slower than the other competitors. She collapsed to the ground with an unbroken spirit, her face beaming with a mixture of pride and tiredness.

Unfortunately, by the time Hifumi received the baton, Classes 77 and 79 were way ahead. 77 regained the immediate lead, when Akane passed the baton to Nekomaru, who took off like a true athlete. Meanwhile, 79 slowed down a bit when Himiko Yumeno received the baton from Kirumi. She was naturally of a similar disposition as Chihiro, and they lost a lot of speed. But they were still fast enough to stay far ahead of Makoto's class.

Those in the vicinity could hear Hifumi's labored breathing as he tried to maintain his pace. Even though his chest burned from exertion and his legs hurt, he didn't give up. Encouraged by his pals, he pushed himself further with every stride.

"Come on, everyone! They need our help!" Komaru shouted, waving her pom-poms around like her life depended on it, "Y-A-M-A-D-A, Yamada rocks in every way!"

"Come on, you fat idiot!" Celeste shouted rudely, but the look on her face showed she was determined and serious, "Just a little more!"

A roar of cheers broke out from the audience as he got closer to his goal, supporting his underdog squad. He was encouraged when Celeste, Komaru, and the cheerleaders yelled his name. He gave Celeste a final surge of energy and handed her the baton.

"S-Sorry...Celestia Ludenberg-dono...!" he wheezed, "It's on...you now...!"

"Fine! I will do my best!" Celeste promised. And with that, Hifumi collapsed to the floor, like he was about to hurl.

Celeste's brow furrowed, and she cringed as she felt the sweat roll down her face. This sucked. She would rather be doing anything other than this.

Nekomaru had already passed the baton to Sonia Nevermind, who was also surprisingly fast. Meanwhile, Himiko was still going, and Celeste was able to catch up slightly just as the baton was handed to Tsumugi Shirogane.

But something unusual was beginning to happen with every step. Celeste sensed a wave of resolve rising within her. She came to understand that this race was about more than just running; it was about challenging her own boundaries, supporting her team, and being a part of something greater.

The applause from the crowd gave her more energy as she raced, and she saw that her pace was increasing. Celeste felt a wave of strength and freedom rush through her as the wind blew past her.

Because she remembered that there was anything more that Celestia Ludenberg detested than breaking a sweat when running...Losing!

Just as Tsumugi turned to pick up from Himiko, who also fell over, panting, Celeste picked up a burst of speed and rushed at the Ultimate Soldier, who seemed pleased to see her pick up the pace.

"You had better regain our lead, Ikusaba!" she spat, "I will not tolerate a complete and total failure!"

"Affirmative!"

Class Trial [Revival Edition] - Danganronpa V3: Killing Harmony

This was the only word Mukuro uttered before she turned and dashed off. To the relief of Class 78, Mukuro was almost as blindingly fast as Sakura had been, and in an instant, she had immediately made up for Chihiro and Hifumi's runs.

Mukuro didn't let it get to her head, but this was very nostalgic. As a child, she'd participated in many sports, especially competitive games, and this event, working as a team to reach a goal, brought her back to her training days.

Imagining in her head that a hail of bullets was raining down on her definitely helped her to move faster. Though the class was still very much behind, and by the time Mukuro made it around the track, Tsumugi had already handed the baton to Maki Harukawa, and Sonia had handed it to Mikan Tsumiki.

"I leave it to you, Toko Fukawa!" she said.

"Yeah...You got it...!"

For a split second, Mukuro saw an unfamiliar glimmer in the eyes of the Ultimate Writing Prodigy, but before she could say and do anything, her breath was taken away.

The rest of her teammates also looked at her in shock. They had never seen Toko move so swiftly before; she was easily passing the other contestants and traveling at such a high speed that it seemed as though she was creating a gale behind her! Mikan Tsumiki's leg bandage came undone and she fell into a...precarious position, but it was unclear if Toko was the reason behind this.

"Waah! I-I'm sorry!" Mikan sobbed while her classmates urged her to get up and keep going.

"Go Toko, go go, show them what you know!" Komaru beamed, calling out louder than she had before when her best friend went up to bat, "Hey, hey, what do you say? Toko's gonna win today!"

Encouraged by Komaru's commendation, Toko shot forward, her pace leaving the other teams in her wake. However, just as she was about to complete the run and take the much-needed lead, an unforeseen event occurred.

She let out a gasp when Maki, out of nowhere, bolted into view. The onlookers hollared yet again as Maki quickly came up to Toko, matching her pace step for step.

"I won't lose...!" she declared, quietly determined. But Toko didn't feel threatened. Actually, she kind of liked this.

"Oh yeah!? Bring it on!" she spat with a smirk.

The two runners put on an amazing show of talent and commitment as they dashed to the finish line, timing their motions perfectly. Finally, they made it to their next teammates and held out their batons, reaching their goal at the same time.

"Owada!"

"Tenko!"

"TAKE IT AND GO!"

"You FUCKING GOT IT!" Mondo bellowed.

"I'm not gonna be outdone by a DEGENERATE MALE!" Tenko Chabashira snapped, as they both took off like a pair of bullets. Shortly afterwards, Mikan made it to her next runner, which was none other than Chiaki.

"I-I'm so sorry...! I'm really sorry...!" Mikan bawled her eyes out.

"Don't apologize, Mikan-chan! You did good," Chiaki assured her, "go get some rest! Let me carry our wishes forward!"

Chiaki was significantly slower than Mondo and Tenko and didn't make much of a difference after receiving the baton, but despite her swift exhaustion, she still ran, humming the Sonic the Hedgehog theme to herself under her breath as she did to urge herself forward.

Tenko repeatedly hurled insults at Mondo as they ran, but he managed to block them out, pumping his legs as he ran down the track. The audience's applause subsided as he concentrated only on the path in front of him. The motorcycle gang leader's recollections of him and his older brother Daiya racing each other around the fields behind their former childhood home came flooding back as he sprinted down the track.

Mondo had quickly overheard what Chiaki had said to Mikan about how she was carrying everyone's wishes. The baton seemed suddenly heavy in his fingers as he considered it, but he grinned at the memory of how he and Daiya used to pass sticks to each other instead, acting like Olympic runners. Those easygoing times felt like a long time ago.

Before Mondo took power, Daiya was the Crazy Diamonds' leader. He was overcome with emotion as he walked, remembering the relationship he and his brother had when they were little. They used to compete with one another to be stronger, quicker, and better. And now, Mondo saw his brother's presence supporting him and pushing him forward in this race.

But for now... he had to turn his attention to a different kind of brother.

"TAKE IT BRO! GO FOR IIIIT!" he cried as he reached the exchange zone and, with a deft touch, handed the baton to Taka.

"YOU GOT IT BROOOOO!" Taka practically screamed back, sprinting down like he was a living breathing escape sign man.

"Dammit!" Tenko hissed as she made it afterwards, "R-Rantaro! Go already!"

"Alright, you got it!" Rantaro Amami winked, then took off, keeping swift pace with Taka. After a few seconds, Chiaki caught up.

After becoming a Phantom Thief, she was surprised by how fast she had become so suddenly. But it didn't change the fact that she was still quite slow, so by the time she got to Kazuichi Soda, the next runner, she was out of breath and tired.

"I-It's on you, Kazuichi-kun!" she exclaimed, "Remember! Sonia-chan's watching you!"

"Yeah!" Kazuichi smirked, "No need to remind me of THAT!"

Chiaki was glad that she'd mentioned this to Soda, because that motivation was enough to help him catch up. But despite massively falling behind from the beginning all the way to the middle of the run, the efforts of Mukuro, Toko, and Mondo had allowed Class 78 to regain their lead.

For only a minute...

Discussion PERJURY - Danganronpa V3: Killing Harmony

Things took a turn for the worst as all of a sudden, thanks to his palms being sweaty from the pressure he was under, the baton slipped out of Taka's hands, clattered to the ground, and rolled off the track.

Taka's face went blue, and there were jeers in the crowd as Rantaro and Kazuichi overtook him. For a brief moment, he was paralyzed, dismayed by his mistake.

"WHAT ARE YOU DOING, TAKA!?" Hina shouted, "GRAB IT AND GET IT OVER HERE!"

"What are you waiting for, Class Rep!?" Leon snapped, "Do you WANT to lose!?"

"We aren't down and out yet!" Chihiro squeaked, "Grab it and run! Please!"

The cheers and chants of his classmates were enough to snap Taka out of his petrification. He was so worried that he'd let his classmates down through this one mistake and hadn't realized that if he continued standing there like a lemon, then he most certainly would.

With his friends spurring him on, he took up the baton without missing a beat and, driven by willpower, forced himself to go even faster than before. A rush of adrenalin shot through his veins as the wind blew past his ears.

He had to focus! He had to run faster!

"I can't let it affect me now! Yaaahhh!!!" he thundered! Kiyotaka surged ahead of Kazuichi, but Rantaro overtook them both, passing the baton to Kaede Akamatsu for his division, and Mahiru Koizumi for Kazuichi's. When he finally made the exchange and handed the baton to his partner with a fierce, determined look in his eyes, the spectators roared enthusiastically. "Asahina-san! I leave it to you!"

"You got it, Prez! Don't you worry!" she declared. As she took off, Taka drooped down, placing his hands on his knees, ashamed of himself...but relieved that he'd made it.

"Man! You're an incredible runner, Ishimaru-senpai!" Rantaro whistled, catching his breath, "I thought you were gonna overtake me at the end there!"

"But I still couldn't surpass you, Rantaro!" Taka groaned, starting to cry. Rantaro sighed.

"Well, yeah, that's how it ended up... But you fought for your team, and never gave up," he pointed out, "That's why your teammates are working so hard right now. Don't you think so?"

Rantaro's words got the floodgates to open.

"Ahhh! Th-Thank you, Rantaro!" Taka sobbed, "I am honored to have you as a rival!"

"Uh, hey, I didn't say anything special...I don't know what to do when you cry like that." Rantaro chuckled.

But while Taka was sorting out his own failures, Hina was struggling herself. Everyone knew that she would be one of the most valuable members of the team given how much track experience she had, and even Hina herself believed this. Yet despite that, Kaede Akamatsu was somehow keeping pace with her. Mahiru was almost left in the dust, though she tried very hard to follow, and Hina was worried that the pianist might somehow overtake her.

"Kaede, Kaede, she's our star," Komaru chanted, "Always shining, near and far!"

"Hey! What's the big idea!?" Toko snapped, "What're you switching teams for!? I thought you were on our side!"

"W-Well, yeah, I want you guys to win, really!" Komaru enthused, "But I...don't really want Kaede to lose either..."

"You may be the star athlete of the school, Hina-senpai! But I'm our class's leader, and I am for a reason!" Kaede asserted, "I'll never give up! I'll show you how strong I am!"

"That's what I like to hear! But you won't win!" Hina snapped back, "We! Class 78 holds many things dear! But above everything else, we value the power of friendship...effort...and VICTORY!"

With this shonen jump-esc line, Hina picked up the pace, but to her surprise, Kaede also bolted forward.

"Class 79 is my family! Even though we have only been friends for six months, they have always stood by me, encouraging me no matter what! I want to win this race for all of us, not just for me!" she shouted, "They are my inspiration and my rock! I want to give it my all in this race to make them proud because we have trained really hard for this! I WON'T LET THEM DOWN!

Hina and Mahiru's conversation became a lot of determined shouting, as they spied Kyoko Kirigiri and Kaito Momota in the near distance waiting for them, but once again, something unexpected happened that caught both girls by surprise.

Mahiru caught up! Running towards an extremely nervous and excited Ryota Mitarai, she bounded forward, matching the pace of both Hina and Kaede in the last stretch. And in a magical show, Kaito, Ryota, and Kyoko all received the girls' batons simultaneously and took off after exchanging brief expressions of gratitude.

It was now the boys' turn to finally hit the track. Hina, Kaede, and Mahiru panted fiercely as Makoto, Hajime, and Shuichi hastened to take their positions. Mahiru even fell to the ground, looking as though she had just died.

"H-Holy cow...!" Kaede wheezed, "Wh-What was THAT Koizumi-senpai!?"

"I...I don't know..." Mahiru rolled on the ground, exhausted, "When I...heard you two...hah...express your dedication to your teams...! Hoo! I felt a surge of inspiration somehow...! The thing is, my team is just as important to me, and what you said made me want to try harder for them...!"

"Guess we're all pretty simple like that, huh?" Hina rubbed her nose.

Discussion HEAT UP - Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc

*Are you watching me, Makoto?* Kyoko thought to herself as she rushed wildly, *Normally, I wouldn't be so determined to win a sport like this...I used to think they were beneath me...But you are my idea of chivalry, and with your support...We will be unbeatable!*

Her competition was fierce. Kaito had clearly gained a lot of speed and aptitude with his astronaut training, and despite his large size, clearly what Ryota had claimed about his athletic prowess was no lie. He was very fast.

The three engaged in a fierce race in which they all pushed themselves to the very limit. While Kyoko held her lead, Ryota pursued her with unwavering determination. Driven by pure determination, Kaito narrowed the distance between them.

Once more, all three teams reached their next runner at the same time in a whirl of movement, gasping and perspiring as they reached forward with the batons.

"Togami! Take it! Makoto will handle the rest!" Kyoko proclaimed.

"Hiyoko-san! I know you're fast on your feet! Please carry it on, and our mutual friend will do the rest!" Ryota declared, passing his stick to Hiyoko Saionji.

"Alright, Angie, get this to Shuichi as fast as you can, and we win!" Kaito confidently declared, handing the baton to Angie Yonaga.

Hiyoko had finally gotten changed into her P.E clothes for this final event, and as Ryota had claimed, she was speedy when she put the effort in. For that matter, so was Angie. Byakuya tried not to let this show on his face, but he grew quite concerned when the two of them managed to keep pace with him.

Scientifically, his longer legs and larger height compared to the two of them should have given him an advantage, but it wasn't going to be easy for him after all.

Byakuya's relentless pursuit of victory propelled him to go beyond and beyond his comfort zone. Driven by her ambition to surpass the others, Hiyoko skillfully navigated around hurdles. Angie maintained her composure and faith in her own abilities, driven by her faith and strong spirit.

Though Byakuya Togami was a self-centered and entitled young man, he wasn't completely oblivious to the people around him. As the second-to-last runner in the whole event, he came to realize that the baton he carried was heavy. Heavy with the hopes and wishes of the other Ultimate's who had carried it all this way. That included himself, his desire for success, and his inability to tolerate failure.

But though it was painful for him to admit it, he knew, deep down, that it would never be right for him to carry all these lofty goals to the end. Only one person he knew had that right, and he was in sight.

As Makoto Naegi stood silhouetted in the sun like a lighthouse on the shore, Byakuya ran as fast as he could, thrust out his hand, and let his voice be heard.

"TELL THEM NAEGI!" he spat, "TELL THEM WHO WE ARE!"

"Of course...I'll take it all...!" Makoto declared, "All your hopes and wishes! I'll TAKE THEM ALL!"

"Alright rando!" Hiyoko spat, "You'd BETTER not let us down!"

"Wouldn't dream of it!" Hajime practically snatched the baton from Hiyoko and took off, whizzing forward like a bullet.

"Shuichi! We're counting on you! You have Atua's blessing, so win for us!" Angie called.

"Of course! Leave it to me!" Shuichi cried, "I will see this to the end!"

Climax Re-enactment - Danganronpa V3: Killing Harmony

The crowd was now in a complete and total mania. Not only from the fact that they were the final runners and everyone was cheering for them, but also the three boys were practically neck and neck. It was anybody's game. Every time Makoto overtook Hajime, Shuichi overtook Makoto, and the cycle repeated all the way around the track.

"When Makoto's on the floor, we know we're gonna score!" Komaru hollared at the top of her lungs, deciding to place her allegiance with Class 78 after all, "Makoto is our number one; cheering for them is so much fun! GOOOOO MAKOOOTOOOO!"

"COME ON MAKOTO! YOU CAN DO IT!" Kyoko shrieked, raising her voice higher than anyone had ever heard it go before, with the rest of his class joining in.

"GO SHUICHI-KUN! GOOO!" Kaede cried, along with the rest of Class 79.

"HINATA-KUN! YOU CAN DO IT! I BELIEVE IN YOU!" Chiaki hollered, with Class 77 cheering on their unexpected ally.

None of the three could afford to be distracted by their rivals, striking the concrete with their feet in perfect time. Makoto rushed forward, every muscle in his body cooperating to give him the advantage. Shuichi and Hajime were not far behind, their tenacity propelling them further with each step.

With all three Thieves giving it their all, the race went on neck-and-neck as they approached the finish line. Their voices blended into a chorus of encouragement as onlookers chanted their support for them. Driven by the will to triumph, Makoto, Hajime, and Shuichi were in their own world, pushing themselves to the utmost.

Everyone could feel the suspense building as they got closer to the end. Shuichi, Hajime, and Makoto could sense victory in sight. They all let out an intense cry of resolve as they ran a breath-taking finish, until finally they all broke the line!

There was a 3-second silence! The race had been so close that at first, no one could tell which of the three had achieved the victory, but after those seconds went by, Chisa Yukizome raised a megaphone to her mouth and delivered the announcement!

"CLASS 77-B TAKES FIRST!"

Everyone's Killing Graduation Ceremony - Danganronpa V3: Killing Harmony

Hajime Hinata did indeed pull ahead in a thrilling last sprint, his determination evident as he crossed the finish line first, securing the championship for Class 77-B with a victorious smile on his face.

Makoto and Shuichi both collapsed to the ground. Unfortunately, despite all that they had sworn to carry, they had lost. And yet, despite letting their classmates down, they didn't feel ashamed or upset. In fact, they were satisfied because they knew they had all done their best and the final result had been fair and square.

Well, aside from what had happened with the Ultimate Luck kicking in, but that wasn't technically Nagito's fault, so the point stood.

Once Yukizome made the announcement, the crowd roared louder than it had all day. None of the other events that they had seen could compare to that bombastic final showdown, and the payoff was huge. Komaru and Monomi sighed in disappointment to see Class 78 lose, but since it was their new friend that had won the game, they were accepting of the outcome. Komaru took off her pom-poms and clapped her hands.

Hajime reached down and helped Shuichi and Makoto to their feet, and the three of them shook hands. They heard some shouts and turned to see, with pride and admiration on their faces, all three of their classes running towards them. To Hajime's shame, Chiaki Nanami leaped and embraced him while running as quickly as she did during the race.

"Hajime-kun! We did you! YOU did it!" she cried happily, while the rest of her classmates all huddled around him in celebration.

"DAHAMN, you're FREAKING INCREDIBLE!" Akane grinned ear to ear, "You didn't seem like the speedy type, but boy was I wrong!"

"This is your victory just as much as it was ours," Ryota patted him on the back, "Thank you so much!"

"Hm...You must have a very special kind of talent..." Nagito smirked.

"Damn straight," Fuyuhiko nudged his arm.

"Th-Thank you v-very much! P-Please don't...h-hate me for messing up...earlier...!" Mikan whined.

"Quit making this about you, you pig!" Hiyoko spat, "But well...I guess we do owe you thanks..."

"Yeah we do! You're a cool ass dude!" Kazuichi grinned.

"Yeah, you are," Teruteru winked, "not half bad at all~!"

"Thank you for your contribution. We appreciate it," Peko cracked a small smile, her hand on her heart.

"As they say in common tongue," Sonia boasted, ""You da man!""

"VICTORRYYYY IS OOOOOUUUUURRSS!" Nekomaru roared, "YOU'RE AMAAAAZIIIIIING!"

"It baffles me that you're somehow LOUDER than the crowd," Mahiru scowled, "but he's right. Thanks a lot."

"Yahoo! That was so much fun!" Ibuki beamed, "Let's do that again!"

"You have aided us to attain the crown, Mysterious Shadow!" Gundham cackled, "For that, we thank you!"

Hajime didn't know what to say.

This was the most welcomed he had ever felt in his life, and it was at the behest of a group of Ultimate's no less. Despite his alleged ordinary nature, none of them made him feel less valuable. Rather, they valued his generosity, commitment, and steadfast allegiance. Despite the fact that he was the only one without talent among the group, they were thanking him above all others for their success.

He could only laugh at himself as he cried and hugged Chiaki back tightly. What the hell had he been thinking all his life?

Meanwhile, as he rested on his knees and panted, Makoto looked up to see

"Are you alright?" Kyoko asked, with her and Sayaka supporting him, "You look like you're about to burst a lung."

"I'm good, I'm good," Makoto reassured them, "I'm really sorry guys...I wanted to win so badly, but I let you all down."

"For goodness sake, do not blame yourself," Taka commanded, tears streaming down his face, "I ran as hard as I could...but due to my failures, my team has fallen!"

"H-Hey, Taka-kun..." Junko patted him on the back, "If you're still upset about earlier, don't be. Hiro dropped the baton too."

"Well, yeah, but I at least had a reason for not picking it up again; it got swiped!" Hiro protested, "By the way, say thanks to your rabbit for me, Makoto."

"I'm so pathetic! If only I had tried harder!" Taka bawled, "I can't believe I failed! I should have practiced! Polished my skills!"

"D-Don't say that, Taka-kun! I wasn't fast enough. It's my fault we lost..." Chihiro murmured, also crying, shoulders slumped in disappointment.

"U-Um...Ishimaru...Fujisaki..." Mukuro looked like she wanted to say something but seemed hesitant. Taka shook his head wildly.

"P-Please, leave me in my sorrow!" he pleaded.

Mukuro exchanged awkward glances with her other classmates, until her eyes fell upon Makoto, who nodded as if trying to egg her on. Mukuro took a deep breath and pulled Taka up.

"Keep your chin up. You ran your best and recovered," she told them, "It was a heated match...and nobody here is mad at you. So...please don't be hard on yourselves."

"Tch...Hardly..." Byakuya scoffed, raising his head, "It is true that I am not pleased about our loss. However, all things considered, it's a loss that I am willing to accept. I recognize that we did what we could to the best of our abilities, and that includes the two of you."

"Ikusaba and Togami're right," Mondo wrapped one arm around Taka and the other around Chihiro, "We win as a team and lose as a team."

"You gave it your all out there, and that's all that matters," Hina palmed her fist, "We're proud of you, Chihiro. You too, Taka."

Class 78 huddled together as well, although some members were more eager to participate than others. As soon as Chihiro and Taka recognized the veracity of what they had said, a smile slowly appeared on their crying faces. Even though they didn't win the marathon, they did have something far more precious: an unbreakable relationship and support.

Makoto smiled as he looked over to Class 79. Kaede had already straddled Shuichi into a big bear hug, and Kaito had his arm around him too. They all looked overjoyed, despite how they had failed to grasp the victory either. Chisa Yukizome also put down her megaphone and went over to hug her students in Class 77, and soon enough, Komaru and Monomi also hurried over and jumped in his class's sweaty, merry pile.

Sometimes, Makoto was envious of the other classes, especially 77-B. They had spent so much time together that the bonds between them were irreplaceable, like they themselves were less of a classroom and more of a family.

While there was undoubtedly a sense of disappointment and anger, their relationship, their mutual trust, and the trip they had made to get here were more important than winning or losing.

Makoto and his teammates cheered as The Great Gozu gave Chiaki the big prize, their heads held high and hearts full of newfound enthusiasm. They might not have won the race, but they did win something far more precious: an unbreakable relationship created by tears, sweat, and victories and defeats shared together. And Makoto realized at that very moment that he could conquer any challenge if he had them at his side.

With the relay done, the Sports Day was effectively over, and Juzo Sakakura and the security department escorted all the public visitors off the site. The only outside people who were allowed to stay afterwards were the families of the Ultimate's.

Makoto's parents said goodbye early, congratulating Makoto on a job well done, and left to go pick up Kotoko, but Komaru was allowed to remain behind. The only thing left on the itinerary for the day was the folk dance.

While not technically a sport, it was classified as an event. When the sun set in the sky, some of the staff and the students worked together to clear up the stands and the field, then set a large bonfire in the middle of the track.

The pupils from every class gathered on, their faces shining with expectation as the sun sank below the horizon and the first stars appeared in the night sky. As the music students adjusted their instruments for the evening's events, the air was filled with the the sound of merriment.

The dance started as the moon rose high in the sky, illuminating the school in a silvery radiance. With unison, the pupils strode across the street, creating a kaleidoscope of hues and movements. The energetic reel, performed on several instruments, reverberated along the worn-out path, filling the air.

It was a charming display...Well, it was when Ibuki Mioda wasn't trying to adlib her own insane riffs into the tunes, with Mahiru constantly having to stop her.

As they watched from a distance, Makoto, Hajime and Shuichi had managed to pull away from the crowd and were now waiting with each other in the corner, watching as the other classes picked partners and danced, with Toko and Komaru joining them. Shortly afterwards, Chiaki and Kaede showed up and sat next to them.

"Sorry we're late. We just had a few more student council things to take care of," Kaede explained, "Everyone. Good work today!"

"Thanks, Kaede," Shuichi smiled, "sorry again about the relay..."

"Shuichi, seriously, stop apologizing for that, it's not a big deal," Kaede smiled, "who cares that we lost? We had fun and did our best. Oh, but congratulations on winning, Hajime-kun."

"Thanks," Hajime nodded, "and hey, I'm sorry for not staying hidden like I said I would."

"It's my fault," Chiaki interjected, "We did have other people, but there were issues. Fuyuhiko-kun's sister didn't show up today, and Sato-san promised Mahiru she'd take pictures of her and the rest of us running. We didn't really have anyone else to fall back on, and I knew I could count on you, so I figured it was worth the risk."

"Well, I bet it was fun getting to do something with him again after all this time, huh?" Toko asked.

"I can't deny that," Chiaki blushed, giggling, "By the way, where's Kyoko-chan?"

"I'm here," Kyoko raised her voice, suddenly joining the group, "apologies. I just did one last round checking for any Steering Committee spies."

"Did you find anything?" Shuichi asked. Kyoko shook her head.

"The transfer of equipment is complete. The trucks and the materials from the lab have been transported," Kyoko told them, "The unfortunate news is that I can't guarantee that the Steering Committee won't catch wind of you being here, Hinata, especially with you scoring the victory for Chiaki's class. The good news is I doubt there's much they can do to you off campus."

"Then I guess after tonight, I'm a dead man walking..." Hajime considered, "But don't worry. I swear to you that this will be the last time I willingly step foot into this school. After all that's happened to me, I'm fucking done with this place."

"Understandable...But if this sounds selfish, I'm sorry, but..." Makoto twiddled his thumbs, leaning forward and gazing into the fire, "You're free to hate the Steering Committee all you want, but don't let their actions affect your opinion of the staff and students. They're all good people trying to do good things."

"Oh, I'm sorry, I'm not trying to imply that!" Hajime exclaimed, "And believe me, I've seen it for myself. Chiaki's classmates are so supportive, even if they don't know me...Now I'm remembering why it is I even wanted to come to this school in the first place...I dreamed of camaraderie like that."

"Looks like you don't need to dream anymore," Kaede beamed, "I'm sure if Chiaki invited you to any hangouts, they'd be happy to have you."

"I agree with Kaede," Chiaki added, "if you don't mind, one time, I'd like to invite all you guys to hang out with us."

Hajime shook his head.

"Of course, if you'll have me," he said, "but...we only worked together for this time. How will I know if I'll really get along with any of them if we like...sit down and eat lunch with each other?"

Makoto laughed.

"Believe me," he said, "I know very well how that feels. Even to this day, I remember being so paranoid and afraid of getting along with Ultimates."

"Wait, aren't you an Ultimate too?" Hajime frowned.

"He's the Ultimate Lucky Student," Monomi explained, "a normal boy chosen to join the academy via lottery."

"I was nervous at first, being surrounded by eccentrics and all," Makoto explained, "A famous idol, an aristocrat...people I'd never even get the opportunity to see in person. And yet I was gonna be classmates with them."

"Oh, I hear you," Chiaki giggled, "I never thought I'd get along with a princess or gangster like it was normal."

"In the end..." Makoto said quietly, looking off in the distance as he saw Chihiro invite Mondo to come and dance with her, "I couldn't help but accept the fact that I really am lucky."

Hajime scoffed, though not in a dismissive way.

"By that logic...I guess I'm pretty lucky too," he said.

"After everything ends tonight, we'll take you to the Thieves Den and catch up. We need to cover the information we've got on the Steering Committee and the Kamukura Project and find out what happened to you after you woke up," Monomi told him, "but before all that, I have a question...Have you...eaten anything these past few days?"

"Don't worry, I had a bit of spare change in my pocket," Hajime told her, "that said, I've only been able to afford rations, and now that you say that, I am pretty hungry."

"Teruteru's making curry, if you want some," Chiaki offered.

"Ooh! If I give you the money, can you get me some too!?" Makoto beamed.

"Teruteru's the chef, right?" he asked, "In that case, I wouldn't dare miss it."

"It's really amazing. Hard to believe the same food can taste so different based on where you eat it and who makes it," Chiaki enthused, "And maybe with everyone here, including you, and having so much fun, I'm in a different headspace than usual."

"You nailed it. If you were eating alone while all your friends played, it wouldn't be half as good." Komaru grinned.

"But you don't notice the difference if you don't have any friends. It really is strange," Chiaki pondered, "But at the same time...I can never go back to solo curry now that I've tasted good friend curry."

"Hm...Really..." Hajime smiled warmly, "I think I'd like to give this "good friend curry" a go..."

"You've more than earned the right," Kyoko affirmed.

"We should eat before it gets cold," Chiaki suddenly took Hajime by the arm and led him off, "a-and then...Do you wanna dance with me after we're done?"

"I...wouldn't be opposed..." Hajime blushed.

"Let me come too!" Monomi exclaimed, hopping into Chiaki's hood, "I want to try this curry too!"

"Aaaah..." Kaede sighed dreamily, watching the old friends run off together, "Young love..."

"Kaede..." Shuichi said, "they're 2 years older than us."

"Shushushush...!" she hushed, "Shut up and come and dance with me already, will you?"

"Ahaha...Alright!" Shuichi chuckled as Kaede grabbed him by the hand and led him towards the bonfire.

"Well, hey, if they're already about it," Komaru looked towards Toko, playing with her hair, "do you wanna...dance with me too, Toko-chan?"

"Not on your life..." Toko shook her head, not blinking as she delivered the harsh answer. Komaru chuckled awkwardly.

"Yeah, I figured," she sighed, "you're probably going to ask your white knight, right?"

"Huh? Oh uh...No, I just don't feel like it..." Toko said, "Besides, he's probably gonna say no..."

Toko briefly glanced at Makoto, but then turned her head to look away. Feeling the pressures of some stares though, she looked back to see Komaru, Kyoko, and Monomi all staring at her in disbelief.

Out of context, the idea of Toko not trying to make Byakuya dance with her was unbelievable.

"What!?" she spat. None of them answered, quickly turning away and minding their own business.

Toko sighed and walked over, sitting next to Komaru.

"Still..." she said, "I don't mind chatting for a little while...Tell me about what happened all day when I was asleep."

"O-Oh! Sure!" Komaru exclaimed, beginning to detail the events of the day.

Meanwhile, Shuichi and Kaede were at work around the fire, with movements that betrayed their graceful elegance as Phantom Thieves. The two of them were clearly not used to this.

"Ow! My foot!" Kaede winced.

"Gah! Sorry!" Shuichi flustered, "I didn't mean to!"

"No worries! I managed to elbow you in the gut just now, so that makes us even." Kaede assured him, "Folk dance is a lot harder than it looks. There really is no stopping, is there?"

"Right... It's kind of nerve-wracking too," Shuichi noted, "though I'm sure that was obvious..."

"No, not really..." Kaede promised, "but you're right. It really is pretty nerve-wracking."

"So...you're feeling nervous too?" Shuichi asked.

Kaede looked around for a moment.

"Well...Something like that..." she said, gently resting her head against his chest as they swayed, "I mean, we're rarely this close together...In front of so many people...And to be honest...I really want to kiss you now..."

"W-Well, I don't mind if you do..." Shuichi said, "Honestly, I kind of expected you to when you hugged me after the relay."

"No no no no NO! Not in front of THAT many people!" Kaede flustered, "I-It's kind of embarrassing to admit it so openly, but apparently everyone feels the same way...People are asking their crushes to dance with them, and it's making everyone a little nervous."

"I'm sure. I doubt it's anything unusual," he reassured her. She nodded back, "And well...Don't take this the wrong way, but after this, I'm all yours for the evening. We can have as much time alone as we want."

"In that case, wanna have another go at it?" Kaede took his hand firmly, "The more we dance, the more we get used to it. It's not like this is an everyday thing, you know?"

"True... You're right." Shuichi smiled calmly, letting her take the lead.

After he watched his juniors do their thing, Makoto stood up and dusted off his hands. He then turned to Kyoko expectantly.

"Well, I'm in the mood for it now," he said, reaching out a hand, "about that dance I promised you."

"Really?" Kyoko smirked, "feh...Fine...If you insist..."

"Go get 'em tiger~" Komaru winked.

Makoto rolled his eyes as he and Kyoko made their way towards the fire. Once they got up and joined the circle, a few curious heads turned their way. As one of the more well-known students in the school, people were eager to see who Kyoko was dancing with.

Kyoko and Makoto danced in unison as the music played, their feet skipping over the ground with grace and accuracy, in stark contrast to Shuichi and Kaede. The pair's passionate and elegant dancing captivated their small audience, who couldn't take their eyes off of them.

"You're surprisingly good at this," Kyoko remarked.

"Same to you," Makoto retorted, "since when did you learn to dance so well?"

"Covert ops," Kyoko stated bluntly, "lots of times where I had to go undercover and to expensive parties. It's best to know a few moves for those times in case some gentleman calls you over to dance. Still, this "folk" stuff is still new to me."

"And you were so reluctant..." Makoto joshed. Kyoko scowled.

"Less talking, more moving Naegi," she commanded.

The classy style of Kyoko's dancing was the focus for Makoto in the way he moved. Thanks to that focus, the two moved carefully around each other, and more people were drawn into their back and forth.

When the music stopped, Kyoko and Makoto took a bow to each other, smiling at one another. The audience erupted in cheers, honoring the duo's beauty and grace.

"Well, now I'm a little embarrassed..." Makoto admitted, standing up straight and looking around.

"Don't be. That was incredible," someone suddenly approached from the audience, "I had no idea you knew how to dance, Makoto-kun."

"Seiko Kimura-senpai?" Kyoko turned to her, "I wasn't expecting to see you here. I never took you for one who liked social gatherings."

"I could say the same about you, Kirigiri-san," Seiko retorted, "with all due respect, of course."

"Fair enough," Kyoko nodded.

"Thanks for the compliment, Seiko-senpai," Makoto asked, "Did you need something?"

"Nothing in particular; it's just..." Makoto was surprised to see Seiko blushing slightly under her mask, "I...don't really know an awful lot about these kinds of dances, but I want to join in with the rest of my classmates...Seeing as you appear to be rather talented at it, if you don't mind, could I learn from you?"

"From me?" Makoto's eyes widened, "Surely someone like Saionji-san would be a better teacher for this kind of stuff?"

"Maybe so, but Saionji is...how do I put this politely...less "cooperative" than you are," Seiko smiled embarrassingly, "p-please Makoto...If it's that much of an issue, I will stop, but I'd really like for you to dance with me."

"Well, I can't turn you down when you say it like that..." Makoto scratched his face awkwardly.

"Hold it!" Sayaka Maizono suddenly burst in from the crowd, "It's more than okay for you to dance with him, Kimura-senpai, but I want to go first! Makoto-kun promised me he would!"

"Wha-!? When did I do that!?" Makoto stammered.

"That is all well and good," Mukuro Ikusaba suddenly showed up, "but to borrow common vernacular, I "called shotgun" on this one. I will dance with him next."

"Man, that's not fair!" Hina growled, "I wanna dance too! It looks like so much fun!"

"Man, everyone's really hot over you, Koters," Junko whistled, "that was pretty cool dancing. I might want a turn myself!"

"Um...I-If everybody else is deciding on it, then...I too would like to dance with you, Naegi-kun," Chihiro raised her hand gingerly.

"Well, SOMEBODY'S popular," Kyoko gave a wry smirk.

"D-Don't tease me!" Makoto pleaded, "just...E-Everyone be patient; I promise I'll dance with anybody who wants to!"

Komaru and Toko, sitting off to the side, were watching this together, laughing at Makoto's precarious situation.

"Man...I never in my life thought my brother could ever be such a chick magnet..." Komaru cackled, "He's definitely not the shy little boy he once was..."

"As a reminder, you're the YOUNGER sibling," Toko remarked, "and I wouldn't be so sure about that. He's gonna fumble all those bags SO hard..."

"Ha! Too right he is!" Komaru wiped her eyes.

"Still, I say that, but I've gotta give him credit," Toko rested her head in her hands, "You know, Makoto has this incredible kindness about him that just draws people in. It's like he has this special aura that makes everyone around him feel at ease. It's what makes him such a good leader. He doesn't help people or do what he does for recognition or praise, but simply because he sees someone in need and wants to help."

"Hm...You're right..." Komaru nodded, "He's kind of always been this way, he just used to be very shy and secluded when it came to talking to people. But...He's more than just a "Lucky Student." He has a talent for inspiring faith in the goodness of people. Makoto's goodwill reminds us all of the power of understanding and compassion in a sometimes cold and uncaring world."

"Yeah well...it runs in the family..." Toko mused. Komaru turned her head towards her when these words reached her ears.

"What do you mean?" she inquired, surprised to see Toko a little pink in the cheeks.

"Komaru...I know that I can be a bother, and that I'm always giving you a hard time, but...Thank you for coming to support me...US...today...It means the world to me," Toko spoke earnestly from the heart, "Do you remember how earlier, when I asked you to help me with the scavenger hunt, and you ran to the goal with me?"

"Yeah, I do," Komaru nodded, "what's bringing all this on though?"

"I just realized something is all, when I read that card. This isn't easy for me to say, but...I need to say it, because I don't want either of us to ever forget it," Toko admitted, "Komaru, I want you to know that, to me, nothing matters more than our relationship. Through thick and thin, you have always supported me, and I can't picture my life without you in it. Th-Thank you for being my friend..."

"Oh...O-Oh! Um...Wow...!" Komaru went bright red in the face, as did Toko, "I...I don't know what to say!"

"Don't say anything...Seriously, don't..." Toko pouted, "I can handle the embarrassment..."

"P-Please just let me say this...!" Komaru pleaded, "Toko, you mean a lot to me too! You are like a sister to me, and I value our friendship more than words can explain."

Toko felt a weight lift off her shoulders as she smiled warmly at Komaru, who returned the grin, her heart filling with joy. She had always kept her genuine feelings buried for fear of rejection or misunderstanding. But in that moment, under the soft, warm warmth of the fire, she knew their bond was stronger than any fear or uncertainty.

This is something that all of the Phantom Thieves, both old members and new, had come to realize at the end of this long, tiring, and eventful day. They all had a moment of pure understanding as they sat, ate, and danced together, the school around them brimming with energy. None of them required spectacular gestures or elaborate words to show their friendship; it was the simple act of being present for one another that was truly important.

And as the night came to a conclusion, they knew that no matter what problems awaited them, they would face them together, hand in hand, their friendship a beacon of light in an often dark and uncertain world.

Chapter End Notes

And with that, we can finally end this 4-week long sequence of chapters and move on.
I'm looking forward to next week's chapter, since we finally get to figure out what's been going on with Hajime this whole time, but this story will also be going on break for a while. I'm not quite sure for how long, since I still need to sort a bunch of stuff out, but it feels good to settle things at this point in the story. To have some breathing room before we officially begin our 5th arc of the story.
Thank you for reading. I love to get feedback from my readers, so feel free to leave a comment, and some kudos if you feel up to it.

The Road to Rehab

Chapter Summary

With Hajime Hinata now free from the shackles that binded him, the Phantom Thieves extend an invitation for him to join their group, with the hope's that he will aid them in taking down the corrupt Hope's Peak Steering Committee.

Chapter Notes

See the end of the chapter for notes

"THIS CAN'T BE HAPPENING!"

Yasuke Matsuda found himself in an unexpected and precarious situation. As the night of the sports event came to a close, he was summoned to a meeting with the four enigmatic and sinister leaders of Hope's Peak Academy's Steering Committee; Ashikawa, Tomita, Wakaba and Uragami. They weren't in their usual office, but in the same building, in a dark room with only one lamp dangling above their heads.

The tension in the room could be cut with a knife, and it worsened the longer Matsuda stayed there. Ashikawa looked to be close to bursting a blood vessel, Uragami appeared to be under pressure, and Wakaba, as usual, was the group's calmest member. Most oddly, Tomita was standing off to the side, not crouching in fear as he usually did. Instead, he was just quiet.

This would be a perfect opportunity to screw with them.

"Careful, Ashikawa-san," he said, casually pulling a manga volume out of his pocket and pretending to read it like none of this was his business, "you'll lose what few hairs you still have."

"You shut your mouth, you little fucking brat!" Ashikawa rounded on him, foaming at the mouth, red in the face.

"I dunno why you're mad at me," Matsuda scoffed, "I'm not the one who made Kamakura go missing. Hell, why am I even here? I said I'd get back to you if I found any more information on him, but I haven't. What's the big idea? Or did you just call me in because you need someone to hurl insults at?"

"Let me...take over..." Wakaba sighed, waving his hand to get Ashikawa to back off, "When you delivered the news to us that Izuru Kamukura's Palace had disappeared from the Metaverse Navigator, we conducted an investigation, and as it happens, Izuru Kamukura himself has gone missing too. And upon further investigation, we concluded that our worst fears were in fact the case."

"I see...So the Phantom Thieves, or some other Metaverse user, whoever they may be, stole his Treasure and destroyed the Palace..." Matsuda affirmed, "I get why you're so mad now...Your pet project that you've spent so many years on, just up and gone without a trace..."

"It's not just a matter of being gone without a trace," Uragami noted, "Hajime Hinata was chosen to be a candidate because he already had a Palace. Even if we somehow catch him, assuming that Palace is still gone and his heart has been changed, we can't bring Izuru Kamukura back!"

"Catch him? Why bother chasing him at all?" Yasuke asked, "There's nothing he can do for you any more. Why not just try it again with another helpless Reserve Course kid? I mean, you've moved all the stuff you need, and you know how to do it now, yeah?"

"Because, you ingrate," Ashikawa snarled, "I wasn't counting on that boy having his heart changed, or the Phantom Thieves ever finding him! We know now for sure that they can use the Metaverse, and the very reason why we tried to move Kamukura and everything else away is so we could continue the project in secret, but SOMEHOW they caught on and swiped him away under our noses! And...And..."

"Let me ask you this, Master Matsuda," Wakaba interjected again, "if Izuru Kamukura's Shadow has been erased and that boy's original personality has been reconstructed, what are the chances that he has regained the memories he held before his transformation?"

Matsuda stopped for a second to pause and dwell on this before he delivered his answer.

"He's a unique case...But from what my research shows, he won't remember anything that happened during these past three years unless he somehow managed to take on Kamukura's memories," he explained, "but assuming he got his original Shadow back after Izuru's was...indisposed...He will no longer have any Ultimate Talents, but most likely, he has regained his memories of before the project."

"Well, there you go then," Ashikawa put his hands on his hips, "that's why we need to find him. If that boy, whatever his name was, is somehow out there, then there's nothing stopping him from blabbing to the media sources or the police!"

"And you think they would believe him if they told him something so absurd and otherworldly?" Matsuda asked.

"It's not a risk I'm willing to take," Ashikawa declared, "First Towa, then Kirigiri, and now Kaede! Towa was the only one of the Phantom Thieves targets who had a direct tie to us, but the other two could be traced back here. And the more the Phantom Thieves act and the more hearts they change, the bigger their name gets. And the more that happens, the less places we have to hide."

"Mm...Guess the stamp of "The Steering Committee bears no responsibility..." can only get you so far..." Matsuda considered.

"To put simply, we're under enough pressure as it is," Wakaba explained, "The Tokyo Police Department has issued no fewer than fourteen injunctions in the months following the Towa incident. As more targets related to this excellent institution have come to light, they have only gotten more frequent."

"It's outrageous. The Emperor AND the Prime Minister have mandated this school to be private property! Those fucking hogs—who do they think they are?" Ashikawa snarled.

"Guess that's the only reason you haven't faced a full frontal assault from the public and police..." Matsuda scratched his head, "Consider yourselves lucky."

"But luck runs out," Wakaba stated, "and we can't afford any more slip-ups, or it's over for all of us."

"For you maybe...I'll support you if you keep giving me what I need, but if my supply stops, then you can kiss our partnership goodbye," Matsuda sighed, snapping his manga shut, "Anyway, I'll leave you folks to sort yourself out. Sorry, but there's nothing I can really do to help you."

"No. Your research has done us more than enough good," Wakaba smiled, "I'm sorry to waste your time, sir. You're dismissed."

Matsuda lazily stretched, and left the Steering Committee to their own devices. The Committee silently waited until he left, but the conversation started up again as his footsteps disappeared down the hallway.

"Wakaba...Did you really invite Matsuda here just to ask him about his research, and what would happen if Kamukura suffered a change of heart?" Uragami queried. Wakaba nodded.

"Yes...And now that he's departed, I will explain why," he said, turning around, "Earlier, I received a report from some of our security guards, following up on the instructions we gave them. During Sports Day, a boy wearing a black jumper from the general public participated in the basketball and relay race events alongside Class 77. His face and hair were obscured, but what could be seen matched the descriptions we provided."

"So Kamukura was at the Sports Day?" Uragami gasped, "Is that...good or bad?"

"Bad!" Ashikawa glowered, "because it means one of two things!"

"Izuru Kamukura has the talent to completely mask his presence to anyone around him. If Izuru is somehow still around, then it means he's gone rogue. After all, he was specifically instructed to stay hidden, yet he revealed himself here and now," Wakaba explained, "but the alternative is that he's lost his talents and regained his mind, becoming that Reserve Course boy again. Either way, it means that our Ultimate Hope is now out of our hands, and there's nothing we can do since he's most certainly not on campus anymore."

"The good news, I suppose..." Ashikawa grumbled, pinching the bridge of his nose, "is that the transfer of equipment went ahead with no issue...Besides Kamukura disappearing. Even if the Police force an investigation, they won't find the lab, and in the off-chance that they do, they won't find any evidence. We can just say that we know nothing of it or claim it's for something else. But that's only in the case of an ordinary inspection. If one more incident caused by the Phantom Thieves occurs-"

"They don't need one more incident...They're coming for us next..."

The three men turned to Tomita, who at long last, spoke up.

"What was that?" Ashikawa hissed. Tomita turned around, blue in the face.

"Th-They're going to come for us...All of us...We're doomed...There's nothing we can do...!" he warbled, "If the Phantom Thieves were strong enough to take down Kamukura's Palace, then we can't do anything to them! They'll figure out our names, change our hearts, and it'll be all over...!"

"Tomita, compose yourself," Wakaba demanded.

"I CAN'T!" Tomita shrieked, much to all their surprise, "Don't you see!? I CAN'T COMPOSE MYSELF! THIS IS SO SO SO SO SO SO SO SO SO SO SOOO BAD! There's NOTHING we can do! NOOTTHIIING!"

Tomita was already a bumbling coward, but this was the most petrified any of the other four men had seen him in the many years they had been working together. He genuinely looked like he was inches away from losing his goddamn mind.

"Now-Hold on a second!" Uragami asserted, "the Phantom Thieves can't change all four of our hearts at the same time; that's impossible. Let's say, in a hypothetical scenario, that my heart, or Wakaba's heart, or somebody else's heart gets changed. The rest of us know the signs, and they'll pick up on it pretty quickly! All the rest of us have to do is keep one another on a leash, and the information will never get out."

"Maybe they won't be able to change our hearts at once, but they've got all the time in the world to go around individually," Wakaba pursed his lips, "What'll happen when they start picking us off one by one, until all four of us have been sieged?"

"This Committee has more members than just us! There's several dozen people working in our conglomerate behind the scenes, the scientists being one faction!" Uragami boasted, "Have them cover for us, and failing that, how about just picking someone to be a scapegoat? What if, say, a whistleblower attempted to undermine Hope's Peak Academy with the sole intent of gaining fame and money, or fighting the power?"

Wakaba shook his head.

"And to whom would you choose to offer as a sacrifice? Jin Kirigiri? Yasuke Matsuda? Kazuo Tengan? You, personally?"

"Uragami, I understand what you're saying. Nothing is more at risk than everything we've worked for if we permit the Phantom Thieves to persist," Ashikawa asserted, "but Wakaba-san is correct. Those tactics of just pushing our problems onto our underlings aren't going to work here. If our hearts do get changed and we go down, there's NOBODY stopping Tengan, Kirigiri, Kizakura, or any other person we have under our thumb from speaking out and detailing the facts as they are!"

"It's what the Phantom Thieves do after all. They take out the corrupt to give courage and determination to the oppressed," Wakaba added, "and it always works."

"Grrr! W-We can surely persuade a government official to advocate on our behalf!?" Uragami fumbled, "We have a near century of peaceful and amicable collusion!"

"Amicable collusion that will go tits up if this gets out!" Tomita spat, "The government will be the one's ATTACKING US if we don't find a solution! The majority of our funds have been invested in the Kamukura Project, a scientific achievement for which there is currently NOTHING to show! We risk being cut off even if they didn't believe the rumors and didn't know that we knew about Towa Company's wrongdoings!"

"Tomita...!" Uragami snapped, "Even if the Phantom Thieves have caught onto us and will come after us, they can't get rid of us! If we go, so does the rest of the school, and it's long-standing history!"

"You think they CARE about that!?" he squealed like the pig he was, "Izuru Kamukura was the key to a REVOLUTIONARY FUTURE! And they KILLED HIM! THEY KILLED HIM and brought back the talentless nobody! They don't give a crap about the future. They just want to get rid of us!"

"You bumbling idiot..." Ashikawa hissed through grit teeth, "Stop being such a coward! You screaming like that isn't going to solve any of our issues!"

However, to Ashikawa's surprise and dismay, Tomita turned towards him and seemed to glare at him with a look of tension and malice.

"No...! No, I will NOT stop! This has gone too far, and now we're suffering the consequences of our actions in the absolute worst way possible!" he asserted, "I...I cannot do this anymore! I'm done! Now!"

Ashikawa, Uragami, and Wakaba blinked a few times as they processed his words.

"Wh-What...do you mean...you're "done?" Wh-What are you talking about!?" Uragami stammered.

"I mean I'm DONE!" Tomita screamed, "I'm DONE with this Committee! I'm DONE with these precarious, life-ending projects! I'm DONE with this FUCKING SCHOOL! I! QUIT!"

To emphasize his point, the large man grabbed his jacket and tossed it indignantly on the table. Ashikawa's face went red.

"How DARE YOU!" he boomed, storming around the table, raising a clenched fist like he intended to punch Tomita's sense back into him, "After all of this, do you really think you can just walk away!? That we can let you, after EVERYTHING that's happened!? You know, and have seen too much for you to be out of our hands, Tomita!"

"Is that really all you see me as? A bank to hide our twisted secrets!?" Tomita, surprisingly, grabbed Ashikawa's wrist before his fist made contact, "Well, I DON'T CARE what you think, you arrogant so-and-so! The only reason why I stuck around this long was because of the Kamukura Project and how much I was betting on its success, but the one subject we have has reverted back and escaped, and now the whole project has not only failed but is out of our control! So it's over! I'm FINISHED!"

Ashikawa didn't respond. He just glared into Tomita's eyes for a second, not knowing what to do or say to make him snap out of it. But it was Wakaba who spoke up.

"Ashikawa-san," he said, "let Tomita go."

"What...!?" he stepped back, his eyes widening in surprise as Tomita released his grip. Tomita looked similarly shocked.

"Tomita can't blab to anyone easily," Wakaba said, "He knows that we have methods to silence him if he does, and even if we didn't, he knows that he'll go down with us if he tells the police what we've done. Even confessing to the crime won't lighten his sentence. Plus, it betrays the very reason why he even wishes to leave in the first place..."

Ashikawa looked back and forth between his peers, until his gaze finally rested on the steeled Tomita...He relaxed his posture and sighed.

"Fine...It's not like I can do anything to change your mind anyway...And if you insist upon being a cowardly embarrassment to our cause, then good riddance to you!" he leered, "But take note, Tadachika Tomita. You've lost what little grace you possess. And the cost will be heavy..."

"Fuck you...!" Tomita spat, before he turned around and stormed out.

Tomita abrupt exit from the dark room left Wakaba, Ashikawa, and Uragami sitting in awkward quiet. They exchanged nervous glances, not sure how to move forward without all four of them there, and the tension in the air was evident...And they came to the embarrassing realization that he was probably not coming back.

As Wakaba fidgeted with his pen, Uragami tapped his foot apprehensively on the ground. They stayed like that for a while, until Ashikawa finally broke the damning silence.

"We just cannot afford to have a mass purge of the student and staff body, as much as I would prefer to remove any prospective moles, or suspects," Ashikawa grumbled, "The school prides itself on Talent, and by getting rid of all the Talent, we could end up understaffed and lose our financial support."

"Tomita was right about one thing..." Uragami crossed his arms and said, "I'm hanging on by a thread, even if I didn't want to admit it. Nothing we do against the Phantom Thieves will ever work out okay. We no longer have any executive authority at all, and we're completely helpless against them."

"Gentlemen," Wakaba gave them another one of his classic, cunning smiles, "Please settle down. You two are assuming too much too early."

Ashikawa turned to him again. "Do you have any other wise words to share, Wakaba-san? They would be greatly appreciated."

"Ashikawa-kun, when have I ever led you astray?" Wakaba smirked, "Let the Phantom Thieves come, I say. Allow them to carry out their small vigilante justice acts. Our records are more than secure; all we need to do is safeguard our finances. There are enough of our colleagues who are willing to provide us with everything we might need or pick up where we left off in case we fall, in the unlikely event that our assets are frozen by the government or that our hearts change and we are arrested. No amount of heart changes or Metaverse shenanigans can topple the unstoppable empire that is this Steering Committee."

"Yes, that's...right..." Ashikawa nodded, "By the time the Phantom Thieves get to us, we ought to be secure. Kizakura and Kirigiri...They're nothing to us..."

"Well...In that case...What about Kirigiri's daughter?" Uragami mentioned, "Kyoko is a major problem that we've forgone talking about. Her talents are, ironically, too dangerous for us to risk..."

Wakaba responded to this with a sinister smile. Both his teeth and his glasses reflected the dim light above them.

"Give it some time, my boy...Give it time..."

Beautiful Morning - Danganronpa 2: Goodbye Despair

"So...This is the "Thieves' Den" as you called it?" Chiaki looked around, "groovy. It looks about as I expected it to, but it's still a comfy pad."

"You haven't been here before?" Hajime asked. Chiaki shook her head.

"I've been told a lot about it, but I wanted to wait until you got back to come and visit officially," she explained.

Though it had taken a while for Chiaki to bypass her eager classmates, and to celebrate their triumphant victory at the end of the day, the Phantom Thieves had escorted herself and Hajime to the Thieves den for an important discussion after the levity of Sports Day had gone past. It was now almost 1 o'clock in the morning, but given the importance, it was worth staying up this late.

"Just take a seat anywhere you want," Makoto said, "and we'll get down to business."

"Ok..." Hajime nodded, "but uh...I hope you don't mind, but you might want to give me some space..."

Before anyone could ask him why he mentioned this, he pulled the hood off his head, unzipped the jacket, and handed it back to Kaede. Once he did, his Kamukura mop popped out and sagged onto the floor, breathtakingly long and intricately braided.

It was shorter than it had been from where he'd cut it in the Metaverse; now it was down to around the top of his shoulders, but it was still ridiculously long.

"Good God...!" Komaru groaned. Hajime winced, sucking air through his teeth in embarrassment.

"I'm really sorry..." he shook his head, "I wanted to stay out of sight and mind, so I didn't have a chance to get it cut. I did try and tidy it up as much as possible."

"I can't believe you were running so fast with this much hair weighting you down..." Kaede remarked.

"Why does Izuru even need long hair anyway!?" Toko scowled, "or did it just get this long because you haven't cut it for three years?"

"No, actually," Hajime shook his head, "as far as I'm aware, I came out of the pod looking like this...Even I'm not really sure why this happened, but...needless to say, I'm not fond of it."

"Hold on," Shuichi noticed something about what he had said, "am I to take that as a sign that...You remember what happened during your time as Izuru?"

"Well...Sort of..." Hajime shrugged, "It's kind of difficult to explain, but...I think my change of heart started happening almost as soon as I got out of the Metaverse after my Palace started collapsing. And I think what's going on with me now has something to do with the fact that I signed a contract with both my Shadows and became one whole entity again..."

"What do you mean, "what's happening to you now?"" Kaede asked, "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine!" Hajime assured her, "Like I said, it's complicated, but to put it another way, even though I had begun to remember some things as Izuru when I was in the Palace, I woke up with two sets of memories. Hinata's and Kamukura's, respectively. I guess the most accurate statement would be that those two Persona's became one. Literally."

"And because of that..." Chiaki shifted tentatively, "you remember...?"

"Everything. I'm not Hajime or Izuru. I'm both now," he said, "I recall the experiments, the dissection of my brain...Our days spent at Hope's Peak together...Everything about meeting you and our afternoons by the fountain..."

Chiaki looked like she was about to cry tears of joy again, but she stopped herself.

"Good...I'm glad..." she smiled, though immediately backtracked, "a-about the whole me and you thing, not so much the lobotomy...That part sucks."

"Eh, I can live with it..." Hajime said, reaching up to his forehead and touching the scar underneath his ridiculous hairdo.

"If all that's the case, then I've got a question," Komaru chimed in, "If you're both Hinata-kun and Kamukura-kun, which name do you prefer to go by?"

"I made a pledge to myself that, despite my lack of talent, I would forge my own path and continue to live as Hajime Hinata—a moniker that has stuck with me thus far," he told her, "However, I will also accept if you wish to refer to me as Kamukura. You are free to use whatever you choose."

"Well, if it's all the same to you, I think I'm gonna keep calling you Hajime then," Komaru smiled.

"Same here," Makoto added, "I know we're saying this a bit late, but it's nice to ACTUALLY meet you."

"Same to you, Naegi-kun," Hajime nodded back to him, "I'm really grateful and sorry that you had to go through so much trouble for me..."

"You can call me Makoto," Makoto reassured him, "and if you really want to make it up to us, then please take a seat and talk to us. We need to figure out what all of us are going to do from this point forward."

Hajime complied, slumping himself down on the beanbag. Chiaki fell backwards onto the bed, exhausted after the day's events; Kaede and Komaru sat next to her, and Monomi sat on the gamer girls lap. Shuichi sat at the workbench, Makoto sat down on the floor against the wall, and Toko and Kyoko decided to remain standing.

"Yeah, I think we need to get a couple more chairs in here..." Kaede remarked.

"Problems for later," Kyoko said, "let's get right to the point. What happened after we last saw you, Hinata-kun?"

"I think I already told you most of it," he said, "when I woke up, I was somehow still at Kaede's house. My mind was still piecing itself back together, so it was my body doing most of the work. I took this hoodie from her closet, then climbed over the wall after I left the note in the music room. Oh! You can have the hoodie back now, Kaede."

"Actually, I think I'd rather you keep it," Kaede said, "I don't know if I'd be able to wear it knowing your gross hair got all up inside it."

"Ouch...But fair..." the corners of Hajime's mouth turned up in shame, "After that, I spent the last few days figuring out how much had changed. I went to my parents house to check to see if they were still around or if anything had happened to them, but I didn't speak to them. The only people I ever actually talked to were a few old neighbors, who were all pretty surprised to see me after all this time, but they all remembered me."

"Kyoko-sama talked to your parents during our investigation into you and Hope's Peak's project," Shuichi explained, "we confirmed that they gave their willing consent to the Kamukura Project, but we don't think they truly knew what it meant."

"Let me guess," the ex-Reserve student leaned back in his seat, "They didn't miss me at all, did they?"

"I'd rather not comment on that..." Kyoko shook her head, "But they were willing to go through with the plan if they thought it would help you..."

"Great..." Hajime seemed to sulk, "Now I know for sure that things haven't changed..."

"You know, I was kind of getting this feeling...But you don't get along with your parents, do you?" Chiaki asked sadly, "I saw a stained-glass window of them and a memory of them in your Palace...It didn't look pretty..."

"I don't think they're bad people. Never have. But there's always been this disconnection between us," he explained, "My Mom is way worse than my Dad when it comes to this stuff, but they're both stern and intrusive. Their expectations were great for me to follow their route and flourish in the business world. It's the only reason they ever let me go to Hope's Peak when I asked."

"Hajime-kun..." Kaede sighed.

"Forget it..." he dismissively waved his hand, "like Kirigiri said just now, that's a problem for another time, and one that I should take care of on my own. The point is I spent basically these last few days piecing my life back together like I said I would, figuring out what changed and what stayed the same. Then, when I heard that the Sports Day was allowing members of the general public in, I figured that was the best opportunity I had to reunite with you guys. You know the rest..."

"Guess this wasn't as long a story as we thought it would be," Komaru remarked, "anyway, what are you gonna do now, Hajime?"

"From what I've observed, you may have Izuru and Hajime's personality traits and memories, but you no longer have Izuru's talents. If you did, you would have won that relay much more handily than you did," Shuichi pointed out, "Am I correct?"

"Well, yeah, mostly. I still have all the brain and muscle modifications they made to me, but I've lost a lot of the knowledge that came with the Palace tampering. My body limiters have been put back on me, but I can live with that. I'd rather not be overpowered and talented knowing where it all came from," he explained, "but as for what I'm gonna do now...Yeah, that's kind of the reason why I came back to talk to you guys."

"Well, I have one idea," Makoto said, placing a hand earnestly on his chest, "Hinata-kun. I know that we haven't known each other for very long, but I wanted to ask. How would you feel about joining the Phantom Thi-"

"I'm in."

He said this at the drop of a hat before Makoto could even finish making the offer.

"Man, you two really ARE cut from the same cloth," Toko scoffed, looking between him and Chiaki. Chiaki brushed some hair behind her ear, smiling and blushing.

"I mean, what the hell else am I gonna do?" Hajime asked, "I can't go back to the Reserve Course; I don't think it's safe to go back to my parents home yet, and I'm basically a dead man walking. Even if they've lost their favorite test subject, the Steering Committee is gonna be pulling out all their assets to track me down and get rid of me. As long as I'm out there, they can't risk me reaching out to the police...Feh...not that I expect the police to believe anything I say...I look like a homeless dropout nutjob to them."

"Implying that's not what you are?" Chiaki smirked. Hajime shot her a look.

"Since when did you become so snarky?" he jived right back at her.

"In all seriousness, he's got a point," Chiaki turned to the other Thieves, "Hajime's basically got nothing to his name right now. Aside from my memories of him, most of his personal information and belongings have disappeared with time, thanks to what the Steering Committee has done. There's basically no reason for him to say no."

"Not to mention I still owe you guys..." Hajime added, "But with all that being said, if I'm gonna join you...I have a few conditions."

"What, you're bartering with us now?" Toko frowned.

"Easy, Toko," Makoto said, "let's hear it."

"Ok, so I have three conditions...First of all," he began to detail his case, "having recovered my memories and remembering what they did to me, I won't let the Steering Committee get away with pulling the same sort of crap they did on me on anyone else. And they've already spent far too long pulling the wool over people's eyes."

To emphasize his point, he pulled himself up and stood at his full height, his braided hair sagging behind him like an ethereal stream.

"I'm gonna need some time to recover after that...I need to make sure I can properly readjust to...you know...being normal again," he said, "but once we're through that, I need you guys to promise me that we'll take down the Steering Committee as soon as possible. I don't want to give those old bastards any more time to hurt and lie to people like they did to me and my best friend. They've got that whole school, the city, and possibly even the whole country wrapped around their lying little fingers, and I won't let it continue, no matter what chaos it brings."

"I mean, that was basically the plan anyway," Komaru asserted, "and I don't think I could put it better."

"We also need time to do a thorough investigation into the Steering Committee's backgrounds. They've remained elusive this whole time, and without that personal information, we can't change their hearts," Makoto said, "so yeah, you've got yourself a deal. What else?"

"Ok, so the second thing," Hajime counted on his fingers, "I'm gonna need some help getting back some of my old information, and I need a place to stay. Like I said, I've only got some change in my pocket, and after I signed up for the project, Hope's Peak Academy took all my personal data and erased it completely, like I never existed at the school. That includes my bank information, provisional driving license, etcetera."

"That...might be a bit more difficult..." Makoto scratched his face.

"Not impossible though," Shuichi said, standing up, "leave that to me and Kyoko-sama."

"Indeed," Kyoko nodded, "the driving license stuff should be easy. And I'll consult some of my connections on recovering your bank details."

"As for an abode..." Shuichi pondered, "That's a little trickier. My uncle's home where I live is a detective office, and besides, it's too small anyway. We don't really have much room for you."

"I wouldn't mind letting you stay over at my parents place, but I don't think you'd be able to stay there for very long," Chiaki thought, "Besides, they live all the way in Kichijōji. It's a pretty long commute."

"Our house isn't much better. I don't think our parents would mind housing you, but we already have a foster sister staying at our place, and I don't know if we can house another mouth to feed," Makoto said, "plus, I wouldn't really be able to come up with a good enough explanation as to who you are and why you were there."

"You COULD stay at my house. I live there alone, so I've definitely got room," Kaede said, "but I think it's a bit risky. The Steering Committee and Hope's Peak are the ones that's funding the rent for the house after my Mom got arrested, and they send an inspector once a month to come and check up on me."

"So they'll probably find me and take me in if they catch me there," Hajime affirmed, "that's fine. I appreciate the thought, really, but I wasn't planning on freeloading with any of you guys."

"The dorm rooms are an absolute no-go, not that we could sneak you on campus anyway..." Toko crossed her arms, "hmm...What else?"

"Hold on a second!" Komaru raised her voice, "Why are you guys debating this so much? Don't you guys think there's a pretty obvious place that he can live, even if only in the meantime?"

"Really?" Monomi asked, "where?"

"Right here! In the Thieves' Den!" Komaru spread her arms out into the sky, "He wouldn't have to worry about commuting for meetings and plans; it's a comfy environment with a bed, and the whole reason we even set up shop here is because it's the best place to hide a secret base! It's perfect!"

"Y-You know, when she says it like that, I guess that was pretty obvious..." Kaede chuckled.

"Yes. I believe that works nicely," Kyoko smiled, "What do you think Hinata? Think you can stand to live here?"

"I mean, of course! It's really nice!" Hajime nodded enthusiastically but seemed equally as hesitant, "but...are you sure? Isn't this someone's home?"

"Technically, it's mine, but I don't live here," Toko told him, "it's all fine. I got everything fixed and working when we set up shop here. I don't mind what you do so long as you clean up after yourself."

"...Alright then...I'll take you up on your offer then," Hajime nodded, "but listen. Since I'm technically not in education anymore, I'm planning on finding a job at some point in the near future. When I do, promise me you'll let me pay at least half the rent for this place to make up for it."

"How dependable and responsible," Monomi grinned.

"Alright, so that's that taken care of. Looks like everything's working out now," Makoto nodded, "What's the last thing?"

"Well...uh..." Hajime chuckled awkwardly, catching some of his hair with his hand and lifting it up, "I...could really use a haircut. And maybe some new clothes."

Toko scoffed and rolled her eyes with a smirk.

"Kaede?"

"You got it~" Kaede winked, quickly grabbing some scissors.

"There you go! Eurgh..." she cringed as the horrific, gross mass of hair wrapped around her ankles and almost tripped her up, "How's this? I...kind of modeled it after what your Shadow looked like before it turned all evil and everything."

This was the first time that Hajime had looked in the mirror in what felt like years. He'd never had reason to do it as Izuru, but he was quite surprised by how his face looked.

He now had short, rather spiky brown hair with an ahoge on top after Kaede used the scissors to chop off and trim as much of the lengthy hair as she could. However, he was shocked to realize how much his eyes had altered when he could see them better after shaving his hair since he had somehow acquired heterochromia.

His left eye was a hue of beige-green, and there were straight lines across his pupils, like a prohibition symbol. His right eye, however, was red with a symbol resembling a target radar.

Halfway through his cut, Makoto had gone off and returned shortly after with a selection of clothes for the boy, which he got changed into after Kaede quickly left the bathroom. He stepped out shortly after wearing a pair of denim jeans and a plain white t-shirt.

It was better than nothing, he supposed.

"Hey, looking good," Makoto smiled, "we can lend you some more clothes later. At least until you have the money to buy your own. Sorry if they're a little small for you in the meantime."

"It's fine," Hajime assured him.

"It's very late out now...or rather, early..." Monomi looked out the window, "Everyone really should consider going to bed, otherwise none of us will find any sleep tonight. And now that this is all over, we all deserve one."

"You're right," Toko said, "but there's still some stuff we need to talk about before we call it quits tonight. We've all agreed that we're gonna go after the Steering Committee, but I think we seriously need to start thinking about how to do that."

"In relation to that," Kyoko raised her hand suddenly, "there's something I was hoping to bring up with everybody. It's quite important."

Everyone turned to her and nodded to let her know they were listening.

"Thank you...See, there's something I've been looking into ever since the whole incident surrounding Hinata and Kamukura started," Kyoko revealed, "Shuichi? Do you remember what happened not too long before we found the lab underneath the Kamukura Statue?"

"Hm...If I remember correctly..." Shuichi recalled, "We went to talk to Kazuo Tengan-san about something...And when we got there..."

"Right," Kyoko affirmed, "Munakata seemed very stern about getting information out of Tengan. Only at the time, we weren't sure what his beef is."

"It's Munakata," Toko rolled her eyes, "he has beef with everybody."

"Slow down a sec," Hajime interjected, "I recognize Tengan's name. I've talked with him before. But...Who is Munakata?"

"He's a cruel businessman with a bad haircut," Kaede scowled.

"More accurately, he's the head of innovation and construction at Hope's Peak Academy. But somehow, he's also effectively the one who controls most of the staff of the school," Shuichi elaborated, "Juzo Sakakura, the head of security, is practically his yes-man, and he's established himself as something of a "fixer" at the school, albeit a...rather reclusive one."

"He's not afraid to voice his concerns or his dislikes for the people around him, a lot of the time being the students themselves," Makoto added, "and, if I'm not mistaken, I think you and Sakakura are aquainted already. At least, your Shadow seemed to imply such..."

Hajime thought about it for a second. He only knew a few members of staff at Hope's Peak, with two of them being Chisa Yukizome and Kazuo Tengan, so there was only one other person that could fit the bill.

"Did he have mossy green hair and a chronic frown?" he checked.

"Yep," Makoto nodded.

"Yeah, that's him then," Hajime crossed his arms, "Bastard...That guy's a piece of work, and I'm scared to imagine what this Munakata guy is like if he's really at his beck and call."

"Yes, well, Munakata became a cause of concern after that encounter. I didn't know what he was up to, but based on what he was saying, I could take a few guesses," Kyoko said, "To make absolutely sure though, I started investigating him and his...little conglomerate as well."

"And?" Makoto raised his eyebrows, "What did you find out?"

"Put simply," Kyoko explained, "Munakata is after the same thing we are. He's also looking for inside info on the Steering Committee, and if I'm not mistaken, has been doing so for the past 7 or 8 years."

"For real!?" Kaede gasped.

"So that would mean he's been investigating them ever since he joined Hope's Peak's staff," Shuichi perceived, "if I'm not mistaken."

"It's rather complicated, but I'll explain as best as I can," Kyoko told them all, "Like the majority of us here, Kyosuke Munakata is an Ultimate Student, or at least he WAS one before he graduated from Hope's Peak Academy Class 74 in 2003. He was known as the "Ultimate Student Council President." Soshun Murasame, a member of Class 77-A, took over his title after he graduated."

"THAT'S his talent?" Komaru scoffed, "What's even the point of something like that? A talent like that is only useful where there's a Student Council to be President of!"

"Mmm...No, I think it makes sense," Chiaki said, "Munakata-san's not a student anymore, sure, but there are a lot of important qualities to being a Student Council President that can translate into later life, including a strong sense of leadership, communication skills, empathy, organization, and interpersonal skills. If anyone ever needed something like that, he'd be the guy to go to."

"Well, I guess we should take it from Class 77's rep for that kind of stuff," Kaede smiled.

"You're a rep too, Kaede. It's really not specific to me. Besides, that's not really how I know anyway," Chiaki continued, "Sometimes, Yukizome-sensei discusses Munakata-san extensively, and her opinion of him isn't like what you said. She tells me he's laid back and charming, yet he's still very committed to his profession. that he is the kind of person that follows through on decisions once made."

"I suppose he exhibits a different, less stern side of himself to those close to him in private," Makoto considered, "However, when you put it that way, it makes sense. The fact that his peers still cling to him shows how influential he is as a result of all those attributes."

"And yet, of all places that he could have offered his capabilities and talents, he chose to remain at Hope's Peak and become the head of innovation..." Monomi pondered, "Why?"

"You said he was from Class 74? Then...He's not that much older than us?" Hajime asked.

"That's correct," Kyoko nodded, "Kyosuke Munakata is only 21. He joined Hope's Peak's staff roll immediately after he graduated, alongside his two closest friends. Juzo Sakakura, who graduated as the Ultimate Boxer, and Chisa Yukizome, who graduated as the Ultimate Housekeeper."

She then turned to Chiaki.

"Also, while it's not important, I suppose I should mention that Munakata and Yukizome's relationship since their time at Hope's Peak is rather...ahem...intimate..."

"O-Oh..." Chiaki blushed slightly, "You know, I had suspected as much..."

"But that's the interesting thing. When Munakata joined Hope's Peak, Sakakura and Yukizome joined right alongside him," Kyoko continued, "and I've come to realize that this was no coincidence. Those three planned this."

"They "planned it?" You mean that they joined together so they could do an inside job or something?" Makoto asked.

"During his time at Hope's Peak Academy, Munakata suspected that something wasn't quite right about the school," she explained, "Back then, there were multiple rumors of seemingly ordinary people with loose ties to the school going missing, yet there was no evidence to it. Even so, he couldn't shake the feeling that something was going down behind the curtain."

"Well, he wasn't wrong..." Komaru shrugged, "You don't think those guys might have been...You know..."

"The Kamukura Project, if we're to believe Tengan's words, was the sole reason Hope's Peak was founded in the first place," Kyoko reminded them all, "For a project that many years in the making, it would be unwise to suspect that Hajime was the first ever test subject or candidate, even if he was the first successful one."

"Fucking scumbags..." Hajime growled under his breath, "they'll pay for that."

"Easy now, their time will come; we've already promised such," Monomi told him, then turning her fluffy face to Kyoko again, "what you're saying is Munakata had a gut feeling that these rumors were true, so he called on his friends to help him investigate."

"Correct," Kyoko affirmed, "the three of them infiltrated the school in different ways. Sakakura for his part, used his physical fitness talents to get hired as head of security."

"And...Yukizome-sensei became our homeroom teacher..." Chiaki added, "I...I never suspected that she would..."

"Don't worry. I have full confidence that Yukizome has been genuine with you this whole time, even if she hasn't told you her true motives. She seems to genuinely care about her students, and it shows," Kyoko reassured her.

"And what about Munakata?" Makoto asked, "What kind of in does becoming the Head of Innovation give you at this school?"

"Simply put, by becoming the man in charge of what goes where, and by using his natural talents to build up a reputation..." Kyoko told him "Munakata wanted to increase his authority to that of my father's, or Tengan's, by opening a Hope's Peak Academy branch abroad."

"Your father?" Hajime asked.

"Jin Kirigiri, my father, is the current headmaster of Hope's Peak Academy, succeeding Kazuo Tengan," Kyoko told him, "I believe it's Munakata's full intent to seize control of the school and to get to the bottom of what the Committee is up to."

"Just the kind of heavy-handed militaristic tactic I'd expect from that scumbag," Toko glowered, "but what's all that got to do with us? Why are we the target of his ire too?"

"That...I'm still trying to figure out," Kyoko shook her head in silent defeat, "but I brought all of this up because Munakata might be the one we need to get closer to the Steering Committee and find out the information we need on them. However, I implore all of you to be cautious. We may have the same enemy, but we aren't allies."

"Works for me," Makoto crossed his arms, "I wouldn't want to work with such a hard-pressed guy if you paid me. But if he, or Jin, have any sort of connection or information on the Committee, they might be our way in. They're far too elusive for regular kids like us to get close..."

"It would be best if you leave this investigation up to me," Kyoko told them, "I'm the only one who can get close to the staff without arousing suspicion. All I need to do is get their names, their locations, and their distortions, right?"

"Yeah, I was thinking the same thing," Makoto affirmed, "we're counting on you, Kyoko, but don't stress yourself. We're not in any rush with this."

"Oh yeah...We don't even know their full names...Even when I met them, I never found out," Kaede realized, "you wouldn't happen to know what they are, do you, Kyoko?"

"Ashikawa, Wakaba, Tomita, and Uragami. They never bring up their first names around anyone, and not even my father knows; and I reckon that's on purpose," Kyoko sighed, "and all official documents are just signed as "The Steering Committee." Nothing more."

"I don't suppose either of you two would know any of the Committee's full names?" Shuichi asked, "If Hinata really does remember his time as Kamukura, you've both spent the longest at the school."

"Well, I never found out, but...Yeah, we actually do," Chiaki said, "In Hajime's Palace, I saw the last memory he had before turning into Izuru Kamukura was meeting the Steering Committee. On of them, the balding man...He said his name was..."

"Akihiko Ashikawa..." Hajime finished her sentence, "but...why do you need their full names?"

"In order to go into the Metaverse, we need the full name of our target, a location where they might be based, and the distortion that they see that place as," Makoto told him, "so in your case, your name is Hajime Hinata, the important place was Hope's Peak Academy, and you saw it as an Island Resort because of how special it looked from the view of an outsider."

"Ah...I getcha..." Hajime said, "Now that I think about it, I do recall doing something like that when I used Kaede's phone to enter..."

"Well, Makoto?" Toko asked, "Give it a go."

Makoto did as requested and spoke the name "Akihiko Ashikawa" into the Metaverse Navigator.

[CANDIDATE FOUND!]

"That's a hit..." he said, feeling his heart skip a solitary beat for a second, "He's got a Palace...Well, I guess it's not that surprising."

"Hell, I wouldn't be surprised if all four of them had Palace...They're all twisted enough..." Kaede glared.

"It would be best to figure out which one of them is the ringleader and/or most influential. Taking out the man at the tippy top of the operations could be an effective way to slowly bring down the organization." Shuichi stated.

"Then leave that to me," Kyoko reaffirmed, "I'll contact you all when I get any information."

"Oh! That's just reminded me," Komaru added, "we should probably get Hajime a phone too. Not just so he can use the MetaNav, but so we can stay in contact with him."

"I might have a spare model at the KDA that I can give to him in the meantime," Kyoko said, "The problem is I don't know how to get the MetaNav installed on it."

"Well, if my hunch is correct, it'll probably show up on the phone as soon as you put it in his hands," Makoto chuckled, "if not, before."

"That's really kind of you," Hajime nodded, "thanks, Kirigiri-san."

"Hey now," Chiaki said, "read the room a little, Hajime. You don't have to address anyone with any honorifics or last names."

"Sorry, it's not that easy," Hajime sighed, "After all, I am kind of just meeting all of you for the first time..."

"Hm...Well...I might just have an idea..."

Monomi said this in her cunning voice, suggesting that she was up to something, and the way her ears wiggled affirmed this suspicion.

"What're you plotting now?" Makoto sighed and smirked.

"Since we're leaving a lot of the heavy investigative work to Kyoko, we might be waiting a short while before we get any conclusive results back. Not to mention with Sports Day over, we have a few weeks left of summer vacation to use at our leisure," the rabbit explained, "Since we have plenty of free time, why don't we use it to get to know Hajime-kun?"

Hajime's mouth corners turned up again, this time in apprehension.

"Elaborate..." he said.

"Here's what we'll do," Monomi paced along the bed, "we'll each dedicate a day over the next week to hanging out with Hajime, getting to know him, showing him what life with the Phantom Thieves is like, and it'll bring us all closer together! Luv Luv~!"

"Hm..." Chiaki scratched her chin, "that's...not a bad idea, actually. I WAS thinking about inviting you guys around my house to hang out and play games next week. Maybe this is a good chance to do that?"

"Yeah! Great idea!" Kaede beamed, "There's so many awesome places that I want to show him! This'll be fun!"

"H-Hey! Hold on a second, don't I get a say in this-!?" Hajime stammered.

"And you know what else? I swore to myself that I would go to the beach at least once before summer break ended!" Komaru jumped up excitedly, "So how about we all go together!? It'd be a good chance for him to get used to being around a lot of people again too!"

"That's a great idea!" Kaede nodded enthusiastically, "a-assuming we go before jellyfish season."

"S-Slow down!" Hajime raised his voice this time, successfully getting everyone to stop, "I appreciate you guys making fun plans for me, but I just got out of a VERY bad situation, and in case you forgot, I'm kind of on the run from the school. Can't you at least consult me before you start bringing me to places!? I'm not some asylum patient going through rehab!"

"I mean...Not to play devil's advocate, Hajime, but...your situation is very akin to something like that," Shuichi pointed out."

"While I do think the girls are being a bit overenthusiastic, I still think it's a good idea," Makoto told him seriously, "We're not trying to hold your hand or baby you or anything; we know that you can take care of yourself. But Hope's Peak won't find it easy to get their hands on you if we stay away from the school area and not talk to anyone. And if we're going to work together as a team, we need to open up to each other and learn about each other. Otherwise, how are we ever gonna make a good team?"

"That's..." Hajime grumbled, "true...Still, you're not really giving me much freedom here."

"Don't you worry about it, you'll be fine!" Chiaki approached and took him by the hands, "Everyone here is trustworthy. You'll be fine."

Hajime sighed.

"Fine..." he said "what else have I got to lose after all...?"

The Day Before the Future - Danganronpa 2: Goodbye Despair

The celebration, which had become rather boisterous, started to wind down as one in the morning arrived. The intense talks and conversations dissolved into the darkness as the lights went down. The Phantom Thieves said goodbye to each other and began walking slowly back home.

Kaede, Shuichi, and Toko made their way back to the dorms, while Kyoko offered to accompany Chiaki to Kichijoji. Ultimately, Komaru returned to the Naegi residence, leaving behind just Hajime, Monomi, and Makoto, the latter of whom promised to reunite with his friends at school later.

Makoto stayed behind to assist Hajime in settling in. This was, after all, going to be his place of residence for the foreseeable future. He helped clean up the mess of the snacks, and made the bed, with Monomi directing them both from the table. Hajime then slumped down on the bed once it was made, looking up at the ceiling.

"I imagine this will feel quite different than a pod or whatever you were using before," Makoto said, smiling at him, "but I'm sure you'll get used to it."

Hajime shrugged as he lied there. "Meh...I barely remember how it felt...The memories are still kinda...piecing themselves back together..."

"Oh...Alright...I guess we didn't exactly help with that, huh?" Makot rubbed the back of his head awkwardly, "Sorry about that."

Hajime remained quiet.

"Well, it's late...And you've got a lot of thinking to do...So...I guess we'll leave you to it," he said.

"Yes, let's go," Monomi hopped into his bag, "goodnight, Hajime-kun."

"Yeah...goodnight..." he whispered. However, before Makoto and Monomi could make it to the door, he sat up and added, "Before you go, can I ask you something...?"

Makoto stopped, turned around, and one look at Hajime's face said that whatever he was about to ask, it was important. Makoto smiled, turned around, and sat on the workbench chair.

"Ask away," he nodded.

"Thanks...All I want to know is...What was it like?" he asked, "That first day that you arrived at Hope's Peak Academy, looking up at the school building, standing outside the gates, realizing that that was where you were going to school for the next three years...How did it feel?"

Makoto hesitated. He certainly wasn't expecting this question, but in hindsight it made sense. He briefly glanced at Monomi, then answered.

"Like I could forget it if I tried," he laughed, "Back then, I was just an ordinary kid, with ordinary family and friends. You could find a guy like me anywhere in the world, yet here I was, at Hope's Peak Academy, the most unordinary place in the whole world. Honestly, I spent the first few hours wondering if I had what it took to survive in a place like that. Like the overwhelming presence of the school was gonna swallow me whole. I can't tell you how many hours of research I put into my preparation the night before."

"Research? Preparation?" Hajime parroted. Makoto laughed again, the awkwardness in his voice prevalent.

"Hope's Peak is such a popular talking topic that there are threads online dedicated to talking about the attendees," he explained, "so to prepare, I looked up a lot of those threads. And all I saw was talk about "Ultimate" students—kids way beyond your average high schooler. When I saw all those names and all those talents, it made me realize how totally powerless I was. It was the country's finest, top to bottom. I felt like a tame little house cat walking into a pride of lions..."

"Heh...That's a funny image," Hajime remarked. Makoto shrugged in a "yeah yeah..." kind of way.

"And I was there by chance. Pure luck. That's it. They spelled that out plain as day in the letter," he asserted, "Honestly, at first I thought I would've probably been better off declining their offer, but after hearing about how the academy "guarantees success" for their graduates, I couldn't say no," Makoto told him, "and to the school's credit, that part seems accurate, even now."

"Yeah, many of the current leaders of various industries, including political parties, are alumni of Hope's Peak," Hajime nodded, "but...that's not really a good thing anymore, is it? Thinking about all that's happened, it's because of those people that Hope's Peak's dreaded influence has changed societal standards..."

"You're right about that...But at that point in time, I was none the wiser. None of us were," Makoto sighed, "Actually standing there, in front of that school...I started to feel lost; like I didn't belong there. I could feel myself losing my nerve. But then, when I got inside, and the introductory meeting began...That was it. I was in. In for the long haul. And even if I don't like the school and what goes on behind the scenes, I still love and cherish my classmates. Nothing will ever change that."

Hajime quietly nodded.

"Was that answer satisfactory, Hajime-kun?" Monomi asked, "why, might I ask, did you want to know?"

"No reason really..." he said, "just...wanted to see if your experience matched up with my own...Like I said, my mind is still trying to piece the memories together, but one thing that is vivid in my mind is standing in the shadow of that huge building...But one big difference is that I wasn't remotely nervous..."

"Really?" Makoto raised his eyebrows in surprise. Hajime cringed, like admitting this was physically paining him, then he fell down onto his back, his head smacking against the pillow.

"You probably already know this by now, but there's only one reason I ever wanted to go to Hope's Peak Academy...Because I admired Hope's Peak Academy," he told him, "to me, attending Hope's Peak was like being a celebrity or a superhero. Hell, calling it an "admiration" doesn't do it justice. It was my lifelong dream. That's why, to feel like a member of society, to become someone I can be proud of, I always..."

His hands were trembling the longer he spoke, so he stopped and composed himself, taking a deep breath in and out.

It was a sad sight. Everything he had been through thanks to Hope's Peak Academy had thoroughly traumatized him and scarred him for life.

It was honestly fascinating that he had been so composed up until now. Makoto and Monomi were worried that he might break if they left him be as he was.

"I'm gonna be honest...As someone who's been through all that before, I'm not sure I have what it takes to be a Phantom Thief either...I don't know the first thing about the human heart..." he admitted, "but...I'm still gonna try. I can't just let things end here. It's not even just for the sake of revenge that I want to take those guys down...Everyone else in society that's like you or me looks up to that school, and that's the only way they've managed to get away with all this. I don't want this...for anybody else..."

"I know..." Makoto nodded, "and I'm happy to have you along for the ride."

"Thanks..." he said, "but you're seriously amazing, Naegi. All of you are. You've been through a hell of a lot, even before you met me and...everything my Palace threw at you. Honestly, I know you're probably thinking that I'm awfully composed despite everything that happened, but I could say the same about you. You're still so hopefully, even though you've stared the worst of humanity in the face time and time again."

"Well, that's the thing," Makoto once again glanced at Monomi, then looked back at him, "we did that all together. I don't think any of us could have managed alone. They're my team. My friends. My family. And all of us are more than happy to let you be a part of that..."

He reached out and patted the lying down Hinata on the shoulder.

"None of us give a crap about what it is we can't do. We only focus on what we can, because we're all special in our own way," he stated, "you don't have to be alone anymore."

Hajime, not sure what to do, patted Makoto's arm to say thanks.

"Yeah..." he nodded. Makoto stood up, with Monomi in his hood, and made his way to the door.

"Goodnight Hajime-kun!" Monomi called back to him, "Rest well!"

"I'll try," he promised, "and...thank you, Monomi. Makoto. Seriously. I can't say that enough."

"No problem," Makoto winked, as he closed the door on the way out.

Hajime was now alone, and all he could stand to do was lay back, and try his best to get some shut-eye, even if he knew it wouldn't be easy. The fact that he'd barely been able to get any sleep for the last few days, however, had left him incredibly tired, so he leaned into that as he made himself drift off.

Even as he passed out, there were many thoughts swarming his mind, yet these were a little different than what he had suffered from since his heart change.

The whole ordeal...was finally over...He was free...Both Hajime and Izuru, were free...

And from here, his daily life had started...A life that was somehow much more absurd, nonsensical, and irrational than before...

Things were...probably going to be a lot more difficult from now.

There was no such thing as an answered mystery...It was doubtful whether or not things would even end well. But throughout it all, he let Chiaki's words play in his mind, over and over again...This new focus he had given himself...

The future wasn't a path...It was more like an endless sea...Just like the one that had taken shape in his mind for many years now...Isolated alone, with nothing notable for miles...Trapped...

...But now he was looking at it differently.

He could try to go anywhere...It didn't mean he'd get there...But even so...he would keep on living.

He would keep on living as Hajime Hinata.

I am thou...Thou art I...Thy hast acquired a new vow.

It shall become the wings of rebellion that breaketh thy chains of captivity.

With the birth of the Hope Persona, I have obtained the winds of blessing that shall lead to freedom and new power...

Chapter End Notes

And there we have it. The official conclusion of the Hinata Arc of the story. Now moving onto what is somehow an even bigger part of the tale: The Steering Committee Saga.
I remember seeing a lot of people suspect that Hajime would turn out to be the Aeon Arcana when he finally got his confidant rank started, but I gave him Hope instead since...he's the Ultimate Hope, and also, Aeon hasn't been seen since Persona 4.
The Hope Arcana is not included in conventional Tarot decks, much like the Faith Arcana, and is instead included in the Visconti-Sforza Tarot deck. When standing straight, it symbolizes enthusiasm, hope, and optimism. Conversely, on the other hand, it can stand for pessimism, negativity, false hope, and despair.
So kind of the yin and yang that Hajime and Izuru embody.
I don't really have an awful lot to say, other than the fact that it will be another few chapters or so until we see Hajime and Chiaki get their code names, but as of now, they are both official members of the group. And I'll set everyone's expectations by saying that while they won't be the last teammates the Phantom Thieves gain in this story, they are the last one's for a little while. There will be no new Phantom Thieves for the next Palace.
We got two this arc, so I hope you guys don't complain.
Aside from that, I want to do my usual thank you's, mainly to those who were making such amazing artwork of my content, and those who are being super helpful by updating the TV Tropes page. It really does save me a lot of time and I appreciate it, and I love seeing this story's fanbase.
And of course, there's one last thing to talk about that I've sort of been building up to, and it's important to cover it now. I wanted to let everyone know that as of today, I am officially putting this project on hiatus, mainly to allow me to tend to some personal matters, and sort out my life.
I appreciate your understanding and support, and I assure you that I will continue writing the story whenever I can. Thank you for your patience, and stay tuned for updates. And in the meantime, leave some kudos, and some comments. I really want to hear what you guys think.

Sink or Swim

Chapter Summary

Makoto and Class-78 attend Aoi Asahina's public tryouts for the Olympics. However, things are not all they are cut out to be, and Makoto begins to suspect foul play behind the scenes...

Chapter Notes

See the end of the chapter for notes

"Not to sound ignorant or anything like that," Hifumi Yamada piped up as he and his classmates arrived at the court, "but would anybody care to remind me what it is we are gathered here for?"

"Come on, Yamada," Junko rolled her eyes, "We're here to support Hina-chan at her tryouts. If she manages to make the cut at this tournament, and if people notice her, then she'll be able to enter the actual Olympic Games for swimming!"

"Correct! This is rather a big deal," Taka added, "Asahina-san has been working most of her life for the sake of these tryouts. We all received formal invitations, so we must come to show our support. See? Even Togami-san showed up to do his part."

"I promised I would come. I never promised that I would enjoy it," Byakuya rolled his eyes, "Tch my butler even provided me a VIP pass for some reason..."

"Oh, I have one of those too!" Makoto chimed in, "Hina gave me one the other day after we finished jogging together."

Makoto reached into his pocket and took out the special pass that Hina had given him. Staring at it, he recalled the conversation that they'd had a few days prior.

[A FEW DAYS AGO...]

"Hoo! Wow! You almost beat me that time!"

"Still didn't quite make it though...Ugh...I figured I'd get a break after Sports Day was over, but I guess not."

"Hehe...Sorry I pushed you again," Hina handed Makoto a water bottle after they'd done a race around the track, "I'm just trying to make sure I push myself as much as possible. Gotta make sure my arms and legs are in good working order for the tryouts. You are coming to that, aren't you?"

"Of course I am!" Makoto enthused, "I wouldn't miss it for the world! Still, it's pretty amazing. You're actually gonna be an Olympic Swimmer! I know that was always the plan, but you've gotta be one of the youngest people to ever make it in."

"That's actually not true. The youngest person to ever win a Gold Medal for swimming is from Japan too. Kyoko Iwasaki is her name," Hina told him, "My old coach told me about her. She had just turned 14 years old when she won the medal at the Barcelona Olympics in 1992."

"14!?" Makoto exclaimed, "How in the hell was that woman never an Ultimate!?"

"Well, she wasn't high-school age, so I guess she doesn't count," Hina shrugged, "and hey, what's with you buttering me up like that? These are tryouts! Don't call me an "Olympic Swimmer" when I haven't even made the cut yet!"

"I just have that much faith in you," Makoto winked.

"Well, I appreciate that," Hina seemed to blush slightly, "and I promise I'll do my best, but you've gotta remember, a lot of the people that I'm up against have been training for events like this their whole lives. I'm just getting by on my passion for sports. So don't be too disappointed if I end up failing to make the cut. And actually, between you and me...I was thinking of going on a hiatus or something after this event, regardless of whether I win or lose."

"Hiatus?" Makoto repeated, "What, you're taking a break? That's not like you. You aren't comfortable unless you're moving around doing something."

"It's...a little difficult to explain," Hina shrugged, "Honestly, I'm not sure what it is, but I talked to my new coach, Donyokuna-sensei, about it. She seemed to think I was fine, but...I've just been feeling really stressed, exhausted, and emotionally drained lately. I don't really get what's going on."

"That sounds to me..." Makoto pondered, "that you're suffering from burnout."

"Burnout?" Hina tilted her head.

"It's a state of physical and emotional exhaustion. It's not technically a medical condition, but it is classified as a syndrome," Makoto told her, "It can develop when you are under long-term stress, such as doing a tough job or doing something for too long and losing interest in it."

"Wha-!? Me, lose interest in SPORTS!?" Hina spat, "Don't make me laugh! It's gotta be something else! I mean, why would I be burned out of sports NOW of all times?"

"It IS peculiar...Like I said, I have faith in you, Hina; I'm sure you'll be able to do it," Makoto repeated, "You should have faith in yourself too."

"Yeah, I know. Trust me, I'll do my best," she pumped her arms, "but speaking of which, why don't you take one of these? You can come talk to me in the middle of the event if you feel like it. I'd like to hear your feedback."

And with that, Hina handed Makoto a small plastic card on a lanyard.

"I received a similar ticket," Sakura demonstrated by taking her own VIP pass and showing it off, "She told me she would be happy to give everybody one, but she only had two tickets to provide."

"What do those passes actually do?" Sayaka inquired, "Is it like backstage passes at a concert?"

"Sort of," Makoto told her, "basically, there's going to be a break between the events where the athletes can go back to the changing rooms and take a break before things pick up again. With these passes, we can go into the back area and talk to Hina during that time. At least, I think that's how it works."

"Of course you won't be going in the changing room, will you, Naegi-kun?" Sakura asked. Makoto shook his head.

"Obviously!" he said, "I just assumed that she'd come out to see us. We'll see when the time comes, though. I'm definitely gonna redeem this."

"This will be my first time at a place like this," Monomi poked her head out of Makoto's hood, "to think I'll get to see just where the world's greatest athletes are made! I'm so excited!"

"Still..." Leon rubbed the back of his head, "Hina-chan of all people is feeling burned out? I dunno, I don't think I can believe that 'til I see it."

"I gotta agree with Kuwata here," Mondo added, "You sure that's what it was?"

"No, not really. Maybe I'm wrong, but if that is the case," Makoto told them, "then honestly, it's a little concerning."

"Hey, even I get writer's block," Toko shrugged, "She should probably just try doing something else for a while that isn't sports..."

She scoffed.

"Pfft...Like that's ever gonna happen..."

"Toko, don't be mean," Sayaka pursed her lips, "this is serious."

"Aw, she'll be fine," Toko said, dismissing Sayaka's concerns, "I bet if we get in there, she'll be all smiles."

"And if she's already decided to take a break, then clearly she's got it handled," Junko added, "Come on. Let's just get in there and enjoy the show."

Monomi had good reason to be excited, especially when they walked into the stadium. The noises of splashing water and applauding onlookers reverberated throughout the large space. Makoto looked around, amazed at the ornate arrangement and the rows of seats reaching up to the sky. The anticipation in the class rose as the smell of chlorine permeated the air.

Unfortunately, Hina couldn't go overboard with the number of people she could invite. According to her, she'd invited her mother, her brother, and all of her classmates. And at her request, Makoto had smuggled Monomi into the building, even though pets weren't typically allowed in the pool area. As per usual, she had to be discreet about it.

Toko hadn't been that excited to go. She and Hina had always been quite bitter towards one another, but she'd gotten an invitation anyway, and Makoto basically had to sweet talk her into coming.

As for the other Phantom Thieves, they were winding down now that their previous incident had come to a close. Apparently, while Shuichi, Kaede, and Chiaki were off doing who knows what, Komaru had invited Hajime around their house to hang out. Makoto wasn't quite sure what it was that she was intending, but he decided to put his trust in his sister this time.

Instead, he turned his focus to the Olympic-sized swimming pool, which was huge and rectangular in shape. It featured ten lanes delineated with vivid, colorful lines at the bottom. The water in the pool was perfectly clean, reflecting the lights above. The terrace surrounding the pool was packed with fans anxious to watch the swimmers compete against one another.

"Hey! You guys made it!" a familiar, excited voice sung out to them, "I'm so glad you could all come!"

Much like Toko had stated, Hina appeared and skipped towards their group with a big, satisfied smile. She had clearly been waiting for them and hadn't gotten changed into her swimsuit yet. She wore matching black leggings and a tank top, and despite being well-worn, her sneakers offered the necessary support for her workouts.

Following closely behind her were two other people. One was a boy wearing a dark teal-blue track jacket with a logo that said, "dog can go like 3 cups rice dog oh love since 1981." He was wearing a white tank top and also wore bright yellow socks, red sneakers, and beige shorts. The other was a more grown-up woman wearing neon green running shoes, a matching tank top, and bright pink tights.

Both of them had the same tanned skin, brown hair, and faded blue eyes as Hina did.

"Of course we did," Makoto greeted her, "It's good to see you. You're looking a lot better than you did the last time I saw you."

"Yeah, I got my fair share of pep talks," Hina chuckled awkwardly, "Oh! Allow me to introduce you. This is my mom and my brother."

"Hey! I'm Yuta!" Yuta waved to them casually, "Pretty sure I played soccer with some of you guys a few days ago. Good to see you all again."

"It is nice to meet you again too, Asahina-kun!" Taka beamed, giving Yuta one of his viscious handshakes.

"It's wonderful to meet you all personally for the first time," the older woman gave them all a warm smile, "My name is Yoshie Asahina. Aoi's mother. You can just call me Yoshie if you want."

"Damn..." Leon whispered under his breath to Hifumi, who was standing next to him, "I kinda expected this from Hina-chan's mother, but she's pretty hot, ain't she?"

Mukuro, who heard this, casually elbowed Leon in the stomach, causing him to collapse to the floor, choking and holding his side.

"It is a pleasure to meet you again, Yoshie-san," Sakura stepped forward, shaking her hand, "I believe it's been a while since we last met. I truly have missed your company though."

"Me too, Sakura-chan," Yoshio nodded, "I really hope your mother liked the donuts I gave you to take home to your folks."

"Yes, she was quite enthralled by them," Sakura assured her, "however, the sweetness is a little too much for her to eat regularly."

"I see. That's a shame. I'm glad she enjoyed them at least..." Yoshie sighed.

She then turned to the rest of them.

"I know that this is a bit of a strange thing for me to say to a bunch of people I just met, but I just want to say how much I cherish each and every one of you," Yoshie said, looking around at their guests with a warm smile. "You have all been such an important part of my girl's life, and I am so grateful to you all for being here for her today."

"M-Mom! You didn't need to say that stuff!" Hina's cheeks instantly flushed with embarrassment. She couldn't believe her mother was being so openly sentimental in front of their friends, and this was made worse as the 78th Class started heartily laughing.

The friends all smiled warmly at Hina's mother, expressing their own gratitude for the cherished friendship they shared. Hina's heart swelled with a mix of embarrassment and a touch of warmth at the genuine connections she had cultivated over the years.

"Anyway...Based on what you guys were just talking about..." she hung her head suddenly, "I'm guessing Makoto told you guys about me taking a break after all this?"

"He mentioned it, yes," Sakura nodded, "Are you alright? Do you need to talk to me about anything that's going on?"

"Mm...I don't think so. I kind of already spoke to Mr. Tengan at school about it," Hina told her, "I'll be fine, don't worry. I don't really know how I got burned out, especially now, but it happens to the best of us."

"Well, I do think you've got the right idea," Chihiro chimed in, "I'm sure I don't need to tell you of all people this, Asahina-chan, but your health comes first and foremost. If you're really going through burnout, then a break would probably be-"

"While I agree," a rather booming voice suddenly cut straight through Chihiro's quiet words, "I doubt she's gonna have much time for a break, assuming all of this goes right."

The 78th Class and Hina's family all turned their attention in the direction of this voice. They came to face a strong-looking individual who exuded confidence and commanded deference. She was a tall, buff woman, and though not nearly as muscular as Sakura, it was a clear testament to years of hard work and dedication to her craft. Her golden-brown hair was pulled back into a taut ponytail, and her sharp blue eyes peered critically at the Ultimate's as she surveyed the gathering.

"Your classmates, I take it?" the formidable woman raised an eyebrow in Hina's direction. Hina nodded.

"I told you they were coming, didn't I?"

"That you did...Still, try to keep them in check. I don't mind 'em cheering for you, but you've got a bigger group coming to watch you than most people here," she said on the sly as she approached them all, "Sorry. Where are my manners? It's an honor to meet you squirts. The name's-"

"Hito Donyokuna," Kyoko interjected, "am I right?"

"Oh? You know what's up," the woman smirked, "then again, people do tend to know I'm in charge after taking one good look at me."

"Even if Asahina hadn't told me about you, your reputation precedes you, Donyokuna-san," Kyoko told her, "I trust that you have good intentions for my friend's future?"

"Don't I always?" the coach smirked smugly, "Anyway, I hate to interrupt your little chat, but we've gotta get a move on. Asahina! Come meet me in the office!"

"H-Huh? But...Coach!" Hina stammered, "We've still got half an hour before the event starts, right? It'll only take my 5 minutes to get changed; I've still got-"

"I wanna talk to you before the game begins," Donyokuna cut her off, "It's important. We gotta have a long, hard talk about this "slump" of yours."

Hina hung her head.

"Yes, coach..." she nodded, "alright, well...I'll see you guys later."

Donyokuna gave them all one cheerful wink, then marched off, with Hina trying to catch up to her.

"Well..." Kyoko crossed her arms, "she's about as pleasant as I expected her to be."

"So do you already know her, Kyoko?" Junko asked, frowning.

"We've never met before now," Kyoko elucidated, "but Donyokuna IS a fairly famous Olympic coach. She used to be a pretty top-notch swimmer herself. If you pay any attention to the industry or media behind sports, you'd recognize her name."

"Huh...For some reason, I don't think that's really how you heard her name..." the Fashionista scowled.

"Yeah, I was gonna say..." Sayaka looked discomforted, "Is it just me, or did anybody else think she seemed a little...two-faced?"

"Hm...You're right...But Hina was telling me about her new coach a couple days before the Sports Festival," Makoto told his friends, "She admitted that she's demanding and has extremely high standards, but her track record as a coach speaks for itself. Hina is not the only athlete she's attempted to take to the Olympics."

"Yeah, she's pretty fierce, and that is true and all," Yuta chimed in, "but that's not actually the full story. Apparently, the reason why Donyokuna has such a good track record of getting athletes into the Olympics is because if you're not up to her standards, she tends to be rid of you at the first sign of trouble."

"Woah, for real?" Hiro gasped, "That's a bit harsh, isn't it?"

"I'll say," Yuta tilted his head awkwardly, "aside from the one's who actually made the cut, my big sis is one of her longest-running clients."

"And...how long has your sister been Donyokuna's client?" Celeste asked curiously.

"Mm...I'd say...about 2 and a half weeks?" Yoshie said, "Hina's old coach couldn't teach her any more for personal reasons, so she took over from her."

"Really?" Junko frowned, "What a jerk...!"

"That is rather strange," Mukuro chimed in, "Asahina obviously has much passion and a few years of experience, but what would you do if you were new to the proceedings?"

"I doubt she'd even give someone like that a chance..." Makoto said quietly.

"Anyway, like Aoi said, we've got another half an hour before the tryouts begin," Yuta told them, "we should probably get drinks and snacks or something before we sit down. We're gonna be here for a while."

"Alright, we'll do that then," Taka raised his voice, "everyone walk single file up the stairs and-"

"Yeah, not doing that," Junko scoffed, blatantly ignoring Taka's commands and striding up the stairs towards the seats, much to his dismay, "We ain't on a field trip, dude; you don't gotta play foot soldier."

Taka cursed himself as everyone else followed Junko's lead. Before they could ascend the stairs, however, Makoto grabbed Kyoko's shoulder and halted her.

"Kyoko-chan..." Monomi discreetly poked her head out again, "I sincerely hope you knowing that much about Donyokuna-sensei isn't a sign for something."

"What do you mean?" she asked.

"Not to sound rude, but usually if YOU know about somebody," Makoto elaborated, "it means that they're probably on some kind of list."

"Hina's brother already explained it," Kyoko said, "She's assertive, strict, and doesn't give second chances. Her business strategy may be effective for some, but only if you can take it. So naturally, there's a lot of rumors surrounding her and the kind of things that she does to her trainees."

She seemed calm, but her eyebrow twitched slightly.

"Makoto. If there was any abuse going on behind the scenes, do you think Hina would tell you about it?" she asked, "Just out of curiosity."

"Hm...I definitely don't like Donyokuna's attitude, but I don't think it's anything like that," Makoto said, "Hina's just been her regular old self, and if there were any bruises from physical abuse or anything like that, I would have seen them. She doesn't...well, she doesn't exactly dress modestly..."

"Hm...Accurate," Kyoko nodded.

"Really, the only things about Hina that have been off lately are her burnout and the fact that she's been really pushing her limits these past few weeks," Makoto added, "so I don't think she's being abused, and I don't think she'd hide it from me if she was."

"Alright then. Sorry, I just had a hunch, is all," Kyoko shrugged, "Come on, let's go to our seats. We should grab snacks before someone takes them all."

"Alright..." Makoto nodded, still feeling a little concerned.

However, shortly after splitting off from the rest of the group, like she said she would, Donyokuna brought Hina to her office in the back of the stadium.

"Coach, listen," Hina felt her heart beat hard in her chest, worried that she'd been pulled back because she might be in trouble, "I don't know what it is, but if my friends did anything, I'm sorry. I promise I'll go talk to them. Whatever it is, I'm sure they didn't-"

"Shush!" Donyokuna cut her off, "When did I say anything like that? Your classmates just got here. And you gave me enough warning. Why would this be about them?"

"Well, why else would you bring me back here?" Hina asked, "Did I do something wrong?"

"Nah, nothing like that. Just..." the larger woman shifted in her place awkwardly, "you and me have gotta have a talk about this whole "break" thing..."

"Oh...That..." Hina felt her heart sink for a different reason, "Listen, Coach...I'm really sorry, but I can't keep going like this...I'll definitely pull through today, but I might need to take a while off so I can get my mojo back."

"And if you don't get it back? I've seen people fall into this trap," Donyokuna told her, "They say they're gonna take a day off, and they NEVER pick up their sport again."

"I promise you," Hina beamed, "nobody in the world loves sports more than I do! There's no way I'd quit! I just-"

"If that's the case, and you really ARE the biggest sports lover in the world, why're you in a slump in the first place?" Donyokuna scowled, "How can you be in a slump if this is your life?"

Hina didn't have an answer for this.

"Hina, sweetheart," the coach tried to put on a smile, "are you sure there's nothing I can say to make you reconsider?"

"...I've told you before, Coach Donyokuna..." Hina stood awkwardly, interlocking her fingers, "I just...I haven't been feeling my best for a while now. I promise that I'll do what I can out there, but...I'm not expecting to win today. I don't know if it's because I don't think I'm ready for this yet, but..."

"Nonsense!" Donyokuna asserted, "What? Are you feeling nervous because of those adults that you're pitting yourself against? Asahina, I'm telling you now, a lot of those chumps out there are NOTHING compared to you! Hell, some of them are probably scared you're gonna be their biggest competitor!"

"I'm not sure I like that!" Hina exclaimed, "I get that the competition is important, and rivalries are gonna be there, but I'm not in this to make enemies! I don't want people to be afraid of my talents! And just because they're not Ultimate's, that doesn't mean it'll be an easy win for me! I'm only the best at a high school level, after all..."

"Are you kidding me? Listen kid..." Donyokuna reached down and patted her on the shoulder, "You're the Ultimate Swimming Pro scouted by Hope's Peak! And you've come this close to beating the world record! You're one of the youngest and most recent swimming champions in Japan, but your name's plastered in at least 100 different swimming guidebooks, and that's only releases in THIS country! Everyone in the world knows you're hot stuff, and everyone's expecting you to appear at the Olympics, so we aren't about to let them down, are we!?"

Hina shook her head.

"I really appreciate what it is you're doing for me, Coach Donyokuna," she said, "but if I can be frank with you, it's gonna take a bit more than a few words of encouragement and piling on the pressure to help me get over something like this..."

Hina wasn't the brightest or most perceptive person, but even she spotted the veins in Donyokuna's beefy arm pop out slightly as she clenched her fist. She also didn't even need to look up at her face to know that her brow was furrowed into something ugly.

"Alright, you listen to me...!" the tone of her voice became rather sinister and frustrated, clearly reaching the end point of her niceties, "I don't wanna hear any more of this "hiatus" nonsense. I didn't jump onto the badwagon of an Ultimate just for her to give up on me a few weeks in."

"Th-That's not what I-!" Hina stammered, but she couldn't get the full sentence out before Donyokuna interrupted again.

"Here's what's gonna happen," she asserted, "You are gonna go out there, and you are gonna pass these tryouts with flying colors. Once you do, we're taking you to the world stage, and you're gonna forget about this slump of yours; you got me?"

"And if I don't?" In true Aoi Asahina fashion, she decided to get ballsy, not wanting to let this woman think she could be pushed around so easily. However, Donyokuna scoffed, leaned against her desk, and picked up a pile of papers sitting on them, waving them around in front of her disciple.

"I didn't want to bust this out, but you gotta remember that you don't got the right to say no to me," the coach smirked, "Both you AND your old lady signed this contract. You've still got at least 5 more months under me. And in that time, what I say...GOES! Do we understand each other?"

Hina sighed.

"Yes, Coach Donyokuna," she pouted, "still...Coach Sango wouldn't've grilled me so hard on stuff like this..."

"Coach Sango left because she stupidly felt like she had better things to do than make you as top-notch as you could be!" Donyokuna snapped, "I know I'm tight on you, kid, but at least I'm willing to stick around! I'm gonna take you places, and it'll all be for your own good."

"Yeah..." Hina grumbled under her breath, "MY own good..."

"I HEARD that...!" Donyokuna hissed, which got Hina to stand to attention, "listen up! You've got another 15 minutes before you gotta get out there. My pre-game advice? Take this time to RECONSIDER...Kid..."

The way the coach blurted out this last line made the word "kid" sound like an insult. Deciding to leave Hina to her own devices, Donyokuna marched like a drill sergeant out of the office and slammed the door behind her. Hina winced as she heard the *BANG!* and waited, listening for her coach's heavy footsteps down the hallway.

Feeling as though the entire world rested on her shoulders, Hina moved around the desk and sank into Donyokuna's seat. She looked at the ceiling with a blank stare, tears welling up in her eyes. It was difficult for her to breathe because of the depression's weight bearing down on her chest. Like a small boat on a stormy sea, she felt lost and alone.

...

But Donyokuna was right about the contract...And her friends had already come out all this way to support her...

In good or bad conscience, she had to get herself out of this. She had to do her best out there. She had to win...Or else she'd be letting everyone down.

However, unbeknownst to Hina, once Donyokuna made it a certain length down the hallway, her eyes nervously darted around her, keeping an eye out on each hallway and doorway within view.

Once she was certain no one was listening, she reached into a bag strapped onto a belt around her waist and pulled out a phone. She quickly dialed a number and brought it to her ear, whispering into it, trying to keep the conversation hushed.

"Hey...It's me..." she smirked wryly, "The plan begins now...!"

Junk Food for a Dashing Youth - Danganronpa Trigger Happy Havoc

"Hm...These seats aren't too bad, actually. We have a fairly good view..." Celeste commented once everyone had sat down in their places, "What good fortune."

"I suppose you're not wrong there," Byakuya, sitting next to her, remarked, "still... in actual sports events, they pale in comparison to the glass boxes..."

"Yeah, yeah, we get it, Togami, you're rich..." Junko snarked.

Class 78-A took up a square in the seating area. On the top row sat Hiro, Mondo, Chihiro, and Sayaka. Beneath them were Celeste, Byakuya, Taka, and Hifumi. The third row was Toko, Sakura, Hiro, and Mukuro, and the bottom row was Kyoko, Makoto, Monomi, Leon, Yuta, and Yoshie. As Celeste mentioned, from where this group was sitting, the swimming pool extended in front of them, with vibrant flags indicating its lanes waving softly in the breeze from the air conditioner. The vivid blue water glistened in the brilliant lights, seemingly beckoning one to plunge in.

"Wait, hold on!" Leon snapped his head around towards Byakuya, "How come you didn't just pay for us to be up there then!?"

"Why on earth would I EVER do that for you?" Byakuya scowled. Leon crossed his arms and stuck his nose into the air.

"Tch! Figures..." he grumbled.

"I'm glad he didn't, to be honest," Sayaka chimed in, "I can't stand all that wineing and dining stuff..."

"Maizono-san!" Taka exclaimed, "You are not of drinking age yet!"

"It's a figure of speech, Taka-kun..." she deadpanned.

"Half of us wouldn't belong in a place like that anyway," Mondo sat on his seat indignantly, crossing his legs so that one of his feet was suspended just above Taka's head (something he clearly didn't take kindly to but didn't say anything about), "You might be able to pass, Maizono, but for someone like me, or Hagakure, or whatever, there's no way we'd ever blend in."

"Hey, it's not that hard," Junko shrugged, "just show up, wear something nice, and act like a bit of a prat for a couple hours. Easy stuff."

"Junko...I cannot help but think you are underselling it," Mukuro said quietly, "and I fear that attitude of yours will get you in trouble with said "prats"."

"Take one good look at my face and ask yourself, "does she care?"" Junko pouted, "here's a hint. No. No I don't."

"Ngh...When the hell is Asahina gonna show up?" Toko glowered, clearly not wanting this conversation invading her ears, "This is MIND-NUMBINGLY boring..."

"There she is!" Makoto exclaimed, attracting everyone else's attention.

Sure enough, once everyone looked down towards the pool, they saw the lineup of athletes stepping out, now all wearing their swimming costumes. A lot of them were older, well-built men and women in their early 20's to early 30's, but their classmate stuck out like a sore thumb among them with her darker skin and well-toned figure. Her long hair was wrapped up in a swimming cap, and she had goggles around her face, currently on her forehead.

However, Makoto felt his heart sink as something seemed...off...

Hina's face was baring an expression unlike anything he had ever seen from her before. He had recognized her characteristics right away from the moment he, or anyone else in their class, for that matter, had met her. Warm-hearted, joyful, optimistic, and gregarious, Aoi Asahina made an effort to make friends with everyone she encountered and involve them in her activities.

The expression of this girl betrayed ALL of that. With a deep furrow on her brow and narrowed eyes, Hina's face conveyed severity and displeasure. As though a cold, hard, steely resolve had taken the place of her usually cheerful disposition.

"Huh...Is it just me, or does she look a little...strange...to you guys...?" Chihiro piped up timidly from the back row.

Before anyone could respond, the announcer, who had been voicing his commentary through loudspeakers dotted around the stadium, announced the Ultimate Swimming Pro's arrival.

"And in lane 5, we introduce, for the first time, a very special young guest from Hope's Peak Academy. Known as the upp-and-coming champion of the pool and the Ultimate Swimming Pro, Asahina Aoi!"

There were several cheers for her from people who recognized her name and the reputation she upheld. But even with all the support, Hina's dim expression did not change.

"Hm...Yes, you're right..." Taka narrowed his eyes to get a better look at her, "I don't think I've ever seen Asahina-san so...so...Oh, what's the word I'm looking for...!?"

"Downtrodden?" Hifumi suggested.

"That's the one!" Taka nodded, "Surely it isn't just me who thinks that?"

"The only time I've ever seen Hina upset is when the school cafeteria is fresh out of donuts to snack on or when a piece of equipment in the gym is broken and she can't use it," Sakura noted, "but even then...this is a different kind of misery..."

"Are you guys sure you're on the right track?" Leon asked, "It's not often we see Hina like this. Maybe it's different because this is super serious, and this is her serious face?"

"I should sincerely hope that's not the case," Byakuya scowled, "that implies that she was not serious when it came to the Sports Festival."

"No way," Makoto shook his head, "there's no way Hina wasn't taking that day seriously, even if she was having fun with it. No one I know is more serious about sports than she is."

"Then why does she look like that? She should be enjoying herself," Sayaka asked, "Oh, I really hope she's okay. If she's not careful, her mood is going to affect her performance."

"Come on, Hina!" Makoto cheered, albeit not too loudly, "You've got this!"

Despite his cheers and the support of the support of the rest of his classmates, the first few rounds of the tryouts were not all they were cut out to be.

Makoto and the other students in his class were looking forward to watching their friend jump into the water as the swimmers lined up at the starting block. The whistle was blown, and swimmers launched themselves into the pool, making splashes as they went. But as the race went on, he became increasingly aware that something was wrong.

Like Hina, these adults had been training for this race for some time and were regarded as some of the nation's most gifted upcoming swimmers, which was the whole reason they'd been able to make the tryouts at all. Still, practically every one of them was going at a snail's pace.

Apparently, he wasn't the only one who felt that way. As the swimmers moved slowly down the lanes, the entire audience seemed to become agitated. Conversations between spectators began to stray from the race as the excitement gave way to monotony. Even the Ultimate's Makoto, Sakura, Sayaka, and a few others struggled to remain interested in the dull competition, despite their best efforts to support the girl. The rest of them didn't even bother.

Naturally, Hina herself breezed through the early rounds with flying colors, but as the other swimmers crawled towards the finish line, they hardly made a sound. Even then, compared to what she was usually capable of, Hina looked like she was really struggling to go all out.

"Gah...I'm yawning here...!" Leon scowled, "Why is this sooooo slooooow!?"

"I don't understand..." Monomi whispered, "Is Hina-chan usually this casual when it comes to swimming?"

"Hell no! I've seen Hina in the water; she takes to it like a duck!" Makoto asserted, "The real problem is the other athletes. She might not be trying her best, but she's still in the lead by a mile! It's like nobody else cares about this!"

"I must admit, this isn't what I expected from something on the level of Olympic tryouts," Mukuro remarked, "It seems most of the spectators feel the same..."

"Hm...You know what?" Hifumi suddenly stood up out of his seat, "I'm going to get more snacks."

"Yamada-kun..." Chihiro sighed, "That's the third or fourth time now that you've been up for snacks. You're going to get sick if you keep eating those cream fingers...!"

"Hah! If that is what you truly think, then you clearly don't know me as much as you believe you do, Chihiro Fujisaki-dono!" Hifumi winked.

"Heh...I had a feeling that slouch was going to let the pressure get to her. She jumps into these things without a plan and then gets crushed by the expectations and the facts..." Toko growled before suddenly standing up and cupping her mouth, "HEY, MORON! STOP SUCKING AND DO BETTER!"

"TOKO FUKAWA!" Sayaka snapped at her as she sat back down with a smug grin on her face, "Her family is sitting right next to us! What's wrong with you!?"

"Your left eye or your right..." Sakura growled, turning her head slightly towards Toko, a grim expression on her face, "Which one would you like me to blacken first...!?"

"Y-You're empty threats aren't gonna work on me!" Toko stammered, sweating, "And come on! This is abysmal! Even for her! If I'd known I was gonna be tortured with a display this asinine, I would've brought a book with me!"

"Well, I don't think YOU throwing her off her mojo is doing her any favors in that department!" Makoto scowled.

"She had "mojo?" Heh..." Toko scoffed, "Yeah, right..."

"I sincerely doubt you of all people have any idea what "mojo" would even constitute, Fukawa-san," Celeste remarked, "I don't think you have the right to squander Asahina over it."

"I-I have interests, you witch!" Toko frowned. Celeste laughed.

"Yeah, right..."

"I-It's alright, you guys," Yuta assured them, "you're not wrong. Everyone down there is really sucking today. Even my sister, and she's supposed to be the greatest high school swimmer ever."

"Mm...Something really is wrong..." Yoshie held her head in her hand, "Did that Coach Donyokuna say anything to make her this way?"

"If that is the case, then clearly you aren't getting your money's worth," Kyoko told her, "Coaches are supposed to encourage their athletes, not the opposite."

"Hey...Speaking of Coach Donyokuna, look!" Junko said, "There she is now."

As that round of swimming came to an end, Hina climbed out to the other end of the pool. Donyokuna reached down and helped her out, and she took off her goggles and her cap, still looking quite dour.

"You did good out there, kid. Now go take 5 before the next match," Donyokuna smiled at her, but her face quickly gave way to curiosity and confusion, "What's up? You feeling good right now?"

"Mm...Guess not...I know I said I'd be at my A-Game, but...it's been really challenging," Hina told her, "but uh...Listen...I did what you asked, and I gave all that stuff I was saying another thought."

"Oh, did you now?" the coach raised an eyebrow.

"Yeah...and uh..." Hina crossed her arms, looking down at her feet, "I...don't think I'll take that break after all...I can't hang up the towel like this..."

"Oh, really now? Are you sure?" Donyokuna rested a hand on her shoulder, "You seemed pretty serious about it just a short while ago."

"Yeah well...Things change..." Hina said, "If you need me to do anything or be anywhere, I can manage for a bit longer, I guess...I'm in a different kind of funk now, and I'm hoping keeping at it'll help me work my way out of it."

"Hah! That's the spirit!" Donyokuna ruffled Hina's hair, much to her discomfort, "Now take a break, then get out there and show these people what you're made of!"

Hina nodded slowly, then made her way over to the bleachers with her gear in hand, hoping to get a drink. Donyokuna turned away and started to walk back out of sight...The gleeful expression on her face slowly turning into a malicious and conniving one...

Several more swims happened. Some were more exciting than others, and the crowd did start to regain its excitement from a lot of them. However, one thing that remained chronic was that all of Hina's matches were by far the most mundane of the lot.

Not just Class 78, but the entire audience was hoping Hina's race would be the most interesting and thrilling of all of them. To their dismay, though, it was incredibly boring.

Despite the lackluster performance, Makoto persisted in encouraging his friend by yelling supportive remarks from the stands. At last, the races were over, and the swimmers dragged themselves out of the water. The audience clapped nicely.

"Come on, Hina-chan!" Sayaka hollered, "You can do it!"

"Mmgh...I'm hungry again..." Hifumi rubbed his belly, "Snack time!"

"H-Hey! I'll come too!" Hiro piped up, "I'm a little hungry myself after all this."

"Even more snacks!?" Chihiro gasped.

"You bastards...!" Mondo grumbled, "Asahina's getting broken up out there, and all you two can think about is snacks?"

"Don't act like you ain't hungry too, Owada," Hiro smirked, "Lend me some cash, and I'll go grab you some too!"

"I ain't givin' YOU a single yen!" Mondo spat, "You're gonna use whatever cash I give ya' on buying one a' those uh...OPPparts?"

"OOPArts," Celeste clarified.

Desire for Execution - Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc

Sitting relatively close to the front row, the class watched as Hina was once again called up to the other end of the pool for her next game.

"Hey guys..." Hina sighed, and stopped to have a quick chat with them as she walked past, "I'm really sorry. This wasn't exactly what I was hoping for..."

"Forget about us," Makoto told her, "are YOU okay? You look like you're having the worst time of your life."

"Well, I basically am..." Hina sighed, heavier this time, "I really wanted to do my best today. I really did. But I just...I don't know what's going on with me..."

Makoto did.

There was one thing that Hina had made abundantly clear about herself during the time they'd been training together. She had a reputation for effortlessly gliding over the water even before they'd met, setting records, and taking first place in events. However, she was finding it difficult to summon the same fervor and determination that had propelled her to the top here.

She adored the rush of the battle it took to reach the summit, for that reason, not the actual top. But in spite of all that, she seemed to be thinking only about winning and getting to the front, which obviously wasn't what she desired.

The once-familiar thrill of competitiveness vanished, replaced with a heaviness of disinterest because no one else in the tournament was really trying. And this frustrated him to no end.

But still, he couldn't let her see that on his face; otherwise, she'd feel even worse. Instead, he greeted her lack of enthusiasm and misery with a gentle smile.

"It's alright," he assured her, "this isn't your fault. I imagine no one in this crowd is more disappointed than you are."

He couldn't reach over to give her a hug or pat her on the shoulder, so instead, he just stood up to show how much he meant what he was saying.

"I believe in you, Hina. You're an incredible swimmer, and this is just a temporary setback," he said, "If you win this, the big stage will be different, I'm certain. Remember what it is you're here for and why you started swimming in the first place. You'll do good. And you could never let us down, I promise."

Hina turned to face Makoto as his words caused a glimmer of resolve to flare up inside her. She nodded, her heart full of a newly discovered purpose.

"Thank you, Makoto..." she smiled, "Your trust is...very important to me."

"Come on, what's with the formalities?" he chuckled, "Get out there! You've got a game to win! Here's an idea. Why don't you use this opportunity to see if you can beat your previous time?"

"Yeah!" she beamed, "You watch me!"

From Makoto's words of encouragement, Hina seemed to get her excitement back. She practically skipped towards the other end of the pool after her name was called, finally smiling again.

"Well, I'll be," Yoshie noticed, smiling after her, "Your words are almost magical! Are you the Ultimate Motivational Speaker by any chance?"

"Haha...No, but...I think I really should be," Makoto laughed.

"I'll say!" Junko whisteled, "You made that look so easy!"

"Yeah, how did you do it!?" Taka boomed, "I must know your secrets!"

"It's nothing that special," Makoto shrugged them off, "just...telling her what she needed to hear. Reminding her that even if things continue as they are, none of us are going anywhere as long as she keeps swimming."

Beautiful Days - Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc

Hina stood at the edge of the pool, waiting for the sound of the gun to go off, Makoto's encouragement ringing in her ears. She plunged into the water for her next race as soon as the shot went off. Adrenaline shot through her veins as she felt the familiar cool water covering her body—something that she had been kind of numb to since the start of the day.

She shot through the water like an arrow, and the joy of the crowd seemed to rise with her sudden increase in ability. Even the other athletes around her saw her go forward and pick up the pace, though they were still much slower. Hina experienced a resurgence of passion and happiness. She pushed herself harder with each stroke, her muscles burning from the exertion.

As Hina concentrated on her breathing pattern and her heart's steady beat, the audience's applause subsided. She had a strong, unshakeable sense of aliveness.

Hina knew she had rekindled her light when she at last crossed the finish line and felt the wall with a surge of energy. She looked up at her friends, a broad smile lighting up her face as the audience cheered her on.

They all cheered and clapped for her; Makoto and a few others even got up to join in. Even though the competition had not been much better this time around, Hina had been reminded that she really did love swimming on its own, and her mood was now in much higher spirits.

But then...something else happened.

"HOLD ON!"

Someone's shout cut quickly through the applause of the audience, and it quickly died down. This shout hadn't come from the audience, and instead, a random woman with shoulder-length maroon hair and blue eyes hurried over to the end of the pool as Hina climbed out of it, confused.

"Wh-What's going on?" the referee asked her, "You can't be down here!"

"P-Please, just...hold on! Give me a second! I got it on camera!" the woman enthused, holding up her Polaroid camera and waving a photo, "Ref! Asahina cheated!"

All All Apologies - Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc

Hina felt her heart sink and her blood run cold...

"Wh-What...!?" she gasped.

"WHAT!?" Makoto exclaimed.

The crowd kicked into an uproar for a different reason this time. Not excitement, but confusion and disbelief. Those in Makoto's class who hadn't been standing up did so in anticipation.

"I snapped a picture of her halfway through the race," the photographer woman handed her photograph to the referee, "Asahina pulled on the lane line to give herself an advantage!"

Both the referee and Hina took a look at the photo as it was given to them. And to Hina's horror, the photo did indeed display her hand grabbing onto the lane line.

At least it LOOKED like her hand.

But she'd never done that before. In fact, she wasn't sure she'd even done it HERE! But she was so focused on the water and her friends that she hadn't been paying attention to much else. Maybe she'd done it without realizing it? Even she couldn't be certain.

"Th-That's horse crap!" Yuta snarled, "She didn't touch the line! Everyone was watching!"

"But the picture..." the referee looked concerned and confused...However, some subtle queues suggested that she wasn't completely sincere in this feeling. The rest of the crowd seemed equally frustrated and angry, but the photographer stood her ground.

"I know what I saw," the photographer asserted, "and I'm the one with the physical proof! She cheated! Foul her!"

"But I...I-I didn't...! I...!" Hina stammered as the woman gave her the evil eyes.

"Oooh, looks like Aoi Asahina's gotten into quite the pickle ladies and gentlemen," the charismatic voice over the speaker called, "she's gonna get penalized for that one if it all turns out to be true!"

"P-Penalized...!?" Hina choked, mortified.

"Alright, everyone, stop!" the referee called, "My sincerest apologies to everyone, but we're going to have to take a short break! We need time to confirm the evidence, and we'll be back with the results in just a bit!"

Naturally, nobody took kindly to this. The day had been enough of a drag as it was, but now all of THIS conjecture? This was arguably the worst swimming tournament in the history of mankind at this point.

""Confirm the evidence!?" What's there to confirm!?" Sayaka cried!

"That's complete and total bullshit!" Junko spat, "NO ONE saw her touch that lane line; she wasn't anywhere near it!"

"Asahina..." Toko glowered, "Why the hell aren't you saying anything?"

Hina looked like she was on the edge of crying, and yet despite that, as the referee spoke to her sternly, she retained her expression and steely focus, taking whatever verbal abuse she was receiving.

Just like that, the confidence boost that Makoto's words had given her was ripped right out of her again. It was almost like it had been done so intentionally.

Makoto couldn't bear to see it like that. And it didn't matter how much it was obfuscated or played upon. Makoto knew corruption and foul play when he saw them. He clenched his fist, and the sound of his muscles was audible with how tight they were.

"That photographer..." he hissed, "she did that on purpose...And that coach is in on it with her...!"

"Hold on now, Naegi-kun," Taka asserted, "I believe you might be jumping the gun here. If there was collusion or foul play, then surely it would have been a disqualification outright."

"Yeah...And why would they do that anyway?" Chihiro asked, "It's not like anyone really profits from this. None of Hina-san's competition are really "competition" at all."

"Aoi..." Yoshie looked like she was on the verge of crying herself, and Yuta looked to be at his wits end too.

The mood had been completely shot. All of the class's happiness and excitement had been snatched away, just like that. Makoto focused his gaze on Hina, who looked like she was about to crack.

Until suddenly, he felt a pat on his shoulder. He looked around to see, to his surprise, that Monomi looked stern and suspicious.

"Makoto...! Makoto, look!" she enthused, "over there in the shade!"

Makoto followed Monomi's line of sight over to the shade in question. Kyoko, who also overheard Monomi, did the same next to him, and both of their eyes fell on the same thing at the same time. And it made sense why Monomi had brought it up.

Hito Donyokuna was standing there, watching the display. Instead of approaching to do anything about it or defend Hina like a coach should, she stood there with her eyes fixated on her star athlete and a chilling smirk on her lips. She appeared to be speaking with someone on the other end of the call while holding a small cell phone up to her ear.

"What the hell is with that woman...!?" Makoto's expression darkened, "Why does she look so...pleased with herself!?"

"Now I know for certain..." Kyoko said under her breath, "Something is not right about that coach. She shouldn't be so happy to see Hina get it handed to her like that..."

"Maybe she knows something that we don't..." Makoto theorized, "Or maybe she planned for this..."

"But what benefit would that bring for her?" Sakura chimed in suddenly, "Apologies for interrupting your conversation, but I couldn't help but overhear. Hina is the athlete she is sponsoring for this event. If she doesn't make it through and pass the tryouts, then Donyokuna suffers as well."

Monomi nudged the side of Makoto's head with her nose.

"Are you thinking what I'm thinking?" she grinned.

"Yeah..." Makoto nodded, "I think we should probably-"

"If you're thinking of confronting Donyokuna, then I'm going to have to stop you right there," Kyoko asserted, "She's far too important a woman for you to stride up to and throw an accusation at. As Ishimaru said, there's nothing outright saying she's plotting anything besides her bad attitude. Your suspicion, though I believe in your instinct, is groundless."

"Then what should we do?" Sakura asked.

"Hm...I have an idea..." Kyoko brought a finger to her chin, "Instead of talking to Donyokuna...we should first hear Hina herself out, and find out what she thinks of this. You two still have your VIP passes, right?"

Makoto and Sakura nodded, taking them both out.

"Since a break has been called, now might be a good time to use it. They'll probably put Hina in the back until the situation gets resolved," Kyoko told them, "In the meantime, we should probably go and speak to her."

"But you don't have a VIP pass, do you, Kyoko?" Makoto asked, "How are you gonna get back there?"

Kyoko responded by turning around and looking towards Byakuya.

"Togami. Be honest with me," she said, "were you ever actually planning on making use of those VIP passes?"

"No," Byakuya responded bluntly, "I have no desire to go to Asahina and give her a pep talk, even if she clearly needs one."

"She probably wouldn't want to hear it from you anyway," Celeste snarked.

"If that's really the case, would you mind giving it to me to use?" Kyoko requested, "I'd like to go and talk to Hina while I have the opportunity."

"Hm...Are you sure, Kyoko?" Mukuro asked, "I do not believe she is in the mood to talk."

"I-I wanna go see her too!" Yuta exclaimed, "Mom? Can I go with them?"

"It's important that she has some friends and family to support her when she's feeling down," Sakura asserted, "She'll never be able to get back in her groove at this rate."

"Mm...ok..." Yoshie smiled, handing Yuta his own VIP pass, "Just make sure you don't bother her when it's time to get back into the pool, alright?"

"Alright," Byakuya sighed, handing Kyoko his pass, "It's all yours. Do whatever you must."

"Thank you," Kyoko smiled, "Alright, everyone. Let's go."

Chapter End Notes

So, as a little treat for me coming back today, and continuing with this story, I decided to post two chapters today, so if you're reading this one the moment it drops, the next will be published later.
Both chapters, however, are to do with the conclusion of Hina's confidant, and this will be our first one to finish; which means I'm taking a gamble on how people will appreciate what I'm trying to do with them. These are some of the harder parts of the story to write.
Either way, it's good to be back. I hope you guys missed this story, and hopefully, I should be able to dish out these chapters as frequent as possible.
Thank you for your patience, and stay tuned for updates. And in the meantime, leave some kudos, and some comments. I really want to hear what you guys think.

Chariot to Victory

Chapter Summary

Makoto and his friends work together to take down Hina's corrupt coach and rescue her from an ill fate.

Chapter Notes

See the end of the chapter for notes

The debacle of Hina's supposed "cheating" had put the audience on edge. For most of them, this was one of the worst events they'd ever been to, and the fact that the star athlete, who had already been underperforming, was called out for cheating as soon as she decided to up her game, solidified that fact.

Donyokuna and the referee had told Hina to take a hike after what happened, while everyone worked to decide what to do with her. With a heavy heart from disappointment, she wandered back to the changing rooms. Nothing had gone as planned for the swimming competition. Despite practicing for hours and challenging herself to the limit, she was unable to perform when it counted most.

She was now being charged with cheating. Something that was new for her. No one had ever imagined she would cheat in all the years she'd played sports.

Hina no longer even trusted her own talents. Did she still deserve to be referred to as the Ultimate Swimming Pro?

It didn't matter. Makoto was going to make sure she never felt like this again.

Using their VIP passes, Makoto, Sakura, Kyoko and Yuta passed the security and made their way to the back corridors of the establishment. They made their way through the corridors, exploring it as if it were a maze of some sort, with little instructions on where to go to find Hina.

"Just keep looking around until you find the changing rooms," Kyoko instructed, "That's probably where she will be."

"I don't get it though," Yuta, who had already been filled in on the situation, remarked, "you guys are seriously saying that Donyokuna is up to something? I mean, I never really liked that woman a whole lot, but...what do you think she's even doing?"

"That...We don't know yet. But she's incredibly suspicious. When Hina got fouled, she seemed really happy about it for some reason," Makoto told him, "I'd like to know why, but we won't get anywhere just saying all of that to her face."

"Indeed," Sakura nodded, "she'll just deny any accusations we present to her. It's not like we have any proof that she's really up to no good."

"Right," Kyoko affirmed, "we can focus on Donyokuna when the opportunity arises. The first order of business is to go and talk to Hina. Not only do I believe we might find some key information in her testimony...but I think she could use a shoulder to lean on."

"I dunno you guys...I've literally known Aoi all my life, and I don't think I've ever seen her this down in the dumps before," Yuta told them, "Your friend with the short black hair was right. I don't think she's really in the mood to be talking to anybody right now."

"Hm...Yuta-kun has a point," Sakura realized, "If even Naegi's world-class motivational speeches haven't worked, what can we possibly say to her that will lift her spirits again?"

"Come on. I appreciate the compliment, but I think you're hyping me up a little too much," Makoto chuckled, embarrassed, "Listen. Do you know why it is that Hina's really upset? After having spent a lot of time training with her, I can pretty easily tell."

"What's that, then?" Kyoko asked. Makoto inhaled a deep breath, then put a hand on his heart as he explained.

"Hina may be an athlete, but she doesn't care about winning or losing. In fact, she doesn't mind losing so long as she's having fun competing against spirited competitors like herself," he said, "But what's happened today is the complete opposite of what she loves about sports, and it's crushing her. Not only have her opponents not shown any sign of care towards the event, despite its importance, but the moment she herself starts to kick things into high gear and show off her competitive spirit, she gets falsely accused of cheating."

He turned his glare forward down the hall.

"Whatever's going on, it seems...weirdly enough..." he uttered, "that this event is DESIGNED to break Hina's spirit, and ruin her outlook on her biggest passion. This hasn't been about the competition at all."

"Mm...You're right..." Kyoko brought a hand to her chin, "That is indeed rather confusing...And I doubt it's a coincidence..."

"It clearly isn't," Sakura glowered, "I've seen Olympic athletes up close. Absolutely none of the people who went against Hina have any right to claim to be on that level. It's almost like absolutely none of them care about what they're doing at all. Even if they're not as passionate about it as Hina, this is an absolutely abysmal excuse for a big-league sports event."

"That doesn't really answer the question though," Yuta chimed in, "The question is, how are we gonna get my sister's spirits back up again? And more importantly, if something's really going on that's trying to crush her spirits, how do we stop that from happening?"

"We need to remind Hina of all the wonderful things she has accomplished. She can't let herself fall into despair just because of one bad day," Makoto asserted, "We need to help her see that she is strong and capable as always."

"We could also try to find out the root cause of her sadness beyond just what we've observed," Kyoko added, "Sometimes just talking about it can make a big difference."

"I think showing Hina that we are here for her no matter what will mean a lot to her," Sakura, gentle giant that she was, nodded in agreement, "Sometimes all we need is to know that we are not alone."

They were all aware that they had to be serious and deliberate in their approach. They were desperate to find the perfect words to speak to their good friend, so they kept exchanging ideas while walking down the corridor and sharing their feelings.

"That's the changing rooms up ahead," Sakura observed, "Hina showed me around this place a few days before the event. I remember her showing it to me."

"Alright...I think I've got a good idea of what I should say to her..." Yuta pumped his arms to amp himself up, "Let me talk to her first, then the rest of you-"

"Wait, stop!" Makoto suddenly said in a whisper, "Quick, hide over here with me!"

Living in a Lazy Parallel World - Danganronpa V3: Killing Harmony

Sakura and Yuta were perplexed at why Makoto had suddenly commanded them to hide around a corner, but Kyoko, who could hear Monomi suddenly whispering instructions to her, understood and coerced them over too.

As soon as they saw a familiar figure step out from around the corner, they understood why. Using her bunny ears, Monomi had heard some familiar footsteps and the sound of talking approaching from around the corner near the changing rooms. She had urged Makoto to get the rest of them to hide, and poke their heads around to watch.

"Uh-huh...Uh-huh...Right...Okay, got it..."

"Hey, it's Coach Donyokuna...!" Yuta exclaimed in a whisper as to not attract the trainer's attention, "and...she's on the phone again?"

"Who has she been talking to this whole time?" Sakura wondered.

"Quiet..." Kyoko hissed.

Despite Sakura's abnormally large frame, Donyokuna didn't notice them. Instead, she kept walking until she rounded the corner, talking into the phone with a quiet voice. However, thanks to the silence, her voice still echoed down the hall, and they listened carefully to what she was saying.

"Yeah, I got it...Don't worry, we're almost done here. Yeah, Asahina has no idea. Yeah, right...I'm not going to lose her ad commission, that's for damn sure. If she really thinks that I'm gonna let an Ultimate athlete cut and run from me, she's got another thing coming," she said with a sinister chuckle, "You'll get your money from the bet; I'll get my prized athlete for another 3 or 4 years...and we ALL profit. We'll be sitting back with iced drinks on a sunny bay in Okinawa, set for life before you know it. Don't worry; trust me, it's foolproof. When have I ever done wrong?"

Donyokuna then moved far enough away that her voice didn't travel as far anymore, but it didn't matter. Makoto and his friends had heard what they needed to hear.

"M-Money...?" Monomi parroted, "Years? The games? What is she-!?"

"That scumbag...!" Sakura growled, quickly connected the dots, "She's-!"

"Fixing the game!" Makoto snapped, finishing her sentence.

"Wha-Huh!?" Yuta frowned, "Wh-What are you guys talking about? Fixing the game?"

"Yes...I think I'm starting to understand what's REALLY going on here..." Kyoko frowned, resting a finger on her forehead as she collected her thoughts.

"Well uh...sorry if this makes me sound dumb, but can you explain it to me?" Yuta asked, "I don't really get it."

"A lot of strange occurrences have happened today at this event that have spoiled everyone's enjoyment of it. From the athletes hardly paddling, much less swimming, to that sudden announcement that Hina might be cheating...All of it is too odd and out of place," Kyoko told him, "but if we trace all of those incidents and strange happenings to the idea that Donyokuna may have masterminded them, then it all makes sense."

"How come?" Yuta asked, "I mean, I get the idea of cheating to try and get your athlete to win one of these, and I've seen shady stuff like that before on the news. But then why set up a situation where my sister gets penalized for cheating that she didn't do?"

"My best guess..." Sakura considered, "is that it has something to do with Hina's recent decision to take a break from the events."

"Exactly," Kyoko affirmed, "Donyokuna is clearly in league with someone, placing bets on the match, and purposefully rigging them so that Hina is victorious. But I think there's another aim to their plot. To put Hina in such a precarious and poor situation that she'll be unable to hang up the towel."

"Why though!?" Yuta exclaimed.

"Because if Hina wins this tournament, she'll officially be licensed to join the next Olympic Games as a swimming representative in Japan. As her coach, Donyokuna also profits immensely from such a role," Makoto continued to explain, "for the sake of that money, Donyokuna must have bribed all the other athletes to lose ON PURPOSE so that Hina could pass with flying colors! That's why all of them have been slacking and not putting in the effort!"

"But...doesn't that seem highly unrealistic?" Monomi suggested, "You can't convince me that ALL of the opposing athletes have taken the bribe? Not everyone in this world is a scumbag after all."

"Indeed. I also don't think it stops at bribery," Kyoko asserted, "My best guess...is that those who haven't been bribed may have been blackmailed."

"Right...I knew it was too insane a coincidence for all of them to be throwing the match so easily...Turns out it was all part of a ploy..." Sakura glowered. Makoto could swear that he saw flames rising from her body as her rage built.

"Then that must mean that ref and that photographer are in league with her as well!" Makoto exclaimed, "You heard her! She's clearly not acting alone."

"You're probably right about that..." Kyoko acknowledged.

"Th-Then...She's been using my sister this whole time!? Right from the start, she was just planning on using my sister to make herself rich!?" Yuta spat, "That's...That's so MESSED UP!"

"You're right..." Makoto clenched his fist, "We need to do something...!"

"But what?" Sakura asked, "we still have no concrete evidence...

"I'll tell you what I'M gonna do!" Yuta growled, pounding his fists together, "I-I'm gonna teach that deadbeat coach a lesson!"

As the swimmer's brother stormed down the hall, chasing after Coach Donyokuna, Sakura rushed after him.

"Wait, Yuta-kun! She tried to talk sense into his head, saying, "Think about what you're doing!"

Driven by rage and resolve, Yuta disregarded Sakura's entreaties and carried on with his determined quest. Makoto and Kyoko followed them both desperately, Monomi holding on tight to the former's hood.

"This is bad!" Makoto cried, "Shouldn't we stop him before he gets in trouble?"

"Actually...No, I don't think we should..." Kyoko suddenly smirked.

"Wh-What?" Makoto gasped, "But you-!?"

"Let him do his thing," Kyoko asserted with quiet determination, "A confrontation like this might be fruitful for us."

By the time the team of four kids and a rabbit caught up to Donyokuna, she had already almost made it back to her staff room. She was still talking on the phone with her co-conspiritor, but jumped as Yuta suddenly burst around the corner with rage in his eyes, and pointed at her accusatorily."

"Hey! You!" he snapped, "stop right there!"

Donyokuna sighed. Clearly, whoever was on the other end of the line had overheard Yuta's shouting, and had something to say about it. The skeevy coach smirked and shook her head.

"No, don't worry about it," she said, "Listen, I'll call you back. I got some enthusiastic little blighers who are looking to see our superstar..."

She hung up and pocketed her phone, turning towards Yuta and the others with a fake smile.

"Hey, it's you kids again! Hina's classmates and Yuta-kun, right?" she winked, "If you're looking for your friend, she's back down that way in the changing rooms. Still, you didn't pick a great time. Asahina's not exactly in the best of moods right now. If you want, I can pass on a message for her and let her get back to you in her own time?"

"Thanks...but no thanks..." Makoto glared, not trying to hide the animosity on his face.

"What makes you think we're here to talk to Hina?" Kyoko queried, crossing her arms. Donyokuna frowned, a little confused.

"Well, why wouldn't you be? She's your friend, isn't she?" she asked, "and even if she wasn't, come on! She might be young, but she's already well on her way to becoming the greatest athlete of all time! You could get like...thousands of yen for any autograph she signed for you. Isn't that the kind of thing you'd love to have on your bedroom wall."

Monomi retreated into Makoto's hoodie; not because Donyokuna frightened her, but because the collective heat of rage between Makoto, Yuta, and Sakura could be felt from even a short distance. Kyoko, however, remained cool as a cucumber.

"Hina's our friend. Not some celebrity," she said calmly, not letting a single inflection escape her lips, "and besides. Unlike some people, I don't put money and fame first."

"Aw, well, ain't that the most humble thing I've ever hea-!?"

Donyokuna suddenly stopped in her tracks in the middle of patronizing the young detective, and her face quickly transformed from an overconfident smile to a surprised and tense frown. The coach's normally calm, severe face broke into a worried grimace as her eyes became large with realization.

"Is something wrong?" Kyoko asked.

"Hold on a damn second...I know you!" Donyokuna exclaimed, "I didn't see it earlier 'cause I didn't get a good look at your face, but you're that Kirigiri twerp, aren't you!?"

"You know her?" this time it was Makoto's turn to frown.

"'Course I know her! Her pathetic old granddaddy's public TV confession did the rounds where I used to work," Donyokuna told him, "His face and hers were all over the news for weeks."

"Oh...Is that so?" Kyoko asked, "You were following the news on my grandfather?"

"What's it to you if I was? Can't a woman be interested in a news story?" Donyokuna leered, "Forget that! What do you want, twerp!?"

Given that she had thrown off the yoke of oppression, Sakura kindly did the same.

"It's pointless to hide, Hito Donyokuna," she asserted, "You'd better stop what you're doing now that we know what you're up to...or else...!"

"Heh...Or else what? You gonna use those big, meaty arms of yours to attack me?" Donyokuna smirked, "So that I can call the cops on you and charge you for assault? I get that you don't like me, but kid, that's a bit excessive!"

"Heh! Good luck steering the cops to your side when we tell them that you and your buddies have been fixing the match and trying to stop my sister from quitting!" Yuta growled, "so that you and they can make a profit off her!"

Donyokuna's lips, which had been curving into a smile, became thin and tight. Her eyebrows quirked, revealing the range of feelings she was experiencing over this unexpected meeting.

"H-How the hell did you-!?" she spluttered, her body repositioning so that she went on the defensive.

"So!" Makoto pointed at her, "you admit it!?"

"I don't admit a damn thing!" Donyokuna snarled in response, "You may be a detective, sure, but you're still just a bunch of kids. I'M an outstanding Olympic coach! Who's gonna believe you over me? Especially since you don't have a shred of evidence."

Underneath her arm, she had a clipboard, which she pulled out and flipped through until she presented a signed contract paper to them.

"My contract with Asahina has gone through all the legal methods. She's MINE to do with as I see fit. Even if I have to use underhanded methods to do so, I'm gonna make double sure she doesn't break the oath she signed her name under!" she grinned maliciously, "So I ask again...Who's side are the people gonna take!?"

"Th-That's..." Makoto trembled with rage.

However, Donyokuna felt a slight chill run up her back, when she turned to look at their faces...and found Kyoko smiling...

"You make a good point..." she said quietly, "In court, evidence is everything. And we didn't have any evidence on hand to accuse you of these sorts of crimes...Like it or not, you have us stumped."

"Kyoko!" Sakura exclaimed, "Why are you giving up!? That's not like you!"

"...You're right..." Makoto suddenly felt a smile crawl across his face as he realized what Kyoko was doing, "...it's not..."

"Heh...Exactly," Donyokuna flashed her eyebrows, "I get that you care about your friend, but she's MY star now, so just beat it-!"

"Or rather, I should say that you HAD us stumped...At least until you started gloating like all the bad guys seem to do at the pivotal moments," Kyoko smirked suddenly, "Going back to your original question, if I had to say who the court was more likely to believe...I'd place my bets on the audio evidence..."

It was a very satisfying sight to see the color fade from Hito Donyokuna's face, as Kyoko suddenly reached into her jacket sleeve and pulled out a long, thin device concealed in her sleeve.

Tropical Despair - Danganronpa 2: Goodbye Despair

"A-A WIRE!? You were wearing a WIRE!?" the coach trembled.

Makoto remembered that Kyoko had talked to him about these devices before. They were usually utilized in police sting operations to obtain information on suspects by surreptitiously listening to conversations in close proximity to the person wearing them while they were hidden beneath their clothes. The wire gadget then either sent the audio data to a distant point where law enforcement agents could listen in on what was being said or it recorded what it heard on some sort of tape.

"You get it now? You were doomed the very minute you opened your smug mouth," Kyoko retained her bravado, "so...Would you like me to run off to my "granddaddy's" agency and submit this evidence to the detectives?"

"Don't you even dare try it you pasty little bitch!" Donyokuna stood at full height, like she was trying to use her size to intimidate Kyoko (to absolutely no avail), "I got friends, you know!? POWERFUL friends! And I STILL got your little pal under contract. Tell ANYONE, and I'll make it so that Aoi Asahina never swims...no...WALKS ever again!"

Kyoko let out a rare laugh. Makoto could tell she was having an absolute blast with this.

"So you're threatening to do me and my friend serious, permanent harm now?" she asked, "You are aware that I haven't turned the device off, right?"

"I-!? Uh...G-Gah!? FUCK THIS!"

Donyokuna realized she had been forced into a tight spot and made a desperate attempt to get out without thinking. She shoved past the children and went forward. Startled by her audacity, Makoto staggered back, giving her the opportunity to dash down the hallway and disappear around the corner.

"Security! SECURITYYY!" she shrieked, "SOMEONE GET THESE GODDAMN PUNKS!"

Kyoko tutted, sliding the wire back into her pocket.

"Why do crooks like her always have to do things the hard way?" she sighed, "Makoto? Sakura? You have my full permission to engage."

"Oho...With pleasure...!" Sakura smirked.

"Let's get her!" Makoto boomed.

DIVE DRIVE - Danganronpa 2: Goodbye Despair

Donyokuna was determined to get away from the Ultimate Team, so she ran through the reverberating hallways while the sounds of swimmers splashing in the pools in the distance obscured her footsteps. She swiftly took her phone out of her pocket, hastily dialed a number, and contacted someone after she was certain she had put some distance between herself and those meddling kids.

"Hey...! It's me!" she hissed once the person on the other end picked up, "Listen, I've been rumbled! Get your guys out of the damn pool and meet me in the parking lot! Now!"

"Going somewhere?"

The coach felt her heart sink as she suddenly heard Sakura's familiar, gruff, and deep voice. She slowly turned around to see her, Yuta, and Makoto at the other end of the hall, all crossing their arms with smug looks on their faces.

"Yeah, I don't think so...!" the Lucky Student growled.

"FUCK!" Donyokuna cried, turning tail and running down the hall as fast as she could. But to her horror, despite being as athletic as she was, Sakura and Makoto had absolutely no problem keeping up with her.

That panic she felt then skyrocketed as a shrill sound invaded her ears. In a rather clever play, Kyoko, who was elsewhere and leaving the chase to the better runners, had found a way to activate the building's fire alarm.

This was good for several reasons. Firstly, it told Donyokuna's allies, wherever or whoever they might be, that their plan had been foiled, and the local authorities and security would figure out pretty quickly that something was up. It was only a matter of time until local police forces got here. Plus, this forced everyone out of the building, stopping any attempt Donyokuna and her allies might have had at blending in with the crowd and finding a way out then.

At a distance, Makoto could hear the sounds of lots of people chatting, likely because they were all being slowly escorted outside. But that wasn't what he was worried about. Right now, his attention was on this twisted instructor, and determined to catch her.

His heart thumping in his chest, he pushed himself harder, determined not to let her go. Donyokuna, true to her athletic prowess, moved quickly, scuttling between rooms in an attempt to elude her assailants.

Unfortunately for Donyokuna, the instrument of her destruction was none other than the relentless training that Makoto and Hina, her own star athlete, had put her through. As she started to run out of breath, Makoto felt fit as a fiddle, even running ahead of Sakura and Yuta!

Makoto and his comrades continued to pursue the culprit despite the detours. He was persistent in his chase, swerving around obstructions and shoving through doorways. When the coach realized she was in a tight spot, she tried desperately to get out through a pair of doors that led outside.

"Oh NO YOU DON'T!"

Just as she got to the exit, though, Makoto gave himself one last push forward and elbow-dropped Donyokuna to the ground!

Sakura and Yuta, who watched the large woman fall to the ground, slowed down until they came to a stop as Makoto got to his feet, his chest exploding with weariness.

"Good work!" Monomi nuzzled his face affectionately, "5 Stars!"

"W-Woah!" Yuta whistled, "I had no idea you could do something like that!"

"Indeed," Sakura affirmed, "had I not known any better, I'd say that you fit right in in a wrestling ring."

"Y-Yeah! What the hell, kid!?" Donyokuna spluttered, unable to get up from the ground, "You're totally an athlete yourself! I-I could be your agent!? Show you the ropes if you ever wanna get into the business! I-I can take you to stardom if you want!"

"Hmph...Nah...I'm not one for attention," Makoto rolled his eyes, "Besides..."

Grabbing the muscular coach by the back of her head, he pressed her face against the floor, pinning her. Donyokuna seemed strong, but it was obvious that she was not, at least not compared to Makoto.

"Me and my friend Hina?" he taunted, "we're BOTH way above your paygrade..."

As he said this, Kyoko burst out of the double doors, panting, and was relieved to see the scene in front of her. Makoto smirked and gave her a nod, and she did the same back, taking a transceiver out of her pocket and switching it on, much to Donyokuna's horror.

"Hey...Yes, it's me. No, I just figured I'd check in and let you know," the Ultimate Detective said to the agent on the other end of the line, "I think we have something...interesting...down at the stadium."

This had officially become the most chaotic and strangest day of many people's lives in the audience. Especially Class 78.

First of all, the tournament had shown itself to be a massive letdown, seeming like none of the athletes were giving it their all and were treating the sport as something mundane or unworthy of their time. Then, the star athlete and Ultimate Swimming Pro were taken off the field for cheating. And NOW, the cherry on top of the cake: everyone watched bug-eyed and shocked out of their minds as the proud coach of said star athlete, Hito Donyokuna, as well as several other competing athletes and staff members, were escorted off the scene by KDA police and detectives, in handcuffs, into the backs of police trucks.

Hina was especially shocked to see this when she was escorted out with everyone else. And even more so when Makoto, Monomi, Sakura, and Yuta rejoined the rest of the group and explained everything to her.

"Donyokuna was fixing the matches!?" she gasped, bringing a hand to her mouth.

"Yes..." Sakura nodded solemnly, "Your coach was the reason why the competition was such a drag. She was trying to break your spirit, ruin your reputation, and keep you from going on hiatus."

"Kyoko's gathering all the details and talking with the investigators," Makoto assured her, "She'll be here in a second and explain everything."

"Y-Yeah...Thanks..." Hina had felt a little awkward standing outside on the street, still wearing her swimming gear since she hadn't had time to change out of it, but after hearing all of this, she didn't care much anymore.

As Makoto said, a few minutes later, Kyoko reappeared and approached their group.

"Well, that might be another sleepless night for me," she said first and foremost, "I wasn't expecting to come across such a deep conspiracy on a casual day out..."

"Kyoko..." Hina turned to her, "please...What happened...!? I'm so...confused!"

"Hm...I could tell you, but are you sure you want to know the full story?" she asked, "I don't want to dampen your mood after all this happened."

"Please. I need to know," Hina asserted, "tell me EVERYTHING and don't spare a single detail."

"Right...Well, as I'm sure Makoto and the others have already told you, Donyokuna had her own...personal interests in taking you on..." Kyoko elucidated, "As I surmised originally, it seems that a lot of the competing athletes and their trainers had taken hefty bribes from her to ruin this competition so that you would win by a landslide. There were several other athletes who stepped forward after Donyokuna's arrest and revealed that she had approached them with the same bribes, but they refused. In response, she revealed that she had blackmailed everyone competing. And when we investigated her office computer...we found years of blackmail material on several athletes."

"Years!?" Hina gasped.

"Yes...As it turns out, the secret to Donyokuna's success is not a pleasant one. One particularly weak-willed conspirator gave me the full explanation," the detective continued, "On her computer, I reaffirmed this information, but the truth is that all the athletes that Donyokuna has taken to the Olympics are people who have agreed to her underhanded bribing methods. Much like Hina, in the past, she's shed out a lot of her money to make sure her athletes pass the tryouts with flying colors, and then afterwards, she tells them the truth of what happened. The ones who accept her terms and continue to work with her are the ones who make it to the big stage."

"But then..." Sakura's eyes widened, "That implies that some of our country's Olympic athletes have only earned the right to participate through underhanded means!?"

"Right," Kyoko nodded, "Sad as it is to say, it's unlikely that even if Hina passes these tryouts, Japan will not be attending the Olympic Games this year. Assuming the government can't do something about it before then."

"Just out of curiosity..." Hina rubbed her arm, "What would Donyokuna have done if I'd refused? I mean...There's absolutely no way in hell I would EVER accept something like that."

"She had a...contingency plan for that..." Kyoko's face became even more stern, "There was something else I found on her computer that I think you should know about. She hired someone to sneak into the changing rooms while you were getting changed, and she had them take pictures of you while you were underdressed. Her intention, I believe, was to threaten to sell those pictures on the internet if you refused."

"WHAT!?" Hina shrieked, her face going both blue and red.

"That's...SO WRONG!" Makoto's face just went red, both with embarrassment and rage, "How the hell has she gotten away with that stuff for so long!?"

"She's a VILE woman..." Sakura growled, "more vile than I could ever have suspected that she would be."

"And, as Makoto correctly theorized...Both the referee of the match and the photographer who stepped forward with that photo were in bed with her," Kyoko unveiled, "When the police got on the scene, we did a thorough analysis of the photo. Not that this was any surprise, but it's a forgery. The person in the photo has the same skin tone as you, but it is most certainly not your hand."

Hina stressfully clutched her head, shaking it in complete disbelief.

"Ugh...I KNEW it!" she snapped at last, looking angrier than Makoto had ever seen her before, "I always knew something was up with that woman! I just thought that maybe it was the way she trained people and it was different, but...GAH! I should NEVER have signed up with her!"

Her rage quickly subsided, and instead, she looked down at her feet, utterly defeated.

"I'm such a moron...! I should've done something about it sooner..."

She shuddered a little as she felt a warm hand reach out and touch her shoulder. She turned to see Makoto, having calmed himself down, smiling at her.

"It's not too late," he told her, "you still have a chance to turn this terrible day around."

"Huh?" Hina frowned, "What do you mean?"

"How about I tell you the GOOD news from all this?" Kyoko suddenly chimed in again, "We showed the evidence to the people running the show, and they've concluded that you're innocent, so you're permitted to get back in the pool and swim again. Not only that, but everybody involved in Donyokuna's scam has been disqualified and taken away. Those who were blackmailed have come forward and explained themselves, and the people in charge have come to the conclusion that they're willing to do the entire thing from the ground up."

"So what do you say, Sis?" Yuta affectionally jabbed her arm, "You wanna go for the gold one last time?"

Though surprised, Hina's face slowly curled into a confident and cheerful smile.

"Do I!?" she beamed.

Discussion [HEAT UP] - Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc

A few precautions had to be taken when people were finally let back into the stadium. A lot of people were just completely done with this situation and had gone home, but the faithful ones had stuck around. Kyoko employed detectives and sleuths from her agency to work security to ensure that no one else suspicious made it in or out.

But the difference between the competition now and what it had been earlier was like night and day.

As Kyoko mentioned, a lot of the athletes who HADN'T accepted Donyokuna's bribe and had been blackmailed no longer needed to worry about it. Kyoko had deleted all of Donyokuna's resources and confiscated her laptop and possessions to help build her court case, and the government officials pertaining to the Olympic Games had been updated on the situation. Regrettably, that meant that Kyoko could no longer watch Hina swim since she was busy sorting everything else out. However, none of that mattered anymore.

There was nothing holding anyone back anymore. As Hina walked onto the starting block, ready to give it her best, she felt a burst of confidence as she turned to see Makoto and the others smiling at her confidently.

The competition was fierce, and finally, everyone got to see just how talented the opposing swimmers, and Hina herself, really were, as they all thoroughly competed for the top spot. With flawless form, the Ultimate Swimming Pro jumped into the water, her heart pounding in her chest as she sliced through the surface.

"GO HINA! GOOOOO!" Makoto hollered.

"YOU CAN DO THIS!" Sakura roared.

The rest of Class 78 and Hina's family were the same way. This time, Hifumi had no eagerness to go grab more snacks because he was thoroughly hooked on the proceedings. And even Toko, who had been rather dismissive of this the whole time, was yelling at the top of her lungs, cheering Hina on. Even Byakuya, though he did not stand up or cheer, had sweat rolling down his face, holding his breath as Hina broke the line again and again.

And before anyone knew it, the finals had finally rolled around.

Even with her skills, though no one said it aloud, Class 78 wasn't even sure that she could take the win and pass the tryouts once they properly sized up her competition. The other athletes had no intention of holding back anymore now that they had been freed from Donyokuna's proverbial shackles.

Makoto realized how important this was for her. She had been waiting all day for this moment. Before this race, he and she had spent months refining their bodies and training nonstop. They had exhausted all of their options. Now here she was, standing at the edge of the pool, and Hina could not help but feel a rush of anxiety and anticipation go through her body.

Her pals all stood up as they had, cheering her on with raised arms and encouraging remarks. Adjusting her goggles and inhaling deeply, Hina shot them one more grin, a very long and tender one meant exclusively for Makoto.

The sound of the whistle pierced the air, signaling the start of the race. With deft timing, Hina jumped off the block and used her powerful strokes to dart through the water like a dolphin in human form. Every swimmer in the competition was doing their hardest to get just a hair's breadth ahead of the others.

"COME ON! YOU'VE GOT THIIIIS!" Makoto shouted, jumping up and down on his feet and raising his voice as high as it could possibly go.

"GO HINA-CHAN! GO GO GOOOOO!" Monomi leaped up and down on her seat as well, though for Hina and everyone else, her cheering came out as nothing more than a set of enthusiastic squeaks.

Hina's muscles burned from exertion as she got closer to the last lap, but her resolve remained unwavering. She gave herself one last surge of energy and moved ahead, her sights set on the finish line.

As the swimmers raced towards the finish line, neck and neck, the spectators roared with excitement. Their exertion caused the water to churn, producing a symphony of cheers and splashes.

She was so close...Right at the end! She swam as fast as she could with the finish in sight! Complete victory right there within her grasp, with the new and trustworthy referee crouching in intensely as the race came to a close! Makoto let out one big, hearty cheer for her!

...

And then it was over in a split second that seemed to last forever.

In milliseconds, Hina's hand made contact with the wall, trailing her nearest opponent. She had lost by the narrowest of margins, with only a millimeter separating her from triumph.

"OOOH! And THAT'S ALL ladies and gentlemen!" the announcer thundered over the loudspeakers, "She came close! Blasted through the competition! But at the last pivotal moment, the mighty Ultimate Swimming Pro came up short! Congratulations to Okada Otako! Our WINNER!"

The Ultimate Swimming Pro's expression, even from a distance, showed a mix of grief and resignation as her head popped out of the water and she gulped for air. It was more apparent on Makoto, who bore the same expression as he slumped down in his seat.

"No...!" he uttered quietly, his voice hoarse from all his shouting. Solemnly, Sakura crossed her arms and sat down.

"Hm...A shame..." she grumbled, "a shame indeed."

As Hina climbed out of the pool, she looked up in surprise to see someone reaching down and offering her a hand. It was Okada Otako, an older woman with blonde hair and tanned skin; the swimmer in the next lane over—who had beaten her by a hair and claimed the win. Hina took her hand, and she was pulled out of the pool.

"That was amazing," Okada remarked, "great game, kid. You had me super worried there for a while."

Hina's face remained stony for a second, but she quickly gave her competitor one of her big, hearty, cheerful smiles.

"Right back at'cha!" she winked, "Congratulations on your win! You earned it! And good luck in the Olympics!"

"Hah! Thanks. But I'm sure it'll be a while until all that happens," Okada smirked back, "but I'm looking forward to seeing you on the big stage next time. With skills like yours, you've got my support!"

Hina kind of wanted to chat with Okada a little bit longer, but she overheard her friends and family approaching her from behind, having left the stands. So instead, she gave her one reassuring and cheerful nod, then turned around to face them all with a charming and satisfied smile on her face. Her friends rushed to her side, their faces crestfallen on her behalf.

"Hina..." Makoto, who led the group, looked the most disappointed by far, "That sucks...I'm so sorry..."

"Haha! Don't be!" she assured him, "This has been one hell of a day for all of us...I'm just glad it ended on a high note, you know?"

"A high note?" Hiro asked, "But...you lost..."

"Yeah, I did," Hina shrugged, "so what?"

"Well, I mean..." Mondo said, "After everything you went through today...I figured you gettin' the win would've made you feel a lot better..."

"So we all kind of thought that this might be the final nail in the coffin for you, and...we were worried..." Chihiro added. Hina shook her head.

"You guys don't get it," she rubbed the back of her scalp, still smiling, "that last race was probably the most fun I've had in a long, LONG time...Ever since Donyokuna became my coach, I haven't had as much fun with my sports outings. Now I know why and..."

She trailed off, giggled at herself, and shrugged.

"Man, I really stink at explaining how I feel," she laughed, "The competition is over now. All I wanna do is go home and eat some donuts."

"You're really not upset about this?" Sayaka asked.

"Not really!" Hina tilted her head back and forth, "I did my best! And I'm super happy knowing that my slump wasn't because of me after all!"

She looked into Makoto's eyes confidently.

"And having you all here with me...Even after all that happened, none of you quit on me halfway. I really do have the best friends, family, and classmates a girl could ask for," she beamed, "so no. I couldn't be upset, even if I wanted to. I'm just glad knowing that I don't suck."

Makoto felt tears form in his eyes; Hina's passion was rubbing off on him. He wiped them, overjoyed that his friend had gotten her get-up-and-go back.

"Hina...You've NEVER sucked...!" he told her confidently.

"Snrk...That's what she said~"

"TOKO!" Makoto, Sakura, and Monomi all turned and snapped at her, thoroughly frustrated. Toko cackled.

"Calm down; that was a joke!" she assured them, "Real talk though...I gotta give you credit, Asahina. You really are the ULTIMATE Swimming Pro."

"Indeed," Byakuya affirmed, "your strength and skill are worthy of praise."

"And I'm SO PROUD of you!" Yoshie pulled her daughter into a big, hearty hug. Hina grimaced.

"MOOOOM STOOOP!" she groaned, while her classmates all laughed. Yuta approached and slapped her sister over the shoulder.

"Heh! You're the woman of the hour, sis!" he beamed.

Everyone took turns consoling and congratulating Hina on a battle well fought. And in spite of everything that had happened today, the conclusion had made every arduous second worth it. Once the crowd dissipated, and as Taka tried to move everyone out of the way to allow people to leave and walk by easier, Hina leaned in and whispered to Makoto.

"Hey...I wanna go to a cafe or some place with you after we're done here," she told him, "There's something I need to talk to you about privately."

"Huh?" Makoto frowned, "is...everything alright?"

"Everything's great," she promised, "but it is kinda important. And as my training partner and arch-rival...Well I need you to hear me out on some stuff..."

Beautiful Morning - Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc

"MMMRRPGHH! SHOOO GOOOOD!"

Makoto had little reason to turn Hina down, but it was odd that she'd pulled him by himself to the side. Not even Sakura, nor Hina's family, had been invited to come along after the rest of their classmates dissipated and went home for the day. With the delays, it was now late in the day, and the two of them had gone to a nearby cafe to get donuts together.

Now they sat outside on a brick wall, eating them. The donuts were so delicious, and they grinned ear to ear with each bite. They made the most of their time together, laughing and chatting while they munched on their sugary goodies.

"You know what?" Makoto licked his lips, "I think I'm starting to come around on this donut fascination of yours!"

"Hah! I knew you would!" she grinned, "Also, don't call it a "fascination." I don't say you have a fascination with curry just because it's your favorite food."

"Fair enough," Makoto shrugged, "how are you feeling now that you've had something sweet to eat?"

"Even better than I was before. And hey, you wanna know something else?" Hina told him, "After the game ended, I got a phone call from my old coach, Kokoro Sango-sensei! Apparently, Kyoko told her what happened, so she got in contact with me the first chance she got."

"Oh yeah? What did she say?" Makoto asked. Hina let out an exasperated sigh.

"So...as it turns out..." she said, "The reason why Coach Sango suddenly quit on me was because Donyokuna was blackmailing HER too! She was so desperate to get me in on this master plan of hers that she demanded that Sango step down from her coaching position or risk having a damaging secret exposed. And she got so scared that she agreed to Donyokuna's demands."

"For real!?" Makoto gasped, "Jesus...What is WRONG with that woman?"

"Whatever it is, it's not my problem anymore," Hina shrugged indignantly, "U-Unless I get called in to speak up in trial, then for sure I'll help, but for now, I don't even wanna THINK about that woman anymore."

"Good idea," Makoto nodded, "Anyway, what else did she say?"

"Well, she's offered to come back and start coaching me again. And I was more than happy to have her back," Hina explained, "but, uh...I did tell her that I was planning on taking a hiatus, so she might have to wait for a bit."

"You mean you're still going on break?" Makoto asked, "Even though you managed to get out of your slump?"

"Yeah...I mean, this was a big deal for me. And I lost pretty hard, so I don't think anyone will blame me," Hina smiled sadly, "I'm not going on break because of my slump anymore. I just need time to process everything that happened today...and a lot of it..."

Her sad smile became a very cheerful one very suddenly.

"In the meantime, though, she offered me a job!" she enthused, "She said that there were a bunch of grade school kids practicing for swimming tournaments, and she was wondering if I could come down and help her train them! I'd get paid for it, it's not a long commute, and it'll help with work experience at Hope's Peak! No way am I saying no to that!"

"That's awesome news!" Makoto exclaimed, "So... you're really not upset about the game and not getting the victory?"

"No way, dude. If I don't win, it just means I'm not quite ready for the Olympics yet. That's all," the Swimming Pro swallowed another bite of her donut and looked up at the darkening sky, "and honestly? That loss was probably just what I needed to completely recover from all this fuzz. It made me remember something that Sango-sensei always told me. It's okay not to get a break sometimes. All I could hope for out there was not to embarrass myself in front of everyone. And in the end, I didn't! That's a win for me!"

"So...why did you call me out here by myself?" he asked her, "If you wanted someone to vent to, surely Ogami-san would be a better option?"

"You kidding me? Sakura's dear to me, sure, but...You are too, Makoto," Hina told him firmly, "I heard about what happened. You were so worried about me that you and my brother went to confront Donyokuna directly about what happened. And yeah, an argument could be made that she was just using me and everyone else, but...That should have been my battle. I wanted to thank you for fighting it for me, since I was too dumb."

"Hina...You're giving yourself too little credit," Makoto assured her.

"It's not just that, though. I don't think I would have gotten this far if I didn't have you running alongside me all the time," she added, "At first, I was kind of dragging you along, and it was just some training on the side...But before I knew it...you became someone I couldn't do without..."

She stood up and thrust her arms forward.

"I don't care what people are gonna have to say about me or that coach. Next time, I'll show everyone just why I'm the Ultimate Swimming Pro!" she said, "So let's keep working hard together!"

Makoto nodded, but after thinking about her words for a second, he hung his head. He looked down on what remained of his donut. He felt something stir inside him after all this, thinking about how far the two of them had come by this point. He stuffed what was left of the food in his mouth and swallowed his doubts with it.

"Listen Hina..." he said, "there's something I need to tell you...After everything, I think you should know..."

Makoto felt a knot tighten in his stomach. He knew this conversation wouldn't be easy, but he had to muster up the courage to tell her that he couldn't keep on keeping up with her anymore. She'd stepped into a spotlight that he had no business stepping under. He wanted to stay friends, sure, and it's not like he wanted to stop training. It's just...it didn't feel right anymore.

Plus, with the Steering Committee operations around the corner, he needed some time to himself to plan.

However...What Hina did next caught him by surprise. She put her hands on her hips and giggled mischievously.

"Hehe! Is this part where you tell me about how you're secretly a Phantom Thief or whatever?"

Makoto almost spat his donut back out again.

Desire for Execution - Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc

"AHEUGH! AHEM! Wh-What!?" he stammered, eyes wide. Hina clutched her belly and laughed.

"Ahahahaha! Sorry but...it's really kind of funny to see you lose your composure like that!" she grinned, "Chill out, dude. I was just kidding."

Makoto shook his head in disbelief.

"How the hell did you know...!?"

Hina, however, relaxed her face and stared at him, now seemingly confused.

"Hm? Know what?" she asked.

"How did you know that I was a Phantom Thief?" he asked, "I didn't think I gave you any hints...!"

Hina's disposition suddenly became surprised, awkward, and even more confused as she stared at him with wide eyes.

"U-Um...I DIDN'T..." she confessed, "th-that was a joke..."

"What!? Aw HELL!" Makoto cursed himself, slamming the wall with his fist, "That's not what I was planning to tell you! Why am I so BAD at this!?"

"W-Wait, hang on! Are you serious!?" Hina gasped, "You're not kidding me!? YOU'RE the Hope's Peak Phantom Thief!?"

"SHHHH!" he lurched to his feet, covering her mouth with his hand, "Do you want to sell me out to the whole street or something!?"

Hina frantically shook her head, and after giving it some time, he slowly pulled his hands away. Though Hina still looked completely dumbfounded.

"To answer your question," he said in a deeper voice, "yes, I'm completely serious. No point hiding it now, but... yes, I'm one of the Phantom Thieves..."

"No...way...!" Hina shuddered in place with a slack jaw.

"And since I have the chance to say it," Makoto confessed, "the reason why I started training with you is because I was training for my Phantom Thief missions...Not that I was taking you for granted or anything. If anything, I wanted to thank you."

"For real...!?" Hina clearly didn't know how to respond. Makoto shook his head.

"How else do you think I got so fast out of nowhere?" he asked, "Promise me you won't tell anybody?"

"Of course I won't! Not after everything you've done for me! It was just...unexpected, that's all..." she told him, "Hell, you know what? If there's anything I can do for you and your friends in that group, then know that you can rely on me for whatever! Maybe I'm not usually that great at keeping secrets, but I'm an ace at keeping promises!"

"Ok, I'm gonna trust you..." Makoto nodded, "Please don't betray it."

"Never," Hina shook her head, "but...if that's not what you were planning on saying, then...what WERE you gonna say?"

"Ah...Well..." Makoto clutched his sleeve, suddenly feeling even more awkward, "The thing is...I wanted to thank you one last time on behalf of the team for helping me train and get better...Because I don't think it'll last for much longer."

"H-Huh?" Hina gasped, "Why not?"

"Well, for one, since you already know my secret now, I don't mind telling you...but the truth is, something really dark is happening at Hope's Peak Academy. And the Phantom Thieves are going after the Steering Committee to show the world what that is," he told her, "so I need to put my attention on that for the time being. Besides that, though...I don't really think there's much point in us running together any more."

"Why do you think that?" Hina asked, looking dismayed. Makoto expected this, but it still broke his heart.

"Well, you already told me. You've got your old coach back, and you're helping train younger athletes now. You don't really NEED me anymore," he told her. "Besides, we can run, swim, jump, and do whatever, but even if I am a Phantom Thief, I'll never be able to catch up to you. Maybe I am fast, but I'm no athlete. I think it might be best if you focused on your career by yourself. It doesn't do you any good to let me poke my nose in it."

Hina thought about this for a bit. She perfectly understood where Makoto was coming from and was more than willing to respect his wishes. He was a good judge of character and strength, and if he said that Hope's Peak was up to something, she wholeheartedly believed him.

That didn't change the fact that she was devastated by this news. Running with Makoto had been her source of motivation and joy, and the thought of hitting the pavement alone was daunting. So, in true Aoi Asahina fashion, she went all in on letting him know.

"Makoto...I'm sorry, but I can't accept that..." she told him, "I want to keep running with you! Keep going and keep training until the day that you finally outmatch me! M-Maybe we could try adjusting our running schedule? How about we do early morning runs before school or evening jogs after?"

"Hina, it's not like we're not gonna be friends anymore. This isn't as big a sacrifice as you think it is," Makoto told her, "Why are you so dead set on having me as a running partner? Just ask Sakura if she can join you. She'd probably be better than me at it."

"No! No way!" Hina asserted, "It has to be you! I won't stop until the day you're fast enough to outrun me!"

"And again..." Makoto sighed, "WHY?"

"B-Because! BECAUSE!" Hina pointed towards him, "Because you have to! B-Because when you finally beat me, I...I was going to confess to you!"

Makoto almost spat his donut out again, even though it was deep in his stomach by now.

"WH-WH-WHAT!?" he spluttered.

"I-I kinda started to develop feelings for you the more time we spent together!" Hina explained desperately, "So you HAVE to keep running with me! We need to keep racing against each other; otherwise, I won't be able to confess how I feel!"

"I-I mean...this is enough of a confession already, isn't it!?" Makoto exclaimed, beet red in the face.

"Well...If that's the case..." she blushed, "What do you...think about me?"

"H-Huh?" Makoto felt something get caught in his throat.

"I mean me...as a woman," she flustered, "Wh-What I'm trying to say is...! Do I have, you know... womanly charms?"

"W-Well, I mean...Wait, where's all this coming from!?" Makoto exclaimed, having absolutely no idea how he was going to sort through all this. Hina, however, hung her head shamefully.

"People have always told me how I'm not ladylike...And I mean, I can't really disagree! All I'm good at is sports, exercise, and physical stuff..." she admitted, "But maybe that's just because I've never actually been in love...! Since I've never fallen in love, how can I say I'm a woman? So that's why... Um...That's why I wanted to confess to you...Because I think I'm in love with you, but even I'm not sure..."

Before Makoto could say anything, she continued speaking.

"A-And also...Even with all...that stuff aside," Hina relaxed and started to speak to him soulfully, "I just want to keep competing and running with you. Ever since we became running buddies, every day has been so much fun. And if it wasn't for that constant training we did, I don't think I would've even had my shot at the Olympic tryouts today."

She strode over and took him by both hands.

"So whether you reject my confession or not, it doesn't matter to me," she said, "I just don't want to lose this...I don't...want...!"

To make the situation even more difficult, tears started to fall from Hina's eyes. Sad, desperate tears...

"I'm really sorry..." she said, wiping her eyes with her sleeve, "I'm so selfish...! I've only been thinking about myself...! Even though your team and your Phantom Thieving are important to you...!"

Though she claimed to be selfish, Makoto knew she was anything but. And that made this so much harder.

He had known Hina for a fair while now. Since their first year at Hope's Peak, they had been friends, and before they were training partners, she had always supported him when he needed it. She was lovely, humorous, and kind, and Makoto couldn't hide how much he cared for her. However, he had never before given her a romantic consideration. Thinking back on Hina's confession, Makoto couldn't help but think of all the times they had spent together. He realized how much Hina meant to him as the deep talks, jokes, and laughter, as well as the encouragement and support she'd shown him, all came flooding back to him.

*I should choose my words carefully...* he thought...

PLATONIC ENDING

"I...I really appreciate hearing that, Hina...And I'm glad that you can be so upfront with me about your feelings," Makoto began, his voice trembling slightly. "You mean more to me than I ever let myself acknowledge, but...I'm not really sure how to respond to that confession..."

"It's okay, Makoto..." Hina sniffed and wiped her eyes, "If you don't feel the same way, you can just tell me. I won't hold it against you."

"I didn't think you would," Makoto nodded, "but I cannot stress enough just how important you are to me, even if not romantically. Your trust, confidence, friendship...All of that is more important to me than anything. And the last thing I would ever want to do is break your heart like this..."

"Yeah, I know..." Hina sighed and shrugged, "I accept that. Come on, you should have realized by now that I've got thick skin. I can take a rejection like this. It's the training stuff that really matters to me. And like I said, I'm not "ladylike" in any sort of way..."

"Even if that's true," Makoto smiled at her, "I'd say that's just part of your charm."

"Huh?" Hina frowned.

"If you push it and get all nervous, that's totally not you, right?" Makoto asked her, "Personally, I think you're fine just the way you are. Because, I mean, that's who you ARE."

"Makoto..." Hina went red in the face, looking fairly bashful.

"And falling in love is supposed to be fun, right? If you stress out about it, where's the fun in that?" he asked, "I mean, not that I know anything about love, either. So maybe that doesn't mean anything..."

"No, it does..." she told him, failing to make eye contact, "If it's you saying it, it DOES mean something...Maybe you're right. I shouldn't push it. I should just be me."

"Exactly," Makoto affirmed, "and you'll figure out how to keep pressing on without me anyway."

"Oh, no," Hina said, shaking her head, "I still want to keep training with you. I'm not backing down on that front."

"Why not!?" Makoto exclaimed.

"Because your trust, confidence, and friendship are important to me too. And I'm only half the girl I am because of it," Hina stated, "It's selfish of me...And wrong to try and put myself before your acts of heroism...But even so...!"

She shook off her remaining doubts and fears and stared into his eyes confidently.

Goodbye Despair Academy - Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc

"Makoto, running with you isn't just about pace or speed, or whether or not it's fruitful to me in the long term," she said, her voice filled with warmth, "It's about sharing the journey; pushing each other to be the best we can be. We're a team, remember?"

Makoto glanced at Hina, her words resonating deeply in his being.

Hina had fun with sports. It was a big part of how he knew she was struggling today because the enjoyment she got out of the thrill of the fight wasn't with her. And without that, Hina wasn't Hina.

Donyokuna had tried to take that away from her.

How dare he, as a close friend and partner, try to do the same.

Running with her, he understood, was about supporting each other through the highs and lows, the wins and the losses, more than just trying to improve oneself.

"I...I'm sorry...Honestly, I think you oversell my "heroics"..." he said, "I'm just a coward...That's all there is to it...I was worried about getting in your way, and I wanted to let you handle things for yourself...But it's different if you really want me there..."

"So... will you keep running with me?" Hina asked, earnestly, "I'm sorry to come on so strong, but this is far too important to me..."

"I know...And you're right, Hina. I may not be as fast as you or as professional an athlete, but I won't give up. Let's keep running together," he declared, a newfound strength filling his voice.

A smile lit up Hina's face as she nodded in agreement.

"That's the spirit, Makoto! Together, we can overcome any challenge that comes our way," she said, her eyes shining with pride.

"Yeah...And I'm sorry I put you through the motions like that..." Makoto rested a hand on his head, shamefully, "You don't deserve that after everything you've been through today."

"Don't sweat it! You've more than cheered me up just with that!" she brought both hands close to her face and smiled preciously like a little animal, "As for the whole falling in love thing, I just have to wait until I meet the right person! Like Jason Statham!"

"You have very...specific taste," Makoto remarked, "I think you'll be waiting a while on that one, and honestly, I'm not sure if I should take that as a compliment? I'm nothing like an action hero..."

"You're a Phantom Thief, aren't you?" Hina asked, "How is that NOT an action hero?"

"Not what I meant..." Makoto assured her.

"Well, it doesn't matter," Hina shrugged, "Whatever weights I had on my chest, I've got them off now! So come on! Let's run back! My family is probably waiting for me."

Makoto smirked.

"I'll race ya'~" he winked. Hina's expression became a fiery one of pride and determination.

"Oho, you're ON!" she beamed.

ROMANTIC ENDING

"You know what?" Makoto took a step forward, "That's not true at all...!"

Hina gasped as he suddenly pulled her into a hug. She squirmed about, blushing and flustered over his sudden intimate approach.

"Hina I'm...I'm just a coward..." he asserted, "You coming to terms with your feelings has nothing to do with being ladylike at all."

He pulled away but kept a firm grasp on her shoulders.

"To be honest, I never quite realized how much I really felt about you before you showed the courage to confess," he said, "I know that's cheap, so I don't blame you, and I won't hold it against you if you want to take it back, but..."

"You...Are you saying...it's a yes...!?" she exclaimed, clearly not expecting him to respond this way. Makoto nodded.

Sweet - Persona 5

"Yes. I feel the same way. About everything," he said "about the competition, and...I also feel the same way...I-I mean I also...l-l...-like...you..."

It took considerable effort to force these last words out. Being put on the spot like this and putting his feelings forward, Makoto just wanted to drop dead there and then.

"W-Woah!" Hina flushed just as hard, "n-no way!"

The tense silence that followed was palpable. Neither side was sure of what to say until the weight of reality weighed down on them, and Hina started laughing.

"G-Gosh...You really surprised me," she giggled, still quite red in the face, "but...that makes me so happy to hear...I really kinda thought you'd say no, and...I'm cool with that! But..."

"Y-Yeah...Me too..." Makoto nodded, outstretching a hand, "and...well...putting all the competition stuff aside for a moment...Do you wanna go out with me?"

"Y-Yeah..." Hina nodded, sheepishly taking his hand, "I'll be in your care, Makoto-kun!"

"G-Great!" Makoto laughed heartily, though still very flustered, "and...Hina?"

"Y-Yeah?" she asked.

"I take back what I said," Makoto told her, "You're right. These competitions with me are as important to me as they are to you. I'm always looking forward to our training together. I should have told you if I had any problems sooner, but..."

Makoto stretched out his other hand and took hers in both of his. This gesture made her even more flustered, but she didn't pull away.

"My point is...I'm sorry I said all that stuff earlier," he said clearly and directly, "I'll do my best, and since we're going out now, I'll do whatever I can to make it work. So will you keep competing and growing together with me?"

"Y-Yeah!" Hina beamed, "WOOHOO! I knew you'd come around!"

"Sure...anything for you..." Makoto blushed warmly, "But next time, I'm gonna beat you. I guarantee it."

"Don't get cocky, Naegi~" she teased, "you're not gonna defeat me that easily! I'm an upcoming Olympic athlete after all!"

Her boastful facade made the both of them laugh. Soon enough, they were both giggling uncontrollably, with one another's laughter infecting the other. They stayed like that for a while before they were finally both able to calm down.

"Alright! Now that THAT'S all settled, it's time to get to training!" Hina asserted, pumping her fists, "I'm definitely not gonna fall off this hype train!"

"I wish I could say I'm surprised you're already jumping into it," Makoto smiled, "You don't waste a second, do you?"

"No, boyfriend~ No, I don't," Hina smiled, her cheeks turning pink, since she clearly wasn't used to the word "boyfriend" yet, "Ah, but since a lot has happened today...Do you wanna...You know? Practice...together?"

"S-Sure thing!" Makoto steeled his expression, "The last one to the station buys the second round of donuts!"

"Oh, you've done it now!" Hina smirked, "Bring it ON!"

[A FEW DAYS LATER...]

Alright - Persona 5

The event at the Olympic swimming tryouts had happened a few days ago, but thankfully Donyokuna's plots had been finished by Kyoko and Hina working together to tie up all the loose ends.

Shortly after Donyokuna's arrest, the Olympic Games offices were suffering huge scandals, and many Japanese athletes across all sports were being brought in for questioning. The news had gotten pretty bonkers as some of the athletes were caught in a variety of scandals. But the good news is that had nothing to do with them anymore.

Hina's life began to get back on track when that coach left it. Even though she eventually found a way out of her rut, she nevertheless made the decision to take a break in order to attend to other concerns.

Specifically, her new role as a coach herself.

Sakura Ogami and Makoto Naegi were all smiles as they headed into the busy neighborhood swimming pool. Their acquaintance had asked them to observe her leading a special training session for a group of junior swimmers, and they had agreed, wanting to check up how she was doing.

The sound of splashing water and animated conversation filled the stadium as they walked in. As they made their way through the throng, the scent of chlorine pricked their noses. After a while, they discovered Hina by the pool's edge, wearing a cheery smile and a whistle around her neck.

"Ah! Hello there! You two must be Sakura-chan and Makoto-kun, right?"

The two Ultimate Students turned their heads to see who it was that was greeting them. A woman approached them who appeared to be in her mid-40's. She had a toned figure from years of practice, a welcoming smile that made them feel comfortable, and sun-kissed skin, perhaps from endless hours spent by the pool. Unlike Hito Donyokuna, she was approachable and confident-looking at the same time. Her laid-back manner and casual outfit—a cozy swimsuit and flip-flops—made her instantly recognizable to the students, even though neither of them had met her before.

"Hello," Makoto said, reaching out a hand to shake, "You must be Kokoro Sango-sensei, right?"

"That's me," Sango nodded, shaking his hand, "pleasure to meet the both of you."

"Likewise," Sakura nodded, "it's nice to finally meet Hina's REAL instructor at long last."

"Yes...I must apologize for all that ridiculousness with Donyokuna-san," Sango bowed apologetically, "hopefully she'll have time to reflect on her actions during her...um..."time off...""

"It's not your fault, Sango-sensei," Makoto assured her, "you did what you had to do. And it's really awesome that you came back to Hina, even after the fact."

"That girl is my pride and joy," Sango assured him right back, "There's no way I could ever willingly leave her behind. Though, I had hoped that she'd cut back on the pastries by now..."

The three of them laughed at this.

"But pastries or not, I definitely made the right choice by inviting her to come help me coach these young'uns..." Sango looked back towards Hina and the kids as she started talking to them from the poolside, "Can't you see it?"

"Indeed, I can," Sakura said, crossing her arms and smiling, "She's completely in her element."

"She was the right woman for the job," Makoto nodded confidently, "Can we go talk to her for a bit? Or is she busy?"

"I'm sure she'll find time for the two of you," Sango smiled, "Thank you again for all you've done to help the two of us. I'll leave you be for now."

Sango gave them one last nod before she strode away, checking a clipboard. Makoto was very happy that Hina managed to get her old instructor back. She was a significant upgrade from that selfish, greedy jock.

Sakura and Makoto carefully walked along the wet poolside towards Hina, who lifted her head and smiled when she noticed them.

"A-Alright kids! Take 5!" she called out, raising her hand. The kids swam to the other side of the pool and climbed out to get their towels and cool down after their training. Makoto reached out and gave her a fist bump.

"Hey!" he smiled, "How's it going?"

"Awesome! I got my own students!" Hina beamed right back, "Haha! Now THIS is the kind of training I can get behind!"

"I'm very glad to see that you've moved on so quickly," Sakura observed, "not only that scandal with that woman, but failing to get the chance for the Olympics...Though I do expect you to make quick recoveries from these sorts of things, I feared that event may have dampened your spirit with the numerous issues that plagued it at the onset. But it seems as though you made it to the end largely unharmed."

"I dunno, dude, it feels like a while ago since that all happened, even though it's only been a few days," she said, "I guess time flies, huh? O-Or is that not the right phrase? Either way, I'm cool with all that. I said this to Makoto, but I had an unlucky break. I can try again later. It's not the end of the world."

"Well, for the sake of the world, I hope you don't change who you are, Hina-chan," Makoto told her.

"Thanks, dude," Hina nodded, "and don't you worry. I'm good. To be honest, I really didn't think I'd be cut out for this whole teaching thing, but...I kinda wanted to try some new experiences, so I gave it a go anyway. Turns out I'm not bad at it!"

"Of course you're not!" Makoto exclaimed, "You've been my personal teacher for almost half a year now!"

"Yeah, but that was more me dragging you along for my training because I found out you could run fast..." she laughed sheepishly, "I don't really think I was much of an influence on you, but I'm glad to hear it! I was afraid I was slowing you guys down by not knowing the first thing about being an instructor."

"You have your own strengths. While you believe you did nothing extraordinary..." Sakura confided, "your presence brings positive energy to the people around you. It inspires them."

"I couldn't have put it better myself," Makoto gestured to her.

"Okay, now you two're just TRYING to make me blush. But I know you mean every single word!" Hina snickered, "And the truth is...you inspire me too. Both of you do. You make me want to push myself even harder."

She looked toward the Martial Artist.

"Every time I see you training, Sakura, I get the urge to start following right behind you..."

She then turned to the Lucky Student.

"And when YOU follow behind ME, Makoto, I always think to myself that I can't let myself be outmatched by you. I've gotta prove to you why it is that I'm the best."

"Thanks Hina," Makoto smiled with a warm blush, "that means a hell of a lot to me."

"I as well. I could not be prouder to hear you say that," Sakura nodded.

"I hope we'll always be friends who keep pushing each other higher and higher," Hina grinned a big happy grin, "And not just while we're in school. Forever!"

"Aye. I pledge myself unto you that I will never fall short of your expectations." Sakura promised. Makoto nodded as well.

"I know that I can be an indecisive moron when it matters most...But I'm pretty confident about this," he told her earnestly, "No matter what challenges come our way, I'll always be by your side, ready to train with you forever. If that's what you want."

Hina's smile was so wide, it was like her face was about to split in half.

"Yeah, me too! You'd better watch the next Olympics!" she exclaimed, "I'll have a gold medal all for you two!"

"I eagerly await that day." Sakura smiled back at her.

Hina was a natural athlete who constantly pushed herself to the utmost in any sport she participated in. Makoto, on the other hand, had never considered himself to be an athlete on her level and had always been more reserved. He hadn't changed that much, in all honesty, but they had grown to be inseparable despite their differences.

They had experienced many highs and lows together, but they had never wavered in their support of one another. She scratched his back, he scratched hers.

Makoto realized how much Hina meant to him as he reflected on their past outings. She was more than simply a friend—she was his inspiration and his rock. She had never once doubted his ability and had always encouraged him to pursue his aspirations.

Warmth therefore entered Makoto's heart as he embraced the girl, making their friendship official. He was confident that Hina and he would always be there for one another, encouraging and supporting one another through good times and bad, no matter where life led them. Knowing that he had a buddy like Hina by his side made him feel incredibly happy and comfortable at that moment.

I am thou...Thou art I...Thy hast turned a vow into a blood oath.

Thy bond shall become the wings of rebellion that break the yoke of thy heart.

Thou hast awakened to the ultimate secret of the Chariot, granting thee infinite power...

Chapter End Notes

So when I uploaded this chapter initially, I was on a bit of a time schedule, so I had to sort of drop the chapter and dash. Which meant I didn't have time to add the end of chapter notes that I normally do for this series.
This was probably the one time where it was most important I do so, though, so shame on me for that one, and I'm sorry in advance.
So yeah, this is kind of how I've decided to do the end-of-confidant chapters. They'll be split into two parts to cover the full length, and assuming they fall under the umbrella, they will end with a multiple-choice option for Makoto to claim them as his partner, or not.
Now, I know that up until now, I've poured a lot of ship fuel into Naegiri, Naezono, and Naekusaba specifically, but I think that it's only fair that the audience gets to decide for themselves which girl to pick in the end, just like the original series.
It took me a while to figure out how to do this, but luckily, from what I have seen, you guys seem to really like this idea. So I think I'm gonna stick with it.
Now, there are a few questions that I got in regards to this that I should probably answer, and I'll try to cover as much as possible.
1 - Will there be a harem ending?
Yes, there will be, but I'll be saving that for a chapter that comes MUCH much later. In general, the romances will be one on one, and won't interfere with the story very much. Near the end of the story, there will be a valentines day chapter/chapters that show Makoto hanging out with the partner of his choice, with a harem ending as one of the possible outcomes. It's mostly like the P5A Valentine's Day OVA. It's honestly just up to you how you want to interpret it.
2 - Will any of the end-of-confidant romances be with the boys?
Yes actually! Not all of them though. Makoto currently has 8 male confidants, and of them, 3 of them will have romantic endings. Now, originally, I was going to have it just be the girls, because I've always personally headcanoned Makoto as being straight, but this isn't about me or what I feel. It's about what the audience thinks and feels. So even though the options for boys are more limited, they are still there, and I chose the one's that I felt made the most sense to end with romantic affection. More on that when the time arrives though.
3 - Are the relationships "canon?"
As I said already, Mukuro, Sayaka, and Kyoko all, within the canon of the story, have feelings for Makoto, as proven in the main segment. But there have been characters in the main Persona series; Rise in P4 being the biggest example; who openly express feelings of affection and attraction towards the main character. It is still up to the player whether they become a romance partner or not. So while I have pushed a lot towards those three girls especially, you won't see me doing that as much anymore. I've decided to leave it entirely up to the audience.
4 - Are the other Phantom Thieves romanceable?
This is stuff I'm still figuring out, but for now, as disappointing as it may sound, the answer is no. Despite being among the female roster of characters, Kaede, Chiaki, Komaru, and Toko are not planned to have romantic endings. This is because Kaede is canonically coupled with Shuichi, Komaru is Makoto's sister, so that's weird, and for Toko and Chiaki, I will not say why, but I sincerely hope the reasons should be obvious based on what I've just said. Maybe I will release bonus chapters that show what a potential romantic ending for those characters would be, but for now, the canon timeline blocks them off, so sorry about that. I will try to fill the blanks for the fans though.
That should be all for now. If you have any more questions, please leave a comment, and I'll answer it as best I can.
Thanks for reading. Leave some kudos, and some comments. I really want to hear what you guys think.

Uncommon Bonds

Chapter Summary

With his life now back in his hands, the Phantom Thieves put Hajime through a "rehab period" where they each spend a day getting to know him.

Chapter Notes

See the end of the chapter for notes

[DAY 1...]

Wonderful Dead 004 - Danganronpa Another Episode: Ultra Despair Girls

Though Makoto, Monomi, and Toko were preoccupied with Aoi Asahina's swimming tournament, as the Phantom Thieves had agreed upon, that same day would mark the beginning of Hajime's "rehab period."

Which was to say it would begin the period of time when the rest of the Phantom Thieves finally got to know the ex-Reserve student formally.

Hajime, his heart thumping in his chest, stood tensely in front of the Naegi residence after following the address that had been given to him.

His "mission" started with an easy step. To unwind and enjoy yourself at a friend's residence.

Komaru had invited him over while her brother was at Hina's swim meet. However, as soon as he found himself standing at the front door, he couldn't help but experience a surge of nervousness.

He considered turning around and leaving before anyone noticed his presence, but before he could make a move, the door swung open.

Presenting herself to him was a woman who resembled the Naegi siblings, with a gentle smile and empathetic eyes.

She put out a hand to him and greeted him kindly.

"Oh, you must be Hajime," she said with joy, "Komaru's already told me about you. I'm Shiomi; her mother. Please come in."

"A-Ah...Th-Thank you, Mrs. Naegi..."

As soon as Hajime entered the warm house, he experienced a wave of relief. Mrs. Naegi escorted him to the living room, where the Naegi little sister was grinning broadly and waiting for him.

"Hey, dude! I'm happy you were able to come," Komaru replied, indicating for him to settle down on the comfortable couch.

"Can I get you anything?" Mrs. Naegi asked. Hajime frantically waved his hands in refusal.

"N-No, no, I'm...I'm ok! I got something to eat and drink on the way here!" he promised, "Thank you very much, though."

"Well, I'm just in the kitchen if either of you two need me," Mrs. Naegi winked, "just make sure to give me a shout if you need anything."

The two of them watched as she disappeared into the kitchen, giving them a smile and a wave as she disappeared from sight. Hajime turned to Komaru.

"She's quite polite..." he said, "I see where your brother gets it from..."

"Don't you think I'm also polite?" Komaru asked.

"I never said you weren't," Hajime told her, "but there's something about Makoto-san that just makes him a bit more welcoming than most. I feel I can trust him."

"Alright, that's fair," Komaru sighed, "but Makoto's not here, so you're stuck with me today. So, what should we do?"

"Um...I was under the impression that YOU were the one who would tell me that," Hajime forced a confused smile. Komaru shook her head.

"It's not like me to come up with a plan for things. And if the goal is to get to know each other better and hang out, then we should find something that we both enjoy doing," Komaru explained, "So what do you like doing, Hajime?"

"That's...kind of a difficult question..." he scratched his head, "Honestly I...don't really have any REAL hobbies. The closest thing I have is playing games with Chiaki, but other than that..."

"Hm...Well, that's no good. Chiaki will want to play video games with us when we hang out at her house, so I can't steal her thunder..." Komaru crossed her arms, "What about comics and manga? You read and watch manga and anime?"

"Uh...I guess?" Hajime shrugged, "I don't really have a favorite series, though..."

"Favorite series...Oh! I got an idea!" Komaru beamed suddenly, "We should read The Bomb Inside Her together! I recently found my old box set when I was cleaning out my room, and I wanted to watch the old episodes again! Go on a...nostalgia trip, you know?"

"What's that?" Hajime asked.

"Well, it's um...putting yourself in a situation or experience that reminds you of events in the past, that you can-" Komaru explained, but Hajime interrupted her.

"No, I don't mean that. I know what a nostalgia trip is," he said.

"Oh so you meant...Ok! It's a collection of related items packaged together in a box and sold as a single-"

"No, I know what a box set is too!" Hajime cut her off again, "Jesus Christ, I might not be the Ultimate Hope anymore, but I'm not a goddamn moron!"

"OK, I'm sorry..." Komaru backed down, "What were you talking about?"

"I...Well...I guess my first question would be..." Hajime brought a hand to his chin, "What exactly IS "The Bomb Inside Her?" It's a manga series? I've never heard of it before..."

Komaru let out a gasp that sounded like a dying fish.

"You've NEVER HEARD of THE BOMB INSIDE HER!?" she shrieked, prompting Hajime to block his ears with his fingers, "What's WRONG with you!? Have you been living underground for the past three years!?"

Hajime unplugged his ears, and stared at Komaru like she was the stupidest person in the world.

"YES..." he "politely" reminded her.

"O-Oh...Right..." Komaru suddenly remembered, "Sorry, I forgot..."

"You're a little scatterbrained, aren't you, Komaru-san?" Hajime tried his best not to state the brutally obvious. Komaru shook her head and brushed his concerns off.

"Well, no time like the present to join the cult!" she enthused as she hurried to the other side of the room to grab the first volume. Hajime gulped.

"Well, THAT'S ominous..." he observed.

"Relax; it's just a joke. It's not an ACTUAL cult," she promised him, "It's my favorite manga series of all time. The story is about a 16-year-old high-school girl called Yumi Kayakuda. She's an average girl in almost every single way, except for one thing. She was born with a bomb inside her womb, and if she ever falls in love with someone, they explode!"

Hajime blinked a few times and shook his head.

"I'm sorry...!?" he exclaimed.

"I...forgive you?" Komaru replied awkwardly, "What are you sorry for?"

"No that's not...I'm just...confused," he said, "Manga writers are crazy..."

"They're ENLIGHTENED," Komaru frowned, "You or I could never come up with a concept like this!"

"Yeah, because it's crazy!" Hajime snapped, "Also, how old were you when you first started reading this?"

"About 9?" Komaru replied, "why?"

"So, in other words..." Hajime observed, "You're giving me a shoujo manga written for little girls?"

"Um...yeah?" Komaru tilted her head.

"And you think I, of all people, will enjoy that...why?" he asked.

"Because I like it even now!" Komaru pouted, "which means you can too!"

"Komaru-san, I'm gonna try and put this as delicately as I can..." Hajime told her, "But your tastes in most things are kinda...juvenile? That's the impression I've gotten so far."

"Hey you!" Komaru glowered, "You've never even heard of this before I brought it up! Who are you to say this is juvenile!? You haven't READ it!"

"That's...well..." Hajime stammered, "Okay, that's actually a pretty good point, but..."

"No buts!" Komaru asserted, "You said I should take the reigns today, so that's what I'm doing! You don't get to complain this late in the game!"

Hajime sighed.

"Ugh...Fine...FINE! I'll read it with you..." he gave in, "who knows? Even if I don't get into it, maybe I can figure out why you like it and get to know you better...?"

"EXACTLY!" Komaru beamed, "Come on! Let's get cracking!"

"Oh joy..." he huffed, palming his forehead.

About an hour passed, and Hajime gripped the page of the second volume, his brow furrowed.

"I don't trust this "Koriyama" character!" he snapped, "Her "light of life goes dark whenever the feeling of love vanishes?" I don't buy that for a second!"

"Ooooh boy," Komaru smirked in a knowing way, "just keep reading, buster..."

Reluctantly, Hajime opened the manga and started reading. But as he flipped through the pages, he couldn't help but admire the intricate artwork and lively characters. Despite himself, he found himself intrigued by the story unfolding before him.

Hour after hour, Hajime lost himself in the manga. He gasped at the dramatic moments, giggled at the characters' antics, and even cried a little at the touching parts. Komaru rejoiced internally as he saw Hajime's initial irritation and dismissiveness turn to sincere curiosity and delight.

Before he realized it, Hajime had finished the first volume, and Komaru had given him the second volume with great glee on her face.

"I LOVE it when I'm right~" she winked and praised herself.

"Yeah, yeah, you told me so..." Hajime rolled his eyes, "Real talk, though. As much as I am enjoying this, PLEASE don't tell Chiaki or any of the others that we read girl manga together. I'll never be able to live it down."

"Your secret is safe with me, homeslice..." Komaru made a gesture, but then cringed at her own vernacular, "In exchange, you must promise me not to tell anyone I called you that..."

"Trust me, I'll force myself to forget," Hajime shook his head, cringing himself.

"That aside," Komaru changed the subject, "do you think you've got a better idea of what kind of character I am?"

"Well, I still think it'll take me some time to get used to you, but that goes for everybody," Hajime told her honestly, "but reading this manga gave me a bit more insight than I thought it would."

"Well, maybe that's true," Komaru acknowledged, "but hey. You're not the only one seeing connections or understanding."

"I'm not?" Hajime asked, "but...haven't you read this before?"

"Yeah, but it's been a year or two since I binge-read the whole series again," Komaru told him, "and I've had so many more life experiences in that time. So I'm reading this now as a 15-year-old and thinking, "Wow! Yumi-chan reminds me a lot of Hajime, actually!""

Hajime frowned.

"Mind elaborating on that for me?" he asked, "I don't have bombs in my womb...I don't have a womb to begin with; at least I don't THINK I do..."

"Wh-Why'd you say it like that?" Komaru asked.

"Hey, I have no idea what the Steering Committee did to my body when I underwent surgery," Hajime shook his head, "Not worth thinking about that though. What do you mean?"

"Well, exactly as I said. Her personality reminds me a lot of what I've seen from you so far," she explained, "She's kind of...two-faced in her nature, and she has strong convictions."

"Two-faced-!?" Hajime wasn't sure if she meant this as a compliment or insult, "You know that all that stuff's just an act, right?"

"Also, she's a cuh-LASSIC Tsundere!" Komaru winked.

"Who are you calling Tsundere?" Hajime snapped.

"And also..." Komaru's cheerful tone of voice suddenly lessened, and her dialect became rather serious, "Due to her precarious situation, she puts her own interests above those of the people she considers friends...Even if that means she leaves them behind..."

DSO_Beautiful Dead - Danganronpa Another Episode: Ultra Despair Girls

Hajime froze. It didn't take him long to process these words, but when he turned back to Komaru, she was no longer smiling. This conversation had taken a dramatic turn.

But in good conscience, Hajime could not take that lying down.

"What's that?" he asked, frowning, "Why are you bringing that up now all of a sudden?"

"Hey, don't give me that," Komaru frowned back, "You asked me what I meant when I said I saw common traits. I'm telling you now."

Whatever was suddenly going on, Hajime didn't much like it...But something in Komaru's glare seemed...off...

"Hey...Komaru-san..." he narrowed his eyes, "Are you trying to upset me on purpose? If this is some kind of joke, it's an unpleasant one."

"Bah..." Komaru sighed, leaning back in her seat, "looks like you got me..."

"Wait, you WERE!?" Hajime exclaimed, "Wh-Why did you do that?"

"Well, it's like this..." Komaru sighed with a sad smile, "I tend to say a lot of really silly things that usually get people at my throat. Sometimes, people can take me as I am, and they stick around with me despite that quirk. The Phantom Thieves are one such group..."

She refused to look Hajime in the eye as she said this next part.

"The rest, though...Well, I think you get the picture," she said, "so I was doing this as a little test. In the future, if I say something that upsets you, I want you to tell me...But I also don't want you to forsake me if I do...Sometimes my mouth acts on its own."

Her serious, sad expression suddenly became flustered and awkward.

"B-Basically, if I say something stupid, j-just take it as such! Something stupid!" she stammered, "I don't mean to upset you, really?"

Hajime smiled and shook his head.

"Honestly," he chuckled, "you really are one absurd person...Don't worry, I've got thicker skin than that...But...this must be a real problem for you if it prompted a test..."

"Normal people struggles," Komaru shrugged, "I don't expect that from most of the others. Shuichi's too shy, and Kaede and Chiaki are too polite. But I have a hard time reading you, so I wanted to give it a shot."

She patted his shoulder.

"With that being said, SERIOUSLY don't SERIOUSLY take what I said SERIOUSLY," she told him seriously, "All that stuff's as good as in the past. We don't need to worry about it anymore."

"I know..." Hajime nodded, "Kamukura's a part of my heart and soul now, and that's how things will stay. Even still, that kind of stuff isn't something you can get over quickly."

"I know Hajime...I'm sorry..." Komaru sighed, "But whatever grievances you still have, we'll fix them pretty soon. The Steering Committee won't know what hit 'em!"

"Yeah, you're right," he nodded, "Those guys suck anyway. I don't know why I spare thoughts for them; it's just...ugh...!"

"Ugh?" Komaru repeated.

"UGH!" Hajime snapped.

"What are you two talking about?" Mrs. Naegi walked back into the living room carrying a stack of papers, presumably for her work, "Are you playing pretend cavemen together?"

"Oh my god, Mom, NO!" Komaru blushed. Hajime couldn't help but reel back and laugh.

She quickly snapped her head toward him. Since she'd met him, Hajime had given a small smile at most. This was the first time she'd seen him grin ear to ear and giggle uncontrollably.

She smiled warmly. Mission accomplished!

[DAY 2...]